Catholic activists in Portland protest U.S. involvement in Iraq War

Published: 2006-04-03

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) -- A Catholic priest, a woman religious and members of the Portland Catholic Worker movement were among 19 demonstrators arrested in Portland March 20 to protest U.S. involvement in the war in Iraq. The group's message was directed to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who voted against participating in the Iraq War in 2002. The protesters wanted him to increase legislative pressure to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq. They expressed frustration that Wyden and other Democrats in Congress have not done more to halt the war that began three years ago. Father Jim Stephens, Sister Elaine Kelly of the Sisters for Christian Community and 17 others entered Wyden's office in Portland's Federal Building at noon, bearing signed petitions calling for the withdrawal of soldiers and a closure of permanent U.S. bases in Iraq. At the end of the workday, police handcuffed the demonstrators and led them out of the building to be booked and released. A trial on misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse is set for June 2.

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