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Nov 28, 2009 6:50 pm US/Pacific
Tempers Flare At Anti-War Rally At Travis AFB
FAIRFIELD, Calif. (CBS13) ―
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An unidentified military veteran was involved in a tense confrontation with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan and the group Code Pink at a rally at Travis Air Force Base on Saturday, November 28, 2009.
CBS
A Saturday rally led by anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan at Travis Air Force Base nearly ended in a brawl when a military veteran physically confronted the protesters.
Anti-war group Code Pink demonstrated at the military base Saturday morning in the first of six planned protests against unmanned military drones currently in use in overseas war zones.
Sheehan, a well-known anti-war activist whose son was killed while serving in Iraq in 2004, was leading the demonstration with a megaphone when a man dressed in a formal military uniform stepped up to her and berated her.
Videotape of the incident shows that Sheehan yelled "Get out of my face" through the megaphone at the man, who slapped the device away. Other protesters immediately joined Sheehan and traded insults with the man, and a shoving match broke out.
Military police quickly pulled the two sides apart.
Raw Video
Video Of Confrontation (Graphic Content) Interview With Military Veteran (Graphic Content) Interview With Cindy Sheehan Interview With Code Pink Member Xan JoyThe military veteran told reporters that he was upset with the anti-war protesters' effect on troop morale. "They ruin the troops. They get to the troops. They did the same thing in Vietnam," he said.
The man declined to give his name to reporters. "I don't want to be a personality over this, that's not my intention," he said.
Sheehan told reporters that she was disappointed her protest against what she called "morally reprehensible" military drones was interrupted by the man.
"We are here non-violently, and he came up and shoved the megaphone into my face," she said. "I'm never going to stop, no matter how we're oppressed."
Sheehan said she would be speaking to an attorney about legal action against the man.
Code Pink protester Xan Joy, who physically confronted the man during the incident, called the man a "bully" and said his behavior was meant to intimidate the protesters.
"He should be so happy and grateful that there are people in this country that are trying to protect him and his children and everybody's children from war," Joy said.
The events of the day did not end when the protesters packed up and left. When part of Code Pink's caravan paused in the middle of the road, Sheehan was given a ticket for impeding traffic.
"I got assaulted by this old man and I'm the one given a ticket. So, yeah, it's bulls***," Sheehan said.
Several members of Code Pink said they wanted charges filed against the man in uniform, but no arrests were made.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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