Four Catholic Workers From Urbana-Champaign Among 22 Arrested At Blackwater Site

News is starting to come in about a non-violent demonstration that took place over the weekend at Blackwater's training camp in Jo Davies County, northwest Illinois.

Among 22 who were arrested in the demonstration, four were members of the local St. Jude Catholic Worker House.

They delivered this message:

STATEMENT OF FORECLOSURE 
DELIVERED TO BLACKWATER (Xe) FOR 
MORAL BANKRUPTCY 
April 27, 2009 

As Catholic Workers and other concerned citizens of the United States we come today to this northwest Illinois Blackwater training site in an act of nonviolent protest. We are here to make a citizens foreclosure on this property of a company that is morally bankrupt. We are here to reclaim it for the people of this nation who promote democracy and security by humanitarian efforts. 

We stand here today as citizens who live in solidarity with and in service to fellow citizens who struggle with joblessness, homelessness, and inadequate wages. We are here to stop the flow of billions of tax dollars to the privatization of our military and the miniaturization of our police by companies like Blackwater; a company that is responsible for:

· Killing innocent Iraqi civilians 
· Smuggling weapons illegally into Iraq 
· Tax evasion 
· Illegal possession of firearms 

We are here to hold them accountable for all their illegal and immoral actions. 

No matter how many times this company changes its name, it can run but it cannot hide from its bloody history or its lawlessness.

----

For more go here:

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/04/27-3

http://rebelreports.com/post/101058493/22-arrested-at-blackwaters-illinois-compound

http://www.wqad.com/news/wqad-blackwater-protest-carroll-042709,0,2771127.story

http://www.journalstandard.com/homepage/x126913347/Preparing-to-protest

http://www.indymedia-letzebuerg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23716&Itemid=28

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=241422

http://www.thonline.com/multimedia/index.cfm?id=2447&srow=1

Stay tuned for more.

BD