Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Friday, November 02, 2007
Protesters guilty of trespassing
 Anti-war protesters march from City Hall to Congressman Ron Kind's office after four individuals from an earlier sit-in at Kind's office were found guilty of trespassing. Erik Daily |
Four war protesters who refused to leave U.S. Rep. Ron Kind’s La Crosse office earlier this year were found guilty of trespassing Thursday in La Crosse Municipal Court.
But the two women and two girls achieved their goal of using the hearing to air their opposition to the Iraq war and fault Kind for not doing more.
Municipal Court Judge Dennis Marcou ordered Gail Vaughn, 55, and Anita Zibton, 53, each to pay $96 in fines and fees. But he did not fine Zoe Zibton, 13, and Katie Lamb, 12.
The Zibtons and Lamb are from La Farge, Wis., while Vaughn lives in La Crosse.
During the hour-long hearing, each of the four took the stand to admit refusing to leave Kind’s office at 205 S. Fifth Ave. on May 30 when staff members tried at 5 p.m. to close the office. Kind was not at the office at the time.
Vaughn rattled off a number of votes Kind has made to support and fund the war and his refusal to vote to bring U.S. troops home.
“Ever since way before the war started, I began contacting Congressman Kind’s office ... I have personally called, written, e-mailed, gone to the office and done other things outside Ron Kind’s office on the street and have only gotten back form letters saying that he has basically no intention of trying to stop that war. He continues to fund everything to keep it going,” Vaughn said.
After the hearing, Kind released a statement opposing how the war has been handled and stressing that Congress cannot continue to give the Bush administration “a blank check to pursue his failed ‘stay the course’ strategy in Iraq.
“That is why I have and will continue to support a set timeline for the responsible redeployment of our troops. I believe establishing a date certain to begin withdrawal is necessary to show the Iraqi government that our commitment and patience is not endless, and force them to take responsibility for their own security.”
Attorney Keith Belzer, who represented the four, unsuccessfully argued Thursday the protesters had a right under state law to trespass because they were trying to spare someone else from serious harm — U.S. troops in Iraq and the Iraqi people.
Marcou did not buy the argument, though he praised the protesters for making their voices heard in a peaceful and civil manner.
A large group of mostly war protesters filled the municipal court chambers after first protesting outside City Hall and later moving to Kind’s
La Crosse office.
After the hearing, Vaughn said she expected Marcou to find them guilty and thanked the judge for giving them the opportunity to be heard.
She also vowed to continue to lobby Kind to stop the war in Iraq and to prevent military action against Iran.
Dan Springer can be reached at dspringer@lacrossetribune.com.
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