Anti-war demonstrators interrupted Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden’s speech at the Downtown Athletic Club Friday, protesting the war in Iraq and the Democrat’s votes in favor of funding the war. During a question-and-answer period, Eugene resident and protest
coordinator Peter Chabarek ascended the podium and attempted to grab Wyden’s microphone and deliver a speech of his own, prompting club officials to restrain him.
Expected to ask a single question as part of the proceedings, Chabarek, along with four women dressed in black with veils covering their faces, presented Wyden with a folder containing pictures depicting victims of the war in Iraq.
Wyden gave an update on tax-reform legislation in the club’s ballroom in front of a group of City Club members and the media. While Wyden gave his speech, demonstrators rallied in front of the club playing Martin Luther King’s famous 1967 speech on the Vietnam War. Demonstrators also brought fake, flag-draped coffins and placed them around the sidewalk surrounding the club.
Chabarek gave Wyden a “chance to apologize publicly and an opportunity to make a pledge promising to vote against any legislation supporting continued U.S. involvement in the war.”
“We are willing to be arrested. Understand we will go to great lengths to stop the war,” Chabarek said. “We will continue to confront (Sen. Wyden) until he shows some spine. Obviously he doesn’t have the guts to sign the pledge.”
During the speech, Wyden said that before the U.S. entered the war, he voted against U.S. military involvement in Iraq.
“If my side of the vote had prevailed, we wouldn’t have lost so many American and Iraqi lives,” Wyden said. “I now vote to continue funding the war so our military has the resources to protect themselves … If our people are in harm’s way, I will vote to protect them.”
On Nov. 18, Chabarek and demonstrators protested in front of the ROTC building on campus while more demonstrators protested military recruitment at the Churchill Army recruiting center. Eleven of the group were arrested. Chabarek also organized a protest against military recruitment during the University’s career fair on April 27, 2005.
No arrests were made during Friday’s protest.
Chabarek was showered with boos from the assembled crowd, consisting mostly of City Club members, after asking for Wyden’s signature on the pledge. Some exclaimed, “Don’t sign it!” and, “This is uncalled-for!”
Wyden declined to sign the pledge.
City Club President and University law assistant professor Tom Lininger attempted to restore order by allowing the next speaker in line to question Wyden while the four veiled women sat on the floor surrounding his podium.
“You go to Ashland, you’ll get a Shakespearean play. Come to Eugene, and you’ll get a protest,” Lininger said jokingly, shortly after Wyden’s speech.
Chabarek said the only way to protect U.S. soldiers is to remove them from Iraq altogether.
“We made our point very well,” he said. “The senator heard our statement, the public heard our statement and the only way to protect our troops is to bring them home.”
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