Minneapolis, MN – Nine people were arrested here, April 13, at the office of Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar after refusing to leave her office. Protesters talked with Klobuchar by telephone. When she refused to make a commitment to voting against funding for the war in Afghanistan, the peace activists decided to remain in her office until they were arrested. Earlier, about 100 people rallied in front of the office.

The protesters demanded Senator Klobuchar vote against a supplemental funding bill for the war in Afghanistan. The funding bill that the U.S. Congress will be considering asks for an additional $33 billion for the war.

The April 13 peace action Klobuchar’s office is the second in a series of activities by a coalition of peace and anti-war groups to oppose the additional funding for the war in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, April 8 a protest was held at the Saint Paul office of Senator Al Franken. At that event, six people were arrested and ticketed by police after they refused to leave the senator’s office when he too refused to commit to opposing the new funding for the war.

The war funding votes Congress will be coming just as the U.S. military is preparing a major offensive against Kandahar, Afghanistan. News reports have indicated that an attack on Kandahar could come in June.

“The dollars in the supplemental funding bill will help finance the projected attack on Kandahar, which will be yet another bloody escalation of the war in Afghanistan,” said a statement issued by organizers.

“It is imperative that we speak out at this time against the escalation of the war in Afghanistan and further assaults on Afghan cities and towns, which can only result in more bloodshed, misery and death for U.S. soldiers and the people of Afghanistan, one of the poorest nations in the world,” the statement concludes.

The events are sponsored by the Minnesota Peaceable Assembly Campaign Committee, which includes members of several Minnesota peace, religious, student and other organizations.

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