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No Cuts, No Way! VVAW Seizes the Statue of Liberty

By VVAW

In a bold and dramatic action, 15 members of VVAW seized and held the Statue of Liberty for 18 hours to bring national attention to the struggles of vets and the impending demonstrations in Philadelphia on July 1-4.

Arriving on the Island in groups throughout the afternoon, the vets waited until 6:00 PM, closing time for the Statue. In a precise and disciplined manner, the VVAW members took control of the communications center, escorted out all visitors and park employees in a firm but polite manner and proceeded to secure the Statue and building. Assurances were given people that there would be no damage, violence or thefts.

After the lower floor entrances had been barricaded, VVAW hung two banners from the crown of the Statue: "Extend and Expand the GI Bill" and "We've Carried the Rich for Two Hundred Years--Let's Get Them Off Our Backs." Throughout the night a constant security watch was kept with the vets alternating squads on shifts, and continually meeting to decide strategy. One telephone line was kept open to communicate with supporters in New York and to continually update the media on the situation inside the Statue.

A statement released by VVAW about the seizure stated, in part: "We members of the VVAW have seized the Statue of Liberty in opposition to the Memorial Day cutoff of the GI Bill which has made 3.7 million of our brothers ineligible, forcing thousands of us into the streets with no jobs to be found and no income to survive. We will not starve! Everywhere vets are mobilizing against these attacks.

"While the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign have approved these cuts, while the newspapers have tried to maintain a wall of silence around this outrage, we will not remain the silent victims of those who attack us. Just as we fought against their bloodsucking wars in Indochina, we are now fighting these attacks on our very lives. And we are rising up not to beg but to demand that the GI Bill be extended and expanded, learning from the veterans who 44 years ago this month did the same thing, gathering in Washington, DC in the famous Bonus March.

"And this latest attack is just one more reason why we are marching in Philadelphia on July 1-4 under the banner "We've Carried the Rich for Two Hundred, Let's Get Them Off Our Backs!" demanding Jobs or Income Now, and expressing our resolve that We Won't Fight Another Rich Man's War."

The next morning police cut off the telephone communications and stormed the Statue after promising that the vets inside wouldn't be busted if they gave up voluntarily. After the vets ignored pleas from the government, the police broke their way through the barricades with no resistance from the vets, even though they could have held the police off.

Arrested and removed from the island by boats, the vets were met ashore by other vets and bystanders who applauded and cheered. The vets were handcuffed and taken away in police vans. Later, the police claimed in the press that the cheers had been for them.

Charged with "refusing to abide with closing hours" and "refusing to comply with a federal injunction," the vets were released on their own recognizance later the same day. Not wishing to further publicize the demands of the vets, the federal judge ruled late in June that all charges would be dropped in the defendants would comply with a federal court order restricting them from ever again seizing any national monuments including such places as Death Valley, Moon Craters in Utah, and other federal hotspots totaling in the hundreds. The veterans, having other word to do and seeing that the victory had been won, signed the judge's order.

Just as in 1970 when VVAW took over the Statue to oppose the continuing war in Indochina and succeeded in brining their opposition to the American public, the June 8th takeover was a tremendous success in awakening the public to the cutoff of GI Bill benefits and forcing the media, somewhat reluctantly, to acknowledge the upcoming demonstrations in Philadelphia.

The action also had a dynamic effect on vets around the country and in New York City itself. Vets everywhere began requesting information on the Philadelphia demonstration and the struggle around the GI Bill. One man in New York City who had been part of VVAW in the takeover in 1970 but had left the organization, asked to get more information about the demonstrations planned in Philly. In all, the action was seen all over the country as a significant action that will continue to inspire vets everywhere in building VVAW and the vets struggle, as well as the campaign to "Extend and Expand the GI Bill."