Amidst the no kings protest anti war vets took their stand in DC leading to the arrest of an 87 year old veteran who came out to protest the militarization of American streets. John Spitzberg of Gainesville, FL crossed police lines along with 60 demonstrators – mostly veterans and military families – allegedly pulling down bicycle rack barricades and sitting on the capitol rotunda steps. The action was organized by About Face: Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace (VFP).
The protest came the evening before the Army’s 250th anniversary parade—a major national event in D.C.—criticized by the demonstrators as a $45–50 million show that detracts from essential services. Veteran speakers emphasized their service values: prioritizing constitutional integrity, veteran benefits, and public welfare over spectacle.
John Spitzberg was escorted away with zip ties restraining his arms behind his back. His walker trailing behind him with it’s own escort. The protesters started to chant to restrain him from the front.
Spitzberg had also been arrested back in 2012 outside a veterans’ memorial in New York City. That protest was part of a vigil marking the anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan War.
At that time, police issued warnings over a loudspeaker before leading him away in the rain, cuffed along with five other veterans, amid chants of “Shame” from onlookers.
In October 2022, during a national board meeting of Veterans For Peace, John Spitzberg proposed that the organization should call for a six‑month truce—pausing missile strikes, bombings, and arms transfers. His motion was part of broader VFP discussions on de-escalating global conflicts
sources:
https://www.amny.com/news/veterans-keep-fighting-against-curfew-for-memorial-2/
