Protesters Shut Down Army, Navy Recruiting Offices

About 20 Macalester College students are taking part in a demonstration outside neighboring Army and Navy recruiting offices on the U of M's East Bank, a move that has effectively shut down the businesses for the day.

Pictures after the jump.

Since around 10 this morning, eight of the protesters--most of whom are members of Macalester's Students for a Democratic Society--have linked arms through PBC pipes reinforced with chicken-wire and duct tape, thereby blocking the entrances. Two members of the crew have fashioned horseshoe bicycle locks around their necks connected to each door handle.

"We think [the Army and Navy recruiters] might have heard about the plan," said one of the non-linked protesters at the site near the corner of Washington Ave. and Oak St. "We know they had recruiting appointments scheduled for today, but they haven't shown up."

Demonstrators say they plan to continue the act of civil disobedience all day or until law enforcement breaks it up. The group has taped two signs to the office windows: "Mission Accomplished: Closed for the Day" and "Five Years is Five Too Many."