WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Protestors Portray Cheney as War Monger

Protestors Portray Cheney as War Monger

South Burlington, Vermont - September 19, 2002

Just by their sheer numbers, they couldn't be missed -- nearly 200 people showed up to protest the appearance of Vice President Richard Cheney at the Burlington Airport.

The group came out to voice their displeasure with the administrations push to invade Iraq. Rev. Gary Kowalski of the Unitarian Church of Burlington said "War on Iraq right now would be a tremendous mistake, war on Iraq would be attacking a country that's not currently threatening us, that's not currently threatening its neighbors, and that would be a violation of both moral law and international law."

Mark Floegel of Burlington said: "I watch the news and I get upset at what my government is doing, and so I heard that this was happening today so I wanted to come out and let people know that Vermonters don't support this, and I don't think Americans support what Cheney and Bush are doing. And that's why I decided to take some time off and come down here today."

The demonstrators were visual and vocal as they made their presence known on Airport Parkway. But despite their exposure on the street, the one person who ddin't see them was the vice President -- who never left the airport.

That did not deter Carol Clauss of Bristol: "No, no and my sign is I wish he would come out of a bunker once in a while and find out what the American people would like to have us do, but they're dead set on doing what they want to do."

But even though Cheney didn't see them -- the protestors couldn't be missed by the elected Vermont officials who attended the event, like House Speaker Walter Freed. Kimberly Ead of the Peace & Justice Center said: "It's costing them between 200 to 5,000-dollars right now and they're supporting a party that is in support of a war, and hopefully they walk away from here seeing us and seeing the signs and understanding what effect that has on both people in Vermont as well as people in countries all over the world."

The protestors dispersed after a while.. police said there were no serious incidents.