Protesters rally for peace at Y-12
15 arrested at protest marking 60th anniversary of bombing of Hiroshima

By JOHN HUOTARI, huotarij@knews.com
August 7, 2005

OAK RIDGE - Organizers said it was the largest peace protest in East
Tennessee history, and it ended with the arrest of 15 protesters who were
blocking the roadway in front of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak
Ridge.
Before their arrests, some of the protesters carried signs saying the United
States is violating federal and international law by making bombs at the
Y-12 complex.

The 15 were part of a group of more than 1,000 peace activists who gathered
near the Y-12 main entrance Saturday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of
the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, near the end of World War II. The bomb's
uranium-235 was produced at Y-12, and the bomb killed tens of thousands.

The plant continues to make parts for every warhead in this country's
nuclear arsenal, and is the main storehouse for bomb-grade uranium.

The peace protest was organized by the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace
Alliance. It drew people from across the country as well as from Great
Britain and Australia.

Oak Ridge Police Department Capt. Alan Massengill said the arrested
protesters would be released with a misdemeanor citation for blocking a
roadway, as long as they didn't have a record or prior offenses.

Those arrested blocked Scarboro Road north and south of the Y-12 entrance.

Andrew Weatherly, a teacher from Asheville, N.C., was one of those arrested.

"We have to set the example," he said, citing a lack of protests in Nazi
Germany as a good reason to protest Saturday. Weatherly was released and is
to appear in court Tuesday.

Steven Wyatt, spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration,
which oversees Y-12, defended the plant's mission.

"Y-12 is extremely important to the security of our nation," he said. "Our
main job is to ensure the reliability of the nuclear weapon stockpile."

Wyatt said the plant supports nuclear non-proliferation efforts. And, he
added, by making sure existing weapons are reliable, the plant allows the
nation to reduce its nuclear arsenal and need for nuclear testing.

Wyatt would not comment on the legality of the Y-12 work, but he said the
plant meets all state and federal laws.

Wyatt also could not say how many security officers were present. At least
two-dozen security officers and federal officials could be seen inside the
Y-12 perimeter.

Buddhist monk Gyoshu Utsumi, an Atlanta resident, walked 300 miles to Oak
Ridge from the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
He said the walk took three weeks.

"We are trying to help OREPA," he said.

Another 15 protesters biked to Oak Ridge from Knoxville on Friday night.
Along the way, OREPA board member Kip Williams said, they got overwhelming
support from passing motorists.

"It was a protest but it also was a pilgrimage," he said. "We believe that
what's happening here at Y-12 is both illegal and immoral."

Patrick O'Neill drove to the protest from Garner, N.C.

"When it comes to the nuclear arms race," he said, "Y-12 is the belly of the
beast."

Throughout the day, protesters participated in a remembrance and names
ceremony (of both Hiroshima victims and the 67 Oak Ridge scientists who
petitioned President Truman in July 1945 to not "resort to the use of atomic
bombs."), a march, a rally and a peace lantern ceremony. Events started
around 6 a.m. and ran into the evening.

About a dozen counter-protesters were also at the protest Saturday. Some of
them supported the right of the protesters to speak out.

"We feel like they've got the right to do so because it was paid for by the
veterans," said Kelly Gaddy, a Chattanooga resident and president of Rolling
Thunder Inc., Chapter 2 TN, an organization for veterans.

But Kelly didn't agree with their message.

"If it weren't for the bomb, we probably wouldn't be here today," he said.
"If we disarm in America, we'd have all kinds of hell over here."

"You've gotta protect yourself," added Ray Smith, a Rolling Thunder member.

On Saturday evening, ORPD Lt. Scott Ball said four of the arrested
protesters had been released on misdemeanor citations. The other 11 have
been taken to the Anderson County Jail, he said. He did not have more
information on their status.

Similar demonstrations were held at the nuclear weapons labs at Los Alamos
in New Mexico and Lawrence Livermore in California and the Nevada Test Site.

John Huotari may be reached at 865-342-6271.