Biodefense Panel Urges More Army Transparency/ 50 protesters arrested at Honeywell nuke weapons plant in Kansas City, MO

http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/apr/29/biodefense-panel-urges-more-army-transparency-ar-1005757/

Published: April 29, 2011

Biodefense Panel Urges More Army Transparency

By Associated Press Writer

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) A panel of civilian scientists is urging the Army to be more transparent about its plans for an animal biodefense laboratory at Fort Detrick in Frederick.

The National Academy of Sciences committee expressed its concerns Friday in a letter to the commander of the Army's Medical Research and Materiel Command.

The Army sought the academy's help in preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed laboratory. The facility would be used for animal studies on pathogens and countermeasures that require a high level of containment to prevent human exposure.

After reviewing the Army's proposal for assessing the exposure risk, the committee is recommending that the Army reveal more information about the pathogens that are likely to be tested.

WSLS 10 © Copyright 2011 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company.

50 protesters arrested at future Honeywell plant in KC

 

Kansas City Star

May 3, 2011

 

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/05/02/2844837/50-protesters-arrested-at-future.html#storylink=misearch#ixzz1LI9Ounlx

 

Kansas City police arrested more than 50 protesters Monday as they

peacefully marched onto the construction site of the billion-dollar

Honeywell plant that will produce parts for nuclear bombs.

 

Protesters ignored several warnings from police to leave. Police said

the group waited until news cameras arrived and then walked in an

orderly fashion toward the plant’s gates. When company officials

closed the gates, the protesters surrounded a truck that was trying to

leave the property. Protesters held hands and sang hymns before going

peacefully with officers.

 

Police took the arrestees to police headquarters using a police bus.

Each one was fingerprinted, photographed and booked into the city’s

jail for trespassing.

 

Police arrested 14 protesters last year at the site near Missouri 150

and Botts Road, but they were not taken to jail. They were issued

tickets and released on signature bonds. Each protester arrested

Monday had to pay a $100 bond to get out, police said.

 

The protest was part of a planned weekend of “faith and resistance” by

Midwest Catholic Worker groups. A flier told participants to arrive in

Kansas City on Friday night. Saturday called for a history lesson on

the plant and Sunday night called for “civil disobedience planning and

legal advice.”

 

The agenda for Monday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. simply read: “Action.”

 

Police said most of the protesters were from out of state, mainly

Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

 

Christine Vendel, cvendel@kcstar.com