Disrupting Negroponte

Protesters Arrested After Disrupting Negroponte in Vermont

by Orin Langelle and Anne Petermann/Global Justice Ecology Project

photos: http://globaljusticeecology.org/index.php?name=news

St. Johnsbury,VT--National Intelligence Director John Negroponte's Commencement Address to the graduating class of private St. Johnsbury Academy was disrupted twice by protesters inside the auditorium where the ceremony was being held.

Over 75 protesters gathered on the sidewalk outside of the Academy protesting Negroponte's shadowy record that spans decades including a stint as the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras and Ambassador to Iraq before his present position as the nation's number one "intelligence" overseer. Two other protesters from Vermont School of the Americas Watch were arrested as they attempted to gain entrance to the auditorium. (More details of Negroponte's actions in Honduras and his complicity in Nicaragua during the Contra War in the 1980's).

Briefly after Negroponte began his address, Michael Colby, a horse logger from Worcester, VT stood up saying, "In the name of democracy I object to this man speaking. He has blood on his hands from his work in Central America and Iraq. He shouldn't be at the podium, he should be in jail. He is a war criminal." Colby was grabbed by police and security and escorted out of the auditorium to awaiting police cars.

As Colby was being escorted away, Negroponte told the audience, "Now it's my turn." But before he could continue, Boots Wardinski, another logger quickly rose stating, "No! It's my turn! When the headmaster intorduced Negroponte, he forgot to tell about all the people tortured, killed and raped (under Negroponte's helm in Honduras). You should be ashamed to stay in here and listen to this man."

UN ambassador, Iraq pro-consul, DNI.