The peace activists cited this summer for protesting outside the National Security Agency vowed Friday to fight the charges in federal court.
Max Obuszewski, a member of the anti-war group Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore, said he and several other protesters who the NSA cited in July are looking forward to arguing their cases at a trial or having the charges against them dismissed.
“We were charged with entering a military facility for illegal purposes. When was the First Amendment declared illegal?” he said. “We?re looking forward to taking this case to court. ”
The protesters were arraigned Friday in front of a U.S. magistrate judge.
Outside the NSA?s Fort Meade headquarters, an NSA security officer charged the activists with entering a military facility for illegal purposes July 8, though the group was stopped on what the protesters maintain was a public road.
About 25 protesters, including Green Party gubernatorial candidate Ed Boyd and State Senate candidate Maria Allwine, attended the rally, but only 13 were cited for refusing to stop carrying signs, which included a banner that read “NSA = Crime Science.”
Boyd, a military veteran who received 1 percent of the vote statewide in the Nov. 7 election, said he felt it was un-American that he had been cited for protesting.
“Even if you disagree, you have that right to voice your opinion,” he said. “It was really a sad day for democracy.”
Allwine, who took 11 percent of the vote in the 43rd legislative district in Baltimore, said she?s been arrested more than 10 times for anti-war protests, but is undeterred.
“It makes me more determined than ever,” she said, “You can put whatever penalties you want on constitutionally protected activities and I will always challenge them.”
The protesters are scheduled to appear in federal court again on Feb. 9 for a motions hearing, Obuszewski said.
