The National Security Agency cited 13 activists Saturday afternoon for protesting outside National Security Administration headquarters at Fort Meade, an organizer said.
An NSA security officercited the activists for “entering into military facility for purposes prohibited by the law,” said Max Obuszewski, a member of the anti-war group Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore.
The group was stopped on a public road that leads to the entrance of the NSA and provides access to the Vigilance Museum, which is open to the public, Obuszewski said.
“We have a right to at least go over to the entrance of the NSA … we didn?t get anywhere near that,” he said.
NSA officials could not be reached for comment.
Obuszewski said there were 25 protesters in total, but only 13 were cited for refusing to stop carrying signs, which included a banner that read “NSA = Crime Science,” and yellow police tape.
The protesters were given a document dated May 12, 2005, that said protesting is prohibited at Fort Meade, but Obuszewski said he has been to Fort Meade at least four times since that date and been permitted to protest in certain areas.
“This is just speculation, but it?s quite possible that [NSA director] Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander doesn?t want any protests,” he said. “The other possibility is that [the NSA] have been getting so much bad press lately … they don?t want any more publicity if possible.”
The anti-war activists are scheduled to appear in a Baltimore federal court at a date to be determined.
Obuszewski said the arrests won?t deter him from further activism.
“Myself, as a long-time peace activist, it can?t get to me. I?ve had probably 70 arrests in my non-violent past,” he said. “But there is little doubt that this will scare off people.”
Obuszewski sent a letter last month to Lt. Gen. Alexander, seeking a meeting to discuss wire-tapping and what he described as NSA surveillance of his group, but received no response, he said.
“We are not doing anything but going out there and asking for a meeting,”Obuszewski said.
The AP contributed to this report
