Second Major Protest Planned for the Army Experience Center


Activists affiliated with several dozen groups on the east coast will again descend on the Army Experience Center at Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia at 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 12, 2009.


A protest on May 2, 2009 at the Army's interactive video recruiting center was attended by 250 people and saw 7 arrests, but failed to generate mainstream print media coverage.


This time, demonstrators are being encouraged to form small affinity groups and enter the mall through one of several locations. Protesters are encouraged to express their outrage in creative, nonviolent ways.


At 2:00 pm people will come out of the woodwork and converge on the Army Experience Center. Organizers feel it may not be wise for participants to congregate into large groups before the demonstration or wear clothing that would suggest participation in the protest. Is it possible for hundreds to arrive at the mall without being detected? It probably doesn't matter because police don't have the right to bar entrance to the mall based on a person's appearance.



Privately owned spaces like shopping malls are not generally considered to be public property like streets, sidewalks and public parks. It’s a problem for folks not particularly enthralled with the status quo, with so many of today’s public spaces masquerading under private ownership.



In case military and civilian officials decide to close the Army Experience Center or the entire red section of the mall, demonstrators are encouraged to congregate at the intersection of Knight's Road and Mechanicsville Road, directly in front of the red entrance.

Franklin Mills Mall is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its street address is 1455 Franklin Mills Circle Philadelphia, PA. Getting to Franklin Mills Mall is simple. Take Exit 35 off of Rt. 95 and merge onto Woodhaven Rd, (PA 63 West). Go a mile and take a right on Millbrook Rd which leads into Franklin Mills Mall.



Map - Zoom in 3 times and you’ll see Franklin Mills Mall



Getting to Franklin Mills Mall by public transportation:



Frankford Transportation Center is the Philadelphia hub for train and bus transportation. From the Frankford Transportation Center, take the Route 67 Bus Northbound to Franklin Mills Mall. On Saturdays, buses depart at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 1:30 pm. It’s a 43 minute ride. Afternoon service is available from the mall to the Frankford Transportation Center at 3:47, 4:47, and 5:47. Transportation by car is also being organized



For more information, contact Elaine Brower - mermaid423@aol. com or
Pat Elder - patrickelder@ verizon.net



We encourage you to join our Yahoo List Serve:
groups. yahoo.com/ group/franklinmi llsmall/



ENDORSERS OF THE CAMPAIGN TO SHUT DOWN AEC

1. World Can’t Wait

2. CODEPINK

3. Student Peace Action Network (SPAN)

4. Peace Action Montgomery (MD)

5. Next Left Notes

6. American Friends Service Committee — Youth & Militarism Program

7. Movement for a Democratic Society, Staten Island Chapter (MDS/SI)

8. Gray Panthers, NYC Network

9. The Granny Peace Brigade, New York City Chapter

10. The Granny Peace Brigade, Philadelphia Chapter

11. Pacem in Terris, Delaware

12. Brandywine Peace Community

13. War Resisters League, Delaware Chapter

14. War Resisters League, Philadelphia Chapter

15. The National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (NCNR)

16. Long Island Military Counter-Recruiting Committee of the Suffolk Peace Network

17. Citizens for Legitimate Government

18. After Downing Street.org

19. Buxmont Coalition for Peace Action

20. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Bloomington, IN

21. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Philadelphia Branch

22. Delaware Valley Veterans for America

23. Lehigh-Pocono Committee of Concern

24. Suffolk Peace Network

25. Woodstock Veterans for Peace

26. Veterans for Peace — Thomas Paine Chapter #152

27. Chester County Peace Movement

28. Veterans for Peace — Long Island Chapter

29. Pax Christi, Long Island

30. Veterans for Peace — Chapter 31

31. Veterans for Peace — Chapter 96, South Jersey

32. North Country Peace Group (Long Island)