Eight Project to Stop the War Industry (PSWI) members laid down their law outside Federal Cartridge Company Wednesday morning. (Photo by Sue Austreng)

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Staff writer

The Project to Stop the War Industry (PSWI) laid down their law outside Federal Cartridge Company’s Anoka entrance Wednesday morning, staging a protest and blocking the company’s entrance at the intersection of Main Street and Wedgewood Drive.

At 7:50 a.m., eight members of the Project
lined up, handcuffed themselves together, wrapped their outstretched arms in PVC tubes wrapped in black electrician’s tape and lay down on the asphalt road.

Personnel from Anoka and Coon Rapids police departments, the Coon Rapids Fire Department, and the Anoka-Champlin Fire Department responded to the incident.

“If you choose not to disperse you will be under arrest,” police warned the protesters.

By 8:44 a.m., protesters failed to move and police responded.

“At this point, you are all under arrest,” a police officer announced.

Then work began to remove the PVC tubes and release the protesters from their self-induced bondage.

PSWI members at each end of the lay-down had been secured to a metal Federal Cartridge sign on one end and a sand barrel on the other.

Police and fire personnel used scissors, wire cutters and, finally, a Sawzall to release the eight protesters who were then escorted to squad cars and taken to the Anoka County Jail.

Anoka Police Capt. Scott Nolan said police arrested eight adults and one juvenile, charging them with unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and disobeying a lawful order.

PSWI released a statement at the protest site claiming that Federal Cartridge is part of Alliant Techsystems, a weapons manufacturer, and Minnesota’s largest military contractor.

“Federal Cartridge Company...won a $30 million contract to produce frangible ammunition for the U.S. military in 2003,” the statement read. “It is currently manufacturing ammunition for...its current $9 million contract for ammunition for use by the U.S. military.”

Those supporting the protest stood at the intersection of Main Street and Wedgewood Drive, waving signs bearing messages of protest.

A few passing motorists gave their honking support as they slowed to view the scene.

After police and fire exited the scene, a PSWI supporter launched a kite festooned with a peace sign and a dove, the international symbol of peace.

Sue Austreng is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it