Citizens Arrest the War

On July 25, four people were arrested outside the Wakonda Country Club in Des Moines, Iowa, where they attempted to perform a citizens arrest of former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove for crimes such as election fraud, treason, torture, and murder. Mona Shaw was one of these four. She sees the exercise of citizens arrest as her "only resource." Karl Rove was not arrested that day, but as Shaw maintains, "We are not powerless."

Back in May, British writer George Monbiot attempted to arrest former American ambassador to the UN John Bolton at the Hay-on-Wye in Wales for his role in the war in Iraq. The arrest was planned and announced, but was ineffective. Monbiot explained on Democracy Now! that a citizens arrest is only valid "if the police are unable to act to arrest this person." In Wales the officers chose not to arrest Bolton, and later in DesMoines the officers chose not to arrest Rove. They were able, but they did not.

Mona Shaw understands the point of view of the men in uniform. Their duty is to serve and protect the peace. In DesMoines, the activists were accused of trespassing, and the Hay in Wales is known for its air of etiquette. The officers chose to protect the peace of the immediate environment when they arrested the protestors and escorted Monbiot away. But Shaw explains, "If a child were burning outside on the street, I wouldn't turn around and say I'm going to write my congressperson about it... And that's what's happening right now: In Iraq there are children burning in the street." There is a global peace to protect, and it's under everyone's jurisdiction.

On the other side of the world, in New Zealand, the Auckland University Students' Association announced a $5,000 reward to anyone willing to make a citizens arrest of Condolezza Rice during her recent visit. The charge was for "overseeing the illegal invasion and continued occupation of Iraq, and crimes under the Geneva Conventions Act 1958, and the Crimes of Torture Act 1989." The reward was dropped when it was made clear that the police would be on the side of protecting Rice.

It all comes down to might. To make a citizens arrest, one must have the police on your side. You are not allowed to use force unless the perpetrator is posing immediate risk of injury to someone else (so not the children on Iraqi streets). Any local officers of the law, however, do have the power to arrest these people, if only they can embrace their right and cast their fears aside.

Mona Shaw did her research before the arrest attempt on Karl Rove. With faith in the law, she knew she might have to pay a couple hundred dollars in fines, but to this she says, "Worth it!" Rove is fearless, too. He ignored a congressional subpoena claiming to be exempt because of his former position as a presidential advisor. On July 30 he was found in contempt, but no federal judge has yet been brave enough to declare a bench warrant. He is not detained and is in fact scheduled to debate John Edwards at the University of Buffalo on September 26.

Rove's subpoena had nothing to do with war crimes. (It was about his role in the prosecution of former governor of Alabama Don Siegelman.) Monbiot writes, "Only when those who help to launch illegal wars fear punishment will future governments desist from launching them." Currently, over 4,000 American soldiers' lives have been lost, and over a million Iraqi men, women, and children.

Adams, Stephen, John Bolton: Citizen's arrest attempt was comic, www.telegraph.co.uk, May 29, 2008.
Democracy Now, Someone tries to citizen arrest John Bolton!!!!!!!, http://www.youtube.com, May 31, 2008.
Monbiot, George, Monbiot Plans Citizens Arrest of John Bolton, http://rinf.com, May 26, 2008.
Police vow to prevent citizen's arrest of Rice, http://www.nzherald.co.nz, July 25, 2008.
Robinson, Nathan, How to Perform a Citizens Arrest of a Bush Administration Official, www.huffingtonpost.com, July 27, 2008.
Shaw, Mona, telephone interview, August 21, 2008.
Swanson, David, State and Local Prosecutors Can Take Down Bush, http://www.afterdowningstreet.org, May 27, 2008.