Editors note: Lex King was present on the night President Trump ordered the takedown of the William Thomas Memorial Peace Vigil. They gave this first person account of activists’ actions which kept the U.S. Park Police from removing the Peace Vigil entirely. As of Tuesday night, the Peace Vigil was […]
peace vigil
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Washington DC—On Sunday afternoon the Peace Vigil manager, Philipos Melaku-Bello reclined in the sun under a big red umbrella at the William Thomas Memorial Peace Vigil, reflecting on the whirlwind of events that occurred over the last three days. Just hours earlier, the 44 year old Peace Vigil was raided […]
Washington DC—It is a sunny hot Saturday afternoon in mid-November at Lafayette Park as a steady line of tourists filter past the little white tent of the Peace Vigil outside the White House. The signs covering the tent reflect views contrary to everything the incoming administration stands for. The activists […]
Washington DC—The Activists at the PeaceVigil cut cake and shared stories of their experiences at the nation’s longest running vigil for peace near the White House on June 3. It was on this date in 1981 when William Thomas began his 24-hour vigil against nuclear weapons and the war machine […]
Washington DC On Sunday At exactly 7:02 PM, peace activists Philipos Melaku-Bello and Cliff Roberts sit quietly at the Peace Vigil in front of the North Portico of the White House. They mark the moment when 72 years ago the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. But this […]
Washington, DC — Whenever the President looks out from the North Portico side of the White House, he can see his nearest neighbor seated in front of the white tent of the Peace Vigil. Its plastic canvas is silhouetted against the lawn of Lafayette Park, which is lined with tulip […]
An unidentified individual vandalized the renown anti-nuclear protest in front of the White House on Friday night, damaging one of its large signs. The person either kicked or punched the wooden sign, cracking and breaking it in several places, according to the volunteer present at the time. The volunteer, who […]
An unknown assailant destroyed the White House peace vigil tent, slicing it in half, on Wednesday afternoon. Philipos Melaku-Bello, the coordinator of the vigil, was sitting watch at the time and unhurt. He reported hearing someone call him a racial epithet and turned to see an eight foot gash in the […]
The future of the longest-running peace protest in the U.S. recently came into question when its co-founder, Concepcion Picciotto, passed away on January 25. Picciotto was largely responsible for keeping the anti-nuclear vigil in front of the White House going since its beginning in August 1981. Long dreaded, her death […]
The thirty-three year-old Peace Vigil at the White House almost came to an end late Friday night when a dozen U.S. Park Police officers were dispatched to remove it. When Park Police came, they told Clark Sullivan, who was standing watch at the vigil, to remove the chairs, tent and […]
For a few short hours, a familiar sight was missing from Lafayette Park. The White House Peace Vigil was temporarily dismantled by Park Police after the activist attending it abandoned it last night. The Peace Vigil has stared at the White House for 32 years, possibly the longest-running peace vigil […]