Shut down the Army Experience Center

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.

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.

Plans and information

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

-thanks to CodePink

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