Sunday, July 02, 2017

Photographer: Yoko Kitaura

Incident at the Waterloo bridge in the words of a participant.


Saturday, July 30, 1983

Seventy-five of us start out in Seneca Falls, NY for our planned 10-mile walk to the Encampment. New York City Women’s Pentagon Action Feminist Walk start in Seneca Falls to the Encampment. In the town of Waterloo, a mob blocked our way at the bridge. We sat to diffuse potential violence and to insist on our constitutional right to pass. Fifty-four were arrested and taken to the local jail.



Sunday, July 31, 1983

We were transported at 5 a.m. from jail to the Interlaken Junior High School and were held in the cafeteria for five days, as we refused to give our names or cooperate in any way with this illegal arrest. Women from the Encampment began vigiling outside the school and were harassed by local townspeople. The governor declared a “state of emergency” and state police were brought in.



Wednesday, Aug. 3, 1983

We were taken to a barn at the Seneca County Fair Grounds that had been converted to a courtroom. After processing 14 of us individually, each of whom refused to give her name and most of whom refused to walk, the judge finally yielded to our demand to be heard as a group. We were all brought in and allowed to make our statement. Charges were dismissed and even our fingerprints and mug shots were returned to us.


































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