Pittsburgh: Marine recruiting office vandalized after protest

ARA kid, 05.04.2007 14:13

Turns out Milwaukee is not alone...

uh oh...

Thursday, April 05, 2007
By I. Harrison Kriegish, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Marine Corps recruiting office in Shadyside was vandalized overnight Tuesday, following a protest there earlier in the evening that was organized by the Pittsburgh Organizing Group.

The building in the 5800 block of Ellsworth Avenue was splattered with paint and several of its windows were cracked or shattered. Anti-war slogans were spray painted in large letters across its edifice.

The Soba Lounge next door also received light damage.

City police spokeswoman Diane Richard said the incident is being investigated.

Marine Capt. Brendan Wolf, the station's commander, said operations were not affected. He said his unit coordinates applications to the officer corps but does not actively recruit enlisted men.

Earlier that evening, Ellsworth was lined with police and demonstrators bearing placards that supported the group's counter-recruitment campaign.

Workers at nearby businesses were disturbed by the vandalism.

"It's just going to give the Marines more resolve to stay and cost more taxpayers' dollars to replace the broken windows," said Kathy McHoes, assistant director of the Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, two doors down from the Marine Corps office.

"People ought to petition their congressman before they resort to throwing rocks," said Valari Panei, who works across the street, at Capistro Salon.

Ms. McHoes and Ms. Panei said this was not the first incidence of vandalism at the Marine Corps office since it opened in mid-February.

Attempts to reach someone with the Pittsburgh Organizing Group yesterday went unanswered.