Breaking story - Zundel Demonstration in front of German Embassy May 7

[zgrams at zgrams.zundelsite.org]

-- 



Breaking story of the Zundel Protest Demonstration in front of the 
German Embassy in Washington, D.C.

To All -

There will be a more detailed write-up about our protest 
demonstration two days ago, on Monday, May 7.  I have just returned 
from Washington and need to get my bearings and catch up with myself. 
Please bear with me - this is only the beginning of many such 
demonstrations I hope to organize in front of embassies and 
consulates in this and other countries.  After all, this is a story 
of international significance, especially for Germans world-wide - 
for I don't think that there has ever been a demonstration in front 
of any German embassy accusing their officials of having aided and 
abetted a political kidnapping of one of their own nationals to 
please the Holocaust Lobby!

We set out by car on a sunny but quite chilly and windy Sunday 
morning.  I was worried about holding up our signs without having the 
wind rip them apart, but I need not have worried - the angels were on 
our side.  We could not have had more perfect weather for what we had 
in mind.

The German Embassy is located in a quiet neighborhood to the West of 
downtown Washington, D.C.  I worried about getting a group together, 
because most of our supporters are working people, and it was not 
easy for many of them who would have liked to have come to sacrifice 
part of their paycheck.  We had about 35 people who showed up on 
time, plus several photographers and media folks, including at least 
one outfit which came from the Enemy Front.  I had brought along some 
20 Zundel posters and had additionally printed up four large banners, 
three of which we used.  You can preview them in the jpeg attachment. 
I hope to have many more later in the day.

I worried about the JDL showing up and giving us a hard time, but 
they were nowhere to be seen - in itself a telling sign, since the 
ADL had posted a nasty "Extremist" notice about our demonstration. A 
previous Zundel demonstration some two years ago had walked into a 
JDL ambush, so naturally there was some concern.  We had notified the 
police, and we had a legitimate demonstration permit  - we just 
braced ourselves, willing and able to take on whatever might come our 
way.  I had gone out of my way pleading with potential demonstrators 
to conduct ourselves with dignity and not to act provocatively, and I 
must say I am proud of the way the two-hour demonstration was 
handled.  There was not even a hint of any potential confrontation - 
there was only gritty determination that we would have our say our 
way!

Across from us on the other side of the street collected a small 
handful of raggedy folks who looked like they had risen from under 
some bridge and needed a good shower.  As many of my friends know, I 
have a serious vision problem and could not really read their 
posters, but I hope to get a description of their so-called "street 
action" later.  I could hear the noise with some cow bell they made!

Some humorous incidents need to be recorded for posterity.  When we 
arrived, the iron gate to the Embassy was closed, and behind it stood 
two men, one of whom looked like a guard, and the other one was 
nattily attired like a bureaucrat.  His fear - of what? - was 
palpable.  I walked up to the gate and said to this gent, to quote 
from memory:  "I am Mrs. Zundel, the wife of the political prisoner 
on whose behalf we are demonstrating."  He took two hasty steps 
backward and stuttered:  "You - you are Mrs. Zundel?"  I said, "Yes, 
and you?  Do you have a card I could have?" He looked as though he 
had just confronted Dracula instead of a lady of decorum and simply 
shook his head.  I said, "Then can you tell me your name?" He took 
two additional steps backward, raised his hand, and said in almost a 
whisper:  "No.  No.  I am not part of your group!"

Next, I turned to a member of the police who had meanwhile shown up 
in five vehicles.  That in itself is an interesting story.  As we all 
know, the Washington police are largely of the rainbow variety, but 
these officers who were assigned to keep an eye on this small group 
of dissidents were all very young, very white - and except for one 
who thought he was the cat's meow, apparently quite interested in 
what we had to say.  One of them gave me what looked like a furtive 
thumbs-up!

Another one of them walked up to me and asked if I was the leader.  I 
said there was no leader - that we were just a bunch of friends of 
Zundel's.  I said to him, "I am very happy to see you!"  He cracked 
the tiniest smile.  I followed up with "Are you equally happy to see 
me?"  At that, he produced something that could pass for a half 
smile, which I matched with one of my own sunniest smiles:  "You are 
from the Washington Police?"

"No," he explained.  "We are the Secret Service."

I must say I was floored!  This specimen here was a Chertoff man!  I 
said, "I didn't know you are allowed to say that!"  That finally 
produced a full-scale smile I would not at all describe as menacing 
in any way, shape, or form.

So I asked my counterpart to see if he could get us permission to 
enter the Embassy and have a little chat with whoever was there and 
could answer a couple of questions.  He disappeared behind the 
Embassy gate, but I never got a reply.  By the way, that gate opened 
and closed throughout the demonstration for Embassy staff as well as 
civilians who apparently entered to get travel visas, and every time 
that happened, the Secret Service asked us politely to step out of 
the way and let the cars and visitors pass.  Of course we obliged 
politely.

A little later, Willis Carto and a reporter from the American Free 
Press showed up, and Willis had a bright idea.  Why didn't we take 
the opportunity and simply walk in while the gate was still open?  I 
said immediately that I was game if my two attorneys and our 
reporters would come along.  One of them, Michael Collins Piper of 
AFP, was at that moment giving an interview to someone - I believe 
National Geographic, who I was told was there. I was perfectly 
willing to step inside the Lions' Den, but I was waiting for Mike in 
the hope of getting an on-location write-up in the American Free 
Press for that historic moment.

In the meantime, one of our demonstrators came to me, pointing out 
that if I were to step inside, it could be dangerous for me because 
it was considered Vaterland territory.  I hadn't thought of that - I 
have an arrest warrant outstanding for my heretic Zundelsite posts. 
That made me change my mind.

Willis thereupon asked one of the "insiders", who were still peering 
through the gate, making me think of a zoo and a few untoward 
comparisons, if we could all walk in.

The answer from the Enemy Command was that we needed an appointment.

All right.  So that's what we will do.  I'll get myself an 
appointment and march in there with  witnesses and legal follow-up - 
and we will take this matter up again in a few weeks, God willing.

Then Willis said something to me I record as a bona fide joke.  He 
said, "Don't laugh, Ingrid.  Why don't you go across the street, hit 
one of those punks over there, and get yourself arrested?  That's how 
you get publicity!"

I told him, not this time - I had a handicapped son who needed me to 
be available.

There will be more about this demo and what we hope is going to be 
follow-up and unpleasant media fall-out for the deceitful honchos. 
Let me just say that I am very pleased the demo went the way it went. 
I believe that we have set a precedent - and I am telling you that 
this was not exactly good PR for the nice folks inside that  Embassy. 
Their involvement in this political kidnapping has not exactly been 
to their credit!

We will have a great many more pictures - and additional write-ups, I 
hope.  I just wanted to give you a sneak preview and thank our 
participants for providing the footage and photos we need - and being 
there where angels fear to tread.

Ingrid Zundel