Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(124,537 posts)
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 08:13 PM 11 hrs ago

An 87-Year-Old Veteran Was Arrested For Protesting Trump's Military Parade, And His Words Afterward Are Going Viral

87-year-old veteran John Spitzberg was arrested in DC on Friday.

According to WCJB, he was one of 75 veterans peacefully protesting against Donald Trump's military parade when they pushed down a bike rack and crossed a police line.

WORLD reporter Carolina Lumetta captured footage of the arrested, saying, "One elderly veteran was originally returned to the group and then pushed past the fence back to the Capitol plaza. Officers offered to return him again but he said he wanted to be with the rest of the protesters. They cuffed him and loaded into the vans."




Upon his release, journalist Chuck Modi captured video of the veteran saying how it felt to be arrested at 87: "I'm just beginning, my friend," he said. "I'm gonna just get a little sleep, and I'm starting again."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/87-old-veteran-arrested-protesting-162306215.html



19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
An 87-Year-Old Veteran Was Arrested For Protesting Trump's Military Parade, And His Words Afterward Are Going Viral (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin 11 hrs ago OP
When I originally saw this, I was totally disgusted. No call at all for his treatment. Deuxcents 11 hrs ago #1
The Greatest Generation. May their spirit inspire us. Irish_Dem 11 hrs ago #2
Not To Get Technical... GB_RN 10 hrs ago #9
Post removed Post removed 9 hrs ago #10
The greatest generation went through the depression and WWII nini 9 hrs ago #13
I agree, but many of the men fighting in Korea served in WWII. Irish_Dem 1 hr ago #19
That's who they are. Take note people. NoMoreRepugs 11 hrs ago #3
I hope it stays viral. But it's also likely his fellow veterans are not on X, probably not on FB, either. ancianita 11 hrs ago #4
This was malaise 11 hrs ago #5
Love the "Put his hands in front of him!' chant GopherGal 11 hrs ago #6
Don't let the bastards grind you down peggysue2 10 hrs ago #7
Non Carborundum illegitimi! Permanut 5 hrs ago #16
... And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm under arrest struggle4progress 10 hrs ago #8
This 79 year old Navy veteran.. Permanut 9 hrs ago #11
Now that is an American I can relate to and respect Jarqui 9 hrs ago #12
Ohh... Bravo John Spitzberg!! Cha 9 hrs ago #14
What a disgusting video this is. democrank 8 hrs ago #15
Salute for an American patriot standing against G.O.P. Royal Facism BoRaGard 2 hrs ago #17
But did he assault a police officer with the bike rack? yellowcanine 1 hr ago #18

Deuxcents

(22,658 posts)
1. When I originally saw this, I was totally disgusted. No call at all for his treatment.
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 08:18 PM
11 hrs ago

He hasn’t survived this long by being a “loser “ by any stretch and I hope the judge is not going to tolerate this, either.

GB_RN

(3,377 posts)
9. Not To Get Technical...
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 09:50 PM
10 hrs ago

But being 87 means he was born in 1938. He’d have been 3, maybe 4 years old, depending on when his birthday actually is, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. My guess is that if he saw action, it was in Korea. I occasionally make that same mistake in my head and then go, “Wait…math isn’t mathing.” 😂

1931 would be probably be pushing it for someone to serve by 1945. Maybe ‘32 or ‘33, if they looked older than they actually were. And of course, that’s assuming they lied on their enlistment papers. It’s pretty well documented that more than a few guys did that, Audie Murphy being a prominent example.

🖖🤘

Response to GB_RN (Reply #9)

nini

(16,796 posts)
13. The greatest generation went through the depression and WWII
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 10:44 PM
9 hrs ago

Born between 1900 and 1925 or so.

It’s not denigrating the vet who definitely is a badass to clarify that.

Feel free to yell at me now if you want.

Irish_Dem

(71,097 posts)
19. I agree, but many of the men fighting in Korea served in WWII.
Tue Jun 17, 2025, 06:32 AM
1 hr ago

So he would have been impacted by them.

I know this for a fact, my mother was a military nurse during the Korean War, she worked
in a MASH receiving hospital stateside. She took care of the men who had been injured in Korea
and many of them were WWII vets. She heard quite a few WWII stories. The men talked about it a lot.

She actually got to met one of the men who was part of the famous Iwo Jima picture, raising the US flag.

So this Korean Vet would have heard the same out in the field.

ancianita

(40,669 posts)
4. I hope it stays viral. But it's also likely his fellow veterans are not on X, probably not on FB, either.
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 09:00 PM
11 hrs ago

Veterans who voted for the felon just didn't do their homework re the multiple zero votes the Republicans had cast on veteran bills during Biden's term.

GopherGal

(2,494 posts)
6. Love the "Put his hands in front of him!' chant
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 09:05 PM
11 hrs ago

It does have me worrying about how the onion-chopping ninjas got in here again...

Proud of the guys on our side for the "Shame!" chant aimed at the LEOs, too.

struggle4progress

(123,468 posts)
8. ... And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm under arrest
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 09:23 PM
10 hrs ago

And I won't forget the others in jail, where you'll find me with the rest ...

Jarqui

(10,677 posts)
12. Now that is an American I can relate to and respect
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 10:37 PM
9 hrs ago

With that act, he's doing a heck of a lot more constructively than the orange felon has ever done in the Oval office

democrank

(11,548 posts)
15. What a disgusting video this is.
Mon Jun 16, 2025, 11:18 PM
8 hrs ago

An 87 year old veteran gets arrested for standing up for the country he served in uniform while that despicable felon sits in the Oval Office.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»An 87-Year-Old Veteran Wa...