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Military Recruiting Office Vandalized

SOUTH TOLEDO -- Police still have no arrests in a vandalism case.  Anti-war protesters targeted a local military recruiting office by painting an obscenity, and throwing a bucket of manure at the building.

An e-mail sent to News 11 by a group calling itself "War is S***" claimed responsibility. In its correspondence and its graffiti, the group replaces those asterisks with an obscenity. In its e-mail, the group says, "In a nation fueled by murderous lies, we can think of nothing more appropriate than expressing our disgust in this inappropriate fashion."

The obscene war protest doesn't end there. Graffiti with the same "War is S***" phrase is plastered around the city. One message was left on a building in back of the Arby's Restaurant on Talmadge Road.

People who saw the broken window of the recruiting office are outraged. "If they don't like this country that much they should do it the right way by changing with votes. Shouldn't do it with actions like that," said Steve Klostermeier, a bystander. Mike Gibson agreed, saying, "I think it's terrible. I think they're blaming the people who fought to give them the right to do stuff like that. They should have the courage to stand up and say it rather than doing stuff like that."

Toledo Police are investigating the vandalism. Army Captain William Wedley works at the recruiting office. He says since it is a police matter, he's not commenting.

Updated 5:20am, Wednesday, February 2, 2005 by AEB