Tornado Ravaged Greensburg, Kansas:Kansas Mutual Aid Relief Workers forced out of city by policeSaturday May 19, 2007by Dave StranoOn Saturday May 19, five members and volunteers affiliated with KansasMutual Aid, a Lawrence based class struggle anarchist collective, made thetrek back to Greensburg to again help in relief efforts in the tornadoravaged city. A week earlier, four KMA members had traveled to Greensburgon a fact finding mission to assess the situation there. What KMA membersfound was a militarized, entirely destroyed city where relief efforts weremoving tragically slow.Today's trip back to Greensburg by KMA members and volunteers was intendedto solidify the bonds we had created in the first trip, and establish abase of operations for future relief efforts. KMA spent the morningworking on a house with members of AmeriCorps, and then proceeded to meetwith contacts with the Mennonite Disaster Services.We then headed out of town to a church just outside of city limits that wewere told would be a place we could probably set up a base camp for ourwork. The church had been converted into a fire station by the state, sowe continued down the road and met a farmer who was willing to work withus and let us use his land.Soon after meeting the farmer, we were approached by officers with theDickinson County Sheriff's Department. After a brief exchange, theofficers left, and we were told to report to the Kiowa County EmergencyResponse Command Post to receive official permission to set up our base ofoperations. We were notified that if we did not do so, we would riskhaving our operation ceased by the state.Two of our delegation went to the Command Post, while the other three ofus went to the County Courthouse to pick up som water and provisions beingoffered by the Red Cross. While we were picking up water and food, I wasapproached by an Olathe Police Officer named Ty Moeder who knew my faceand identity. I was ordered to take my hands out of my pockets and followthe officer to a side street "to avoid making a scene".I and the other people with me followed the officer, and were repeatedlyordered to keep our hands out of our pockets, where they could be seen bythe officer. Soon more officers approached, as well as at least one memberof the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and some people from FEMA.Surrounded by agents of the state, we were ordered to produce ouridentification.When I asked the police why we were being detained, Officer Moederresponded "We need to check to see if you are affiliated with theanarchists." At this moment, our remaining two comrades approached to seewhat was happening. They were detained as well, and made to produce theiridentification.Officer Moeder asked how we had gotten in to the city. "We drove in,"someone replied."They weren't supposed to let you in at the road block," responded Moeder,seemingly frustrated and perplexed by that answer."They even gave us a day pass to drive in and out," we shot back.A waiting game ensued for the next several minutes, with more officersapproaching, now numbering almost fifteen. A Lawrence police officerapproached, and was ordered to take photos of the car we had driven thatwas parked down the street. Officer McNemee from the Lawrence PoliceDepartment took extensive photos of the car, even of the inside contentsof the vehicle.Officer Moeder ordered me to step away from the rest of the relief workersand speak with him. "You're being ordered to leave and not return. This isnot negotiable, not appealable. You can't change it. If you return you'llbe arrested on site. And believe me, you don't want to push that rightnow. This system is pretty messed up, and you wouldn't be issued bail.You'd disappear in the system."I asked repeatedly what we had done and why we were being ordered to leavethe city. "You're part of a dangerous anarchist group that will only drainour security resources," he responded. "We've been monitoring your websiteand e-mails, we know what kind of agenda you have.""So this is about our political beliefs?" I asked."No," he responded. "This is about you being federal security threats.Kansas Mutual Aid is not welcome in this city, end of story. I know youare going through legitimate means to work in the city, and you're storyseems picture perfect, but we know who you are, and you're not allowedhere."We were ordered back into our car and escorted out of the city by severalpolice vehicles with their lights flashing, and left just outside thecity.We returned to Lawrence just moments ago, unhindered in our resolve toprovide support to the people in the disaster area. We will continue towork in whatever capacity we can in the areas around the city that we maystill be allowed into, and provide support to those entering the city.The area is a police state, to be certain. Police and Law Enforcement fromacross Kansas and the country are making the rules about everything.Relief workers were banned from Greensburg today because of theirpolitical beliefs and work against oppression and tyrannical statecontrol.A longer, more in depth update with an announcement for future action willcome soon. Please spread this story far and wide.In love and solidarity,Dave StranoKansas Mutual Aid