A protest near the Evergreen Building in Renton was one leg of the Washington Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition’s efforts to redirect taxes from the military to other affairs.

The group chose Monday, April 15, Tax Day, to gather and attempt to garner the attention of U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D), who represents the 9th Congressional District. The protest was originally going to take place in front of the Evergreen Building on Grady Way, but after law enforcement said they could not gather there because it is private property, they gathered on the other side of the signs reading “No Protesting.”

Following the gathering, the group took to the sidewalk to hold up signs opposing war and nuclear weapons. In total, about 20 people came together with signs, songs and speeches to protest military funding.

This event was part of a bigger string of protests called “Tax Day to Earth Day,” scheduled from April 15 through April 22. The events were gathered around the slogan, “Stop wasting on war, start investing in Earth.”

At the Renton protest, the 20 attendees represented various related groups, such as Earth Care Not Warfare, Veterans for Peace, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, Renton Education Association, and Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action.

Mona Lee, 85, led the protest and read a speech. She is on the stewardship council for Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action. She said she wants to see the abolition of nuclear weapons. Despite her hopes, she doesn’t think it will happen in her lifetime.

Lee said she’s been an activist for the abolition of nuclear weapons since 1978, when she was working at Bangor Trident Base in Kitsap County. At the Bangor Trident Base, Lee said she went on a tour of the facility, where she saw a missile, and she said that her conscience had made her quit. Lee said now she wants to see military funding cut and reallocated to other efforts.

“I would like to see the money being spent on the military being spent on healthcare, education, saving the planet, transportation, light rail, bicycle infrastructure, and things like that. Good things for human beings,” Lee said. She said if it were up to her, she would want to see Bangor Trident Base become a wildlife park instead of a military base. Despite a relatively low attendance, Lee said the turnout was slightly better than expected. She said the Renton protest was just one small part of many gatherings opposing nuclear weapons.

Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility’s Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program Manager Sean Arent said they decided to gather near Congressman Smith’s office to send the message: “Vote no against the military budget, vote no against all new nuclear weapons spending, and stand with your constituents.” Arent said that despite the U.S. not being at war, the military budget is increasing and that Americans are feeling war in their cities.

“We feel war in our cities when we see all these unhoused people, when we see the U.S. shirking its climate responsibilities, and when we see all the things that aren’t being funded,” Arent said.

Various members of the Washington Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition gathered near the Evergreen Building on Grady Way, singing songs during their protest against military spending. Photo by Joshua Solorzano/Renton Reporter