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

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

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."

Link to tweet

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

[Deuxcents]

1. When I originally saw this, I was totally disgusted. No call at all for his treatment.

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.

[Irish_Dem]

2. The Greatest Generation. May their spirit inspire us.

[GB_RN]

9. Not To Get Technical...

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.

🖖🤘

[nini]

13. The greatest generation went through the depression and WWII

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.

[GB_RN]

20. No Yelling Necessary!

Had to learn all those generational breakdowns in psych and nursing school.

Obviously, I’m a medical professional, but I’m also a WW2 history buff. Had a cousin on Iwo Jima, another who was in the Navy doing the Murmansk runs, an uncle in the Navy (S. Pacific), another uncle in the Marines, and my grandfather was in the 12th Air Force, B-25 pilot. 🤘🖖

[nini]

21. My dad and uncles may have knnown your relatives

Last edited Tue Jun 17, 2025, 03:32 PM - Edit history (1)

I had a marine uncle at Iwo Jima, dad in the army in Phillipines and new Guinea, other uncles in the navy and army. It breaks my heart all of their sacrifices are being forgotten and we're heading into what they fought so hard to stop so many years ago.

[Irish_Dem]

19. I agree, but many of the men fighting in Korea served in WWII.

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.

[soldierant]

24. Yes - I think 1925-1945 or so

was actually the silent generation.

Not so silent any more, those of us who are left.

[spike jones]

25. I believe the Greatest Generation is named that because they raised the Hippies.

Just kidding!

[BOSSHOG]

26. Two great items on a resume

I was on the team that kicked Hitlers and I fathered hippies. Top that tech bros.

[NoMoreRepugs]

3. That's who they are. Take note people.

[ancianita]

4. I hope it stays viral. But it's also likely his fellow veterans are not on X, probably not on FB, either.

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.

[malaise]

5. This was

Horrific - plain evil

[GopherGal]

6. Love the "Put his hands in front of him!' chant

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.

[peggysue2]

7. Don't let the bastards grind you down

This 87-year old is living the word.

Good one on him!

[Permanut]

16. Non Carborundum illegitimi!

[struggle4progress]

8. ... And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm under arrest

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

[Permanut]

11. This 79 year old Navy veteran..

Salutes John Spitzberg.

[Jarqui]

12. Now that is an American I can relate to and respect

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

[Cha]

14. Ohh... Bravo John Spitzberg!!

TY!

[democrank]

15. What a disgusting video this is.

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.

[BoRaGard]

17. Salute for an American patriot standing against G.O.P. Royal Facism

[yellowcanine]

18. But did he assault a police officer with the bike rack?

If he did Trump has a pardon for him.

[et tu]

22. so precious

just makes me soo proud and then soo
ashamed of our country with the rwnj's

[Vinca]

23. Bravo to that man. He probably fought Hitler in WWII and is now fighting wannabe Hitler.

[SheltieLover]

27. Shame on them!