Three ISU students were among 14 people arrested Saturday while protesting the United States’ enforcement of the Iraqi no-fly zone.

Nicholos Wethington, senior in English; Michael Faris, senior in English; and Jon Meier, senior in religious studies, were arrested while participating in a peaceful protest at the Iowa Air National Guard base in Des Moines.

Wethington is also an arts and entertainment staff writer for the Daily and a founding member of the organization Time For Peace.

The three men, all members of Time For Peace, joined hands with other protesters in blocking the base driveway.

Faris said the group read a statement to the National Guard “expressing how we thought the [no-fly zone] is illegal and implored them not to go.”

Following the statement, the group knelt together, still blocking the base entrance. These actions were significant to the protesters.

“It was a temporary stop of the war machine,” Wethington said. “We don’t want the National Guard to kill or be killed in our name.”

According to a Polk County police report, the protesters were given the option of leaving base grounds or facing arrest. When protesters did not vacate the premises, officers arrested 14 people and charged them with criminal trespassing.

“We definitely needed a strong statement,” Faris said. “A lot of Iraqi civilians — men, women and children — are suffering and dying because of economic sanctions and the no-fly zone.”

Faris said the protest was in accordance with Time for Peace’s belief that the no-fly zones are illegal. The Iowa Air National Guard is scheduled for deployment to Iraq for involvement in the enforcement of the no-fly zone in November.

“The [United Nations] is not sanctioning [the no-fly zone],” Wethington said.

Faris said the no-fly zone is not only illegal but could be considered aggressive action by the countries enforcing the zone.

“This act is military aggression by the United States and Great Britain,” Faris said. “Planes are flying over Iraq almost daily, bombing not just military targets but also civilian targets.”

The protest was organized by Des Moines Catholic Worker. The three students attended a meeting Friday night to prepare for the event. Faris said they reviewed the methods and ideas of peaceful protest employed by Martin Luther King Jr.

Wethington said the group simply wanted to protest, not “put anybody at risk.”

Following their arrests, the protesters were not jailed, but released on citations. They are set to appear in court on Monday in Des Moines. Criminal trespassing is a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a fine, community service or jail time. Wethington and Faris said they are willing to accept whatever penalties the judge administers.

“Any inconvenience we put ourselves through is worth it to make a point,” Faris said. “I think we definitely sent a message that we care about the situation and we disagree with them.”