Toledo mayor defends decision to boot Marines

[unhappycamper]

Toledo mayor defends decision to boot Marines
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Feb 11, 2008 6:24:34 EST

TOLEDO, Ohio — Mayor Carty Finkbeiner stands by his decision to stop a Michigan-based Marine battalion from holding an urban warfare training session downtown, a spokesman for the mayor said.

About 200 Marine reservists had prepared to conduct the exercise at a vacant building Friday when city officials put a stop to it. Residents had complained about previous exercises, Finkbeiner spokesman Brian Schwartz said Saturday.

“The mayor asked them to leave because they frighten people,” Schwartz said. “He did not want them drilling and practicing in a highly visible area.”

Members of the Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines based in Grand Rapids, Mich., trained in Toledo in 2006, prior to an Iraq deployment that year.

Schwartz said the mayor informed then-police Chief Jack Smith that he didn’t want the Marines back. Finkbeiner was unaware they planned to return until Friday, Schwartz said.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_marinesbooted_080210/


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