A protestor holds up a banner against the nomination of John Bolton(L) as the new United States representative to the United Nations, as Bolton halts his testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington April 11, 2005. Three protestors from the women's anti-war movement Code Pink interrupted the hearing before being removed by police. Photo by Yuri Gripas/Reuters

WASHINGTON -- April 11 -- Three women peace activists interrupted today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on John Bolton’s nomination as US Ambassador to the UN. They held up banners reading “NO Bolton, YES UN,” “Bolton = Nuclear Proliferation,” and “Diplomat, Not Bully, Please!” and urged Senators to reject Bolton as the worst possible choice for the job and for world peace.

“John Bolton is an inappropriate nominee for UN ambassador. His history shows us that the credibility of the US as a peacekeeping nation will be undermined if he is confirmed,” said Gael Murphy, one of the women who interrupted the hearing.

Murphy was kicked out of the hearing, as were two other CODEPINK women peace activists, Laurie Emrich, and Allison Yorra. None of the three were arrested. CODEPINK is a national women’s peace group, which has 90 chapters throughout the United States and the world. CODEPINK is known for its creative and bold approach to anti-war activism, and for its members’ success in interrupting prime time speeches three nights in a row during the Republican National Convention in New York City.

CODEPINK opposes the nomination of John Bolton, who is an advocate of unilateral U.S. military action, an opponent of arms control, and previously an advocate for withdrawal of US funds from the UN.

“The "go it alone" Bush administration is working hard to pull the US out of every international agreement and treaty in its effort to dominate rather than collaborate on global issues--and John Bolton exemplifies this attitude. Someone so disdainful of the UN should NOT be our UN representative. In this time of major armed conflict and nuclear proliferation, we need the UN more than ever. The US should be taking the lead in strengthening international cooperation, NOT killing it,” Murphy said.

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