Kieran Knutson takes Medea Benjamin’s phone
BY CRAIG WOOD
On May 19, author/activist and cofounder of the anti-war group Code Pink, Medea Benjamin, had her phone knocked out of her hand by an angry protester she was videotaping at a South Minneapolis event where she’d been invited to speak. When she told me, “They’ve got my phone,” I got involved. After all, I was not only a member of one of the groups that invited her to town — she was our house guest.
Nobody said anything when I walked up to the group of about a dozen protesters and told them to give the phone back. The crowd who didn’t agree with Benjamin’s idea of starting a negotiated settlement now between warring Russia and Ukraine instead of waiting for things to get worse was becoming increasingly edgy.
I didn’t “bullrush” the crowd as one protester later wrote. I entered the 
group slowly to look for the stolen phone. Yes, there was some back-and-forth jostling, and I tore a couple of paper scraps off signs that were pushed toward me, but I didn’t push anybody to the ground or hit anyone, as was alleged by a few.
From there things got ugly quick. I found myself flat on my face, wondering if I tripped or was pushed. Steve McKeown of Veterans For Peace, who was protesting on the side of those in solidarity with Ukraine said, “You went down hard.” He was in the catbird seat and later mentioned, along with many others, that he saw two protesters jump on me. I knew there were at least two because I felt repeated punches from four fists while trying to protect my head and ribs with my hands and arms. 
Luckily, Benjamin spotted her phone and said she pulled it out of Kieran Knutson’s pocket while he was pummeling me. Soon after that, I was driven to the ER with a dislocated shoulder and black eye. I learned later that Knutson called the decidedly non-violent Benjamin a coward.
Other remarks from pro-Ukrainian supporters have been less than objective and some have been defamatory. Emmett Doyle wrote in this newspaper’s online comment section, “Mr. Craig Wood did not attempt to retrieve the phone and then fall into the street.” Excuse me, Mr. Doyle, but how would you know what I was attempting to do? You never asked.
Doyle went on to accuse me of assaulting Knutson: “He then threw himself onto Mr. Knutson and began throwing punches at him. When I pulled Mr. Wood off of Mr. Knutson (during which I did not ‘pummel’ him, as this article slanderously states), I held out my hands to Mr. Wood and said, ‘Are you done?’ He then grabbed me by the coat, tore my coat, punched me, and then lunged at me.”
Doyle’s claim of the assault on Knutson and me punching him and/or missing a swing directed at him are distorted exaggerations at best. It’s true Doyle said, “Have you had enough?” when I was getting up, but he said it in a snarky tone. Suffice to say I wasn’t in a good mood having just had my butt handed to me by a couple of goons. That’s why I motioned to him with the arm that wasn’t dislocated to scram. We don’t consider an arm motion that signals, “Go away,” to be a punch or missed swing where I come from. And he didn’t pull me off Knutson – I was never on top. It was Mike McDonald from Veterans For Peace who helped get Knutson off me.
Terry Burke, who is part of the leadership team of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers (MAP), used five paragraphs in the online comments to denounce Benjamin with no mention of the May 19 assault on her. You can see Burke standing right behind Knutson with the other protesters while he was knocking the phone out of Benjamin’s hand in the link below or on my Facebook page. I guess she didn’t think this was important enough to mention.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiire_Bx_f_AhW8MTQIHRb7AEY4FBC3AnoECB4QAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DfRklQzrsZwU&usg=AOvVaw2JnImZBqW1-b1u9bAFsdDu&opi=89978449
Perhaps more damning, though, is what every one of the commentators above didn’t say – which was nothing about how a 51-year-old, 200-plus-pound man assaulted a 70-year-old, five-foot tall woman who came to town to talk about a book.
And if those people are OK with that – well, I guess there’s really nothing else I can say.
I was positioned behind Madea when this incident took place. Kieran was verbally abusive to her then stepped forward and took her phone. She said ,” He took my phone! “. Craig Wood came at Kieran trying to get it back. He tripped on either a planter or some construction tape. As he was falling Kieran and another man jumped him and he fell into the street. Kieran then proceeded to punch Craig 3 times in the face. I helped get Kieran off of Craig and helped him from the scene.
609.224 ASSAULT IN THE FIFTH DEGREE.
§Subdivision 1.Misdemeanor. Whoever does any of the following commits an assault and is guilty of a misdemeanor:
(1) commits an act with intent to cause fear in another of immediate bodily harm or death; or
(2) intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily harm upon another.
I believe Medea was assaulted when Knutson got in her face with threatening hand gestures, screamed profanities directly at her and knocked her phone out of her hand. Knutson is a big guy who must weigh at least two-hundred pound. Medea is about five-feet tall and weighs around one-hundred-pounds.
The criminal complaint against Knutson is open so I have nothing further to say until the investigation is complete. He said-she said word games will do nothing to hold Knutson and his accomplice accountable for beating me mercilessly in the head and ribs in front of numerous witnesses while I was on the ground. I look forward to hearing what Knutson and Doyle have to say under oath sooner than later.
Saturday’s Star Tribune had an excellent op ed by Kathleen Collins, a political science professor at the U. “The dangers of ceding territory for peace in Ukraine.” https://strib.gift/utx37pdy4
Dr. Collins makes clear why Medea’s “ceasefire now” plan would be a disaster for the Ukrainian people.
“Those arguing for it [ceasefire] are ignoring the likely consequences: further killings, mass rape, ethnic deportations and executions in the Russian-occupied territories.”
“Arguing that Ukraine should forfeit land for peace turns a blind eye to the atrocities that will surely accompany any Russian deal. For over a century, Moscow has repeatedly perpetrated savagery and mass killings against potential opponents — in anticipation of, during and following occupation by its forces. Putin is already mimicking Josef Stalin in his genocidal efforts to subjugate Ukraine.”
Medea willfully ignores Ukraine/Russian history and Russia’s current war crimes to paint a simplistic picture of a ceasefire bringing peace. Collin’s op ed spells out the many problems that would accompany a ceasefire without Russian withdrawal. There are many Russia experts like Collins and Timothy Snyder who more accurately describe the complexities of the Russia/Ukraine situation. There is no excuse for Medea to be on a speaking tour when she is so poorly informed.
Very disappointing to see this campaign of lies continue and now expand. I will address only Craig’s slander towards me in this.
First, Craig was tearing up signs before he pushed into the crowd. Second, yes, you did shove through several people, and on them fell into a ditch. Third, yes, you absolutely did throw yourself at Mr. Knutson, which is why you ended up on top of him on the ground. Fourth, I absolutely did not punch you on the ground; I pulled you up and off of Mr. Knutson. Fifth, I did not say “Have you had enough”. I said “Are you done? Are you good?”, and my tone was not “snarky”. I was trying to deescalate. Sixth, you did not “motion to scram”. You physically seized me by the coat, punched at me and lightly hit me in the face, and lunged at me. I have the torn coat to prove it, should you have the decency to want to replace it.
Since this campaign of lies began, my story has been clear and consistent. Yours keeps growing and changing, and is not supported by the physical evidence. Given that you have already assaulted me in person, I am asking you to cease trying to slander my name as well.
Craig is right. I’m much more concerned about the genocide in Ukraine than a relatively minor incident in Minneapolis.
It’s unfortunate that there was a scuffle at Medea’s talk and that Craig went to the ER. The veracity of his description of the event is undermined by his repeated contention that Medea was assaulted – she was not. Her phone was taken. He is not honestly describing what happened.
More concerning is the silence from many progressive US voices on Russia’s genocide in Ukraine. Mitchell Hamline School of Law states that “there is growing evidence that Russia is perpetrating genocide against the Ukrainian people.” Tens of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have been killed. Millions of Ukrainians have had to leave their homes. Civilian neighborhoods have been targeted by Russian bombs. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been illegally sent to Russia.
One of the reasons the left is not strongly opposing genocide in Ukraine is that leaders like Medea are repeating Putin’s justifications for the invasion, ignoring Russia’s war crimes, calling for an immediate ceasefire without Russian withdrawal.
Let’s not put inordinate attention on a minor scuffle between American activists. Our energy should be focused on speaking out against Russia’s horrific, unjustified, criminal war on the Ukrainian people.
Terry Burke
I agree with Terry that our principal concern should be fighting to end the criminal slaughter of the Ukrainian people. Russia must leave all Ukrainian territory. It seems arguments from the West and from China have not convinced Putin that he must leave. The only option, then, is they must be forced to leave–which means more war and more bloodshed. It is a horrible option, but the only one that seems practical. But we must do this with our eyes open. We must appreciate Russia’s paranoia about being encircled by NATO nuclear missiles. We must appreciate that many Ukrainians who live on the east side of the Dnieper River speak Russian and have a history of Russian culture. We must appreciate that finding a realistic solution will be complicated and require patience.
For all those reasons, Kieran Knutson’s assault on Medea Benjamin (I call forcibly taking something from another person an assault–the State of Minnesota calls taking something worth more than $1000 felonious theft) was a tragic distraction from our principal task of trying to end the war and restore Ukrainian sovereignty. WAMM and Vets for Peace want an immediate end to the war. They do not believe that more war will end the war. You and I disagree with that. We believe, at this point, Ukraine must be supported by every means available in their resistance to Russia. I have marched with those sisters and brothers against wars in Afghanistan, Iran, South America, Palestine, and Vietnam. They are not my enemy. They are my closest comrades. They are essential to a popular understanding of what peace will mean for Ukraine.
Kieran Knutson’s attack on Medea Benjamin was a tragic setback for serious dialog on this question. Violence hardens the lines of separation. We need a sincere self-criticism from Kieran Knutson that demonstrates he understands the harm he has done to uniting the left in opposition to the imperialist aggression of Russia.
Mr Felien, if you are concerned with uniting the left, why are you publishing defamatory articles about local activists, and giving a platform to the man who assaulted me? I have sent you, by both Facebook messenger and by email, pictures of the coat that Mr Wood tore when he attacked me- a thing he denies completely in his account, which seriously undermines the credibility of his entire false narrative. I await a response from you and an apology from South Side Pride for giving my attacker a platform to slander me.
Craig is right. I’m much more concerned about the genocide in Ukraine than a relatively minor incident in Minneapolis.
It’s unfortunate that there was a scuffle at Medea’s talk and that Craig went to the ER. The veracity of his description of the event is undermined by his repeated contention that Medea was assaulted – she was not. Her phone was taken. He is not honestly describing what happened.
More concerning is the silence from many progressive US voices on Russia’s genocide in Ukraine. Mitchell Hamline School of Law states that “there is growing evidence that Russia is perpetrating genocide against the Ukrainian people.” Tens of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have been killed. Millions of Ukrainians have had to leave their homes. Civilian neighborhoods have been targeted by Russian bombs. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been illegally sent to Russia.
One of the reasons the left is not strongly opposing genocide in Ukraine is that leaders like Medea are repeating Putin’s justifications for the invasion, ignoring Russia’s war crimes, calling for an immediate ceasefire without Russian withdrawal.
Let’s not put inordinate attention on a minor scuffle between American activists. Our energy should be focused on speaking out against Russia’s horrific, unjustified, criminal war on the Ukrainian people.
Thank you for coming to my aid, Craig. I’m so sorry that you got beat up for doing that. I hope your arm heals well, and once again, thank you so much for your support. It seems that for this crowd of protesters, they will go to great lengths to stop people from, talking about peace in Ukraine. Very sad.
It is tragic that a physical confrontation occurred when Medea Benjamin came to speak her views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While she presents herself as a
strong supporter of peace, others see her views as advocating Russia’s right to seize and annex a third piece of Ukraine in addition to the existing annexation of Crimea and Donbas. But there is a favorable note to this hapless confrontation.: The positive aftermath of having a professional mediator meet with Medea and Kieran has unfortunately not received the media coverage it deserves. After a one hour session, both parties expressed regret for their actions that could be viewed as provocative Kieran made an explicit apology. That nonviolent mediation can succeed is the most important aspect of this event.