Video: Military families warned of weekend protest

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TACOMA, Wash. – Local military families are being advised to avoid the Tacoma Mall March 15 as local groups plan to protest the Iraq War.

The group "World Can't Wait" is organizing protests at a recruiting station near the mall to mark the fifth anniversary of the war.

But warnings to stay away have been going out to military families for days now - including one from Fort Lewis seeking to prevent a clash between protestors and military families.

Families were advised to stay clear of the mall for a five-hour period from roughly noon to 5:30 p.m., since some recent anti-war protests, including those at the Port of Olympia, have seen increased violence.

Meghan Tayez says she and her kids will be staying away tomorrow. Her husband is in the Navy Reserve.

"It worries me," she said. "I don't want anybody in that situation like it was before."

Maggie Loveless, a spokesperson for the World Can't Wait, says this is going to be a big, non violent protest designed to shut the recruiting center down.

"Military recruiters are indoctrinating people They're luring young people in. College students, high school students. In particular poor and minority students," she said. "Into their military to commit war crimes."

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Police were on hand when people protested shipments of military cargo from the Port of Olympia to Fort Lewis in fall of 2007 (shown in this file photo). Military officials say recent protests against the war at the Port of Olympia have been marked by increased levels of violence.

Protesters are expected to distribute anti-war literature, confront recruiters and try to interact with people who may be affiliated with the military. A warning distributed from the military says protesters "want to make it impossible for business as usual to continue as the Iraq War approaches its fifth year."

The Tacoma Mall says it will be open and is hoping for business as usual tomorrow.

Police say they are expecting counter protests and they will be on hand trying to keep both sides apart.