Recruits Urged Not to Serve : Military: 60 protesters picket armed forces facility in South Los Angeles.

A day after President Bush visited American troops in the Persian Gulf to offer them encouragement, a protest group in Los Angeles called for the soldiers to return home--for a very different kind of warfare.

“The revolution is going to be here, in this country,” shouted Barrett Berry, speaking to two Army recruits as he picketed Friday with 60 others outside the armed forces processing station in South Los Angeles. “If you come back to the United States, you may have to fight me because I’m going to be in the revolution. The war isn’t over there. It’s here.”

Marching outside the government facility on Rodeo Road near La Brea Avenue, the anti-war pickets called on black soldiers and recruits to refuse to serve.

“Black men and women have joined the military because there are no jobs out here,” said Makungu Akinyela, whose Malcolm X Grassroots Movement coordinated the protest. “Most of those things the military promised them won’t come true. But when they get back here, they are still confronted with racism and still being shot dead in the streets by police.”

Leaning on the inside of the gate around the Los Angeles Military Entrance Processing Station, one of the Army recruits shouted back at the protesters.

“I’m going over there so I can defend all of you,” said Ray Duval. “I’m going to defend you so that you can stand out here and protest.”