I saw this film as part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, and two of the 28 people prosecuted for conspiracy, burglary and other offences in Camden, New Jersey at the time of the Vietnam War were present in the Camden Picturehouse to tell the tale.
The Camden 28 were a group of anti war activists (pacifists all) who included Catholic priests and centred on a Catholic Church in a poor city in New Jersey. They decided to take an existing campaign of civil disobedience one step further. Other groups had publicly burned draft cards and been imprisoned. This group decided to invade the Draft Board above the Post Office in Camden and seize and destroy the draft records for that area. This would stop local boys being called into the army and being sent to Vietnam.
However, one of the number betrayed them to the FBI and when they implemented the plan they were arrested in the building. It was claimed afterwards that the betrayer had been paid and was acting on the instructions of the White House, and the Attorney General. When the case went to court they were all acquitted.
The film was financed by private donations and although was really more of a documentary than a drama, this held my attention because it contained mainly interviews with the participants (including the betrayer).
My rating: 7/10
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