Vow renewal coincides with protest outside base

VANDENBERG VILLAGE, Calif.-Lovebirds had a fiftieth wedding anniversary like no other.

While they were outside Vandenberg Space Force Base a military spokesperson could be heard saying, "By order of installation commander, you are ordered effectively immediately to leave the space force base."

The lifelong activists renewed their vows in an unconventional way during a demonstration.

"Here we are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in not the usual way," said Catherine Morris.

"We have been resisting arms race for the last 50 years and we are going to celebrate our wedding anniversary, 50th wedding anniversary with a line crossing," said Jeff Dietrich.

Dietrich and Morris said their 'I dos' while demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine and Gaza and protesting nuclear arms.

The Catholic Worker volunteers communicated with Vandenberg about their plans beforehand and that led to a temporary road closure in front of the base

Dozens of people joined them.

"The people that work here, to be honest with you, I like them. They're they're I've run into really great people I even consider as friends," said demonstrator Dennis Apel," But the mission in the space is horrific and that needs to be said"

After the ceremony the couple stepped over the green line onto base property on purpose.

When they defied a two minute warning to leave Vandenberg personnel detained them and another person.

That's when demonstraters started singing.

I want to say, the world's in a bad shape and everybody has got to get out there and do something," said Morris.

Their anniversary also marks 50 years of activism.