View allAll Photos Tagged Wikileaks
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Greeting from South Korea
We protested for release of Bradley Manning in front of U.S embassy in South Korea.
I am Jae-hyun Kim, a peace activist of non-profit organization in South Korea
The name of organization is ‘NANUM MUNHWA’ it’s meaning is ‘Culture of Sharing’
‘NANUM MUNHWA’ was established in 2000 as a non-profit organization with an aim to Global Peace Activities and Creation of alternative life model with the neighboring victims that have inflicted with poverty and war.
We are engaging in Global Peace activities in Iraq, Palestine, Kurdîstan, Burma, Ache in Indonesia and Pakistan since 2003.
I have been working at NANUM MUNHWA for 8 years as a team leader of social activities team.
Here is the introduction of NANUM MUNHWA.
Over 60 people gathered on The Plaza, Kansas City's famous "upscale" shopping district, with its famous fountain historically known for peaceful public assembly of various social and political issues. The rally program was MC'd by Navy Veteran, Jeff Johnson. Speakers included: Dr. Yolanda Huet-Vaughn, famed conscientious objector court-martialed for refusing to serve in Operation Desert Storm. Also, Tom Klammer, consistent public supporter of WikiLeaks and Bradley Maning, host of "Tell Somebody" on KKFI, Kansas City's community run radio station. Local poets, William Peck, Rachel Asbury, and Ron Faust also spoke. Dozens of supporters stayed through sunset holding signs and banners by the side of the busy shopping district's main intersection.
Read news coverage at:
www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/local-vigil-held-for-sol...
Because a messed up world without a sense of humour is just a little bit more messed up.
The Magistrate that sent Julian Assange to prison last week to await extradition to Sweden was named judge Howard Riddle.
The classic 'Judge Riddle' joke goes something like this:
A man is to be sentenced, and the judge told him, "You may make a statement. If it is true, I'll sentence you to four years in prison. If it is false, I'll sentence you to six years in prison." After the man made his statement, the judge decided to let him go free. What did the man say?
The answer to the riddle is:
The man's statement was "You'll sentence me to six years in prison." If it was true, the judge would have to make it false by sentencing him to only four years in prison. If it was false, the judge would have to sentence him to six years in prison, which would make it true. The judge decided to set the man free rather than contradict his own words.
Knowledge is power.
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Christine Assange, mother of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange delivered a letter [friday 11 Feb 20011] to Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd's Brisbane Office. in Suburban Morningside. The letter said in part "If you are unable to protect my son when there are strong grounds to do so, I demand your immediate resignation. I also request that you tell the Australian public the whole truth i.e. that you or your own will have freely chosen not to protect Julian; or that you have been prevented from doing so. I ask that you make your decision by Monday, and that you make your decision known".
Minister Rudd was not in his office the letter was accepted by John Mitchell Qld State Director Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- Photos by Damien Conway.
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Michael Beasley of Spokane Coalition Builders
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13
Cities Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership
"Trade" Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH
the TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, the Overpass Light
Brigade network, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
kabo-wiki-hive - wikileaks-wiki - web-site list [en]+[xx]-
web-site list
Web-sites about WikiLeaks, whistleblowing or Anonymous are included into their home pages in the wikileaks-wiki. The feeds for the web-sites are listed on the page web-site feeds. ← = is included into the wikileaks-wiki from the web-site xxx
center-wiki:
WikiLeaksWiki, a center-wiki for web-sites about WikiLeaks, whistleblowing, Anonymous [en]+[xx]-
← kabo-list-wiki - wikileaks-wiki
official web-sites by wikileaks:
facebook page WikiLeaks Cablegate
← facebook - page WikiLeaks Cablegate [en]
facebook page wikileaks
← facebook - page wikileaks [en]
facebook page WikiLeaks The Global Intelligence Files
← facebook - page WikiLeaks The Global Intelligence Files [en]
twitter wikileaks
← twitter - wikileaks [en]
WikiLeaksOrg, the main web-site wikileaks.org [en]
other web-sites about WikiLeaks or whistleblowing:
AmpedStatus network, fights for pivotal political reforms
← ampedstatus.org - network
BBC search wikileaks, the BBC about WikiLeaks
← bbc.co.uk - search wikileaks [en]
cablesearch, search cables in full text
← cablesearch.org [en]
CableWiki, documents, analyzes, summarizes and translates cables
← cablewiki.net [en]+[xx]-
CrowdLeaks, crowdsourced journalism
← crowdleaks.org [en]
← facebook - page crowdleaks [en]
← twitter - crowdleaks [en]+[de]-
CryptomeOrg, a public library of fifty-eight thousand files published
← cryptome.org [en]
CyberLaw blog category wikileaks, a news resource for CyberLaw issues
← CyberLaw blog - category wikileaks [en]
Der Spiegel Thema WikiLeaks, the German weekly Der Spiegel on wikileaks
← Der Spiegel - Thema WikiLeaks [de]
facebook group Brisbane Wikileaks Defence, Brisbane, Australia defends wikileaks
← facebook - group Brisbane Wikileaks Defence [en]
facebook group Dagestan WikiLeaks, tell us what you know but are afraid to voice
← facebook - group Dagestan WikiLeaks [ru]
facebook group I Support Wikileaks, the intelligence agency of the people
← facebook - group I Support Wikileaks [en]
facebook group svetu treba vikiliks, Serbia leaks
← facebook - group svetu treba vikiliks [sr]
facebook group Wikileaks Fan Club (Bangladesh), Bangladesh wikileaks fans
← facebook - group Wikileaks Fan Club (Bangladesh) [en]+[xx]-
facebook group WikiLeaks Fans, keep us at the forefront of anti-censorship
← facebook - group WikiLeaks Fans [en]+[xx]-
facebook group wikileaks in Arabian, ويكيليكس
← facebook - group wikileaks in Arabian [ar]
facebook group wikileaks indígena, the Colombian natives’ wikileaks
← facebook - group wikileaks indígena [es]
facebook group Wikileaks La verità ci rende liberi, tieni duro Assange, the truth makes us free
← facebook - group Wikileaks La verità ci rende liberi, tieni duro Assange [it]
facebook group Wikileaks Support, we support wikileaks and Julian Assange!
← facebook - group Wikileaks Support [en]
facebook group wikileaks tagramet, exposies irregularities and manipulations in Tetouan, Morocco
← facebook - group wikileaks tagramet [ar]
facebook group Wikileaks Tetouan, exposes all forms of violations at all levels in Tetouan, Morocco
← facebook - group Wikileaks Tetouan [ar]+[fr]-
facebook page Generation Wikileak, we are Julian’s die heart soldiers
← facebook - page Generation Wikileak [en]
facebook page The WikiLeaks Trap, news and analysis from around the web
← facebook - page The WikiLeaks Trap [en]
facebook page Wikileaks Free Julian Assange, help us to free Julian Assange
← facebook - page Wikileaks Free Julian Assange [en]+[xx]-
facebook page WikiLeaks Yemen, specialized in corruption cases
← facebook - page WikiLeaks Yemen [ar]
federal accountability initiative for reform, protects whistleblowers who protect the public interest, Canada
← fairwhistleblower.ca [en]
← facebook - group FairWhistleblower.ca [en]
← facebook - page FairWhistleblower.ca [en]
Finland FoWL, Finnish Friends of WikiLeaks
← facebook - page FinFoWL [fi]+[en]-
← twitter - finfowl [fi]+[en]-
FoWL, Friends of WikiLeaks
← facebook - page FoWL [en]
FoWL Austria, Gruppe Österreich
← facebook - page FoWL Austria [de]+[en]-
free WikiLeaks, a support group for a free WikiLeaks
← freewikileaks.eu [de]
← facebook - page FreeWikileaks [en]+[xx]-
freedominfo search WikiLeaks, networks freedom of information advocates globally
← freedominfo.org - search WikiLeaks [en]
google news wikileaks, news on google
← google - news wikileaks [en]+[xx]-
government accountability project, protects corporate, government and international whistleblowers
← whistleblower.org [en]
gulli tag WikiLeaks, about wikileaks on gulli.com
← gulli.com - tag WikiLeaks [de]
LeaksFree, we are anonymous, … expect us
← leaksfree.com [es]+[xx]-
← facebook - page leaksfree [en]+[es]-
LeakSource, leaks around the world
← leaksource.wordpress.com [en]
list of companies boycotting WikiLeaks, let’s boycott them!
← facebook - page list of companies boycotting WikiLeaks [en]
meta-leaks-wiki, posts, tags and discusses orphan leaks
← wikia-hive - meta-leaks-wiki [en]
national whistleblowers center, stands for honesty without fear
← whistleblowers.org [en]
netzpolitik search wikileaks, about WikiLeaks on netzpolitik.org
← netzpolitik.org - search wikileaks [de]
open democracy advice center, promotes open and transparent democracy in South Africa
← opendemocracy.org.za [en]
political fail blog, keeps informed on stories that matter
← politicalfailblog.com [en]
project on government oversight, exposes corruption and other misconduct
← pogo.org [en]
public concern at work, an independent authority on public interest whistleblowing
← pcaw.co.uk [en]
save WikiLeaks, Свободу Сети! Freedom network!
← savewikileaks.net [ru]
StateLogs, browse, comment, read the diplomacy cablegate
← statelogs.owni.fr [en]
The Nation blogs media-fix, news about wikileaks every day
← thenation.com - blogs media-fix [en]
The Telegraph news wikileaks, the latest news and video on WikiLeaks
← telegraph.co.uk - news wikileaks [en]
transleaks Japanese, translates WikiLeaks to Japanese
← transleaks - Japanese [jp]
we will not be censored, supports the work of WikiLeaks and free speech
← wewillnotbecensored.com [en]
whistleblower-net, an association about whistleblowing in Germany
← whistleblower-net.de [de]
whistleblowers protection blog, advocates whistleblower rights
← whistleblowersblog.org [en]
whistleblowing Italia, whistleblowing in Italy
← whistleblowing.it [it]
Wikileaks Australian Citizens Alliance, the goal is justice, the method is transparency
← waca.net.au [en]
← facebook - page Wikileaks Australian Citizens Alliance [en]
WikiLeaks Deutschland, Germany’s WikiLeaks
← facebook - page WikiLeaks Deutschland [de]
wikileaks-forum, it’s time to open the archives
← wikileaks-forum.com [en]
← facebook - page wikileaks-forum.com [en]+[xx]-
WikiLeaks Italian, news about WikiLeaks in Italian
← facebook - page WikiLeaks Italian [it]
WikiLeaks Serbia, support from Serbia
← facebook - page WikiLeaks Serbia [sr]
WikiLeaks Türkiye, Turkey’s WikiLeaks
← facebook - page WikiLeaks Türkiye [tr]
WikiLeaks Vienna, the bohemian rhapsody
← wikileakswien.wordpress.com [de]
wlcentral, provides WikiLeaks news, analysis and action
← wlcentral.org [en]
Die Zeit leaks blog, the German weekly Die Zeit on WikiLeaks, OpenLeaks and the consequences
← zeit.de - leaks blog [de]
yahoo news wikileaks, news on yahoo
← yahoo - news wikileaks [en]+[xx]-
other whistleblowing web-sites:
Al Jazeera transparency unit, whistleblowing on Al Jazeera
← transparency.aljazeera.net [en]
AnonNews, open posting, everything anonymous
← anonnews.org [en]
BalkanLeaks, the Balkans are not keeping secrets anymore
← balkanleaks.eu
BayernLeaks, Bavaria leaks
← bayernleaks.de [de]
deaddrops, an anonymous, offline, peer to peer file-sharing network in public space
← deaddrops.com [en]
EnviroLeaks, undermining just got easier …
← enviroleaks.org [en]
FaceLeaks, leak you friends, anonymously
← faceleaks.info [en]
FrenchLeaks, France leaks
← frenchleaks.fr [fr]
GlobaLeaks, creates a worldwide leak amplification network
← globaleaks.org [en]
IndoLeaks, Indonesia leaks
← indoleaks.org [ind]
IrishLeaks, sheds light on abuses of power within the Republic of Ireland
← irishleaks.ie [en]
IsraeliLeaks, comes soon to an occupied territory near you
← israelileaks.org [en]
KanariLeaks, leaks focused on the canary islands
← kanarileaks.org [es]
LocaLeaks, submit news tips to news organizations
← localeaks.com [en]
OpenLeaks, makes whistleblowing safer and more widespread
← openleaks.org [en]
PinoyLeaks, in the governments of the Philippines, beware of the eagle
← pinoyleaks.org [en]
PirateLeaks, Czech leaks
← pirateleaks.cz [cz]
Quebec leaks, Quebec in Canada leaks,
← facebook - page QuebecLeaks [fr]
RadioLeaks, whistleblowing by the Swedish radio
← sverigesradio.se - RadioLeaks [sv]
RoSpil, fights theft in Russia
← rospil.info [ru]
RuLeaks, Russia leaks
← ruleaks.net [ru]
secrecy news, news on government secrecy
← fas.org - secrecy news [en]
Serbian WikiLeaks, new Belgrade affairs
← novibeogradafera.blogspot.com [sr]
TradeLeaks, openness and transparency in trade and commerce
← tradeleaks.com [en]
TuniLeaks, Tunisia leaks
← tunileaks.appspot.com [en]
UniLeaks, keeps education honest
← unileaks.org [en]
VatiLeaks, the Vatican leaks
← vatileaks.com [en]
WikiSpooks, a wiki to build a comprehensive reference source of deep political structures and events
← wikispooks.com [en]
The page facebook about wikileaks merges the facebook groups wikileaks and the facebook pages wikileaks listed above.
about the latest modification
Mattis Manzel:
Added the pages FoWL Austria and Wikileaks Australian Citizens Alliance.
from soup bit.ly/SPE87a
On Thursday August 16, as news broke that Ecuador was giving political asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, World Can't Wait in NYC quickly put together a plan to demonstrate support for this brave decision. About 12-15 people who understand significance of Wikileaks got together in front of the Ecuadorian Consulate with signs supporting the courageous stand of the Ecuadorian government: "small country - high ethics - big heart," "hands off Ecuador and Assange," and "thanks for standing up for law and morality."
RT, Reuters and AP interviewed people outside, and then the consulate invited people upstairs (although it was officially closed) to accept the flowers and gratitude offered. Activists with World Can't Wait told the consulate representatives how important they felt it was to defend Julian Assange, freedom of the press and exposing war crimes. The Ecuadorians emphasized their sovereignty, and said how proud they all were of their country and their president for making a stand for freedom of the press. Though their embassy in London is threatened with invasion by England, they're not a colony, and won't accept domination. They also talked about how proud they are that although there is oil in Ecuador, the government is refusing to despoil the pristine beauty of the earth by drilling for it.
Afterwards, some of the demonstrators went over to the "occupation" of the British Consulate, where protesters are maintaining an around-the-clock presence until Julian Assange is allowed to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.
Photo by Bud Korotzer.
Kamera: Zenza Bronica SQ-Ai
Linse: Zenzanon PS 50mm
Film: Ilford Delta 100 @ ISO 100
Kjemi: Rodinal (1:25 / 9 min. @ 20°C)
Friday 15 March 2024: I have a little story about Julian Assange (b. 1971) and WikiLeaks from the time when I had UN-affiliated assignments in the occupied West Bank (2007-2011), Palestine. Early in 2010, there was released a classified video of the 12 July 2007 Baghdad airstrike with Apache helicopters on WikiLeaks - a video that completely horrified the world and exposed US military conduct and war crimes in Iraq for everyone to see. I can still remember the video - «Keep shoot ’ n. Keep shoot ’ n. Keep shoot ’n»
Later that same year, in December, us norwegians were going to have a Christmas dinner at the base together. We were going to be accompanied by embassy personnel who would be celebrating together with us. The Embassy brought us chocolate courtesy of the Swedish King Cral Gatsuf Gustf Carl Gustaf XVI. Kind of insensitive to bring to a Norwegian Christmas dinner, I thought - but what the hell. As a Christmas gift I received a small Tea tray made by Palestinian school children, which I still have and use. After some formalities and speeches we started eating and small-talking as you do. The big theme when conversing with the embassy personnel that year was WikiLeaks. Just a few days before, WikiLeaks had released a massive amount of diplomatic material, now known as Cablegate. I remember the fear and the squirming of the embassy personnel; they were so afraid of secret embassy documents potentially going public; and they could not know if there was any incriminating material there at the time or not. They really felt helpless. Revealed. Personally, I thought «Good on them».
WikiLeaks was truly revolutionary. I wish something like this could happen again today. From Israel I only knew about their leaked Koenig Memorandum from 1976, but that was way before everyone started being dependent on the internet and electronic documents. But that is exactly why I think Julian Assange should be set free. People have a right to know what is going on. What the politicians - who we are voting for - are doing. What our militaries are doing. I want to know the full truth behind the US politics in regards to Gaza, Israel and Palestine right now. I want to know who those Israeli bastards are who are responsible for and committing massacre after massacre on crowds of starving Palestinians awaiting humanitarian aid; day after day.
History will remember Julian Assange as perhaps the world’s most revolutionary journalist that ever lived. Justice for Julian.
*PS: If you are wondering about the number my colleague is holding up in the picture - that’s Julian’s prisoner number in Belmarsh Prison.
Richard Medhurst: Why the US is trying to imprison Julian Assange and why you should care (publ. 7 March 2024):
My name is Richard Medhurst - I’m a British journalist and I've been covering Julian Assange's extradition for 4 years. I was in the courtroom this week for his latest hearing, so let me tell you what happened and why you should care about this case. But first some key facts: Julian Assange (b. 1971) is an Australian journalist in the United Kingdom and the founder of WikiLeaks. He published documents that were given to him by a US Soldier called Chelsea Manning (b. 1987) which showed us war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan and much more.
Now the United States want to extradite Assange from the UK to America and put him on trial for publishing these classified documents. They're threatening him with 175 years in prison and the reason this case is so serious is because it essentially makes journalism illegal. The United States claimed that Assange asked Manning for classified documents and that this is a crime - it's not! They're saying that if you possess and publish the documents that this is also a crime - it's not! Asking for classified documents; protecting sources - these are things that journalists do every single day around the world - but because these files were so embarrassing to the United States, they're threatening Assange with almost two centuries in prison; and to do it they're accusing him of being a ‘spy’ and being a ‘hacker’ and have charged him with 17 counts under the Espionage Act and one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.
The goal here is to make an example out of him; to make other journalists afraid to publish things that the public have a right to know. If extradited Assange would be put in the worst prison conditions imaginable; called special administrative measures or SAMs - this is basically solitary confinement with no contact allowed with other prisoners; barely any contact with your family - it is internationally recognized as torture - and he would be sent to the worst prison in America - ADX Florence; a Super Maximum Security Prison.
In January 2021 a British judge Vanessa Baraitser, she actually blocked Assange's extradition because US prison conditions would be so oppressive in his current state as to drive him to suicide. However, although she blocked the extradition on health grounds, she agreed with all of the political bogus charges. I was in court for all of these hearings and I was there when when these smears were debunked by literally dozens of expert witnesses. But the judge still chose to agree with the United States. She chose to criminalize journalism in Britain and America and agree with these claims that Assange is a ‘hacker’ and a ‘spy’.
Now after this, the United States went to the English High Court. They appealed the ruling (because she blocked the extradition on health grounds) and they won. And they won by giving empty, garbage promises that they would treat Assange well in the United States. Even though the US have a history of violating extradition promises; I exposed this when I published classified documents from the David Mendoza case. Now after the US had succeeded, all they needed was one thing - a signature from the Home Secretary - and she allowed the extradition to go ahead.
So this is everything that happened between 2020 and 2024, and that brings me to this week's hearing. Assange's lawyers basically asked for permission to appeal two things:
The first is the ruling from 2021. They're saying: Yes, the judge was correct to block Assange's extradition on health grounds, but she was wrong to agree with all these political charges that call him a ‘hacker’ and a ‘spy’. This is undemocratic, it criminalizes journalism, and it doesn't take into account the fact that these files that Assange published, they expose enormous US war crimes that the public have a right to know about. The judge, she also agreed with the United States’ assertion that Assange had ‘harmed’ the names of informants and spies, even though the US military already investigated this when they court-martialled Chelsea Manning (b. 1987); the one who gave Assange the documents. And the US military found that no one, not a single person, has ever been harmed by these publications.
And this US claim that Julian Assange, you know, he simply copied and pasted all these documents without ever censoring or redacting names, just isn't true. I listened and watched
many journalists testify to the court, how they spent countless hours sitting down with Assange and redacting names.
Assange's lawyers are also arguing that the judge in the lower court failed to undertake a balancing act: She just accepted blindly the United States’ premise that all these informants - who were never harmed - are more important than the people killed and tortured by the United States. I mean, this is tantamount to saying: Yeah, the United States should be allowed to continue committing these crimes in secret. It's okay for them to butcher people in Iraq and Afghanistan and the public have no right to know.
But even if what the United States is saying is true, these documents were not published first by Assange. John Young, the owner of a website called cryptome.org, testified to the court - he said: «I am the one who published these documents first, the United States never prosecuted me and never asked me to take them down.» This shows you that the whole case against Assange is selective, political, and has nothing to do with the law.
Remember now, Julian Assange is a journalist, a publisher. He is not a government employee. He is not a soldier. He has never signed a contract that binds him to government secrecy. He is under no obligation to be quiet. Julian Assange isn't even from the United States! He has never lived or worked there. The Espionage Act that they're using to charge him with was also created during World War I, in 1917! And it's always been used as a political tool. It was used against Eugene Debs (1855-1926), for example, or whistleblowers like Daniel Ellsberg (1931-2023) and Edward Snowden (b. 1983), who exposed the extent of the US war in Vietnam and NSA mass surveillance. If you're charged under the Espionage Act, you're also forbidden from arguing a public interest defense. That means even if you expose colossal government crimes, you still go to prison.
So that is regarding the first part of the appeal. Now, the second part of the appeal that Assange's lawyers made this week, was that the Home Secretary was wrong to allow the extradition. She knew there is a high likelihood that Assange could be killed in the US. The United States could give him additional charges once he's in America. They could even give him the death penalty. In court, the US lawyers didn't even bother pretending otherwise. But it is illegal in Britain to send someone to another country when you know that they could be given the death penalty. It's against the law. And even if there's no death penalty, at 50 years old, if you give Assange 30 years in prison it's akin to a death sentence. So how could the home secretary agreed to send Assange to a foreign country that so clearly wants him dead?
Mike Pompeo (b. 1963), who back then was head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and then president Donald Trump (b. 1946), they together began this legal case against Julian Assange, and they even drew up plans to kidnap or assassinate him in London. Donald Trump has also called for Julian Assange to be given the death penalty in the past.
- WikiLeaks, you had nothing to do with the… WikiLeaks?
- No, but I think it’s disgraceful.
- Do you think it’s disgraceful?
- I think there should be like death penalty or something.
Mike Pompeo has said Assange has ‘no First Amendment rights’. All these political denunciations of Assange and WikiLeaks were then followed with real threats against him and his family.
- It's time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: A non-state hostile intelligence service …
Assange is not being accused of bank robbery or you know, arson. He’s just a journalist. Now, the United States can claim all they want that this is ‘espionage’, but guess what? Espionage is a political offense. It is forbidden to extradite someone for a political offense under the US-UK Extradition Treaty 2003, section 4.
Now the Extradition Act, which is the implementation of the treaty inside British law, is somehow missing this section… That's because this law was passed during the ‘War on Terror’ in 2003. It allows the US a blank check to just snatch people, drag them to America and throw them in prison for no reason. No matter how you look at this case, it is illegal and it is unfair.
The United States want to prosecute Julian under US law, but at the same time deny him any protections under US law? He has no free speech? How can you say he has no First Amendment rights, as a foreign national, and then prosecute him as a foreign national outside the US? You can't apply half of US law to Julian Assange. That's unfair.
And if you look at the European Convention on Human Rights, which again, this is included in British law through the Human Rights Act, you find that Julian Assange's rights are being violated; almost every single one. Article 5 protects you from arbitrary detention. Because this is a political case, it's a violation of the extradition treaty to send Julian to America. And
therefore he has no reason to be in prison. It's illegal.
Number six, article 6 gives you the right to a fair trial. This is already violated because we know the United States spied on Julian's conversations with his lawyers. They stole laptops and collected medical records and legal records. And could use this in court - but that's tainted evidence. This is illegal. Any judge - any real judge in the world would have thrown this out from day one.
We also know that he will not get a fair trial if he's sent to America because the jury is made up of people who work in the CIA and have friends and family working in the intelligence community. These are the same people whose crimes Julian Assange exposed. The court in Virginia that issued these Espionage charges and will hold this trial is used specifically for that reason because the government know they can't lose. It's already guaranteed that he's going to get convicted and go to prison. The United States could even use secret evidence against Julian Assange, that he wouldn't even be able to see because it's ‘classified’.
Article 7 protects you from being punished retroactively for something that wasn't a crime when you did it. Now Julian Assange is being prosecuted for something that's unprecedented, no journalist in America has ever been prosecuted, let alone convicted for publishing classified documents. This case criminalizes journalism and therefore also violates article 10 which guarantees freedom of expression.
Assange's lawyers spoke a lot about the European Convention on Human Rights because it's incorporated into British law, meaning the country has to follow it. Not only that, but they hinted at this to sort of tell the judges that: If you don't give us permission to appeal, we're going to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and they're going to look down on this court's decision, on the fact that you didn't allow us to appeal.
The court in Strasbourg is going to see these US crimes were real, they were happening on the ground at the time, and by publishing these documents Assange altered the United States’ behavior. These helicopter massacres that you see in the ‘Collateral Murder’ video stopped, the Iraq war came to an end, but you see while all of this plays out in court, Assange is slowly dying.
He was put in Belmarsh Prison on purpose by the security state. Belmarsh Prison is nicknamed ‘Britain's Guantanamo Bay’. It is the worst prison in England and notorious for housing violent criminals and terrorists, not journalists like Assange, convicted of a bail infraction or held on remand pending extradition. There is no reason for him to be in prison, never mind in a maximum security facility, locked up 23 hours a day. And before being taken to Belmarsh, Assange was forced to go to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and seek political asylum. He stayed in what was basically a minuscule apartment for 7 years because he feared the United States would try to grab him and take him to America, very much as you're seeing now. As a result, Julian's health has declined greatly. He is in poor physical and mental shape because of this persecution and has been deprived of a normal family life. And the times that I saw him in court, he really did not look well.
The United Nations have a working group that ruled: This is tantamount to arbitrary detention. Many UN experts agree that Assange's human rights have been violated and the conditions he was put in both inside the embassy and in Belmarsh amount to torture. The aim of the United States is to kill him, either in the US or slowly killing him in an English prison and having him jumping back and forth from one court to the next.
Unfortunately, this is how we treat journalists in Britain and the United States. The media could have easily launched a campaign and public appeal to free Assange, but have chosen to do nothing. All these outlets that profited greatly from working with Assange, but are now silent when he needs them should be ashamed of themselves. And I'm talking about The Guardian, The New York Times, Der Spiegel, Le Monde. This is because they lack integrity and they lack courage, and Assange reminds them that they are not real journalists.
This case is so damning to the political and media establishment that they're conducting it like a secret trial in a kangaroo court. I'm telling you, and I've attended all these hearings, they make it difficult for journalists to get access, they make it difficult for journalists to get inside, they make it difficult for Reporters Without Borders and other NGOs to observe the case, they make it difficult for for politicians, MEPs that have come from overseas, to attend the case. They make it difficult for people to hear or see anything if they're attending remotely or they're just next door in an overflow room. To me, this is unacceptable for an advanced, developed country, and one that claims to be committed to open justice, it's absolutely inadmissible. And many people speculate that they're doing this on purpose, because they know deep down that this persecution and prosecution are immoral and illegal.
Now we don't know how the High Court will rule, but if they deny Julian permission to appeal, his lawyers can temporarily block the US from putting him on a plane with a ‘Rule 39 order’ and then take his case to the European Court of Human Rights. The problem is that this again can take years to play out, all the while, Assange’s life hangs in the balance because the United Kingdom locked him up in a maximum security prison on behalf of the US.
This case is without question the biggest attack on free speech and journalism on the planet. I am here as a witness to warn you that if we do nothing, journalism is going to die. Julian Assange is the most famous political prisoner in the world, but time is running out. I've made this video precisely so that anyone can understand this case and then share it far and wide for others to also learn about the case. So please make sure that you do that.
And if you want more detailed reporting on the previous stages in this extradition case, I have videos and playlists on my YouTube channel covering every single day of the court proceedings as they unfolded in the Old Bailey, then the High Court and so on. And I've also got interviews with the Assange’s family, lawyers and more.
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
laughingsquid.com/wikileaks-mobile-information-collection...
photo by Scott Beale / Laughing Squid
This photo is licensed under a Creative Commons license. If you use this photo within the terms of the license or make special arrangements to use the photo, please list the photo credit as "Scott Beale / Laughing Squid" and link the credit to laughingsquid.com.
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
WIP
High-res map of Iraq, using open source data (SRTM, openstreetmap) and the data released on October 22nd by wikileaks.
Used the cleaned dump from The Guardian.
Some of these photos are at
www.demotix.com/news/2191682/edward-snowden-street-art-se...
On Hayes at Divisadero by [http://www.flickr.com/photos/30103632@N03/]
erinblogs.com/tag/eclair-acuda-bandersnatch/
www.viewfromthealley.com/2011/05/eclair-acuda-bandersnatc...
www.artsology.com/blog/2012/01/eclair-acuda-bandersnatch/
www.fishrockroad.org/2011/05/boycott-bottled-water-graffi...
#EclairAcudaBandersnatch #EclairBandersnatch #AcudaBandersnatch #bandersnatch #stencil #streetart #stencils #graffiti #sanfrancisco #sidewalk #politicalart #snowden #edwardsnowden #nsa #wikileaks
Fort Snelling, Minnesota
March 20, 2011
Coleen Rowley speaks to the Bradley Manning supporters. On the suspicion that Bradley Manning leaked information to Wikileaks, the U.S. Army has kept him in isolation since his arrest on May 29, 2010. If Bradley Manning is the WikiLeaks leaker, the protesters support him for educating the American people about the realities of war.
Sign reads:
FREE BRADLEY MANNING
BLOWING the WHISTLE on WAR CRIMES
is NOT A CRIME!
2011-03-20 This is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Art is a Weapon of Mass Seduction.
We are Anonymous.
We are a Mutant Living Consciousness.
#OPERATIONPAPERSTORM
The AЯT of the ▀█▀ █▀ █_█ ▀█▀ █▬█ Я - Ξ Ⓥ Ω L U Z ↑ ☼ N
Street Art. Upload your stencils & urban creations here.
Also, for original works, check out:
"OperationPaperStorm - Worldwide. All Languages. Upload your Art"
www.flickr.com/groups/operationpaperstorm/
Join the Hive Mind to be permanently informed of our next actions:
www.flickr.com/groups/operationpaperstorm
"Art is now the only evolutionary-revolutionary power.
Only art is capable of dismantling the repressive social system to build
a SOCIAL ORGANISM AS A WORK OF ART."
Joseph Beuys, 1921-1986
Rally to Free Julian Assange and support the wikileaks website from government persecution arising from Cablegate - the progressive release of 250,000 US diplomatic cables, incombination with major newspapers. Protest gathered on the lawns of State Library in Melbourne at 5.30pm December 14. Julian Assange second bail hearing will soon be heard in a London Court.
The rally heard from Jacob Grech from Victorian Trades Hall, Adam Bandt, member for Melbourne and Assange's elected representative in Federal House of Representatives, a union official from the Media and Entertainment Alliance, Colin Jacobs from the Electronic Frontiers Australia, and Rob Stary, Julian's Australian lawyer.
With over a thousand people at the rally there was a call to march on the British Consulate in Collins Street.
Demonstration outside Quantico Marine Corps Base in Prince William County, Virginia, where whistleblower Bradley Manning (now Chelsea Manning) was being held awaiting trial for alleged leaks of classified material to the operators of the Wikileaks website. The demonstration was held near the intersection of Jefferson Davis Highway (US 1), Joplin Road, and Fuller Road in Triangle, Virginia. As with other political demonstrations that I've attended in Virginia, there was a heavy police presence.
In this photo, activist Pete Perry speaks from the stage.
More at The Schumin Web:
www.schuminweb.com/life-and-times/white-house-quantico-pa...
Ben Schumin is a professional photographer who captures the intricacies of daily life. This image may be used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0. Please provide artist attribution, as well as a link to the original photo and to the license terms.
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
- Photos by Damien Conway.
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Bradley Manning Support Network -> www.bradleymanning.org/
“I have to abide by certain classified information,” Obama said on a video that quickly began to circulate among media outlets Friday. “If I was to release stuff, information that I’m not authorized to release, I’m breaking the law. … We’re a nation of laws. We don’t individually make our own decisions about how the laws operate. … He broke the law.”[1]
Compare that statement of President Obama with Presidential Candidate Obama from Change.gov:
"Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled. We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance. Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government. Obama will ensure that federal agencies expedite the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process."[2]
=============================================
This is how politicians operate; they protect themselves and degrade those who strive after protecting the citizenry. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are war criminals by the standard of law, but both are offered the cover of government. Why?
This is how governed societies operate; the system self-protects and the citizens self-correct. Until the people strive after education on a substantive level apart from the latest celebrity gossip or political spin, this will be the cycle of American life. Striving after education is a course towards improving the inward person. We can make all the improvements to every notion deemed civilized, but until people begin to address their own internal frictions and outward fictions, civilization will continue to escape the civilized.
=============================================
“With any legitimate trial of whistleblower Bradley Manning still being at an unspecified date in the future, it would seem that what is presently on trial here is Western culture itself. When the persecution of an individual who has exposed an evil is pursued so ruthlessly and yet the evil itself is studiedly ignored, all of us know that there is something very wrong with the way that our society is conducting itself. And if we do not protest in the strongest terms about what is being done in our name, then we become complicit.
There is no third option. Bradley Manning and others like him everywhere are vital to our continued moral health and well-being as a people, and unless we offer them our full support in their often dire and isolated circumstances, it is we, as a people, who will end up the losers.” -Alan Moore www.bradleymanning.org/news/releases/alan-moore-bradley-m...
"The US has shown remarkable energy in its pursuit of alleged whistleblowers. Has it investigated the deaths of those innocent civilians with the same vigour? With any vigour whatsoever? And which would you consider a crime? To conceal the deaths of innocent civilians, or to reveal them? I know what my answer would be." -Les Barker
"If Bradley Manning did what he’s accused of, then he’s a hero if mine and I think he did a great service to this country. We’re not in the mess we’re in, in the world, because of too many leaks. . . . I say there should be some secrets. But I also say we invaded Iraq illegally because of a lackof a Bradley Manning at that time." -Daniel Ellsberg
www.ellsberg.net/archive/daniel-ellsberg-on-colbert-report
“It is a privilege to join the campaign to support Bradley Manning for his courage and integrity in serving his country by helping make the government accountable to its citizens, and to inform the world of what its people should know." -Noam Chomsky
www.bradleymanning.org/learn-more/supporters
"To suggest that lives were put in danger by the release of the WikiLeaks documents is the most cynical of statements...Lives were put in danger the night we invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq, an act that had nothing to do with what the Bradley Mannings of this country signed up for: to defend our people from attack. It was a war based on a complete lie and lives were not only put in danger, hundreds of thousands of them were exterminated...For those who organised this massacre to point a finger at Bradley Manning is the ultimate example of Orwellian hypocrisy." -Michael Moore www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/15/bradley-manning-camp...
At 23, Private Manning is the world’s pre-eminent prisoner of conscience, having remained true to the Nuremberg Principle that every soldier has the right to "a moral choice." His suffering mocks the notion of the land of the free." -John Pilger
original.antiwar.com/pilger/2011/01/14/the-war-on-wikileaks/
"If Bradley Manning was the person who copied the secret US diplomatic cables to WikilLeaks, he is a hero for exposing human rights abuses" -Peter Tatchell
twitter.com/#!/PeterTatchell/status/15842478221434880
"I was Bradley Manning." -Daniel Ellsberg
=============================================
1. Barack Obama on Bradley Manning: 'He broke the law' -> www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53601.html
2. Protect Whistleblowers: change.gov/agenda/ethics_agenda/
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Shining Light on Secret TPP agreement & calling on Congress to
STOP Fast Track
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13 Cities
Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership "Trade"
Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH the
TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Michael Beasley of Spokane Coalition Builders
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13
Cities Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership
"Trade" Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH
the TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, the Overpass Light
Brigade network, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Michael Beasley of Spokane Coalition Builders
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13
Cities Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership
"Trade" Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH
the TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, the Overpass Light
Brigade network, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
- Photos by
Benji Bao Vương and imagery mobilized by Overpass Light Brigade PDX
and Oregon Fair Trade
For Immediate Release: Day before Wikileak of TPP Document - 13
Cities Mobilized to Shine a Light on Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership
"Trade" Deal Telling Congress "Don't Fast Track a Train Wreck - FLUSH
the TPP!"
CONTACT: Bill Moyer 206-356-9980 | bill@backbonecampaign.org
| or Eric Ross 805-776-3882 | eric@backbonecampaign.org
| 805-776-3882 | VoteNoFastTrack.org
SEATTLE - On Tuesday evening citizens in Seattle and 12
other cities appeared on overpasses and roadsides to pull the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, aka TPP, out of the shadows and into the
light of public scrutiny. From Dallas to DC, San Diego to Seattle,
Tucson to Detroit, Baltimore to Bellingham, Spokane to Chicago
people took their messages to interstate overpasses, prominent
monuments, and busy city streets using coordinated daytime and
nighttime, high visibility tactics.
They deployed giant banners saying No New NAFTA, mobilized LED light
panels saying "(thumbs up) Democracy, STOP The TPP," and projected with
spotlights messages like "Don't Fast Track A Train Wreck." These
coordinated citizen's actions coincided with ongoing TPP negotiations
taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from November 12-24
and today's anticipated release by Congressperson Rosa DeLauro and
George Miller detailing the growing opposition to "Fast Track" among
Congress, and preceded today's surprise release by Wikileaks of a leaked
chapter of the secretive "TPP" agreement. [Here
is Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch initial interpretations of the
chapter on intellectual property.]
The TPP has been called NAFTA on steroids, a "Corporate Coup," and
concerned citizens from across the nation are calling on Congress to
"Flush It!" and to oppose President Obama's request to renew "Fast
Track" authority to commit our country to this secretive agreement that
has less to do with trade, than it does with dismantling any domestic
policies that undermine future profits for transnational capital and
corporations.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign stated "Only a
bought a sold government would sign a treaty that sacrifices our
capacity as communities and country to pass laws for workers benefit,
and the protection of our communities and our natural resources."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been negotiated under secrecy for 3
years. Obama is now pushing to have it swiftly approved to much to the
dismay of members of Congress, most of whom haven't even been allowed to
see the text. While Congress is constitutionally required to negotiate
any international treaties, Fast Track or granting Obama Trade Promotion
Authority would forfeit the Congress' responsibility and the public's
right to weigh in on the TPP negotiations.
Perhaps in response to growing citizen outrage letters were release
today from both Democrats and Republicans challenging President Obama's
request for renewal of Fast Track authority. [From Today's Public
Citizen announcement: The
151-signature DeLauro-Miller letter, additional
letter from Democratic Ways & Means members, One
of two letters, this led by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)]
One of the illuminated messages on Tuesday read "Corporate Tribunals
WTF?" This referred to how the TPP would give more power to corporate
interests including the ability for foreign companies to sue for
taxpayer compensation if any domestic law diminished the company's expected future profits.
Masked as a trade deal, the agreement has been negotiated under
supervision of 600 unelected corporate "trade advisors" while the text
has been hidden from members of Congress, the press, and the public.
What has been learned about the TPP has come through leaked texts, and
is alarming to members of Congress worried about sovereign powers being
negotiated away, public health officials, labor representatives,
environmental groups, and advocates of consumer issues.
"The TPP, the largest ever of it's kind, is a race to the bottom
international agreement on domestic and international policies of food
safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the
environment," says Kristen Beifus, executive director of Washington Fair
Trade Coalition."
Trade Justice organizations have declared December 3rd a "Global Day of
Action Against the TPP to resist toxic trade agreements." Citizens are
urged to take action in their own community, contact their
congressperson, and learn more about the TPP's dismantling of democracy
by visiting VoteNoFastTrack.org.
Citizens can find out where their congressperson stands and tweet them
Tuesday's coordinated actions were organized by the Backbone Campaign,
which specializes in "amplifying citizen engagement with creative
tactics and artful activism" in collaboration with Public Citizen's
Global Trade Watch, PopularResistance.org, Fair Trade Coalitions in
Washington and Oregon, the Overpass Light
Brigade network, and more.
The coordinated day of action follows on the heals of an action in
September when to the surprise of secret service, members and allies of
PopularResistance.org and the Backbone Campaign "redecorated"
the United States Trade Representatives office by scaling the building
and unfurling giant banners demanding a release of the TPP text. The
Backbone Campaign is grateful to Wikileaks for beginning that process.
View the growing collection of photos from the 11-12-13 actions HERE.
To speak with organizers of yesterday's day of action please contact
Bill Moyer at 206-356-9980 or Eric Ross at 805-776-3882.
Info and Collaborator Web Sites:
Thanks to our many awesome collaborators both mentioned and not!
Watch
Coalition
Coalition
Brigade
Brigade
Diego Overpass Light Brigade
Rising Tide
Talking Points
###
Backbone Campaign's mission is to provide creative strategies, artful
activism trainings, and creative action support to progressive
activists, organizers and organizations around the US and beyond in
order to invigorate and nurture a people-power, community-based, and
internationally-networked nonviolent social movement for human rights,
thriving communities, and ecological well being. Backbone Campaign's
vision is a world where human dignity, community resilience, and
ecological well being is built upon a foundation of democratic
economic and political systems and diverse, thriving culture where
human rights, the rights of communities and nature are truly
inalienable and honored.
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
Nearly two thousand supporters of US Army PFC Bradley Manning rallied and marched on Fort Meade, Maryland, this afternoon for the young whistle-blower.
Under a sweltering sun, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, former political prisoner-turned-human rights advocate Sarah Shourd, LGBT activist and US Army LT Dan Choi, and retired US Army Col. Ann Wright addressed supporters at the Llewellyn Gate, nearest the military courtroom.
The demonstration, which lasted several hours, comes two days before Manning’s trial is set to begin at Ft. Meade, on June 3, and three years after his arrest. The government is charging Manning with indirectly “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of war logs, diplomatic cables, and military videos to the transparency website WikiLeaks.
PFC Manning has said that he hoped the releases would “spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general as well as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
A dozen chartered buses brought supporters from across the northeast, including three buses from New York City. Military veterans and activists traveled from around North America—some arriving from as far as Michigan, Montreal, and Mexico City.
“People came from great distances to stand with a true American hero,” said Jeff Paterson, director of the Bradley Manning Support Network. “From Bradley’s demeanor in court, it’s clear he takes strength from the outpouring of support.”
Today’s rally was held with the assistance of many national organizations, including Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CODEPINK Women for Peace, World Can’t Wait, and Courage to Resist.
Photo credit: Owen Wiltshire, Bradley Manning Support Network
This week's political cartoon for the student newspaper on the issue of the US reaction to the Wikileaks storm.
Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, January 2010:
"Information has never been so free ... Even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable."