View allAll Photos Tagged Wikileaks

-Photos by

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Overpass Light

Brigade

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

#TPPMediaMarch

TPPXBorder

TPP

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 supporters hold vigil as trial verdict is due - London 27.07.2013

 

Supporters of US Army whistleblower Bradley Manning held a vigil on the steps of St. Martin's in the Fields church near Trafalgar Square to call for Manning to be released as the world waited to hear the trial judge's verdict. As we now know, the brave soldier who blew the whistle on US Army war crimes when he released thousands of US Army cables to Wikileaks, has been found guilty of espionage, but was found innocent of the absurd charge of 'aiding the enemy'. To date nobody has stood trial for the war crimes.

  

All photos © 2013 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce, alter, re-transmit or blog my images without my written permission. I remain at all times the copyright owner of this image.

 

Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application solely at my discretion

If you want to use any image found in my Flickr Photostream, please Email me directly.

 

Media buyers and publications can access this story on Demotix

 

Standard industry rates apply.

 

about.me/peteriches

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

TPPXBorder

TPP

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.

Credit: Bradley Manning Support Network / Made available for unrestricted use by Manning family

Credit: Bradley Manning Support Network / Made available for unrestricted use by Manning family

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.

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.

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Overpass Light

Brigade

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

#TPPMediaMarch

TPPXBorder

TPP

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.

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.

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

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, three police officers on motorcycles congregate north of the demonstration site.

 

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

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

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Overpass Light

Brigade

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

#TPPMediaMarch

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Overpass Light

Brigade

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

#TPPMediaMarch

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

- Photos by Ryan Harris

 

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Overpass Light

Brigade

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

#TPPMediaMarch

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

TPPXBorder

TPP

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.

Credit: Bradley Manning Support Network / Made available for unrestricted use by Manning family

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

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

Julian Assange supports NSA whistleblower Ed Snowden in speech transcript - London 22.06.2013

 

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange released a transcript of a scheduled speech - cancelled suddenly for security reasons - to members of the press and the crowd of Assange and Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning supporters outside the Ecuadorean embassy, in which Assange called for global support for fugitive ex-NSA whistleblower Ed Snowden whose whistleblowing document leaks have shocked the world as it discovered the unimaginably vast scale of illegal eavesdropping and surveillance carried out on ordinary citizens, politicians and businesses by the National Security Agency in tandem with GCHQ in the UK and national security agencies all over Europe and with Mossad in Israel.

  

All photos © 2013 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce, alter, re-transmit or blog my images without my written permission. I remain at all times the copyright owner of this image.

 

Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application solely at my discretion

If you want to use any image found in my Flickr Photostream, please Email me directly.

 

Media buyers and publications can access this story on Demotix

 

Standard industry rates apply.

 

about.me/peteriches

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

Julian Assange supports NSA whistleblower Ed Snowden in speech transcript - London 22.06.2013

 

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange released a transcript of a scheduled speech - cancelled suddenly for security reasons - to members of the press and the crowd of Assange and Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning supporters outside the Ecuadorean embassy, in which Assange called for global support for fugitive ex-NSA whistleblower Ed Snowden whose whistleblowing document leaks have shocked the world as it discovered the unimaginably vast scale of illegal eavesdropping and surveillance carried out on ordinary citizens, politicians and businesses by the National Security Agency in tandem with GCHQ in the UK and national security agencies all over Europe and with Mossad in Israel.

  

All photos © 2013 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce, alter, re-transmit or blog my images without my written permission. I remain at all times the copyright owner of this image.

 

Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application solely at my discretion

If you want to use any image found in my Flickr Photostream, please Email me directly.

 

Media buyers and publications can access this story on Demotix

 

Standard industry rates apply.

 

about.me/peteriches

#OPERATIONPAPERSTORM

 

Apúntate a la lista de correo: operationpaperstorm.org

Wallpapers: operationpaperstorm.org/wallpapers

 

El Arte es un Arma de Seducción Masiva.

Somos una Conciencia Viva Mutante.

Somos Anonymous.

Somos Legión.

  

"Todo individuo tiene derecho a la libertad de opinión y de expresión;

este derecho incluye el de no ser molestado a causa de sus opiniones, el de investigar y recibir informaciones y opiniones, y el de difundirlas, sin limitación de fronteras, por cualquier medio de expresión."

 

Artículo 19 de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos de Organización de las Naciones Unidas, 1948.

 

The AЯT of the ▀█▀ █▀ █_█ ▀█▀ █▬█ Я - Ξ Ⓥ Ω L U Z ↑ ☼ N

 

Comparte tus carteles, stencils y creaciones artísticas subiéndolos aquí:

 

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Únete a la lista de correo de la Mente Colmena para estar permanentemente informado de nuestras futuras acciones:

 

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Twitter: twitter.com/op_paperstorm

Flickr: www.flickr.com/groups/operationpaperstorm

  

"El Arte es ahora la única fuerza evolucionaria-revolucionaria.

Solo el Arte es capaz de desmantelar el actual sistema social represivo para construir UN ORGANISMO SOCIAL COMO OBRA DE ARTE."

Joseph Beuys, 1921-1986

 

YouTube & Flicker TAG: OPERATIONPAPERSTORM

  

ES HORA DE GOLPEARLES EN SU PROPIO MUNDO.

ESPARCE LA INFORMACIÓN A TODO EL MUNDO Y EN

TODOS SITIOS. YA NO PUEDEN PARARNOS O MENTIRNOS.

¡CORRE, CORRE Y CORRE, ESPARCE LA INFORMACIÓN EN TU CIUDAD,

PUEBLO O CALLE! JUNTOS LES HAREMOS PASAR UNA NAVIDAD,

QUE JAMÁS, JAMÁS OLVIDARÁN.

 

PASO1: IMPRIME UN LOGO, MANIFIESTO

O LO QUE QUIERAS, QUE SEA VISBLE Y LLAMATIVO.

 

PASO2: USA LA OSCURIDAD, ERES INVISBLE.

 

PASO3: CORRE POR LAS CALLES Y DISTRIBUYE TU MENSAJE.

 

PASO4: OLVIDA LOS PASOS ANTERIORES

(SON SOLO IDEAS).

 

PASO5: ¡IMPROVISA!

 

CHANNEL: #OPERATIONPAPERSTORM

  

WE ARE LEGION.

WE DO NOT FORGIVE.

WE DO NOT FORGET.

EXPECT US.

  

Apúntate en operationpaperstorm.org

 

Expect Us.

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

at pdamerica.org/tpp.

 

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!

 

Backbone Campaign

www.flushthetpp.org/

Popular Resistance

Public Citizen's Global Trade

Watch

Washington Fair Trade

Coalition

Oregon Fair Trade

Coalition

Luminous Intervention

Expose The TPP

Overpass Light Brigade PDX

Occupy Bellingham

Occupy Rogers Park

Chicago Overpass Light

Brigade

North Texas Light Brigade

San

Diego Overpass Light Brigade

Occupy Tucson

Occupy Spokane

South Sound

Rising Tide

TPPXBorder

TPP

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

Why Flattr didn’t budge to the pressure? Support Wikileaks via Flattr!

Image created by Kevin Macphail.

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.

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