School of Americas Protest: 26 People Arrested and Held in County Jail on Mulitple Charges, TV crew and bystanders targeted

November 21, 2010 投稿者 Paul

Nonviolent civil disobedience action followed by indiscriminate arrests and targeting of journalists. Among those arrested by Columbus aolice were three journalists, including a TV news crew from RT America and unrelated bystanders.

Thousands of human rights activists, torture survivors, veterans, faith-based communities, union workers, students, musicians and others from across the Americas are gathered today at the gates of the U.S. military base Fort Benning to call for the closure of the School of the Americas (renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation).

Following the SOA Watch rally, human rights activists brought their nonviolent witness to close the SOA into the street leading onto the military base. The activists briefly shut down the road with a large sign that said, "Stop: This is the End of the Road for the SOA." Their action is part of a longstanding tradition of creative civil disobedience to call attention to the atrocities committed by graduates of the School of the Americas. 10-12 people were arrested, and others charged, including the 90-year old Jesuit priest Bill Brennan, and ordained Catholic priest Janice Sevre-Duszynska.

Two human rights activists crossed onto Fort Benning through the highway entrance. They have been charged with federal trespass and face up to six months in federal prison and a fine up to $5,000.

When the rally participants tried to leave the vigil area, the police blocked off all exit points. After a few minutes, the police allowed people to leave on the sidewalk, only to follow them, indiscriminately arresting people who had neither committed any crimes nor engaged in civil disobedience. Among those arrested was the RT America TV crew, who was filming the police misconduct and bystanders. All arrestees are currently being held in the Muscogee County Jail for up to a $5,500 bond.

Last Updated on Sunday, 21 November 2010 02:30

Nov. 19-21: Converge on Fort Benning

**Update SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20th:

Amidst a heightened police presence around the gates of Ft. Benning, today thousands heeded the call of "We are One America!" and manifested their opposition to the School of the Americas and oppressive U.S. foreign policy. The voices of torture survivors, immigrant farm workers, people of faith, students, musicians and activists carried the message of peace with justice over the barbed-wire fences, guns, and lies that protect the School of Assassins.

After an uplifting day of speakers and cultural showcases, groups and individuals followed the Puppetistas towards the corner of Victory Drive and Ft. Benning Road, where several activists had temporarily blocked the street that is leading towards the highway entrance of Fort Benning, Georgia. Father Louis Vitale (4th time line crosser) and Nancy Smith crossed the line onto Ft. Benning property at the highway entrance in order to carry their protest to the School of the Americas. Their action was a response to the three layers of barb-wired fences in the area surrounding the main gate that keeps human rights activists from being able to carry out their nonviolent action at the vigil site. Among the participants who will be charged with the action were ordained woman Catholic priest Janice Sevre-Duszynska and 90 year-old Jesuit Bill Brennan.

A police blockade at the corner of Torch Hill Road and Ft. Bennning Road police indiscriminately arrested some people with very little and no warning, starting with a person of color who had dreadlocks, impeding the Puppetistas and activists from proceeding further. The arrests including four members of the Russia Today news agency who were filming the arrests. A half-hour after people dispersed, police singled out SOAW organizer Charity Ryerson from a small group headed to their cars and arrested her.

SOA Watch has a long history of nonviolent civil disobedience that continues to bring the life and death of the people of Latin America to the site of the historic US tool of violent militarism, the School of the Americas. We are committed to putting ourselves in the way of the war machine until the School is closed and a formal truth commission investigates the impact of its violence on the countries of Latin America that have suffered under the 11 military dictators who have graduated from the school.

Some News Coverage:

Click here to read the great article that was just published in The Guardian