Protests Across US to Raise Demand to Obama: Close Guantanamo NOW
With only a year to go in his presidency, Barack Obama has not met one of his first promises, to close Guantanamo.
14 years of an illegitimate torture camp begun by the Bush regime and continued by the Obama administration will be marked over the next three days in protest actions around the U.S.
105 men remain at the prison, beyond the reach of U.S. law, though only 10 have been charged. About half have been cleared to leave for years, but the government has delayed releasing them.
The other so-called "forever" prisoners are being held without charge, with the government having no plans to try them, reportedly because they have been tortured.
Monday January 11, Washington DC at The White House
12:00 The White House - Lafayette Park
Miami Saturday January 9 Protest at US Southern Command
Huntington Beach CA January 10 Protest at Huntington Beach Pier
Northampton, MA January 10 Rally and protest in front of City Hall
Mexico City January 10 Protest outside the US Embassy
San Francisco January 10 Golden Gate Peace Convergence
Washington, DC January 11 Protest at the White House
New York City Monday January 11 Protest at Father Duffy Square
Los Angeles January 11 Protest at the Federal Building
Chicago January 11 Protest at the Federal Building
San Francisco January 11 Protest at Market & Montgomery
San Jose January 11 Film showing
Honolulu January 11 Walk of Silence
Portland, OR January 11 Shut Down Guantanamo-- Stop Inspiring Terrorism
London January 11 Protest outside the US Embassy
New York City January 14
Talk by Andy Worthington: British journalist & film maker Andy Worthington of the Stand with Shaker campaign speaks on the successful battle to free Shaker Aamer after nearly 14 years in Guantanamo, and the continuing fight to close the torture camp
"The President and Congress have responded to prisoner demands with callous disregard for basic legal and human rights. Murder by neglect... is this the end of the line? Will people living in the United States accept this version of history? Or will we step up to the task at hand and close down Guantanamo once and for all?"
Curt Wechsler, World Can't Wait
“Guantanamo is a moral disaster zone where the U.S. tortured people and continues to hold people without charge or trial, some for more than a decade. It would be a grave sin and a national disgrace for President Obama to leave office without closing Guantanamo."
Rev. Ron Stief, executive director, National Religious Campaign Against Torture
"There must be no more excuses. Guantanamo is a legal, moral and ethical abomination, and every day it remains open poisons the U.S.'s claims to be a nation that respects the rule of law."
Andy Worthington, CloseGuantanamo.org
