By Li Onesto

“What is of note here and something that should concern all U.S. citizens, is the increasing use of behavioral control, i.e. Torture units and human experimental techniques against prisoners, not only in California but across the nation. Indefinite confinement, sensory deprivation, withholding food, constant illumination and use of unsubstantiated lies from informants are the psychological billy clubs being used in these torture units. The purpose of this ‘treatment’ is to stop prisoners from standing in opposition to inhumane prison conditions and prevent them from exercising their basic human rights.”

Statement of Solidarity with the Pelican Bay Collective Hunger Strike on July 1st and announcement
of participation by Corcoran SHU prisoners
(from California Prison Watch,
californiaprisonwatch.blogspot.com)

On Friday, July 1, prisoners in California’s infamous Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison began a courageous and determined hunger strike. This then, very quickly, turned into a display of collective outrage and solidarity among prisoners throughout the state and beyond.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) initially tried to say the strike was fewer than two dozen prisoners. But they then had to admit that by their own count, more than 500 inmates refused food at Pelican Bay State Prison and that 6,600 prisoners in 13 different prisons participated in the hunger strike on the weekend of July 2-3.

This is an extremely significant and extraordinary development, something that challenges people on “the outside” to sit up and take notice. Many have been moved to support the prisoners in their just demands.

Received from Veterans for Peace

Press Availability at 8:00 a.m. at DC Superior Court, 500 Indiana Ave., NW
Contact: Elliott Adams (518) 441-2697
Mike Ferner (314) 337-8871

On Monday, July 11, 2011, nineteen veterans, members of Catholic Worker and other long-time peace activists will have a pro se trial in DC Superior Court, stemming from arrests on the White House sidewalk March 19, 2011, the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

After the 8:00 a.m. press conference, they will then proceed to a trial, which will be held in Courtroom 313 of DC Superior Court.

New York

The Bradley Manning Coalition was spirited effort that brought the message “Free Bradley Manning” to thousands, if not millions, of people who watched and participated in the NYC Gay Pride Parade.  Many of these people (we estimated 40%), both LBGT and straight, had never heard of Bradley Manning before.  At the same time, our anti-war, pro-Manning message received rousing cheers all along the parade route. Our contingent had a clear and cogent message:  Blowing the whistle on war crimes is not a crime and Bradley Manning is a gay hero who for his alleged acts has been treated with incredible harshness before he has even had a trial.  With whistles and drums and glorious banners , people young and old distributed 3,500 palm cards and about 1500 Bradley Manning stickers to those lining the parade route. See photos.

The coalition included World Can't Wait, the Freedom Socialist Party, Code Pink, Vets For Peace and Brooklyn For Peace, Radical Women, and Peace Action NYS.  These groups were not just endorsers, but active participants in a process of coming together in a common cause.

WASHINGTON, DC – While the US House of Representatives chamber filled for a vote today at 4:40pm, Representatives' eyes and ears turned toward the Chamber's gallery as a group of activists interrupted proceedings to call for the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison and denounce provisions in the Defense Appropriations Bill concerning detention policy.

Fifteen people from the group Witness Against Torture stood in the gallery to read the following statement:

From the Hawai'i Chapter of World Can't Wait

Our contingent to support Bradley Manning in the Honolulu Pride Parade on June 4 was a great success! Our brilliant banner, glittered photos of Bradley Manning, Bradley Manning masks, chants and drumming made us impossible to miss and we had tremendous support along the route.

As our truck rolled out of Ala Moana Park and into the Pride celebration we wondered whether people would know who Bradley Manning is, and whether there would be support, opposition, or merely puzzled faces. As we reached the first crowds of people the questions disappeared. A group of soldiers along the route pumped their fists in the air. Japanese tourists read the signs and clapped in approval. People turned to each other asking: "Who's Bradley Manning" and others in the group would explain. All along the route hundreds of cameras and cell phones snapped pictures, flashed us their shakas, and gave us the thumbs-up. We're sure more than a few headed to google to find out more.

From the Bradley Manning Support Network

250 Supporters of PFC Bradley Manning Converge in Kansas, Urge Obama to Drop Charges

Leavenworth, KS — Approximately 250 supporters of PFC Bradley Manning—including many United States military veterans—converged today (Saturday, June 4, 2011) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to rally for the soldier who stands accused of leaking classified government information to WikiLeaks and ultimately to the public.

By Elaine Brower

New York, NY — 100 supporters of PFC Bradley Manning converged today (Saturday, June 4, 2011) at Times Square while hundreds of others rallied at Ft. Leavenworth, KS for the soldier who stands accused of leaking classified government information to WikiLeaks and ultimately to the public.

Supporters held posters saying “Free Bradley Manning” and gathered around large anti-war banners near the Times Square military recruiting station, and coincidentally, near an action in support of marriage equality.

Democracy Now June 1, 2011:

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger came under protest Tuesday at a public event in New York City. A coalition of progressive groups organized the rally to call for Kissinger’s arrest for war crimes. Activist Richard Marini was ejected from the event after attempting to carry out a citizen’s arrest on Kissinger.

Richard Marini: "When he got up on stage, I stood up and tried to place him under citizen’s arrest for the murder of innocent civilians in Cambodia, Vietnam, Chile, Iraq, east Pakistan, East Timor. The list just goes on. I said he was convicted of war crimes, and I was placing him under arrest. Security then yanked me by my arm over three other people. People like this need to be confronted, so people need to get out in the streets and demand that war criminals like him and war criminals of the Bush administration are prosecuted. I mean, even today, these war crimes still continue. Obama is still continuing it. People need to demand that these criminals are prosecuted."

From the SF Bay Area Chapter of World Can't Wait

The world knows torture is a war crime, and silence is complicity – and judging by the 500 orange ribbons worn during commencement at UC Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall) last week, a lot of the Class of 2011 and their community know this too!

John Yoo was a key legal architect of the torture system built by the Bush Regime and continuing now under Obama. A tenured UC law professor, Yoo took two years’ sabbatical to join the Bush/Cheney Torture Team. Their ghastly program (think Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo) was maded possible by the legal work of Yoo and other attorneys.

Activists with World Can't Wait and other groups denounced Condoleeza Rice's war crimes May 6 when she spoke at Stanford University.