Two protests were held in the Twin Cities today. In the morning, around 150 persons protested in front of Senator Norm Coleman’s office to demand an end to the US occupation of Iraq. In the evening in Minneapolis, a protest was held to mark 5 years of incarceration of prisoners at Gitmo. For that one, seventy persons dressed up in orange jump suits and hoods and walked through the downtown skyways. Below I have photos from these two events.
The morning protest was from 7 to 9 am. Protesters lined University Ave and were concentrated on the bridge over Hwy 280. I was only present from sunrise, about 7:45, till about 8:15 when I had to leave for work. I heard that at 8:30 a group was supposed to enter Sen. Coleman’s office. If anyone has something to add about that, let me know and I will update my entry.
Even Coleman, who has been a staunch supporter of the Iraq war and military occupation, is against the escalation. He is reportedly upset about the extension of the Iraq “tours” of roughly 2500 Minnesota national guard troops who are part of Bush’s surge.
How does the country stop Bush? The self-named “war president” has a disapproval rating of 70 plus percent. Not only did he lie to the nation to make a case for war, but now he isn’t following the diplomatic recommendations of the right-leaning Baker-Hamilton Iraq study commission. Instead, just today he ordered an attack on an Iranian embassy in Iraq and imprisoned the residents. What’s he trying to do? Start WWIII? Is this his new way forward? Looks like the same old, hardline military crap to the rest of us.
The Gitmo protest was one of many around the world . Cindy Sheehan was in Cuba along the The mother of one of the detainees.
G.W. Bush says he wants the US to be a beacon of democracy, but he is achieving just the opposite.
The protest outside the prison in Guantanamo didn’t affect the government’s position. Army Col. Lora Tucker, a spokesperson for the prison, said she wouldn’t acknowledge the protest.
Yea. Five years of prison with no charges being filed, no justice on the horizon, and no end in sight is just another day at fascist camp.
Our protest in Minneapolis is shown in the images below.
The morning protest was from 7 to 9 am. Protesters lined University Ave and were concentrated on the bridge over Hwy 280. I was only present from sunrise, about 7:45, till about 8:15 when I had to leave for work. I heard that at 8:30 a group was supposed to enter Sen. Coleman’s office. If anyone has something to add about that, let me know and I will update my entry.
Even Coleman, who has been a staunch supporter of the Iraq war and military occupation, is against the escalation. He is reportedly upset about the extension of the Iraq “tours” of roughly 2500 Minnesota national guard troops who are part of Bush’s surge.
How does the country stop Bush? The self-named “war president” has a disapproval rating of 70 plus percent. Not only did he lie to the nation to make a case for war, but now he isn’t following the diplomatic recommendations of the right-leaning Baker-Hamilton Iraq study commission. Instead, just today he ordered an attack on an Iranian embassy in Iraq and imprisoned the residents. What’s he trying to do? Start WWIII? Is this his new way forward? Looks like the same old, hardline military crap to the rest of us.
The Gitmo protest was one of many around the world . Cindy Sheehan was in Cuba along the The mother of one of the detainees.
Zohra Zewawi, the mother of British detainee Omar Deghayes, traveled from the United Arab Emirates with another son, Taher Deghayes, to join the protest. She said her son had been tortured and blinded in one eye after he was imprisoned in September 2002 and still has not been charged.
G.W. Bush says he wants the US to be a beacon of democracy, but he is achieving just the opposite.
Critics say the camp, where most of the prisoners face indefinite incarceration, is an affront to democratic values. Allegations of abuse have fueled worldwide outrage. The military says the detention center is vital to the fight against terrorism and that instances of abuse have been investigated and the perpetrators disciplined. The detention camp commander, Adm. Harry B. Harris, says aggressive interrogation tactics are no longer used.
The protest outside the prison in Guantanamo didn’t affect the government’s position. Army Col. Lora Tucker, a spokesperson for the prison, said she wouldn’t acknowledge the protest.
"Nothing changes for us based on a demonstration being held somewhere in Cuba," she said, adding that Thursday was "a normal work day" at the base.
Yea. Five years of prison with no charges being filed, no justice on the horizon, and no end in sight is just another day at fascist camp.
Our protest in Minneapolis is shown in the images below.
Now, those anti-gitmo pics are extremely powerful. Chilling.
Posted by: Robin | January 12, 2007 at 12:42 AM
The detainees on the escalator - priceless!
I'm going to post the link elsewhere.
Posted by: DiAnne | January 13, 2007 at 11:32 AM