Originally posted May 15, 2013
The ANSWER Coalition encourages all its supporters to attend the following demonstration sponsored by the Bradley Manning Support Network, Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War, with the help of Courage to Resist and many other groups. Following is the announcement issued by the Bradley Manning Support Network:
- 1:00 pm Gather at the Fort Meade Main Gate at Reece Road and US 175, Fort Meade, Maryland
- 2:00 pm March (one mile south along US 175)
- 3:00 pm Rally and Speak Out at Llewellynn Ave and US 175
- 4:40 pm Return to Reece Road (one mile north along US 175)
- 5:30 pm Chartered buses depart from Reece Road
After more than three years of imprisonment, including nine months of torture, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Bradley Manning’s trial is finally scheduled to begin June 3, 2013, at Fort Meade, Maryland. The outcome of this trial will determine whether a conscience-driven 25-year-old WikiLeaks whistle-blower spends the rest of his life in prison. Bradley believed that the American people have a right to know the truth about what our government does around the world in our name. We the People must send a message to the military prosecuting authority, and President Obama, that Bradley Manning is a patriot and heroic truth-teller.
Join us at Fort Meade on the eve of Bradley’s court martial. However, if you can’t make the trip, dozens of solidarity actions are scheduled worldwide–many local events are being sponsored by Veterans for Peace chapters. Complete list of solidarity events.
Learn more about getting there: Driving information, public transport, lodging information.
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Panel on Manning and the Media. Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, Government Accountability Project director and DOJ whistle-blower Jesselyn Radack, Center for Constitutional Rights president emeritus Michael Ratner , and former State Department employee Peter Van Buren will discuss how WikiLeaks and the Bradley Manning trial have impacted journalism. The panelists will examine how the information released by Bradley Manning helped shaped the public’s understanding of war, diplomacy, and government secrecy, and the way the press reports on each. They’ll explore how the government’s unprecedentedly broad interpretation of “aiding the enemy” in prosecuting Bradley Manning gravely threatens press freedoms in the United States
Where: All Soul’s Church, 1500 Harvard Street NW, Washington DC, 20009
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Monday, June 3, 2013
ATTEND THE BEGINNING OF US v. BRADLEY MANNING
7:30am – 8:00 am, enter Fort Meade at Reece Road and US 175, Fort Meade, Maryland
9:00 am scheduled daily start of hearings at Magistrate Court
4432 Llewellyn Avenue, Fort Meade, MD. It is 2 miles from the Main Gate.
The court martial is expected to last 6-12 weeks. Supporters are encouraged to attend as many days of this trial as they are able.
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Join our mass shout out for Bradley Manning online
On June 3rd, when the court martial is scheduled to begin, supporters will be shouting out a message of support for Bradley in unison across Facebook and Twitter. Thunderclap is a web service that schedules your post or tweet, so once you sign up you don't have to be online to take part! Every person counts. Join us! Click here to signup for the "I Am Bradley Manning" Thunderclap!
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Parking for Saturday, June 1, 2013. We hope to come to an understanding with local authorities regarding the best place for supporters to park for the Saturday rally. Parking is available about one mile south near Blue Water Blvd (Weis Market) and US 175. We’ll try to help shuttle folks as needed.
Portable toilets are expected to be available.
Join us in the courtroom for the trial beginning June 3, 2013. Drive (or taxi) to the Fort Meade Visitor Control Center at the Fort Meade Main Gate (all the other gates are for military ID holders only), Reece Road and US 175, Fort Meade, Maryland. We suggest arriving when the visitor center opens at 7:30am, and certainly before 8:15am. The proceedings are scheduled to begin at 9am daily. The multiple layers of security take time to navigate, and procedures often change from day to day. Each person will need a valid state or federal photo ID such as a driver’s license, state photo ID card, or passport. Foreign passports are accepted. Anyone driving on to Fort Meade will be required to submit their driver’s license, vehicle registration, and printed (not digital) proof of insurance. Your vehicle will be subject to search, and you may be required to cover over political bumper stickers on your vehicle. Consider walking on base if there are any questions at all regarding your vehicle and paperwork.
The proceedings will be held at the Magistrate Court, 4432 Llewellyn Ave, Fort Meade, MD 20755 (this is one mile from the Visitor Center). Electronic devices, including cell phones, computers, cameras, are not allowed in the courtroom, and should be left in your vehicle.
There are no pre-registration requirements for the public to attend the proceedings. However, those wishing to attend as credentialed media should contact the US Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office at 202-685-4645.