Photos by Bill Hackwell

Dec. 17 was a Global Day of Action in Support of Bradley Manning around the military court pre-trial hearing of the 23-year-old Army intelligence officer charged with releasing information through Wikileaks; exposing the truth about corporate and government corruption, foreign policy and wars. On Dec. 16, Manning had his first day in military tribunal, after 18 months in prison surviving abusive treatment with the Obama administration refusing to let the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture meet to investigate charges of torture.

In San Francisco, a Dec. 17 action initiated by Occupy SF, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace and Courage to Resist was endorsed by the ANSWER Coalition and many other organizations. Hundreds of supporters turned out for an opening rally at Justin Herman Plaza, which has been renamed by occupiers as Bradley Manning Plaza. Participants then marched to Wells Fargo, where Scott Olsen and other veterans spoke. Olsen was the Iraq war veteran and peaceful protester who was shot with a police gas canister in Oakland in late October, suffering a serious head injury.

Protesters then marched to Sue Bierman Park where a closing rally took place with an open mic. Protesters commemorated the birthday of Bradley Manning and three-month anniversary of the Occupy movement.

March Forward!, an organization of veterans and active-duty soldiers affiliated with the ANSWER Coalition, participated in actions across the country. Read the report from March Forward!