September, 07 2012, 04:05pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nathan Fuller, 516-578-2628,press@bradleymanning.org
Nationwide Protests at Obama Campaign Offices for PFC Bradley Manning
Obama must live up to campaign promises by freeing whistle-blower Bradley Manning, say protesters
WASHINGTON
On the day of President Obama's DNC nomination acceptance speech, protesters in 34 cities acoss the United States targeted local Obama campaign headquarters to demand the President free accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower and Nobel Peace Prize nominee PFC Bradley Manning. International supporters, in Australia and the U.K., also protested at U.S. embassies.
In each city, supporters delivered a letter to the campaign, outlining their demands. The letter called on President Obama to release Bradley Manning and account for the abusive treatment he endured in the Quantico Marine Brig.
Michael Thurman, of the Bradley Manning Support Network and Iraq Veterans Against the War said, "Bradley Manning showed great courage in risking his life to do what's right, by exposing evidence of war crimes and corruption our own government had hidden from us. Now we're waiting for Obama to show a little courage and make good on his promise to have 'the most transparent government in history' by freeing whistle-blower Bradley Manning."
Campaign staffers in some cities, such as Sacramento, Washington D.C., and Tucson, were receptive to the efforts, forwarding the letter and discussing Manning's case with demonstrators. In San Francisco, a DNC delegate offered to submit a resolution to the national DNC on the activists' behalf.
Elsewhere, staff members refused to engage. In New York, building security wouldn't let Manning supporters visit the office. In Concord, NH, staffers locked the campaign office doors and closed the blinds.
Though he's spent 837 days in prison, Bradley's trial won't begin until at least February 4. On November 27, defense lawyers will argue a pretrial motion to dismiss charges, based on his unlawful treatment at Quantico.
In the meantime, Manning supporters encourage more actions at Obama campaign offices nationwide, calling on the president to live up to his 2008 promise to protect whistle-blowers.
See photos of the actions here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/savebradley/sets/72157631453863274/
See the letter protesters mailed to Obama here: https://www.bradleymanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/LetterofDemand...
The Chelsea Manning Support Network was a coalition of groups and individuals engaged in supporting the U.S. Army whistleblower.
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