WASHINGTON - January 24 - During Senator Kerry’s Secretary of State nomination hearing, 19-year-old Lachelle Roddy from Tampa, Florida, a student of Hollins University and a staffer in the CODEPINK Washington DC office, spoke out and demanded an end to US military aid to Israel and a halt to belligerent US policies towards the entire Middle East region. “We’re killing thousands of people in the Middle East who are not a threat to us. When is it going to be enough? When are enough people going to be killed? I’m tired of my friends in the Middle East not knowing if they’re going to live to see the next day!”

After she spoke, Senator Kerry acknowledged her sentiments and said that people around the world “measure what we do,” hopefully signaling the possibility of a change in American foreign policy during the next administration.

With inaugural weekend over and the next term off to a start, CODEPINK and other activists groups are calling on the President and Congress to pursue a peace platform, which includes ending the proliferation and use of killer drones, and halting US military aid to Israel which is being used to oppress the Palestinians.

Roddy was arrested is currently being held by Capitol Police, and will be available later for interviews. Please contact Alli McCracken in the CODEPINK DC office to schedule them at 860 575 5692.