Contact information:
* Bay Area: Toby [510-215-5974] [ratherbenyckeling@comcast.net]
* Nevada County: Shirley [941-320-0291] [slogood481@hotmail.com]
"More Arrests Tuesday of Anti-Drone Demonstrators at Beale AFB; Air Police Handcuff 4 as Protests Over Drones Continue"
2013-11-27 from "Occupy Beale AFB!":
MARYSVILLE, CA--
Four people, including a military veteran, were arrested at Beale AFB here Tuesday as part of a protest against U.S. use of killer military drones.
"It is our deepest hopes that as the war machine was momentarily halted, that maybe a human life in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia or elsewhere was saved," according to a statement released on behalf of those arrested: Shirley Osgood, Flora Rogers, Michael Kerr (a veteran) and MacGregor Eddy.
All four were briefly handcuffed and charged with trespassing. Their court date for the misdemeanor charge (up to a $5,000 fine and/or 6 months in federal prison) is pending. The case will be heard in Sacramento federal court.
Activists "halted the War Machine" for more than 30 minutes by blocking "business as usual" at Beale AFB/Wheatland Gate, where the crew of the Global Hawk drone program assist in illegal targeted drone killing by doing surveillance of potential targets.
The four activists were arrested for trespassing after they walked onto base property to deliver a letter to the commander of the base, demanding a halt to these brutal drone killings that are assisted by airmen at Beale AFB. Demonstrators beat drums and wore white masks and blue scarves (thebluescarf.com).
The base is the home of the Global Hawk (Surveillance drone), the U2 and the MC12 Liberty aircraft, all participants in the so-called"war on terror." They have been complicit in the deaths and injuries thousands of innocent civilians.
There is a trial set for January in Sacramento U.S. Court of another four people arrested at Beale AFB. And five demonstrators were convicted of trespassing at Beale AFB in August. They avoided prison time or having to pay a fine.
"Occupy Beale AFB Report Back, 4 Arrested at Beale Air Force Base while resisting drone warfare"
2013-11-27 from "Occupy Beale AFB!":
Join us next month: Dec. 16-17, Mon. 3pm to Tues. 8am!
12 activists halt the War Machine for over 30 minutes by blocking "business as usual" at Beale AFB, where the crew of the Global Hawk drone program assist in illegal targeted drone killing by doing surveillance of potential targets. 4 peaceful activists risk arrest while attempting to deliver a letter to the commander of the base, demanding a halt to these brutal drone killings that are assisted by airmen at Beale AFB.
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"Report Back: Occupy Beale AFB and Resisting Drones, November 2013"
Written by Michael Kerr, Martha Hubert and Toby Blome:
On November 25-‐26, we held our monthly vigil that included a surprise “pre-emptive peace response” direct action on Tuesday morning against drone warfare at Beale Air Force Base. We were wearing white clothes with blue scarves in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan who want peace. From [www.TheBlueScarf.org], “The Blue Scarf represents the expansive blue sky we all share and has become a global symbol for togetherness. It was set in motion by a brave group of women in Afghanistan ready to be heard and is now being worn around the world as a way for people to express their solidity as global citizens for a better world.”
On Monday afternoon, four of us from the Bay area went to the Doolittle Gate. There were another 6 at the Wheatland gate. Meeting at the main gate at 5:30pm, in the dark and cold, we were visited by a security detail from the base during our potluck. They advised us of the nighttime cold. When Flora, a local activist, arrived with MacGregor, we gladly accepted an offer of her warm house for the night. After our potluck, we shared two birthday cakes to celebrate the completion of our 3rd year at Beale.
Three years ago this month, Toby, Martha, Lisa and Eleanor dared to come to Beale AFB in the dark of the early November morning for the first drone warfare vigil. We have since had nearly 100 different people join the vigil, 4 road blockades and numerous arrests.
These past 3 years, many more people in our country have become aware of the immoral use of drones against civilians, women and children in other lands. As more and more innocents are being slaughtered by drones the outrage is intensifying.
On Tuesday morning, shortly after 5am we headed out to the Wheatland gate on S. Beale Rd., a heavily used artery into the base. 12 of us were able to again block traffic into the base at the Wheatland gate for over 30 minutes. Traffic had backed up for nearly a mile. We held out large banners with messages of peace, including the beautiful drone victim quilt, with panels of paintings showing some of the many children who have been murdered by drone warfare.
The large NO DRONES light brigade signs glowed brightly in the night. The vast majority of vehicles respected our blockade without physical confrontation, but several irate motorists forced their way through the vigil. One dragged our drone quilt and other visuals several hundred feet, and put one Veteran For Peace activist, John Reiger, at risk, though luckily he was unharmed. (This led to a length discussion and learning experience for how to deal with confrontational motorists: peacefully let them through).
Not all of us were able to risk arrest, thus we moved aside after Highway patrolman, Dan Yeager, arrived and gave several warnings. It is our deepest hope that in that brief period of the morning, as the war machine was momentarily halted, that maybe a human life in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia or elsewhere was saved. Four of us, Shirley Osgood, Flora Rogers, Michael Kerr and MacGregor Eddy then walked about ½ mile down the road to the waiting military police at the base boundary, McGregor handed over the vigil’s signed letter she had prepared to the base commander demanding a halt in the base participation in the drone wars.
Michael, as a military veteran, told the soldiers he was there to speak on their behalf to condemn the U.S. government for forcing our military personnel to be involved in war crimes against innocent civilians. After waiting over 15 minutes for a representative of the commander, who never came, the four of us walked onto the base and were immediately arrested. We were treated well and were processed out just after 9am to the greetings of many of our fellow vigilers who had braved the cold morning air another 2 hours to support us. We then closed our usual vigil with breakfast, debriefing and planning for future drone resistance at the Brick Coffeehouse in Marysville. We will be back and we hope you will join us the next time.
Highlight of photos: Many thanks to Janie and Guari and Zohreh for photographing the day.
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