Guantanamo 13 Years Later: Not One More Year of Torture and Indefinite Detention!

[ckaihatsu]

Thu, Jan 15, 2015
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Guantanamo 13 Years Later: Not One More Year of Torture and Indefinite Detention!

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January 15
An Evening with Andy Worthington, Candace Gorman, and Debra Sweet at Grace Place in Chicago

On January 11, the US torture camp at Guantanamo will have been open 13 years. More than 100 men are still held, the majority of whom were cleared for release years ago. They suffer not knowing if they will be released or held indefinitely. Some are still on protest hunger strike, and being force-fed by the U.S. military. Join World Can't Wait in protesting this shameful anniversary with a series of events around the country.

Here in Chicago on January 15th the Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo and Chicago World Can’t Wait are calling on people of conscience to meet for a creative action and march in front of the Art Institute beginning at 4:30 PM we will then process in orange jumpsuits and hoods (an international symbol of the plight of Guantanamo prisoners) to the Federal Courthouse (Dearborn and Jackson) and from there we will to march to Grace Place 637 S. Dearborn for the evening event beginning at 7PM with Andy Worthington, author of "The Guantanamo Files: The Stories of 744 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison", Candace Gorman, attorney for some Guantanamo prisoners, and Debra Sweet, national director of World Can’t Wait.

Invite your friends on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/events/1003902376290206/)

Before Andy speaks, join a:

Rally to protest a 14th year of Guantanamo, torture and indefinite detention (https://www.facebook.com/events/1544693652437770)

Thursday, January 15, 2015
at 4:30pm
The Art Institute of Chicago

Facebook event (https://www.facebook.com/events/1544693652437770/)

Event Location

Grace Place
637 S. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60605




January 2015 Events:
CLOSE Guantanamo NOW Actions, Talks, Panels, Films

On January 11, the US torture camp at Guantanamo will have been open 13 years. More than 100 men are still held, the majority of whom were cleared for release years ago. They suffer not knowing if they will be released, held indefinitely. Some are still on protest hunger strike, and being force-fed by the U.S. military. Join World Can't Wait in protesting this shameful anniversary with a series of events around the country.

If you know of other events, email us quickly.

Witness Against Torture's Annual Fast, Rally, and Direct Action to Close Guantánamo and End Torture is happening January 5-13 Washington DC, or you can join the fast from anywhere.

Thursday January 8: New York City
Stand with Shaker Aamer, Fahd Ghazy & all the Prisoners Unjustly Held
Featuring British journalist Andy Worthington; Ramzi Kassem of CUNY Law School & attorney for Shaker Aamer; Omar Farah of the Center for Constitutional Rights & attorney for Fahd Ghazy; and Debra Sweet.
6:30 pm Rutgers Presbyterian Church
236 West 73rd Street @ Broadway, NYC
Facebook Event

Saturday January 10: Langley, VA
Protest of US drone war, targeted killing, and indefinite detention
Outside the homes of Dick Cheney & John Brennan, CIA director Herndon
8:00 am -11:30 am at and near CIA Headquarters
Facebook Event

Saturday January 10: Washington, DC
From Ferguson to Guantánamo: Institutionalized Brutality & Torture
A panel discussion with activists and attorneys involved in the struggles against police violence, racial profiling, and US detention policies
8:00 pm First Trinity Lutheran Church 4th & E Street NW Washington DC
Facebook Event

Sunday, January 11: Washington DC
Vigil & Rally to Close Guantanamo
1:00 pm: Interfaith Prayer Vigil (Sponsored by NRCAT and Interfaith Action for Human Rights)
1:30 pm Rally to close Guantánamo at the White House followed by a march to the Department of Justice.
In front of the White House
Facebook Event

Sunday, January 11: Miami, FL
Protest to Shut Down Guantanamo at US Southern Command
2:00 pm NW 36th St & NW 87th Ave
Doral, FL
Facebook Event

Sunday, January 11: Los Angeles, CA
Protests to Close Guantanamo
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Vigil & Rally at Santa Monica Pallisades Park Ocean & Pico
3 - 6 pm Vigil outside Golden Globes Ceremony TBA

Sunday, January 11: London, UK
Protest at US Embassy
24 Grosvenor Square Mayfair, London
Facebook Event

Monday, January 12: Washington, DC
Witness Against Torture’s Nonviolent Direct Action
Morning — TBD

Monday, January 12: Washington, DC
Leaving the Dark Side? Empyting Guantanamo and the CIA Torture Report with Andy Worthington, Tom Wilmer, Col Morris Davis & Peter Bergen.
12:15 pm - 1:45 pm New America Foundation, 1889 L Street NW
Washington, DC

Monday, January 12: Boston, MA
Closing Guantanamo and Seeking Accountability for Torture with Andy Worthington
6:30 pm Old South Church 645 Boyston Street
Boston

Tuesday, January 13: UC Berkeley, CA
Protests at the opening day of UC Berkeley Boalt Hall Law School, where torture lawyer John Yoo teaches.

Tuesday, January 13: Harvard Cambridge MA
Closing Guantanamo and Seeking Accountability for Torture with Andy Worthington
12:30 pm Harvard Law School 1563 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge

Wednesday, January 14: Springfield, MA
Closing Guantánamo and Seeking Accountability for Torture, with Andy Worthington
12:00 pm The Commons, Western New England University School of Law, 1215 Wilbraham Road

Wednesday January 14: Northampton, MA
Closing Guantanamo and Seeking Accountability for Torture, with Andy Worthington & Debra Sweet
7:00 pm Friends Meeting House, 43 Center Street, 2nd floor

Thursday January 15: Chicago, IL
Rally to Protest 14th Year of Guantanamo, Torture & Indefinite Detention 4:30 - 6:00 pm In front of the Art Institute of Chicago, 111 South Michigan
Facebook Event

Thursday January 15: Chicago, IL
Guantanamo 13 Years Later: Not One More Year of Torture and Indefinite Detention!
Evening Discussion with Andy Worthington, Guantanamo attorney Candace Gorman, and Debra Sweet.
7:00 pm Grace Place, 637 South Dearborn.
Facebook Event


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[ckaihatsu]

Miami protest: End U.S. torture! Close Guantanamo now!

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By Robbey Hayes and Cassia Laham

Doral, FL- In spite of pouring rain, nearly 70 people took to the streets near Miami, Jan. 11 demanding the immediate closure of the U.S. prisons at Guantanamo Bay. The march took place on the 13th anniversary since the prison doors at Guantanamo Bay Detention center first opened. Protesters marched for over a mile on the busy streets of South Florida’s industrial district until they arrived at the gates of U.S. Southern Command, the headquarters and control center for Guantanamo Bay.

“For 13 years the U.S. has kept Guantanamo open, wrongly imprisoned innocent people and tortured them, all under the pretense of fighting terrorism,” said Conor Munro, a lead organizers with POWIR, an anti-war group that helped organize the protest. “It’s time the U.S. shut down the entire military base at Guantanamo and give the land back to the Cuban people.”

“The U.S. erases the reality of torture by punishing victims of torture, like Palestinian American women’s leader Rasmea Odeh in Chicago!” explained Holly Kent-Payne, with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Rasmea Odeh, tortured and raped by the Israeli military 40 years ago, is facing sentencing in a Detroit court after an unfair trial.

Kent-Payne continued, “The same is true for the prisoners at Guantanamo, whose existence as prisoners of war is officially denied by the U.S. government. Meanwhile the real perpetrators of war and torture in Washington D.C. are let off the hook.”

The demonstration began at the corner of NW 36th Street and NW 87th Avenue, where community members gathered with signs reading, “End the torture,” and “Close down the torture prison now!” People also wore art displays by internationally-renowned protest artist Huong that read “No to torture,” and “Shut it down.” The colorfully painted wooden signs brought the Miami art scene to the streets. Passing drivers honked enthusiastically in support of the protesters and a few passersby grabbed signs and joined in the rally. After 30 minutes of sign-waving, the crowd took to the streets shouting, “Close Gitmo now!”

City of Doral Police were out in force, as well as federal security agents who followed the protesters from start to finish in black cars with tinted windows, taking pictures. What was meant to intimidate protesters only emboldened them, as they faced the police and security officials’ cars with their signs.

After 40 minutes of marching and chanting, the demonstrators finally converged at their target - the U.S. Southern Command. The secluded command center, where the U.S. military and intelligence agencies make plans and give directions, is home to the joint operations in charge of the prisons and military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Once they arrived, protesters got to hear speeches by prominent leaders in the national and local anti-war movements.

“Spend money on jobs and education, not for torture and occupation,” said Jonathan Waring, a member of the University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society.

Protesters called on the U.S. government to address seven specific demands, including the immediate closure of the prisons, ending all torture of prisoners and repatriating all innocent prisoners and their families upon release.

“Change will finally come and the U.S. will shut down this house of torture,” said Dave Gibson from War vs Human Needs.

Protests took place simultaneously in several locations throughout the country, including Washington, D.C. and California. The march in Miami was organized by a coalition of anti-war and pro-justice groups, including: POWIR, War vs Human Needs, National Lawyers Guild, Green Party of Broward County and Students for Justice in Palestine.

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]