Stand In Solidarity With
Private Manning In Copley Square As We Celebrate The New Year, The Year Of
Bradley’s Freedom. (This spot is now the traditional First Night spot for all those
who want to stand against current wars, impeding wars, and for national
liberation struggles so we will be among kindred spirits as people gather to
watch the First Night parade that starts in the area later in the
evening.)
Let’s Redouble Our Efforts To
Free Private Bradley Manning-President Obama Pardon Bradley Manning -Make Every
Town Square In America (And The World) A Bradley Manning Square From Boston’s
Copley Square To Berkeley to Berlin-Join Us In Copley Square (at the Boston
Public Library, corner of Dartmouth and Boylston Streets ), Boston , Ma. For A
Stand-Out For Bradley- First Night, Monday December 31st From 3:00-5:00 PM
***********
The Private Bradley Manning
case is headed toward a late - winter trial now scheduled for March 2013. The
recent news on his case has centered on the many (since last April) pre-trial
motions hearings including defense motions to dismiss for lack of speedy trial
(Private Manning’s pre-trial confinement is now at 900 plus days), dismissal as
a matter of freedom of speech and minimal effect on alleged national security
issues (issues for us to know what the hell the government is doing either in
front of us, or behind our backs) and dismissal based on serious allegations of
torturous behavior by the military authorities extending far up the chain of
command while Private Manning was detained in Kuwait and at the Quantico Marine
brig for about a year ending in April 2011. In December Private Manning
himself, as well as others including senior military mental health workers,
took the stand to detail those abuses.
Some more important recent news
from the November 2012 pre-trail sessions is the offer by the defense to plead
guilty to lesser charges (wrongful, unauthorized use of the Internet, etc.) in
order to clear the deck and have the major (with a possibility of a life
sentence) espionage /aiding the enemy issue solely before the court-martial
judge (a single military judge, the one who has been hearing the pre-trial
motions, not a lifer-stacked panel). Other news includes the increased media
attention by mainstream outlets around
the case, as well as an important statement by three Nobel Peace Laureates (including Bishop Tutu from South Africa) calling
on their fellow laureate, United States President Barack Obama, to free Private
Manning from his jails.
Since September 2011, in
order to publicize Private Manning’ case, there have been weekly stand-outs (as
well as other more ad hoc and
sporadic events) in various locations in the Greater Boston area starting in
Somerville across from the Davis Square Redline MBTA stop (renamed Pardon Bradley
Manning Square for the stand-out’s duration) in Somerville on Friday afternoons
and later on Wednesdays. Lately this stand-out has been held on each week on Wednesdays
from 5:00 to 6:00 PM in order to continue to broaden our outreach at Central
Square, Cambridge, Ma. (Small Park at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Prospect
Street just outside the Redline MBTA stop, also rename Manning Square for the
duration.) Join us. President Obama
Pardon Private Manning Now!
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