JOIN WITH VfPUK & OTHERS IN A SILENT VIGIL FOR BRADLEY MANNING

US EMBASSY, GROSVENOR SQUARE, LONDON W1

Thursday 23 MAY 2013

5pm

with audio of Collateral Murder

COME TO THE LAST VIGIL BEFORE BRAD’S CT MARTIAL TRIAL STARTS 

TUBE – BOND STREET  INFO  BEN 07866 559 312

BRADLEY WILL BE BACK IN OPEN COURT 21st – 23rd MAY and on the closing day of this last scheduled pretrial motion hearing (how to deal with classified information – see below*), join with us and stand in silence whilst we play the complete audio track (40 mins) of Collateral Murder at the US Embassy.

The silent vigil will be followed by reflections on the plight of Bradley Manning and information sharing.

Placards will be brought but please feel free to make or bring your own.

*notes:

There is also an extra court diary date May 7-8, when the parties will hold a closed session with sample government witnesses, to determine whether the classified information that they intend to divulge at trial will require closing those sessions or whether an alternative is feasible. Alternatives include summarizing, substituting, or redacting classified information, or using code words to refer to classified names, dates, or places. 

for an update on this from Alexa O’Brien, see:

US v. Manning | Overview on Osama bin Laden evidence and prosecution’s move to close the Court for 28 classified witnesses which is here.

Alexa is attending this session as a member of the public, she tweeted earlier. There is some suspicion that the following ‘Media Advisory’ issued 29th April may be used by the authorities to ensure that she is not ‘credentialed’ as a journalist for the next full hearing 21st – 23rd May, on the grounds of being an ‘independent’ journalist. If this happened, she would be unable to use the media room and would have to attend in the courtroom as a member of the public. We shall see. See Media Advisory here.

SAYING THIS ONCE MORE 

So, just going to say this about vigiling once more:

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

Focusing again, in this place and at this time, on the shocking video that more than anything else came to symbolise the what and why of WikiLeaks and the need for courageous whistleblowers like Bradley Manning, combines at least four objectives:

As we stand facing the Eagle, we are telling the powers perpetuating this ‘asymmetric warfare’ that we have not forgotten the things that have been revealed to us, the things that they hoped to keep under wraps: we will still out lies.

We are showing our respect and gratitude by standing in solidarity with Brad, the one now in the dock for standing for truth and justice, and reminding the authorities that we oppose their persecution of him.

We are bringing the issues into the public arena by taking a stand in a public place, and raising awareness.

And we are reminding ourselves of  what matters, taking time out of our perpetual busyness to stop and focus, to remember, and to think about who we are and what we stand for. This is a meditation that all who seek change can ill do without.

STANDING WITH BRAD TOGETHER OVER THESE PAST MONTHS

So… since March 2011, an ongoing witness has been maintained at the US Embassy in London (and over the past three years, in other locations, notably in Wales), to the three years too long incarceration of Bradley Manning; a prisoner for the Truth.

Though taking various forms over this time, the main focus for solidarity with Bradley on the occasions of his pretrial court hearings has been the ‘vigil’ –to vigil is to keep awake, as Ciaron reminds us – and a gathering as described above.  And the last of these prior to Brad’s court martial full-on trial, will be on Thursday 23rd May. Please be there if you can – just your presence is a significant contribution to Bradley for all the reasons described above.

REVISITING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TOGETHER SINCE WE BEGAN

So let’s just revisit in pictures some of those occasions at the US Embassy and in all the other places, where people have joined together over the last three years and and said in various ways and by various means FREE BRADLEY MANNING! …

….before we move on to the next phase of this mission on SATURDAY 1ST JUNE –>see next post…NB if you are too early, it’s a WATCH THIS SPACE…but have patience and all will be revealed about our great and wonderful line-up including Peter Tatchell for that very important getting together again to #ThankManning on SATURDAY 1st JUNE afternoon  at the US EMBASSY (from 2pm) to mark the beginning of the TRIAL…

CHASE MADAR VISIT 6TH MAY to 15TH MAY 

And don’t forget the opportunity to come together before that in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff, London again, or Bristol  to meet with Chase Madar, author of The Passion of Bradley Manning; to link up to strengthen our solidarity; and to learn more! FOR BACKGROUND on Chase’s visit see this post and for full list of events with all links see here.

BUT FOR NOW LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS (click on a pic to go to the full size image).