Beale: Main Gate Blockaded 4 Hours, 9 Arrested, as Peace Activists Protest US Killer Drones

Contact:
Toby Blome, 510-508-1020 ratherbenyckeling@comcast.net www.occupybealeafb.org
Pamela Osgood, 941-735-8865 pamelaosgood@att.net
Shirley Osgood, 941-320-0291 slogood481@hotmail.com www.occupybealeafb.org

Main Gate Blockaded 4 Hours, Nine People
Arrested at Beale AFB Tuesday After Vets,
Peace Activists Protest US Killer Drones

BEALE AFB (Marysville), Ca. – After blocking the main gate for more than four hours, nine (9) military veterans and peace activists from throughout California were arrested around Noon Tuesday here at Beale AFB protesting the inhumane and cruel U.S. Drone Program, killing thousands of innocent men, women and children around the world. The 'Beale 9' were cited for trespassing. Court proceedings are pending.

More photos at: "9 Arrested for Blocking Gate of Beale AFB to Protest Drone Strikes" on the Occupy Sacramento website.

About 100 activists from as far away as Fresno, the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, Nevada City/Grass Valley and other California cities unfurled large banners and carried model drones and large photos of child victims of drone strikes to show the dark side of drone warfare.

Beale AFB has been a target of anti-drone protests for years. Beale AFB is home to the U2 and the Global Hawk, the unmanned surveillance drone that is an "accomplice" in drone killings.

There have been a series of direct actions leading to arrests this year protesting President Obama's use of drones, most recently at Hancock Air Base near Syracuse, NY last Thursday, where 17 were arrested.

Activists demanded: (1) An immediate ban on the use of all drones for extrajudicial killing (2) A halt all drone surveillance that assaults basic freedoms and inalienable rights and terrorizes domestic life in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia (3) A prohibition on the sale, and distribution of drones and drone technology to foreign countries in order to prevent the proliferation of this menacing threat to world peace, freedom and security and (4) The U.S. must immediately stop this lawless behavior of drone warfare that violates many international laws and treaties.

"US military and CIA Drone attacks have killed thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children, in the Middle East, Somalia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In the name of combating terrorism against the U.S. we are terrorizing innocent people, and creating many more enemies and potential terrorists in the process," said a statement issued by Veterans for Peace, Code Pink, Chico Peace and Justice Center, Nevada County Peace Center, Peace Fresno, WILPF and World Can't Wait.

"Our government has become lawless powers, acting as judge, jury and executioner, just because they can. They use remote-controlled drones to kill women in their kitchens, elders meeting in their jirgas, mourners at funerals, and rescuers who try to help the wounded. By most independent studies, the vast majority of those killed are civilians," said Toby Blome, of CodePink's Peace Delegation to Pakistan.

"When I learned about what we are doing with drones...killing innocent civilians, and see the faces of dead children and their mourners, I find the passion to do something. That's why I'm taking some action at Beale," said Shirley Osgood, Occupy Nevada County and Nevada County Peace Center and Nevada County Green.

Report: Disruptive Breach of Vandenberg Air Force Base Security Zones

October 22, 2012

Contact: tierralinda@live.com

Nonviolent Backcountry Resisters Cause Disruptive Breach of Vandenberg Air Force Base Security Zones

For the first time in nearly a decade, nonviolent civil resisters caused a disruptive breach of the backcountry security zones at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. VAFB enforces a sweeping global pattern of violent high-tech military abuse. Three participants were arrested for federal trespass and others eluded base security patrols. One participant [Theo Kayser] was hand-cuffed face down on the ground with an M-16 automatic rifle trained on his back during his 2 a.m. arrest, while search lights swept the surrounding hills. He was then held under armed guard for nine hours at a special security command post which VAFB had set up to deal with the backcountry occupation. Vandenberg security stated that they believed at least 15 individuals were spotted in base security zones between 0ctober 20th and 21st.

Action participants hope that others will follow their example in the months ahead. They entered the huge US Strategic Command facility at widely dispersed points and hiked miles into the base, crossing fences and rough terrain under cover of night, hanging banners on nuclear first-strike missile silos deep inside Vandenberg. They also conducted an unauthorized Christian prayer liturgy and exorcism of evil inside VAFB boundaries. Multiple sources, including contacts within VAFB, confirmed that the announced plans and the backcountry security zone occupation caused days of disruptive base alerts, interrupting Vandenberg’s business as usual to prepare for and deal with the security zone breaches.

Backcountry action participants and their supporters say that “Vandenberg, built on land stolen from the Chumash nation, launches and controls key satellites which run worldwide drone strikes that kill civilians, and are positioning US forces for a catastrophic peak-oil war with Iran. VAFB is making nuclear world war more likely by its first-strike Minuteman III flight tests, which seriously contaminate stolen indigenous territory at the Earth’s largest coral atoll, Kwajalein.”

Arrested action participants include Franciscan Priest Louie Vitale and Los Angeles Catholic Worker community members Theo Kayser and Rebecca Casas.


See Count of California Drone Bases Tops National List for drone testing, training, and operations activity at Vandenberg and seventeen (17) other California locations.

UPDATE: Say "No Drones!" at Beale - October 29-30

The growing list of sponsors for the Nonviolent Direct Action planned at our October monthly Beale AFB No Drones Encampment (October 29-30th, Monday 3:00 pm to Tuesday 9:00 am) now includes: Bay Area CodePink, Sacramento VFP, Peace Fresno, and some members of San Francisco VFP and SF IVAW are planning to join us too.

We hope you can support his action, too! There are two weeks left to help build this into a very successful action to stand united against the brutal U.S. drone assassination warfare. Don't be part of the silent majority! Let us know if your organization can be a sponsor.

Please let us know if you can commit ASAP!

Bay Area Contacts:

Toby Blomé (Bay Area CodePink): ratherbenyckeling@comcast.net, 510-215-5974

Elana Levy: rachimin@hotmail.com

Shirley Osgood (Grass Valley): slogood481@hotmail.com, 941-320-0291

PLANNING MEETINGS:

Learn the what, where, why and how and help us plan this important action. Bring friends!

Monday, October 22
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Bill Schwalb's home 3680 1/2 20th St., S.F. (between Guerrero and Valencia, near 16th & 24th St. BART)
(Potluck food welcome)

Tuesday, October 23
Time: 11:00am-3:00pm
Location: Toby Blome's home 1925 Hudson St. El Cerrito (Near El Cerrito Del Norte Bart)
Potluck lunch
To include banner and sign making, call for questions 510-215-5974

California Congressional Delegation: Drones 'R' Us!

Over fifty (50) members of the U.S. Congress have banded together to increase the use of drones ("unmanned aerial vehicles") - including twelve (12) members from California. They are all members of the Unmanned Systems Caucus, also known as the Congressional drones caucus. One of the co-chairs of the caucus is Buck McKeon, who represents California's 25th district. (Read about the members of the drones caucus from other states.)

Here are the California members of the Congressional drones caucus:

Randy Forbes

Randy Forbes represents California's 4th congressional district - in the NE corner of California.

Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy represents California's 22nd congressional district -- covering parts of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Los Angeles counties, and anchored in Bakersfield.

Elton Gallegly

Elton Gallegly represents California's 24th congressional district -- covering most of Ventura and inland Santa Barbara counties.

Buck McKeon

Buck McKeon represents California's 25th congressional district -- covering part of Los Angeles County and extending out to broad stretches of interior California along the Nevada border.

David Dreier

David Dreier represents California's 26th congressional district -- spanning the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga.

Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis represents California's 41st congressional district -- encompassing the eastern region of the Greater Los Angeles Area known as the Inland Empire.

Ken Calvert

Ken Calvert represents California's 44th congressional district -- in the Orange County area.

Dana Rohrabacher

Dana Rohrabacher represents California's 46th congressional district -- covering part of Los Angeles County and Orange County, including Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, and Rancho Palos Verdes.

Loretta Sanchez

Loretta Sanchez represents California's 47th congressional district -- made up of parts of Orange County.

Darrell Issa

Darrell Issa represents California's 49th congressional district -- which includes San Diego.

Brian Bilbray

Brian Bilbray represents California's 50th congressional district -- the northern coastal region of San Diego County.

Duncan Hunter

Duncan Hunter represents California's 52nd congressional district -- consisting of many of San Diego's suburbs.