Thu Jan 9 – Cleveland OH, 1:45 to 3 pm ET – Federal Building at E 9th & Lakeside – Vigil outside, walking meditation and JD Vance visit inside
Sat Jan 11 – Los Angeles, CA, noon to 1:30 pm PT – Close Guantanamo Rally: 23 years of torture in our name – New location: Wilshire/Westwood Federal Bldg, 11000 Wilshire Blvd – Rally and speakers
Sat Jan 11 – Augusta, ME, 1 to 2 pm ET – Vigil and rally with speakers – Augusta National Armory, intersection of Route 202 and Armory St – Rally and speakers – Snow date Sun – Link to more info
Sat Jan 11 – Washington DC, noon to 1pm – north of the White House in Lafayette Sq, or on H St sidewalk, or on Black Lives Matter Plaza – Vigil with singing
Sat Jan 11 – New York City, 1 to 2 pm ET – on the steps of the NY Public Library on 5th Ave – Rally and speakers — Event Page
Sat Jan 11 – Greenfield, MA, 12 noon ET – Greenfield Town Common – Program followed by a solemn procession
Mon Jan 13 – Toledo OH – noon to 2 pm ET – Meet at Lucas County Courthouse, N Michigan St side (11:30am sharp!), to prep for noon demo/march around courthouse continuing to Michael V. Disalle Government Center Plaza, 1 Government Center
SATURDAY JANUARY 11 is 23 years since the Bush regime opened the prison torture camp at Guantanamo. There are still 15 men held there. Trump who will control the military and the prison; he’s threatened for years to send more people there, and he’s “joked” about sending his political opponents there.
Protests will take place around the U.S. and the globe. See below: virtual events by the Center for Victims of Torture, and by CAGE International, featuring 5 former prisoners.
From journalist Andy Worthington who has covered Guantanamo for 20 years wrote recently:
“…15 men are still held at Guantánamo, 3 of whom have been approved for release — 12 between October 2020 and September 2022, plus Al-Yazidi’s two fellow long-term “forever prisoners.” Of these two men, Toffiq Al-Bihani’s long imprisonment remains inexplicable, as he was meant to be put on a flight to Saudi Arabia with other prisoners approved for release in April 2016, but was held from boarding the plane at the last minute, for which no explanation has ever been provided…
With just 20 days to go until Donald Trump slouches into the White House once more, I cannot even begin to express how important it is for the Biden administration to have put in place arrangements for the release of these 14 men, most of whom need resettling in third countries, because they are largely Yemenis… “
Listen to David Swanson interview Andy Worthington on Talk World Radio:
Talk World Radio: Close Guantanamo While Its Victims Are Still Alive
From the Center for Victims of Torture CONVERSATION Guantanamo Uncovered
Streaming live Thursday January 9
4 pm PT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET
Last year, The New York Times’ Serial podcast season four shed light on Guantanamo’s many systemic injustices through stories told by people who lived through key moments in Guantanamo’s evolution.
Now, join CVT for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the in-depth reporting on Guantanamo by the producers of Serial — Dana Chivvis and Jessica Weisberg. In this live-streamed event, Dana and Jessica will sit down with experts from the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) to explore the past, present, and future of the notorious U.S. military prison.
For nearly 23 years, Guantanamo has operated largely in the shadows, and the stories of most of those impacted—detainees and personnel alike—have been silenced. Join us as we ask: What is it like to investigate such deep injustice, and what hope remains for the future of Guantanamo?
From CloseGuantanamo.org Guantanamo Survivors Speak by CAGE International
Saturday January 11 1:00 pm ET.
>> Register
Join us for a powerful online event marking 23 years since the opening of Guantánamo Bay – a call to action against injustice, torture, and indefinite detention.
Hear firsthand testimonies from Guantánamo survivors as they share their stories of resistance, courage, and the ongoing fight for accountability. Event Highlights:
- The case of Abu Zubaydah, the forgotten prisoner from Gaza, tortured and detained without charge.
- Calls for the immediate closure of Guantánamo Bay and an end to systemic torture and indefinite detention.
- Exposing the U.S. government’s use of authoritarian tactics and its global legacy of injustice.
- A reminder of the enduring fight for freedom and human dignity – dismantling systems of oppression together.