PRESS ADVISORY
June 1, 2011
WHEN: Saturday, June 4tth from 12:30-2:30 pm
WHERE: Times Square Recruitment Center
44th & Broadway
New York City
WHAT: Rally to Support PFC. Bradley Manning
New York, NY — This Saturday, June 4, 2011, supporters of PFC Bradley Manning will converge in New York City and Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas to rally for the soldier who stands accused of leaking classified government information to WikiLeaks and ultimately to the public. Supporters will
rally and march carrying large signs and visuals, calling on government to protect whistleblowers and to drop all charges against Manning.
These will be the first large public rallies to support PFC Bradley Manning since he was transferred to Fort Leavenworth on April 20, 2011, after having suffered extreme confinement conditions at U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. During the nine months at Quantico, Manning was denied meaningful exercise, social interaction, sunlight and was at times kept completely naked.
Debra Sweet, Director of World Can’t Wait stated, “Bradley Manning is charged with leaking information which, when posted by WikiLeaks, educated the public about how civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan have been victimized by U.S. military occupations. Yet, even though the government admits the video and cables are genuine, the perpetrators of war crimes shown have not been investigated, much less charged with crimes, while Bradley Manning is unjustly charged with making some actions public.”
Last week marked one year since PFC Manning was detained as a suspected source to WikiLeaks, a news organization that receives, reviews and selectively makes public information provided by anonymous whistleblowers. The information that PFC Manning is accused of leaking includes the videotaped massacre of Reuters journalists and Iraqi civilians as well as diplomatic cables that experts believe helped to catalyze democratic revolts across the Middle East this spring. PFC Manning’s supporters assert that the information he is accused of revealing should have been in the public domain.
“Bradley Manning’s alleged actions are heroic. Instead of being prosecuted, he should be commended for exposing truths about warfare that our military-industrial-corporate complex is trying desperately to conceal from the public,” Veterans For Peace – NYC Chapter 34
“Private First Class Bradley E. Manning, 23-years-old, was arrested in Iraq one year ago on May 26, 2010. He still awaits his first public court hearing, now expected to begin later this summer. Over 4,300 individuals have contributed $333,000 towards PFC Manning’s legal fees and related public education efforts,” Bradley Manning Support Network.