A small group of activists with Veterans for Peace, CodePink and Ban Killer Drones converged October 13 – 19 in the southern Nevada desert at Creech Air Force Base (AFB) for a week of nonviolent resistance to the illegal US. drone warfare program. They traveled from four states for the 15th annual protest at the base, located an hour northwest of Las Vegas. Some participated for the entire week and others came when they could, but they shared one thing in common: an abhorrence of the inhumanity and illegality of the U.S. drone program that takes human life remotely and covertly from thousands of miles away.Some of the week’s twice-daily commute hour vigils emphasized the horrors of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, assisted remotely by U.S. drone pilots and operators. On October 16, a nonviolent blockade of the entrance road temporarily halted business as usual at the base with a large banner: “Send Food to Gaza, not Weapons to Israel”. Most blockaders stayed in the road until police gave dispersal orders. Toby Blomé held the blockade for as long as possible, displaying a sign directed at the Creech AFB commander: “Prosecute Col. Pederson 4 War Crimes.” She was arrested, detained for an hour, then cited and released.
Visit www.ShutDownDroneWarfare.org for more information.