PRESS RELEASE

The police state and the intimidation in the action of solidarity with Bradley Manning did not pass!

Athens, December 17, 2011. The Antinationalist Antimilitarist Initiative condemns the unacceptable and provocative treatment that the police had against the persons who participated this afternoon in the protest rally called by the Initiative outside the U.S.A. Embassy in Athens, and reiterates that the bullying of the police, following Greek or American pressure, or both, does not pass.

The rally took place in the context of the international day of action for Bradley Manning today. Bradley Manning is a 24yearold USA soldier, imprisoned since May 2010. He allegedly blew the whistle on USA war crimes, by giving hundreds of thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks , among them the infamous “Collateral Murder” video: evidence of a USA Army helicopter crew coldbloodedly killing 11 or more civilians and severely wounding two young children in Iraq in 2007. The prehearing of Bradley Manning’s court martial started yesterday, on 16 December 2011. One of the charges against him, “aiding the enemy”, could lead up to the death penalty.

During the rally we handed out the attached leaflet, we opened three banners with photos of Bradley Manning and the slogans we quote at the end of this press release, and we asked the officer at the gate of the embassy to deliver our text to the American Ambassador, which he refused.

At the end of the rally, on the pavement opposite the American Embassy, around 20 policemen, uniformed but also undercover, surrounded the 6 persons who participated in the symbolic protest. They asked to know what the protesters did and asked to have their identities checked. The demonstrators explained to the policemen what they did, gave them one of their leaflets for their information, showed them the banners and refused to undergo the identity check as they had done just a peaceful rally. The policemen informed the police headquarters and, according to the commands they received, they continued to detain the demonstrators and persistently ask their identities for check, threatening otherwise to take them by force to the police headquarters.

From their side, the demonstrators persisted in refusing the identity check and protesting that this is a violation of their rights and an intimidation attempt by the police. Alongside the protesters reported the case to journalists, nongovernmental human rights organisations in Greece and internationally, lawyers, and the members of SYRIZA party (left) Theodoros Dritsas, who called the police headquarters to request an explanation. Finally, after 40 minutes, the police let the demonstrators leave, without having their identities checked.

We denounce the unacceptable and provocative treatment of peaceful protesters by the police, and we reiterate that our solidarity with the 24 years old American soldier is part of an international solidarity movement, which no police or military terrorism can stop.

A N T I N A T I O N A L I S T I C A N T I M I L I T A R I S T I C I N I T I A T I V E PRESS RELEASE The police state and the intimidation in the action of solidarity with Bradley Manning did not pass! *Athens, December 17, 2011.* The Antinationalist Antimilitarist Initiative condemns the unacceptable and provocative treatment that the police had against the persons who participated this afternoon in the protest rally called by the Initiative outside the U.S.A. Embassy in Athens, and reiterates that the bullying of the police, following Greek or American pressure, or both, does not pass. The rally took place in the context of the international day of action for Bradley Manning today. Bradley Manning is a 24yearold USA soldier, imprisoned since May 2010. He allegedly blew the whistle on USA war crimes, by giving hundreds of thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks , among them the infamous “Collateral Murder” video: evidence of a USA Army helicopter crew coldbloodedly killing 11 or more civilians and severely wounding two young children in Iraq in 2007. The prehearing of Bradley Manning’s court martial started yesterday, on 16 December 2011. One of the charges against him, “aiding the enemy”, could lead up to the death penalty. During the rally we handed out the attached leaflet, we opened three banners with photos of Bradley Manning and the slogans we quote at the end of this press release, and we asked the officer at the gate of the embassy to deliver our text to the American Ambassador, which he refused. At the end of the rally, on the pavement opposite the American Embassy, around 20 policemen, uniformed but also undercover, surrounded the 6 persons who participated in the symbolic protest. They asked to know what the protesters did and asked to have their identities checked. The demonstrators explained to the policemen what they did, gave them one of their leaflets for their information, showed them the banners and refused to undergo the identity check as they had done just a peaceful rally. The policemen informed the police headquarters and, according to the commands they received, they continued to detain the demonstrators and persistently ask their identities for check, threatening otherwise to take them by force to the police headquarters. From their side, the demonstrators persisted in refusing the identity check and protesting that this is a violation of their rights and an intimidation attempt by the police. Alongside the protesters reported the case to journalists, nongovernmental human rights organisations in Greece and internationally, lawyers, and the members of SYRIZA party (left) Theodoros Dritsas, who called the police headquarters to request an explanation. Finally, after 40 minutes, the police let the demonstrators leave, without having their identities checked. We denounce the unacceptable and provocative treatment of peaceful protesters by the police, and we reiterate that our solidarity with the 24 years old American soldier is part of an international solidarity movement, which no police or military terrorism can stop.
In front of the US Embassy in Athens.	Free Bradley Manning! Blowing the whistle for war crimes is not a crime!

Here are the slogans on banners that we were holding: «I wanted people to see the truth, regardless of who they are, because without information, you cannot make informed decisions » Bradley Manning. Truth is treason in the empire of lies. In an Orwellian world, the Guilty imprison the Good. Free Bradley Manning! Blowing the whistle for war crimes is not a crime! ANTINATIONALIST ANTIMILITARIST INITIATIVE CONTACT: aainit@yahoo.com, http://antinationalisticantimilitaristic.blogspot.com HOME