US protests 2011-26

Photos from, and my report about the eight coordinated global vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place on May 3, 2023 in London, Washington, D.C., New York, Mexico City, Brussels, Copenhagen, Detroit and Los Angeles. The ongoing vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and, as well as calling for the closure of the prison, also highlight the plight of the 16 men still held (out of 30 in total) who have been approved for release but, in 13 cases, cannot be repatriated because of US laws, and must be found new homes in third countries.

Photos from, and my report about the eight coordinated global vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place on April 5, 2023 in London, Washington, D.C., New York, Mexico City, Brussels, Los Angeles, Raleigh, NC and Cobleskill, NY. The ongoing vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and, as well as calling for the closure of the prison, also highlight the plight of the 17 men still held (out of 31 in total) who have been approved for release but have no idea when, if ever, they will actually be freed.

Promoting the next coordinated global vigils for the closure of Guantánamo, taking place on April 5, 2023 in seven locations worldwide — London, Washington, D.C., New York, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Raleigh, NC and Cobleskill, NY. Also included: a poster showing the 17 men still held who have been approved for release, and an infographic showing how long they have been held since they were told that the U.S. government no longer wanted to hold them.

Photos of, and my report about the coordinated global vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place on March 8, 2023 in London, Washington, D.C. New York and Mexico City. As it was also International Women’s Day, Victoria Brittain, Yvonne Ridley and Kate Hudson of CND spoke at the London vigil, and this article also includes the text of the powerful and poignant speech made by Victoria Brittain.

Promoting the coordinated global vigils for the closure of the prison at Guantánamo Bay on Wednesday March 8, with an updated poster showing the 18 men still held who have been approved for release, and an updated infographic showing how long they have been held since they were told that the US no longer wanted to hold them.

Photos and a report about the first coordinated protests calling for the closure of Guantánamo, and for the release of the 20 men approved for release from the prison, in London and Washington, D.C. on February 15, 2023. More coordinated protests, involving other locations. will be taking place on Wednesday March 8.

My reflections on how, 21 years after Guantánamo opened, the men still held, and those who have been released, are still deprived of fundamental rights as human beings, just as they were when they were first sent to Guantánamo in the first place, to be held as “enemy combatants.”

Events marking the 21st anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo, on Jan. 11, including online events that I’m taking part in in the US and the UK, and a march and rally in London. A particular focus this year is the shameful situation faced by the 20 men (out of 35 in total) who have been approved for release but are still held.

A cross-post of a detailed article about Guantánamo activism over the last 12 years, from President Obama’s eight years in office, through the four lamentable years of Donald Trump, to the current hopes pinned on President Biden. Written by Jeremy Varon of Witness Against Torture, it was originally published on the Waging Nonviolence website.

My report on the Trump administration’s sickening policy of sending federal law enforcement officers into Portland, Oregon and other US cities, teargassing protestors, bypassing local law enforcement, and raising fears of the kinds of behaviour that typify police states.