Reports are coming in that Occupy Portland briefly shutdown at least four army recruiting centers in the metro area earlier today. The plan to close the facilities was announced just before noon at a protest outside city hall. The action and protest was in support of Private First Class Bradley Manning, the former intelligence officer turned whistle blower who brought WikiLeaks to national attention after handing the group thousands of classified documents more than two years ago. In an act of good-willed political humor, the plan to shutter the centers was made by a man dressed as Cobra Commander— for those unfamiliar with 1980s children’s cartoons, his is the avowed enemy of G. I. Joe.
“You have been manipulated into thinking G. I. Joe is the good guy,” said the costumed man. “You have been lied to.” The man, who admittedly did a pretty good impression of Cobra’s slithery voice, then announced that a “group of concerned citizens” had shutdown army recruiting centers in Portland, Beaverton, and Gresham. As of this writing the Mercury has been able to confirm at least four centers were closed today.
Gary Stauffer public affairs officer for the area’s military recruiting centers said he could confirm that four facilities had briefly shut their doors due to protests. Stauffer said this action was “standard procedure” for a protest. At his office near the airport, Stauffer said about 15 protesters entered the center and read a statement. “They had signs. They marched, and it was peaceful,” said Stauffer. Staff at recruiting centers in Gresham and Beaverton, who asked not go on the record, were able to confirm there had been protests in those cities as well. The actions were also reportedly filmed for Livestream.
Occupy’s Nicole Balmforth, slightly contradicted Stauffer’s statements saying protesters were able to completely shut down all five recruiting stations they targeted. However Stauffer contends the facilities weren’t completely closed, saying business went on as usual behind the locked doors. Even so, Balmforth said, “I image our actions impacted their ability to recruit for the day.”
The protests supporting Manning as well as the attempts to close the centers were organized by 12 groups including Occupy Portland, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and Veterans for Peace. The metro-area protests were one of 15, according to this website, held around the nation and the world. No news yet on whether other cities’ recruiting centers were also closed.
Today is the second day of pretrial military proceeding for Manning. All told the 24-year-old has 22 counts against him and could face the death penalty. Manning’s lawyer, David Coombs, has filed several motions on his client’s behalf claiming the prosecution hasn’t handed over evidence necessary to the defense. Coombs is also asking for transcripts of a Department of Justice proceeding that the lawyer says contains talk of bringing a criminal charge against WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange. You can follow Manning’s case on Coombs’ blog.
Following speeches from organizers, just this afternoon, about 70 protesters headed up downtown Portland’s Main Street. Chanting and carrying signs reading, “I am Bradley Manning,” and “Free Bradley Manning,” the group marched through the business district stopping briefly in front of the federal court house. Protest organizer Glenn Silbersdorff said the message of the protest is clear. “It should be illegal to commit war crimes, not to report them,” said Silbersdorff.
Editor wanted. Come quickly!
Bradley Manning is getting just what he deserved.
Yet another ‘occupy’ action that was perhaps well-meaning, but simple minded in its’ reasoning.
frankieb, just what is it that you believe Manning deserves? His day in court? You sir/madam seem to be a trifle confused about what has been taking place these past 10+ years. Manning has been accused of releasing documents/videos, none of which were classified, which revealed war crimes. So please, tell me just who is the simple-minded one here?!
I don’t think he deserves Death, as I am opposed to the Death Penalty, but his actions could have possibly caused the loss of life of our own troops, and for that reason alone he should get life behind bars.
Read up, again, on what he is accused of – I say ‘again’ because you must have forgotten or was not aware of it to begin with.
He is accused of passing on sensitive CLASSIFIED information onto Assange.
I too did not like the war we became involved in, and I resented Bush for it. But that is no reason to forgive treason that could put your fellow soldier into harms way.
Our government leaders who invaded Iraq are the one who put thousands of soldiers in harms way. Al qaeda was never in Iraq. It was a total lie. The administration that supported the attitude that lead to Abu ghraib put thousands in harms way. The senseless murder of thousands upon thousands of Iraqis while contractors stole billions put soldiers in harms way. Bradly Manning served to expose the lies and hypocrisy of what was going on. I do not know what his motives were but I consider what he did may have saves countless lives by exposing the folly of our leaders actions and eroding support for a senseless bloodbath designed to make traitorous companies in the United States billions in profit. The wrong person is clearly on trial in my mind
Manning did what journalists during the Vietnam war had free reign to do – show the ugly reality of war. The fact he has been nailed to the wall without any due process should bother any constitutionalist. It bothers me.
I’m becoming convinced that Frankie B. has dyslexia in the form of only understanding what’s being written by conservative media and then going to Occupy-related posts and regurgitating those talking points. That’s a real medical condition, right? Try reading “A People’s History of the United States”. I’d be happy to read it aloud to you if your conservative condition creates any issues.
The crimes Manning exposed caused loss of life. He deserves the Medal of Honor.
@6- As a former service member I can tell you that Manning is subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, not the Constitution. There is no “due process” in the military. Manning released classified documents that he had access to only because he held a security clearance. Releasing these, during wartime no less, can be seen as tantamount to treason within the UCMJ. No amount of posturing as a cartoon tyrant will change these facts, nor will it hold any weight with the United States Army.
What crimes did he “blow the whistle” on? What revelations were in these classified documents? I just read the entire Wikipedia article to see if I’d missed something, and there’s nothing listed there. He hasn’t revealed any crimes – all he did was put people at risk, to no purpose. No wonder Occupy likes him – he’s just like the vandals downtown that accomplish nothing.
Iceprez, precisely. I never saw any constructive purpose in what he released (which as you point out can be construed as treason). Btw Occupy idiots, no one walks into a recruitment center off the street. So you accomplished nothing really other than drawing attention to yourselves which is really the goal, isn’t it?
“Btw Occupy idiots, no one walks into a recruitment center off the street.”
Brilliant. From whence, then, do they walk into recruitment centers?
@12- Typically they get you in a public place, like downtown or the shopping mall. I met my recruiter at Lloyd Center
Macho assholes on the internet? What a surprise.
Oh frankie…
if i had known, i would have shown up. and kicked some ass! how dare you shut down our nations recruiting stations and cause so much trouble acting like idiots. these are the very people keeping the rest of the world from taking everything you love away. including your life. seriously, do you think you can protect yourself? next time, let me know before hand so i can show up and start my own protest. agaisnt all you retarded protestors. get a life eh?
How military people still believe they are fighting to protect our country and not some rich people’s pocket book in an oil war is just amazing!