Jacksonville, FL – 25 protesters gathered at Memorial Park at noon, Jan. 31 to call for an end to U.S. torture practices. The Jacksonville chapter of Veterans for Peace led the rally and demanded the immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay military base as well as all U.S. torture ‘black sites’ around the world.

Protesters first heard moving words from military veteran Wells Todd, who spoke of the history of U.S. torture techniques and the specifics of how detainees at Guantanamo Bay are treated. Organizers then led a march to U.S. Congressman Ander Crenshaw's office to deliver a letter demanding his support for the efforts to close Guantanamo Bay.

A member of Jacksonville Veterans for Peace stated, “We at the VFP believe these interrogation techniques are morally and legally wrong and are inconsistent with our values as Americans.”

Protesters heard several more speeches before heading to a busy intersection known as Five Points. Veterans on bullhorns led protesters with chants such as “Close Gitmo now,” “Hey hey ho ho, Guantanamo has got to go,” and “One, two, three, four, Obama close those prison doors. Five, six, seven, eight, stop the torture, stop the hate.”

“The March Against Torture rally put on by the Veterans for Peace was something that was really needed here in Jacksonville. It's so important to stand united against the oppression of basic human rights. As Americans, we are not okay with that and we want those responsible to stand trial for their war crimes,” said protester Dannelle Leigh.

The march closed out at Memorial Park with protesters pledging to support future Jacksonville Veterans for Peace actions.

#JacksonvilleFl #JacksonvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #GuantanamoBay #VeteransForPeace #Florida #Gitmo

Miami, FL – Following the recent CIA torture report, determined activists in Florida are gearing up for the annual march and protest to shut down the U.S. torture prison at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Anti-war leaders expect hundreds will protest outside the gates of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) on Jan. 11 in Doral, Florida, which is located near Miami. Notable speakers from across the country include Nancy Mancias of CodePink!, Camilo Mejia of Veterans for Peace and Holly Kent-Payne of Chicago with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

“We need to continue to oppose U.S. torture of citizens and non-citizens alike. The detention centers at Guantanamo Bay are symbols of oppression and violence and must be shut down,” said Pamela Maldonado, an organizer with People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR). “Our pressure has already forced the U.S. to begin repatriating prisoners to other countries and safer locations. We won’t stop until the prisons are closed for good.”

The six demands of those organizing the protest are: 1) Shut down Guantanamo Bay now, 2) End the torture of prisoners, 3) Stop force-feeding hunger-strikers, 4) Release detainees who have not been charged with crimes, 5) Transfer cases to federal court if legitimate evidence exists, 6) Repatriate freed detainees or provide asylum for those who need it and 7) Repatriate the families of those who were wrongfully detained.

The U.S. military base at Guantanamo serves as a place to torture and to dispose of Muslims and Arabs in the U.S. ‘War on Terror.’ It also violates Cuba’s sovereignty, as it projects U.S. empire into the Caribbean and South America. SOUTHCOM is a branch of the U.S. Department of Defense and controls Guantanamo Bay. The purpose of SOUTHCOM is to coordinate military, intelligence and naval missions throughout Latin America in order for the U.S. and Wall Street to dominate and exploit other countries.

SOUTHCOM orchestrates low-intensity wars, terror attacks and destabilization campaigns in Latin America, as currently witnessed in Colombia, Honduras and Venezuela. SOUTHCOM’s General John F. Kelly sits on the Board of Visitors that oversees the School of the Americas (renamed WHINSEC after a torture scandal) in Fort Benning, Georgia. U.S. military personnel train Colombian military officers to run violent paramilitary groups that kill and disappear people, referred to as “false positives”. These U.S.-trained death squads kill thousands of Colombians each year, especially targeting progressives and labor leaders.

Groups organizing the Jan. 11 march include POWIR, Occupy Miami, Al-Awda, National Lawyers Guild and Students for a Democratic Society. The rally begins at 2:00 p.m. with a march through downtown Doral to the gates of SOUTHCOM. Some protesters will wear orange prison jumpsuits like the prisoners of war. Water will be provided.

More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1497404423866684/?ref=br_tf

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