Thousands Demand Closure of Fort Benning's School of the Americas

[Judi Lynn]

Thousands Demand Closure of Fort Benning's School of the Americas
Sunday 22 November 2009

by: Scott Galindez, t r u t h o u t | Report

http://www.truthout.org.nyud.net:8090/files/images/1122098.jpg

Thousands Rally at the gates of Fort Benning.
(Photo: Linda Panetta)

This weekend, thousands of people gathered at the gates of Ft. Benning to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the killings of 14-year-old Celia Ramos, her mother Elba Ramos and the six Jesuit priests with whom she worked at the Central American University in San Salvador.

Nearly 5,000 people are gathered in the pouring rain according to Larry White, a protester who spoke to Truthout. Earlier in the day, following a rally featuring a performance by the Indigo Girls, activists participated in the yearly "presente march," ending at Ft. Benning. During the march, activists carried crosses with the names of the victims of brutal repression in Central America. According to White, 50 of the marchers left the permitted route and are being threatened with arrest.

Four Arrests

Four people were arrested earlier in the day for crossing onto the base. They were Nancy Gwin, of Syracuse, NY; Michael Walli, of Washington, DC; Kenneth Hayes, of Austin, Texas; and Franciscan priest Father Luis Vitale, of Oakland, California. The four are currently in military custody, said Hendrick Voss, communications director with SOA Watch.

The four people stepped onto the post sometime this morning, at the Interstate 185 gate, Voss said.

More:
http://www.truthout.org/1122098