Join us at the Fort Meade hearings to stand with Brad

Join us at Fort Meade!

Judge Lind will announce her sentence Wednesday, August 21 at 10pm.  We will hold a vigil beforehand at 7:30am outside the Main Gate.

Heroic WikiLeaks whistle-blower PFC Bradley Manning’s trial began on June 3. We encourage everyone to attend one or more days!

We hold a vigils in front of the Fort Meade Main Gate at Reece Road and US 175 (Google map). Afterwards, we enter Fort Meade (via the Visitor Control Center), and go to the courtroom.  E-mail [email protected] for vigil updates. 

It has been over three years since his arrest. Enough is enough. Free Bradley Manning! Help us show Bradley we care by filling the court room. Many of us wear “truth” shirts onto Fort Meade, and in the courtroom, to symbolize our solidarity.

To enter Fort Meade, bring a government issued ID, such as a state issued drivers license or passport. Non-US passports are accepted. Be prepared to remove any shirts or buttons that show support for Bradley Manning while on base.

If you are driving onto Fort Meade, make sure to:

  • Have your up-to-date vehicle registration
  • Have your up-to-date vehicle insurance (printed copy–not a electronic version on your mobile phone)
  • Obey posted speed limits (they are strictly enforced by military police–especially for “special visitors”)
  • Be prepared to cover “political” bumper stickers on your vehicle with tape

Unlike most trials, the government is refusing to release any official transcripts of the trials. It is up to the public to attend, and comment on, what happens inside the otherwise secretive court room. Thank you for your support and please join us at Fort Meade!

Click here for Carpool information

Click here for our guide to transit & lodging near Ft. Meade

Getting there by car:

From Washington, D.C.

  • Take MD-295 NORTH towards BALTIMORE to US 175 EAST. Take 175 EAST until you come to the Reece Road intersection (there is a traffic light). Turn right at the traffic light onto Reece road, and proceed to the Visitor Control Center to your right.

From Baltimore, M.D.

  • Take MD-295 SOUTH towards WASHINGTON DC to US 175 EAST. Take 175 EAST until you come to the Reece Road intersection (there is a traffic light). Turn right at the traffic light onto Reece road, and proceed to the Visitor Control Center to your right.

Visitor Control Center

  • Fort Meade is a ‘closed’ post, all visitors should go to the Visitor Control Center at the Reece Road gate for access information. This information may change from day to day. There is a parking lot outside of the Visitor Control Center.

 Courtroom

  •  After entering Fort Meade at Reece Road, drive or walk to the Magistrate Court, 4432 Llewellyn Avenue, Fort Meade, MD. (After entering through Main Gate security, go down Reece Rd until you get to Cooper Rd, and then turn left.  The courtroom parking lot is at the end of Cooper Rd, where it intersects with Llewellyn Ave.)  There is usually parking available near the courtroom.  It is 2 miles from the Visitor Control Center. There are no electronic devices allowed through the security check to enter the courtroom–you must leave your mobile phone in your vehicle (or someone’s vehicle).
  • Inside the courtroom, we think the best way to show our support for Bradley is by keeping the courtroom full and wearing our “Truth” t-shirts. The defense is working very hard to argue its case, and so we  ask that people conduct themselves respectfully inside the courtroom, so that attention will not be taken away from their efforts.  Talking, loud noises and sleeping are also not allowed while court is in session.  We recommend that people bring a clear water bottle, as food and drinks are not allowed in the courtroom.  We also recommend people bring a cardigan or jacket, as the courtroom is usually significantly cooler than the weather outside.  You may choose to bring a notebook or sketchpad for note-taking/drawing, and a book or newspaper for periods when court is slow.
     
    Outside the courtroom, in front of public officials in DC is where we have the potential to make the most impact with our activism.  You can follow news at bradleymanning.org about upcoming actions to protest whistleblower Bradley Manning’s prosecution.

If you have any questions about attending the court room proceedings, and the vigil please contact [email protected]

42 thoughts on “Join us at the Fort Meade hearings to stand with Brad

  1. Here’s the link to Greenbelt Park for people who want to camp out during Bradley’s motion hearings. It’s halfway between DC and Fort Meade, about 12 miles from the courthouse. The tent sites aren’t large but it’s pleasant and wooded. It’s a popular tourist campground, so you might want to call ahead to check for site availability in case there’s a big event going on downtown. They allow up to three tents per site and two cars. Fees are $16/night per site for tents or RVs.

    http://www.nps.gov/gree/index.htm

  2. Manning’s case should not be tried in a military court, because the charges are political. Only clearly non-political charges should be under UCMJ. The law has to be changed to require cases of espionage, etc., to be tried in federal district court.

    • Although I support PFC Bradley’s decision to expose the abuse of power,he should have done it through the proper channels.

      • Who was he suppose to go through ? The power elites that covered up all these war crimes ? I suggest you read Kill Everything That Moves by NIck Turse ! These Imperial wars are all the same !

      • Proper channels no longer work. If one tries to go through the “proper channels” they are blocked and thrown out.

        This is how far the tyranny has come and it’s just begun.

        3 years held without trial.
        This will be a mock trial.
        This “trial” and what comes of it will be used to show us citizens what will happen to us if we step out of line and expose the truth.

        Bradley Manning is being made an example to keep us all in line.

        Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.

        Sleep and sleep deeply within the matrix.

        Spencer’s reply was right on the money. At least I’m not the only one who reads “heavy” stuff.

      • Bradley Manning enlisted, believing he could help the Iraqi people. When he saw that captured Iraqis were tortured by the Iraqi military, he complained to his American superiors, saying that he couldn’t in good conscience hand over captured Iraqis. His American superiors told him to shut up and do his duty.

  3. Can you provide me with the name address and phone of Bradley Mannings Def team and The way I may write to him? II provided extensive intel info in the during the IRAQ war from my PARK FOREST IL home and I used a tremedous amount of info provided by Bradley from researching the war all over the web and keeping first hand notes and contact with soliders in IRAQ about what was occuring IN IRAQ. Many other countries also participated. I was wondering if Brad knows me and or could use some other kind of support to outline where the info came from and how it was used. I gave mine back directly to the US Military and cant see where that the exchange of data was of any harm elsewhere.. other than I was badly hacked by alquaida and the FBI locally did nothing to stop that..

  4. I feel these excuses for his extreme solitary confinement are a direct unlawful abuse of the justice system. Most people could not handle a day or two in solitary confinement, let alone what a year? An outrage. Civil disobedience is not terrorism, omg, it’s peaceful assembly in the name of questioning the laws there to protect normal citizens from injustice and harm. If people cannot protest their government, we may as well fail as a democracy. We may as well fail as a country. Take my words seriously, we may as well not be here at all. I am appalled, deeply saddened, disgusted. It shouldn’t have to be an issue, he should never have been charged this way in the first place, and now that they have failed to uphold his rights they have failed the system and of course the charges should be dropped! If not, who are the terrorists? Really. I try to stay clear from politics but this is just too awful not to speak up for. Freedom of speech and the press are at stake.

  5. There is no accounting for the persons who arrest and imprison persons without clearly understanding what has happened. The military laws are different ,but if you think about it the US military uses defenses of isolation, psych manipulation , harrasment on citizens so its probably worse for the persons in the military and when its TIME TO GIVE a statement .. nobodys around and will recontact you.
    HAve you ever tried to deal with the pentagon? They are very difficult.
    Persons need to speak out and help Bradley with his defense costs. .you are INNOCENT Til PROVEN guilty .. the USA treats everyone OPPOSITE of what the laws intend. Pam Toll PARK FOREST IL

  6. Bradley Manning is a traitor to the Uniform and to his Country. His disclosures were illegal and he knew as much while he was doing it.

    It figures the Hippies and OWS Liberals are supporting his release, they hate the Military and this country…

    I hope Manning ROTS in LEAVENWORTH for the remainder of his days…

    • Mark your a serious retard he was obligated to report warcrimes which he did to his commanding officer and they told him to shut up about it.Your obligated to report warcrimes I know I’ve been in the military.You want to talk about illegal,WARCRIMES ARE ILLEGAL,and let us not forget about the ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT DEALINGS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.You don’t support the military for doing the wrong things like warcrimes,you support them for doing the right things.Governments shouldn’t make illegal dealings and torture people.You we want him out cause we hate this country,your full of shit.We want him out because he remembered his oath like I do,protect the people.We want him out because he did the right thing.Read Bradley’s chat logs he loves this country and the people and that’s why he did it.We want him out because he did this for us and he did it for your friends and family to.

        • @Jeffrey: Your grammar, punctuation, and spelling was off, however, everyone understood you. I agree with you all the way.

          @Brian: Your punctuation’s actually a little off as well. It was still clear enough to be understood. Everyone you know still hates you, but don’t worry; it has nothing to do with your ability to communicate thoughts or ideas. It’s because you’re a dick.

    • Mark,
      When you cakm down and look at the actual picture of this country’s attempt to be a world leader in the spread of respect for democratic institutions of self government, It becomes very important for the citizens of underdeveloped third world countries to have a favorable impression of the United States government. Most of these citizens ONLY contact with the US is from our soldiers.
      Unfortunately, their are too many instances instances of careless and arrogant hostile action that is unprovoked. Manning released proof of these excesses, that the military chain of command should have corrected at the time these incidents occurred. since that was not done, Manning exercised his patriotic duty to bring these provocative and gratuitous excesses to the attention of the Newsmedia and the political and military establishment.
      This was terribly EMBARRASSING and in truth, has the potential to END THE MILITARY CAREERS of those in the chain of command that permitted these attacks on unarmed civilians to go unchecked. Those who are responsible for allowing this hostle and dangerous climate to thrive in their command are sadly trying to mount a last ditch stand by “blaming the Messenger”. Real patriots should be severely upset and come to the defense of the well meaning whistleblower who stood up for the best values of the American Military AND Character. Plese rethink your hasty post of last August.
      Arnold Gore

    • It must be very hard for you to live with so much anger and vitriol toward people you’ve never met, and with so much closed-mindedness. Many veterans who served this country honorably, including one of the soldiers who arrived on the scene in the video that was released as the “Collateral Murder” video, in which unarmed journalists and children were killed, support Bradley Manning. Your ignorance is depressing, and the idea that “Hippies and OWS Liberals” hate the US just showcases that ignorance. I was raised to support members of the armed forces even when I don’t support the wars they’re sent to fight (my father is a Vietnam veteran) and not to assume that someone is stupid, morally bankrupt, or worthless just because they don’t belong to the same political party as I do. It’s a shame no one taught you the same values, but it isn’t too late – go out and meet a wide array of people. You just might be surprised.

  7. I understand that certain people presume Bradley Manning guilty however you are innocent til proven guilty. Why does the US put so much into Scapegoating their own when they do almost nothing to STOP An active terror cell in the park forest il area that is generated by illegal use of satiellite remote computers of a military grade used by PRIVATE BLACK MUSLIMS and mob. that was reported and nothing was done to stop them? They were purchased by a Saudi Sheik to have inappropriate persons hack and monitor me, a 9-11 witness. YET i report this is the source of the leaks and NO ONE DOES SHIT..cause the BLACKS claim discrimination and everyone is so politically correct to the point of a terror cell running away. NO ONE DOES ANYTHING TO STOP IT. I know those leaks and they are FROM PARK FOREST IL For the last 7 and half years and reported over 23 times to FBI MILITARY CIA AND THE POLICE .. PAM TOLL PARK FOREST IL

  8. Hi, can’t be there, I live 4000 miles away, but I wanted to say thank-you to everyone who will be there, and if it’s alright by you guys I’ll consider that one of you is there on my behalf showing my support as well as yours. This is a terrible, totally politically motivated detention that goes against every moral and legal definition. I hope that Bradley knows, when he gets to court, that he sits there with thousands of others sat beside him.

  9. I personally don’t think there exists any evidence to even remotely suggest Manning is guilty. People should not adopt a posture which even suggests he is. I agree that there is nothing wrong with the release of such documents, it’s just that I’m very unconvinced that Manning did in fact do what he has been accused. That simple!

  10. Our politicians are encouraged to go to war to stay in office. The public’s right to know the truth of that bloody and dirty scene and the change the military machinations stamps on young teenage minds is vital to informed public decisions. Democracy, the will of the masses without sound facts to base those decisions is a sham.

    Who decided the truth be told?
    We do not know.

    What intention did the party have?
    A young gay man sits still tortured by his jailers and accusers. A strong character and brave. He sits surrounded by beurocracy and trained assassins those he thought friends though perfidious perhaps and yet he has remained dignified and respectful.

    We need more Bradley Mannings.

  11. Does anyone know what exactly will happen between feb 26 and march 1? It would be quite a drive for me, is there any day that is more important for supporters to be there? Also, any suggestions on accommodation?

    • Jessica, in the 2/26-3/1 hearing, it’s expected Judge Lind will rule on the motion to dismiss based on lack of a speedy trial. If you’re unable to make it for that hearing, we will soon be making an announcement about another day, a few months from now, which will probably the most important day for supporters to come to Maryland. Stay tuned!

  12. I support Bradley’s position. Although I have misgivings about his disclosure of classified information. I too served in the military with a clearance I still have. I don’t know how I can further his effort.

  13. Manning released cables showing that a similar BP blowout happened in the Caspian Sea 17 months earlier, caused by the same cost-cutting risk of using nitrogen in a deep-water cement plug, information that was buried by BP, the U.S. and the NYT.

    http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/how-bradley-manning-could-have-saved-the-lives-bps-oil-rig-stole

    I would have only one thing to add to Palast’s blockbuster article. Palast wrote near the end: “I guess the idea is that releasing information that kills troops is criminal, but that dis-information that kills troops is quite acceptable,” referring to the NYT’s collusion with WMD dis-information. But Manning’s releases have not been shown to cost any lives. On the contrary, he saved many lives by helping to bring the Iraq War to an end. U.S. troops were pulled out when Iraq refused immunity for war crimes like those described in Manning’s releases. And he may have prevented a disastrous war with Iran by exposing the Saudi, Bahrain and Qatar kings who asked the U.S. to start such a war. I would have written: “I guess that releasing information that saves troops is criminal, but that dis-information that kills troops is quite acceptable.”

  14. It is a soldier’s duty to report war crimes.
    That helicopter gunship crew should be on trial along with Bush, Cheney and the rest of that discredited mob.
    No wonder Congress is rated so low.
    At least, Senator Byrd had the guts to stand up and tell congress to not be in such a hurry to rush off to war.
    The real enemies are the greed, ignorance, apathy.
    Bradley Manning has apparently made a real effort to come to grips with them.
    The honor of the military and the country is at stake in my opinion.
    As a Vietnam era medic, I have respect for all those who serve honorably and contempt for those who do not in whatever official capacity no matter how high their rank.
    Bradley Manning makes me proud to have been a Pfc. in 1963.

  15. To Bradley,

    We will probably never meet, but know that my partner and I support you and stand behind you. Truth will prevail, you are not alone. Millions are with you! You are a hero, a true American and most of all, you are an honest human being who deserves nothing but praise for what you showed the world.

    Daniel

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>