Check Out:
Dylan’s Eloquent Testimony about our Day of Resistance and jail experience!
Sharat Lin’s Excellent IndyBay Report on SDDW Week and Day of Resistance.
***Huge gratitude to Dylan Davis, Sharat Lin, Jet Montellano, “Jak” and all the other photographers, videographers and writers who documented the amazing SDDW week we shared together!
Report Back
SHUT DOWN DRONE WARFARE, April 5-11, 2026
Getting Our Message Through: REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS!
4/20/26, by Toby Blomé (Apologies for this long report….but there was so much to tell)
PREFACE:
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you and then you win.” (Gandhi?)
This year, at our 4th annual SDDW week at Holloman AFB, they decided to “fight us”: For the first time in four years of protesting at the largest killer drone training base in the U.S., peaceful blockaders of the base were taken to jail, and forced to spend, illegally, 3 days in jail on petty misdemeanor charges…our very first jail experience. No more “Mr. Good Cop.” This will not deter us. Next time we want to bring 300 people to Holloman. Will you help us make it so? SHUT IT DOWN!
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In a recent Metta Center for Nonviolence webinar on nonviolence, Mohandas Gandhi’s granddaughter shared that Gandhi believed in the importance of doing meaningful outreach in the local community where any nonviolent campaign is being waged. Our 4th Annual Shut Down Drone Warfare Week at Holloman Killer Drone Training Base was a huge success on many fronts, most notably, in connecting with and “Getting Our Message Through” to the military and civilian community of Alamogordo, New Mexico:
- Nearly 300 copies of THIS LETTER by Nick Mottern, were distributed throughout the week, and included meaningful conversations with active duty and military family members, many of whom were empathetic, and expressed genuine concern about current U.S. foreign policy.
- April 7: CONFRONTING POWER with TRUTH: Fortuitously, on Tues. mid-day, six of us attended a public hearing in Alamogordo of the New Mexico Military Base Planning Commission, whose mission is to “advise the governor on measures necessary to ensure the continued presence of military bases in the state.” Before public comment was allowed, we sat through 2+ hours of “business as usual” between commission members and New Mexico state officials and Holloman top brass, that included New Mexico Lt. Governor Morales, Alamogordo Mayor Sharon MacDonald, AND Col. Stripling, the Deputy Commander of Holloman AFB 49th Wing (Killer Reaper Training Wing) with his subordinate, both of whom have served as drone operators. Nick Mottern stood and announced at the beginning of the meeting who we (SDDW) were and why we were there. After getting some unwelcoming and uncomfortable glares and stares from Holloman base staff throughout the meeting, we were finally able to express our concerns during public comment (3 min. ea.) about the inhumanity of the U.S. killer drone program, the prevalence of moral injury of the U.S. drone personnel and insufficient medical care to help them, and the severe lack of funding in the VA program. Some of us were able to briefly interact with Col. Stripling as he hurriedly exited the meeting. Though he evaded any meaningful engagement with us, his discomfort was evident during our efforts to call him to conscience. Was he likely suffering himself from moral injury? In the hallway after the meeting, Lt. Governor Morales shook our hands and genuinely thanked us repeatedly for our comments. One of us asked him directly: “Yes, but what are you going to do about it?” No response was offered.
Morning commute vigil, Mon. April 6
Just after Monday afternoon’s vigil…..”DRONE ATTACKS ARE”…..
Afternoon commute vigil, “DRONE VICTIM MEMORIAL,” Tues, April 7
- Impactful daily am & pm vigils during commute hours, with varying themes and visuals connecting the dots between the lawlessness of U.S. militarism & drone warfare and their significant roles in genocide, unprovoked war on Iran, climate chaos, ecocide, etc. “ The “War is a Lie” vigil highlighted how deceptive propaganda and public indoctrination promote and facilitate these ongoing wars, crimes against humanity and assault on our planet.
- Supporting GI’s who SAY NO TO WAR: We included information on banners and literature to give Holloman military folks resources that provide legal support and help “Getting Out,” by connecting them to GIRightsHotline.org and CenterOnConscience.org.
Vigil ending with GIRightsHotline.org banner.
Reminding Holloman folks we “Hate the Mission,” not them.
- Inspired by the Veterans For Peace REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS campaign the dominant overlying theme of the week was “REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS,” which was expressed in a large banner displayed often in the week, in the leaflets distributed in the community, in frequent dialogue with military, police/sheriff officers, and civilians. One vigil theme, repeated numerous times, began with the banner “YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS,” followed by a series of signs exemplifying relevant illegal orders, (Unprovoked War, Genocide, Occupation, Drone Killing, Regime Change, Bombing Fishing Boats, Forced Displacement, Torture, etc.)…and ended with one of our REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS banners.
Rainy Day Tuesday: “You Have A Duty to REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS”
- Tues. Morning, April 7: FREE SPEECH not FREE near a Military Base. During an on/off rainy morning a small group of activists brought the REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS vigil theme to the area approaching the main gate, just neighboring the visitor center, where any member of the public is normally allowed to park and visit. In the first two years of our SDDW protests, Holloman security had allowed us to stand to the side of the road in that area, with our messaging, as base personnel slowed their cars down to enter the base to work. Last year, a new blue line was painted and we were told we could no longer stand in that optimum area, as it was “trespassing.” On this morning, some of us decided to challenge this assault on our free speech rights. After all, our brave young citizens in uniform are taught that they risk their lives in wars to “defend our freedom,” yes? After some extended peaceful “turmoil” between Holloman security and some of the SDDW activists, Toby Blomé was ultimately handcuffed and detained for about 1.5 hours in the visitor center. She used this time to educate all the uniformed military in hearing range about war & peace, free speech, Democracy Now, Muhammad Ali & Vietnam, and GI resources to get legal support to “Get Out.,” and the “Duty to Disobey.” She was released without a citation, but given a verbal warning that she was banned from the base and would be arrested should she return.
Nonviolent Blockade of the West Gate, April 8, 2026
Unexpected response from “Angelic Troublemakers”
- April 8: DAY of NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE: Peaceful consecutive blockades of two gates during morning commute, communicated clearly to base personnel that our violent and illegal U.S. foreign policies AND targeted drone assassination are intolerable and must be stopped…“YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS”was the first message many base commuters saw that morning, followed by examples of illegal orders. About 7 activists held the west gate blockade for a good 20 min, with important support folks nearby, while traffic backed up. A State Trooper soon arrived, trying to politely convince us to not block the road. We had very meaningful dialogue with him and the handful of Holloman security who were in hearing range about the many reasons motivating us to be there. Ultimately, Otero County Sheriff arrived, arrest warnings were given, and we all cleared the road. We all quickly moved our vigil to the highway approach to the main gate. A handful of us soon proceeded up to the main gate to prepare for a second blockade. “REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS” and “Drone PIlots: REFUSE TO FLY” provided the primary barrier during the 2nd blockade at the main gate. Three peaceful protesters, Las Cruces activists Dylan Davis and Jonah Holquin, and SDDW coordinator, Toby Blomé, were ultimately arrested by base security, after about a 20 min. blockade, in which all 3 peacefully laid down in the street as security approached with cuffs. It was a peaceful but determined stance against the inhumanity of it all. Toby Blomé went “limp,” requiring 3 base security police to carry her away. All 3 were ultimately cuffed and removed from the roadway. A short while later, 2 other SDDW activists, Nick Mottern and New Mexico U.S. Senate candidate, Matt Dodson, were also arrested, without warning, for merely trying to hand out leaflets to drivers of cars stalled in the blockade. All five were placed in the same sheriff van and taken to Otero County jail. Nick Mottern, a MA resident, was released shortly after being processed due to a medical condition, but yesterday received a notice to appear in online court on May 1. The remaining four were charged with “Blocking a Roadway,” (a traffic violation with a maximum penalty of $25) and Ms. Blomé was given a second charge of “Criminal Trespassing” (max penalty of 364 days in jail & $1,000 fine, eligible for a jury trial). Toby refused the “required” body scanner for health concerns and was placed in solitary confinement for one day. After quietly refusing to eat the first two meals, she was told she would be put on “suicide watch” if she refused the third meal! All four were held for 3 days in inhumane conditions, then released a few hours after appearing by zoom before Judge Green and entering their pleas. Holding 3 people in jail for 3 days for a charge that has a maximum fine of only $25 is a crime itself. Dylan and Jonah pled No Contest and were released with charges dismissed. Toby and Matt pled not guilty & face an online pre-trial hearing in mid-May. READ: Dylan’s Eloquent Testimony about our Day of Resistance and the horrendous and inhumane conditions of the Otero County Detention Center.
- EDUCATING the COMMUNITY – Film screenings in Alamogordo: on April 6, National Bird (2016 documentary about 3 drone whistleblowers) and on April 10, Abby Martin’s new documentary, Earth’s Greatest Enemy, sparked thoughtful questions and discussions between SDDW participants and local residents.
“165 Iranian Children” Display at Alamogordo Library screening of “National Bird”
(Display provided by Sharat Lin)
- April 9: Party for Peace in the Park: Local musicians included Paul Pino and the Tone Daddies, and singer/songwriters Rhiannon Lace and Emily Dequina. Dozens of locals came, some dancing up a storm. A few shared poetry in the open mic, and intermingled with our SDDW community. Sharat Lin performed his beautiful Dance for Peace in his winged Monarch costume. Sadly, the four of us still in county jail missed out on the fun. Special thanks to SDDW team member and Alamo resident, Scott Thompson and local activist, for the incredible work they did to plan, prepare and execute this fun night that brought our communities together.
On the march in Alamogordo with our Las Cruces friends’ new banner:
STOP HOLLOMAN DRONE WARFARE – INVEST IN ALAMO!
- April 10: Alamogordo March & Rally – The SDDW organizing team is so grateful to the Las Cruces, NM peace & justice communities who collaborated together in organizing, preparing and leading the awesome Friday march & rally in Alamogordo. Check Out the cool poster they created below to promote the rally & march! The Friday event was organized by Las Cruces for Palestine, NMSU-Las Cruces Students for Palestine, Food Not Bombs and Party for Socialism and Liberation – Las Cruces.
Working together to Demilitarize our communities!
ATTACHED:
- MEDIA COVERAGE & PRESS RELEASE
- Poetic Commentary of SDDW Day 2, by Sharon Argenbright
- Recent Relevant Articles on Drone Warfare
More Photos to HERE
Thank you to all for the stronger connections that we have made with our Las Cruces allies this year, as well as the much stronger bonds we are nurturing with other New Mexico communities in Alamo, in Las Cruces and in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. TOGETHER WE WILL CREATE THE WORLD WE WANT TO SEE. The authorities came down hard on us this year with oppressive and illegal long detentions/arrests. But what they don’t realize is that our passion will outlive their oppression. We will only become stronger. We are a nonviolent force that can’t be stopped! SHUT DOWN DRONE ASSASSINATION, SHUT DOWN GENOCIDE & SHUT DOWN WAR!
Join us for the next SHUT DOWN DRONE WARFARE ACTION! Date TBD!
For a more just and peaceful world,
The Shut Down Drone Warfare Team:
Toby, Scott, Nick, Virginia, Bill, Fred, Charles, Edwina, and Greg
** MEDIA COVERAGE: (Great Local News Article)
2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News:
Santa Fe New Mexican:
Democratic Senate Candidate arrested, jailed at Alamogordo anti-drone protest
The above article includes: Jonathan Juárez, an Albuquerque political activist who has endorsed Dodson, lauded his actions in an Instagram post, writing Dodson is “willing to put his body on the line to confront the war machine. This is how the country responds to people who challenge the war machine, while those funding and carrying out endless war walk free.”
Alamogordo News – Front Page News Article of SDDW Week Attached Below.
Sharat Lin’s Indybay Article:
(SF) Protest Against Drone Warfare Closes Two Gates at Holloman Air Force Base
(LA) Protest Against Drone Warfare Closes Two Gates at Holloman Air Force Base
Also on San Jose Peace & Justice Center Website.
Veterans For Peace Facebook posts: (lots of engagement)
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1416091613894631&set=a.483284973841971
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AoEVnqJj5/
Peace & Planet News:
https://peaceandplanetnews.org/protest-closes-two-gates-at-holloman-air-force-base/
Several Local Radio Interviews with SDDW Team Members also done before, during, and after SDDW:
Including K-TAL (Las Cruces), and one scheduled this Thursday with Don Kimball’s “Friendly Fire – A Voice for Veterans.
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US Air Force outrageous FB commentary on our protest:
(Please take the time to add your own commentary to their comments!)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/275310917589751/posts/1493985765722254/
https://www.facebook.com/reel/937102745717465
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Local ALAMOGORDO NEWS: Front page coverage!
Poetic commentary by Sharon Argenbright, veteran nurse and VFP – Santa Fe member
SDDW
0600
Monday April 6
Set up the messages in the dark:
STOP DRONE ASSASSINATION
DRONE WARFARE IS TERRORISM &
ONE EARTH ONE PLANET STOP DRONE ATTACKS
Cars coming into work at Shut Down Drone Warfare AFB Holloman numbered well into the hundreds, sure seem to outnumber last year’s traffic.
Images being consciously taken in or taken in subliminally, etch into their thoughts & minds
We know the messages are raising consciousness.
Flyering at Albertsons: people are receptive. There is concern from a variety of the population. Most memorable is the couple, a wife & husband, an active duty Holloman airman who projected fear. Genuine fear.
Do victims of this exploitation & colonization of human beings have concerns & fears? This is palpable. Some show it & some behaviors indicating fear but displacing it with gunning their big truck guns or blowing black diesel smoke or flipping the bird. All behavior has meaning. How much is displayed & how it’s displayed is notable.
Cracking the consciousness is a way to education
Viewing of “National Bird” film & the tangible and heartfelt community support keep us anchored and on task of educating and the promoting on the end of drone warfare
Urgent news advisory.
April 8, 2026
Nick Mottern 914/806-6179, ; Co-founder Ban Killer Drones, Veterans For Peace MA
Scott Thompson 360/305-2832, , Veterans For Peace – Alamogordo
Toby Blomé 510/501-5412 , Coordination Shut Down Drone Warfare
Anti-Drone Activists – Including US Senate candidate – Arrested Wednesday at Largest U.S. Drone Training Base After Calling for End to Iran-Lebanon War, and
Military to Refuse Illegal Orders
Holloman AFB/Alamogordo, NM (9:34 a.m.) – Activists with Shut Down Drone Warfare blocked the gates to Holloman AFB Wednesday morning – five were eventually arrested at the main gate by State Police / Otero County Sheriff – at a massive demonstration protesting the U.S. war on Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza genocide. And urging the military to refuse illegal orders.
Three activists (Mari Blome, Dylan Davis and Jonah Holguim) blocked the entry road at a point on base property starting at 7:30 AM. They used two banners (“Refuse illegal Orders” and “Drone Pilots Refuse to Fly!”) to block the entire entry road for about 15 minutes.
While the traffic was stopped Nick Mottern (Vets For Peace) and Matt Dodson (Democratic candidate for US Senate in NM) walked along the stopped cars offering flyers explaining the reasons for the action and opposition to the drone killing program. The were subsequently arrested. They were not on base property.
All five arrestees were initially processed at the base Visitors Center near where the road had been blocked and transported the Otero Sheriff’s office or directly to jail for further processing.
It is the 4th annual spring peace convergence at Holloman AFB, NM, known as Shut Down Drone Warfare, a national mobilization, twice daily protests at the largest US drone training base during commute hours will highlight the total illegality of the Trump Administration’s U.S. foreign policies that violate numerous national and international laws.
The illegal and covert US drone program plays a critical role in the current conflicts in the Middle East. This year activists will call for the US military to refuse illegal orders, a duty required by their military code of conduct – See legal concerns about U.S. foreign policies and the Covert US Drone Program at end of release.
The week will include a community distribution of flyers in Alamogordo to educate people about the US drone program. The flyer includes a public letter to the base commander, Col. John T. Etheridge, asking him to stop enabling U.S. drone attacks and to stop training drone operators and pilots. It also gives resources where US military can get legal support in refusing illegal orders.
One of the visuals to be used during the week, a large pile of children’s shoes, will be a moving memorial to the 165+ Iranian children killed from two consecutive US missile attacks on their elementary school on the first day of the Iran war.
Activists will call on US military personnel to follow their conscience and disobey all illegal orders. Resources will be made available to those military seeking legal support for their right to refuse illegal orders. Daily commute hour vigils (6:30 – 8:30am, 3:30 – 5:30pm) will be multi-faceted, connecting the dots between unbridled US militarism and it’s critical role contributing to ecocide, climate chaos, global instability, and the illegality and immorality inherent in the covert US drone program.
One vigil will be devoted to addressing the lies that are used to promote these unjust policies.
From the 2.5 year long US-Israeli genocidal war on Gaza that has desecrated the land, leaving 2 million Palestinians homeless and gravely deprived of basic human needs, to the recent unprovoked wars on Iran and Lebanon that has destabilized the region, caused massive displacements of people (3+ million in Iran and 1+ million in Lebanon), and created an immediate global economic crisis, there are no winners under these policies, except for the war profiteers.
Because there are no longer any meaningful checks and balances and accountability within our branches of government, organizers believe that it is necessary for the people in the military to take an active role to reverse the hazardous trajectory that we’re on as a nation.
“We are here this week to personally appeal to members of the U.S. drone program to stop drone killing because Congress has failed in its responsibility to protect the world from U.S. drone attacks,” charged Nick Mottern, co-organizer of Shut Down Drone Warfare week.
Legal Concerns of Covert US Drone Program and US Foreign Policy:
· Each year, Holloman AFB trains about 600 operators of the MQ-9 Reaper drone, the workhorse of U.S. drone surveillance and killing. Reaper drones have provided visual and electronic monitoring for the U.S.-Israel bombardment against Iran, and undoubtedly have also attacked with Hellfire missiles and bombs. Since the bombardment started on Feb. 28, 2026, Iran has shot down at least 11 Reapers, at an average cost of $30-35 million each.
· The U.S.-Israel attacks against Iran violate international laws and U.S. domestic laws.
U.N. experts have “stressed that the unprovoked attack by the United States and Israel on Iran – carried out while negotiations were still ongoing and with the implicit or explicit endorsement of numerous States – is entirely illegal under international law and constitutes an act of aggression.”
The U.S-Israel attack also violates international laws against slaughter of civilians, assassination, killing without due process, destruction of civilian infrastructure and assaulting Iran’s right to self-determination. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/un-experts-denounce-aggression-iran-and-lebanon-warn-devastating-regional
The attack also violates the U.S. Constitution against going to war without approval of Congress https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trumps-iran-strikes-are-unconstitutional , the U.S. War Crimes Act of 1996 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/14/analysts-say-us-threat-of-no-quarter-for-iran-violates-international-law and U.S. laws prohibiting shipment of weapons to Israel because it is a perpetrator of genocide, assassination and other violations of human rights.
· Reaper drones and all weaponized drones are weapons that violate international law in being, implicitly, terrorizing, indiscriminate, disproportionate and in spreading armed conflict more widely than would be possible using conventional weapons, manned by humans, and in prolonging armed conflict longer that would otherwise be possible using conventional weapons and human armed forces. These assertions are supported by the experience of the use of weaponized drones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, the Ukraine-Russia, Gaza and Iran. See also: https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/09/ukraines-drone-milestone-shows-drones-prevent-defeat-dont-secure-victory/407846/
· The introduction of AI into the identification of targets, selection of targets and selection of weapons promises greater civilian casualties and gross military errors; Defense One reports: “As Pentagon rushes to deploy (AI), research suggests (AI) can undermine human thought and communication.” https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2026/03/military-ai-troops-judgement/412390/
· SHUT DOWN DRONE WARFARE urges U.S. drone operators and their commanders to refuse what are, in their judgement, illegal orders, as supported by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (UCMJ) https://www.ucmjlaw.com/disobey-a-superior-officer/ and https://nlgmltf.org/military-law/2025/faq-on-refusing-illegal-orders/
Shut Down Drone Warfare week is co-sponsored by Veterans For Peace, CODEPINK, and Ban Killer Drones. For more info: ShutDownDroneWarfare.org
Relevant Articles on Drone Warfare: