By Tobey Blome, October 29, 2024
co-sponsored by: Veterans for Peace, CODEPINK and Ban Killer Drones
IT WAS A SUCCESS!
Highlights of our peaceful DAY OF RESISTANCE: –The Initial Blockade (2 min)
–A Passionate Message from GAZA to Creech! Delivered by Colleen, CODEPINK, Las Vegas
PROSECUTE Col. Pederson 4 WAR CRIMES(1 min.)
– Speaking to the Police and Arrest (2 min)
– Are the Police Serving Us? (30 sec)
SOCIAL MEDIA: (Thousands viewed on Tiktok & Instagram)
– A Passionate Message from GAZA! Delivered by Colleen, CODEPINK, Las Vegas
– Singing for the Children of GAZA!
– –Toby’s Arrest
MEDIA COVERAGE: (PR below)
-Headlines and photos on Democracy Now HERE (at 9:28 min)
–KPFA Pacifica Radio Evening News, 5 min. story, HERE (at 8:30 min.)
(Featuring Diana Cabcabin)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Nico Colombant and Kari Barber’s documentary, Battles Beyond the Horizon, highlighting our 15 years of our Anti-Drone work at Creech AFB, now available online HERE
Report Back by Toby Blomé
A small group of committed activists converged in the southern desert at Creech Killer Drone Base, Oct. 13-19, for a week of resistance to the illegal US Drone Assassination Program. They traveled from as far away as Oregon, Northern California, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Some participated in the entire week, others came when they could, but they shared one thing in common: an abhorrence to the inhumanity and illegality of the U.S. drone program that takes human life remotely and covertly from thousands of miles away.
Some of the week’s commute hour vigils emphasized the horrors of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, being assisted remotely by U.S. drone pilots and operators. The week culminated on Wednesday in a nonviolent blockade of the entrance road, temporarily halting business as usual at the base with a large banner: “SEND FOOD to GAZA, not WEAPONS to ISRAEL“.
Most blockaders, unable to fully risk arrest, participated until police gave dispersal orders. Colleen, of CODEPINK Las Vegas, remained long enough to deliver a passionate message from Palestine HERE. Toby Blomé held the blockade for as long as possible, displaying a sign directed at the Creech AFB commander: “PROSECUTE Col.Pederson 4 War Crimes.” She was arrested in the company of 15+ Las Vegas police officers, detained for an hour, then cited and released, thankfully avoiding an undesirable stay in the Las Vegas jail!
The beginning of the week started out well, with Las Vegas police exhibiting more tolerant and less controlling oversight to our peaceful activities compared to recent years. It was refreshing to learn that a new officer, Lieutenant Bleak, was in charge of our week of protests.. We welcomed that change after more difficult recent years under the previous officer in charge, who had a history of unprofessional practices at times.
Members from a new CODEPINK Las Vegas chapter joined us multiple times, bringing younger and vibrant energy and posting our actions on Tic Tok and Instagram, resulting in thousands of views! Thank you Karen and Colleen for your valuable contributions.
Highlights of our Week of Resistance:
Our Successes:
-Great media coverage during an election season, including Democracy Now.org and pre-event coverage on KPFA Pacifica radio in Berkeley!
-Impactful vigils throughout week, including: “Drone Attacks Are…”, “War is a Lie,” “Creechers for the Climate/War is Not Green,” Day of Resistance: STOP DRONING GAZA (“Food to Gaza, not Weapons to Israel).
-Mon, Oct. 13, we joined “Justice For Our Desert” sunrise action at the Nevada Test Site to oppose U.S. ongoing and illegal nuclear weapons research & development.
Diana led a fun fan-making workshop, bringing more “creechers” to our WAR is not GREEN vigil.
–We survived the heat! (94 degrees early in week)
–We supported each other under challenging conditions (No running water, Windstorm on last day, no refrigeration, roughing it camping, little shade. (Thank you Karen Pettit for that canopy and Michael Kerr for those umbrella-covered portable picnic tables!)
–The desert wind goddesses were kind….only one super windy day!
–Great support from: NevadaDesertExperience.org for much needed extra supplies; Areeya from the Goddess Temple, offering shower access and “restoration space”; a local resident who provided “Freezer support” for our coolers, and so many others!
–Good connections made with Creech personnel thanks to or “friendship greeter,” Oregon’s Amy Merryday, who donned herself with lots of pink and offered good-hearted love and kindness!
–Michael Kerr successfully towed our port-a-potty from Las Vegas to/from Creech with his Toyota Prius!
–Kinder and fairer oversight by Las Vegas police overall, and no one was sent to the Las Vegas jail!
Lastly, WE MADE A DIFFERENCE on the base, on the highway and elsewhere….likely many conversations took place at Creech, in town and later with family members and friends because we were there to question the unacceptable status quo of U.S. militarism.
FREE PALESTINE NOW!
GRATITUDE:
So much gratitude to so many people who helped make this all possible, including the generous donors who provided the necessary funds for travel stipends and other expenses: Thank you Kathy Labriola, Ray Cage, VFP-Albuquerque, Bruce Radtke, and Maggie Huntington. Extra special thanks to the Creecher campers who took the time in their lives to be there and our Las Vegas friends and allies who participated when they could! We did it!
We will return…until militarize drones are grounded for good!
Toby, Virginia, Fred, Michael, Amy, Diana, Phoebe, and Shirley, www.ShutDownDroneWarfare.org
Join our Spring Action Week, 2025: April 19-26, 2025
Holloman Drone Training Base, Southern NM
(The largest drone training base in the U.S., where 700+ drone pilots and operators graduate annually!)
MEDIA RELEASE: VERY URGENT NEWS ADVISOR
WEDNESDAY, Oct 16, 2024 Contacts throughout week:
- Toby Blomé, Ban Killer Drones, 510-501-5412,
- Virginia Hauflaire, CODEPINK, (602) 403-7576,
- Fred Bialy, 510-541-6874
- FMI: www.ShutDownDroneWarfare.org
Anti-Drone Warfare Activists Blockaded Entrance to Creech AFB, Central Drone Base in Nevada, to Oppose U.S. Drone Role in Aiding Israel’s Genocide in Gaza.
One Activist Arrested, Cited and Released.
Creech AFB, NV (Wednesday, Oct. 16) – Activists from 4 Western states converged at Creech Air Force Base, a key control base in the U.S. drone assassination program, for a week of protest during am and pm commute hours; the emphasis was to nonviolently oppose the role of US drones in aiding Israel’s ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza, an extremely covert mission, without the awareness or consent of the American public. Recent polls indicate that the majority of Americans currently oppose U.S. support of Israel in the conflict. The event was sponsored by Veterans For Peace, CODEPINK and Ban Killer Drones.
On Wednesday morning the protesters escalated their resistance by blockading the entrance road to the base while holding a long banner that read “Send Food to Gaza, No Weapons to Israel.” Traffic quickly backed up along highway 95, and 1-2 dozen Las Vegas Metropolitan Police surrounded the protest area, while giving orders to disperse.
Ultimately one activist, Toby Blomé from SF Bay Area, was arrested, held for an hour and ultimately cited and released.
“As a longtime peace activist opposing my country’s military campaigns over the last many decades, I am shocked and traumatized at the intensity and scale of the indiscriminate violence and devastation being committed by Israel against the people of Palestine. Over 80% of the homes and nearly all the hospitals have been demolished in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly fired missiles into schools and shelters providing refuge for the displaced. Humanitarian workers and journalists are being intentionally targeted, as well as those desparately seeking food,” say Toby Blomé. “As Americans with any kind of conscience at all, we must act swiftly to help put a halt to this horrific cruelty.”
Photos and video available HERE:
More videos here:
Initial blockade
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelKerrMEKorganic/videos/455792934186262
Just prior to arrest
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelKerrMEKorganic/videos/3254813491320255
The week of peaceful protest at Creech AFB is part of a larger ongoing anti-drone campaign known as Shut Down Drone Warfare (SDDW).
One participant this week, Fred Bialy, a retired physician who served the public for 30 years as an emergency physician says,
“Creech AFB has been integral to the U.S. drone assassination program for many years. It is responsible for the deaths of untold many who have no connection to ‘terrorist activities.’ Many Air Force personnel involved in the program suffer from moral injury as a participant in this illegal, immoral and inhumane program. It’s high time to shut down this program to protect lives and repair the U.S.’s standing in the world community.”
One protest sign used during the week was a large sign honoring the life of Aaron Bushnell, a young airman who self-immolated last April in protest of U.S. complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. “I will no longer be complicit in genocide…”, were Aaron’s last words. “We must halt this horrific violence before more veterans take their lives,” say the organizers.
CODEPINK, , Veterans for Peace, and Ban Killer Drones
