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report of US embassy demo: GIVE UP THE TERRORISTS!

pescao | 14.06.2005 01:28 | Anti-militarism | Social Struggles | Terror War | Zapatista | London

around forty people came to a picket on monday afternoon outside the US embassy in london, to protest the protection of self-confessed terrorist luis posada. there were speakers from hands off venezuela, rock around the blockade, bolivia solidarity campaign and colombia solidarity campaign, as well as samba from rhythms of resistance.

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on this same day demonstrations were happening in fourteen US cities, including el paso, texas, where posada was in court on minor immigration charges. the ex-cia agent is wanted in venezuela for the bombing of a cuban airliner in 1976, which killed 73 people. in an interview with the new york times, he also confessed to being behind a string of hotel bombings in cuba in 1997, "so that the tourists don't come anymore". more on this scumbag (and the US demos) at  http://www.pephost.org/posada

pescao
- e-mail: pescao@thenewagenda.org
- Homepage: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/06/312792.html

Comments

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Thanks for being there

14.06.2005 02:08

Sorry I couldn't make it, got caught up in something else otherwise I'd have been there. I thought it would have got a fair number out but perhaps the advertising needed to go wider. Would have been nice to see a few different groups coming together on this one. Anyway, thanks for doing it.

b

report

17.06.2005 01:50

 http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/picket_us_embassy_london140605.htm

Bush give up the terrorists! Picket of the US embassy in London

By Hands Off Venezuela, Tuesday 14 June 2005

A group of about 40 activists protested outside the US embassy in London on Monday, June 13, demanding that Washington accepts the extradition request for Posada Carriles to Venezuela. Cuban-Venezuelan Luis Posada is wanted for blowing up an airliner in 1976, killing 73 people. He was arrested last month in the US, which is refusing to hand him over to Venezuela, where he escaped from jail. His partner in crime, Orlando Bosch, was given a presidential pardon by Bush the Elder and now lives in Miami, where they have named a street after him.

The protest picket, called jointly by Hands Off Venezuela, the Bolivian Solidarity Campaign and the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, also highlighted the hypocrisy of the US administration when it comes to dealing with "terrorists". In Colombia this year a total of seven US soldiers (including a colonel) have been arrested for, between them, selling ammunition to right-wing paramilitaries and attempting to smuggle cocaine into the US. Before the Colombian judiciary could blink, they were whisked out of the country to prevent further embarrassment and have not yet been charged with any crime.

Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada used to be President of Bolivia, before he ordered the massacre of peaceful protesters in 2003 and fled to Miami to escape the furious backlash. Bolivians want him tried for crimes against humanity, but that doesn't seem likely while he's protected by the US government, who immediately granted him political asylum.

The picket had been organised to coincide with an immigration hearing in El Paso, Texas, to decide Posada's fate. The case has become a major headache for George Bush, as Posada is hailed as a hero amongst the rich right-wing Castro-hating Miami Cubans who form a key component of his (and especially his brother's) base of support. However, refusal to extradite Posada will clearly make a mockery of the whole "War on Terror".

hands off venezuela
- Homepage: http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org