Veterans lead protests at U.S. military bases

Guest article

This article is based on a report sent to us from Gerry Condon, who is on the Board of Directors of Veterans For Peace (VFP).

There was a great action on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Travis Air Force Base in northern California, part of ongoing actions by the People’s Arms Embargo, of which Veterans For Peace is a part. Our sizable group included people from many organizations.

We heard from a Palestinian doctor about the devastation of Gaza, the persecution of medical workers and the deep determination of the Palestinian people to be free.

We remembered the supreme sacrifice of Airman Aaron Bushnell, who self-immolated in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., one year ago, Feb. 25, 2024, saying he could not be complicit in genocide.

Several speakers denounced Trump’s unconstitutional misuse of the military in his racist campaign of mass deportation, calling it another form of “ethnic cleansing.”

At the demonstrations we said: “No to Genocide in Palestine. No to mass deportation in the U.S. We support GIs who say No!”

 Veterans held signs directing GIs to the  GI Rights Hotline, 1-877-447-4487, and to the Appeal For Redress, a way for active-duty military to communicate their concerns to members of Congress. encouraged by positive honks and cheers from people driving in and out of the base, we returned early Monday morning, Feb. 24, to greet GIs and civilians as they arrived for work.

And we will be back soon!