Hancock 17 Drone War Crimes Resisters' Verdict Is In

On Friday, February 7, Town of DeWitt Court Judge David Gideon found twelve of the Hancock Drone War Crimes Resisters guilty of disorderly conduct, but acquitted them of Trespassing. They had gone to Hancock Air National Guard Base near Syracuse, NY, on Oct. 25, 2012, to bring a Citizens War Crimes Indictment to the base and symbolically block the gates.  Their nonviolent action had called for an end to drone warfare.

Hundreds marched in a funeral procession in front of Hancock last April
 in commemoration of those killed by drone strikes.

 Saying, "At some point this has to stop," the judge gave the defendants the maximum sentence - 15 days in jail (starting immediately) and a $250 fine with a $125 court surcharge. He also imposed a two-year Order of Protection, prohibiting the defendants from going to the home, school, business or place of employment of Col. Earl A. Evans, Commander of Hancock's mission support group. Considering that the defendants had never met or knew of him before their arrest, it is clear the intent is to keep people away from the base.

Defendant Rae Kramer stated, "No person on the base was
 intimidated by us, that is clear. But the end result is to
 deprive me of my 1st Amendment Rights."

In their sentencing statements, the defendants spoke from their hearts and minds. Some reaffirmed their legal duties as citizens to stop war crimes:

Clare Grady said, "We went there to stop the war crimes. That was our intent." 

James Ricks hoped the judge would "sentence us to community
 service to investigate the war crimes they are committing at the base."

 Judy Bello said, "The people suffering are so
 significant...this requires a persistent response."

Mark Scibilia-Carver quoted the Pope saying "violence is a lie,"
 and "Faith and violence are incompatible."

Mark Colville challenged the Court, stating, "This
 court has been found guilty of stopping its ears
 to the laws that are in place to protect life.
 This court has been found guilty of stopping
it's ears to the voices of the victims of the drones."

The defendants were prepared for whatever sentence the judge imposed.

  In the words of Ed Kinane, "Any penalty this court

 can impose on me is trivial compared to the 

 sentences imposed on the drone victims."

Visit Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars to see inspiring videos of all of the sentencing statements.

New York State's 21st Congressional District: Living Under Drones?

by Joe Scarry

So here's an interesting question: the Federal Aviation Administration recently designated Griffiss International Airport near Rome, NY, as the hub of one of the first six designated drone testing locations in the country, in New York State.

Griffiss is located NW of Utica, near the southern edge of
New York State's 21st congressional district.

But where, exactly, are they going to be flying those drones?

If I lived in the northeast corner of New York State, I would be very concerned that I will soon be "living under drones."

You see, it takes a lot of space to test drones.  In fact, the military has grabbed so much of the states of New Mexico and Colorado for their test site that activists there have begun calling it "the Pentagon's 51st state."

Which is not to say that drone testing and training leaves people alone.  An infamous profile of drone training in New Mexico, published in The New York Times, shows just how "hands off" these activities are:

When I visited the base earlier this year with a small group of reporters, we were taken into a command post where a large flat-screen television was broadcasting a video feed from a drone flying overhead. It took a few seconds to figure out exactly what we were looking at. A white S.U.V. traveling along a highway adjacent to the base came into the cross hairs in the center of the screen and was tracked as it headed south along the desert road. When the S.U.V. drove out of the picture, the drone began following another car. 

“Wait, you guys practice tracking enemies by using civilian cars?” a reporter asked. One Air Force officer responded that this was only a training mission, and then the group was quickly hustled out of the room.

(See "The Drone Zone" by Mark Mazzetti, New York Times, July 6, 2012.)

And the new test site is not all. The district also lies a short distance from the site of Hancock Air Force base near Syracuse -- one of the main drone warfare operating centers in the U.S. and the site of ongoing protests by the large and growing community of antiwar activists in that area.

Hmmm ... drone base ... drone test site ... lots of space to test drones .... Will New York's 16,000 square mile 21st congressional district soon be claiming the state's motto -- "Excelsior!" (upward) -- for its exclusive use?

Excelsior!

A lot of candidates and party operatives are eying the 21st and pinning their political hopes on it.  If the people of the 21st want to stop the drones, now's the time.

In recent days, the state GOP has designated its chosen candidate to run for the House seat in the 21st district. Will Elise Stefanik put her foot down about drones over the skies of the 21st?

Or perhaps that task will fall to the GOP "rebel," Joe Gilbert, who says he will continue to run against Stefanik. says he expected the endorsement of Stefanik by the region’s GOP chairs.

“My campaign is rooted in our founding principles. It is the individual freedom, the individual political sovereignty where we the people are the masters of government, not the other way around. My guiding principle is the Constitution. My guiding principle is the Bill of Rights. Government exists to protect the individual rights of its citizens. And if I feel it is not doing that any longer, then I am going to stand up very strongly and say no. My mission all along has been to bring my message to the people and to the voters and that’s what I’m going to do.”

And there is no news yet who will run on the Democratic ticket. The seat in the 21st is expected to be heavily contested: the incumbent, Democrat Bill Owens, is retiring, and the seat has traditionally been held by a Republican. Moreover, due to redistricting the borders of the district are different than in recent years.

The primary in New York State is expected to be held June 24. 

Related posts


There will be elections for 435 House seats in 2014. In at least some of those races, U.S. surveillance, secrecy, and assassinations will be an issue.

Herewith an Insider's Guide to the 7 S's (surveillance, secrecy, and assassinations) in the 2014 Midterms.

(See Will the 2014 Midterms be a Referendum on Obama's Surveillance, Secrecy, and Assassinations? )

April 2013 -- Following the Convergence to Action, a weekend of workshops, panels, and organizing meetings in Syracuse headed by the Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars, nearly 300 activists came out to Hancock AFB on Sunday in a massive demonstration that helped to cap the nationwide April Days of Action Against Drones, which included events all throughout the state.

(See April Days of Action Against Drones Culminates with a conference in SYRACUSE and a massive demonstration at Hancock AFB- 31 arrested)

Events throughout New England were part of the April Days of Action Against Drones in 2013.

(See Boston, Maine, NH events during April Days of Action Against Drones)

Oct 23: Albany "No Drones" Workship with Rafia Zakaria

Workshop for Anti-Drone Activists

with Journalist Rafia Zakaria

 

Pakistani-American journalist for DAWN, Pakistan’s largest English-language paper. Also featured in NY Times, Huffington Post, The Nation & Al Jazeera. Lawyer & Director of Muslim Women’s Legal Defense Fund representing domestic violence survivors.   Rafia will also speak on:   Wed Oct 23, 2013   3:30-5 pm   The Impact of the War on Terror and Pakistani Women Assembly Hall, Campus Center University at Albany (Uptown Campus)   Co-sponsors: UAlbany Department of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies; UUP Albany Chapter (Peace & Justice Committee); UAlbany Peace Action     Thurs Oct 24, 2013  1- 2:20 PM   Women in Pakistan Bush Memorial Auditorium, Russell Sage College, Congress and First St., Troy Student Assembly - Public Welcome   Co-sponsors: The WORLD General Education Program and the Department of History and Society at Russell Sage College

Wed Oct 23, 2013   7 pm   Debunking the Myths of Drone Warfare: A Workshop for Activists   Westminster Presbyterian Church 85 Chestnut St. Albany   Co-sponsors: Fellowship of Reconciliation, Grannies for Peace, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace,   Interfaith Alliance of NYS Justice Committee of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Albany Province Muslim Solidarity Committee Palestinian Rights Committee Project SALAM UAlbany Peace Action Upper Hudson Peace Action Veterans for Peace         Rafia Zakaria’s Visit Organized by Women Against War Info@WomenAgainstWar.org

April Days of Action Against Drones in NEW YORK STATE

Upstate New York State has long been the center of resistance to drone militarism in the United States. The Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones has led protests at Hancock Air Force Base and other locations for years.

Now, actions throughout New York State will be instrumental in a nationwide month of resistance to drone killing and drone surveillance - the April Days of Action Against Drones. In addition, events will be taking place in New York City, and elsewhere in the state. Find an event near you in the list below and GET INVOLVED!

UPDATE: Judy Bello of Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars appeared with Noor Mir of CODEPINK on Clearing the Fog Radio to discuss the impacts of drone warfare and promote the upcoming Convergence for Inspiration and Actions in Syracuse!

SYRACUSE - April 26, 2013 - Resisting Global Wars, Drones and Empire, A Convergence for Inspiration and Actions: April 26-28: Syracuse NY Friday evening we will come together Saturday we will have speakers and activities throughout the day Chris Hedges, Ann Wright, Kathy Kelly, David Swanson, Bruce Gagnon, Debra Sweet, Nick Mottern are among our speakers Sunday we will protest at Hancock National Guard Air Base Refer to http://upstatedroneaction.org for updated information

UPDATE: Hancock Air National Guard Base commander requests restraining order against peaceful anti-drone demonstrators.

GREENLAWN - April 30, 2013 - Not In My Neighborhood! Expose BAE's Drones! Street Theatre Actions: Looking for MORE participants! DATES/TIMES: whatever's good for all participants! (ACTUAL DATES/TIMES is NOT NECCESARILY APRIL 30). Across the street from BAE on the public grass buffer strip along the south side of Pulaski Rd in Greenlawn. We have done this before in this same location, with an installation of a mock graveyard of drone victims, complete with headstones and dark-clothed mourners and message signs, on the buffer strip facing commuter traffic. It was a really successful head-turner/car-stopper! Contact Occupy Huntington at 631-486-4818 or woodge1'at' hotmail.com

NEW PALTZ - April 13, 2013 - Drone Protest: Join our picket line with signs visible to busy traffic at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Elting Library (Main St. across from Starbucks). At 12 noon, march with signs and leaflets through the business district (about a half hour). Organized by the Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter. Info jacdon@earthlink.net, activistnewsletter.blogspot.com/. Two public parking lots on Plattekill Ave., including at Village Hall.

NEW YORK CITY - April 3, 2013 - Peace Grannies Anti-Drone protest: All New York City peace grandmothers and supporters and other interested parties will met April 3 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Grandmothers Against the War vigil site at Rockefeller Center, the west side of 5th Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts. So far, Col. Ann Wright has agreed to speak. We will have drone models, banners and signs and, hopefully, some media. Participants will include the Granny Peace Brigade, Raging Grannies, Grandmothers Against the War, Grey Panthers, and many others.

April 9, 2013 - Protest Cornell-Technion Partnership in NYC: New Yorkers Against the Cornell-Technion Partnership will conduct their monthly protest, which will include a protest of Technion's development of drones. See: http://nyact.net/

April 25, 2013 - DRONE PROTEST L-3 COMMUNICATIONS: Join the protest at the headquarters L-3 Communications, of one of the 10 largest military contractors, 600 Third Avenue, calling out their work on attack drones and drone surveillance.

PORT JEFFERSON - March 30, 2013 - A March to End War and Violence: Join the North Country Peace Group as we march to end war and violence and to end the killing of innocent people using drone warfare.

ROCHESTER - April 10, 2013 - Ground the Drones: We will protest drone murders, around the world, at our bi monthly anti drone vigil. Our model Reaper will hover over us, as we hold signs with photos and names of some of the drone murdered. We will hand out informational flyers, and talk to people who are only now finding out about drone warfare. 12 Corners, at Monroe Avenue, Brighton

(Add additional New York State events to the master list of national April Days of Action actions.)

Read about ALL the ways YOU can be involved 

in the April Days of Action Against Drones!

April Days of Action Against Drones Culminates with a conference in SYRACUSE and a massive demonstration at Hancock AFB- 31 arrested

Following the Convergence to Action, a weekend of workshops, panels, and organizing meetings in Syracuse headed by the Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars, nearly 300 activists came out to Hancock AFB on Sunday (4/28) in a massive demonstration that helped to cap the nationwide April Days of Action Against Drones, which included events all throughout the state.

Over 275 people marched in a solemn funeral
 procession to demand that Hancock Air National Guard
 Base cease drone strikes. 

People carrying banners and coffins identified countries
 where U.S. drone attacks have killed over a thousand innocent civilians.

Vivid reminder that many of the civilians
 killed by drone strikes are children.

Demonstrators came from all over the country to raise an outcry against the proliferation of drone strikes abroad, including in countries with whom the US is not "officially" at war. Drone use violates article 6 of the US Constitution as well as International Law. Demonstrators also objected to the militarization of the police and the growing domestic use of drones. The protesters raised the issue that drone use globally actually perpetuates terrorism by stoking anti-American sentiment.

"STOP KILLER DRONES"

Veterans for Peace played a significant role in the demonstration,
as it has throughout the April Days of Action Against Drones.

The history of  demonstrations against the use of
 drones at Hancock apparently created the
 perceived need for a large police presence.

An account by Bruce K. Gagnon describes what happened next:

"After we had moved to the base in a slow funeral procession four of us from Veterans For Peace (VFP) stood next to the yellow crime scene tape the military and the local police used to mark the point we were not allowed to pass without risk of arrest. 

"A large number of activists crossed this line and
 performed a die-in blocking the entrance to the base.
  They covered themselves in white sheets smeared in red."

"While a policeman was issuing a warning with a bullhorn
 the four of us from VFP began reading the names of children
 killed by US drone strikes in Pakistan."

  "Once we finished reading the names we stepped over the line
 and were quickly grabbed by the cops, handcuffed, and
 escorted to the waiting big black police bus."  

Demonstrators delivered a war crimes indictment to the base. It reads:

"We, the people, charge the US President, Barack Obama, and the full military chain of command, to Commander Colonel Greg Semmel, every drone crew, and service members at Hancock Air Base, with crimes against humanity, with violations of part of the Supreme Law of the Land, extrajudicial killings, violation of due process, wars of aggression, violation national sovereignty, and killing of innocent civilians."

Even with 31 demonstrators arrested, hundreds remained to
 deliver the message that "We STILL Will not be Complicit"
 in war crimes committed in the name of U.S. imperialism.

The thirty one arrestees were arraigned in De Witt Town Court before Judges Benack, Gideon, and Jokl, who imposed bails ranging from $500 - $3500, totalling $34,000. As Bruce Gagnon notes, the bails were punitively high and were accompanied by abusive treatment of those in jail and waiting for arraignment. Some of the defendants were released with appearance tickets   Others are refusing to post bail and will be held in jail until the next court date of May 7th & 8th.

Those Arrested:

Beth Adams, Levertt, MA

John Amidon, Albany, NY

Cynthia Banas, Vernon, NY

Ellen Barfield, Baltimore, MD

Russell Brown, Buffalo, NY

Kate De Mott Grady, Ithaca, NY

Beatrice Dewing, New York City, NY

Max Farhi, Ithaca, NY

Sandra Fessler, Rochester, NY

Daniel Finley, Ithaca, NY

Bruce Gagnon, Brunswick, ME

Jack Gilroy, Binghamton, NY

Charlie Heyn, Damascus, PA

John Honeck, Hamlin, NY

Rae Kramer, Syracuse, NY

Joanne Lingle, Indianapolis, IN

Mary Loehr, Ithaca, NY

Bonnie Mahoney, Buffalo, NY

Harry Murray, Rochester, NY

Valerie Niederhoffer, Buffalo, NY

Julienne Oldfield, Syracuse, NY

Jules Orkin, Bergenfield, NJ

Elizabeth Pappalardo, Crystal Lake, DE

Joan Pleune, Brooklyn, NY

Beverly Rice

Grace Ritter, Ithaca, NY

Matthew Ryden

Andrew Schoerke, Shaftsbury, VT

Mary Snyder, Johnson City, NY

Eve Tetaz, Washington, DC

Patricia Wieland, Northampton, MA

Donations may be sent to the Syracuse Peace Council, with checks made out to Syracuse Peace Council, note: Upstate Drone Action Bail Fund.  2013 E. Genessee St., Syracuse, NY 13210.

For more information:

Carol Baum, Syracuse Peace Council, 315-472-5478, 315-383-5738

Ellen Grady, Ithaca Catholic Worker, 607-279-8303

To see the report in local news, click here.
For video of the demonstrations, click here.

April Days of Action Against Drones are only the beginning of the fight against U.S. imperialism and the illegal killing that perpetuates it.

To get involved, check out the No Drones Network or subscribe to get e-mails about impending anti-drone actions.

Hancock AFB Commander requests "order of protection" from anti-drone activists

The truth hurts. At least, apparently for Colonel Earl Evans, commander of the Hancock Air National Guard Base in DeWitt. As reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard, Col. Evans has applied for and been granted a restraining order against 17 anti-drone peace activists from the Syracuse area, in retaliation for their peaceful demonstrations against the civilian carnage resulting in countries around the world from U.S. drone strikes.

Col. Evans has requested protection from 17 activists against
 their approaching Hancock AFB to protest its role as a drone
 base; a luxury unavailable to people whose lives are
threatened by drones piloted under Evans' command.

This move by Evans comes in the wake of ongoing demonstrations across the street from the base, and a recent protest in which 37 activists were arrested for blocking one of the base's gates. As noted by local drone resister John Hamilton, the irony is palpable:

 "Clearly the intent is to keep us away from his ‘place of employment’, the military base.  However, he is a government official, and the first amendment doesn’t say, ‘you can petition your government once… and after that it’s a felony.’

This is of course a pure perversion of the restraining order laws, and therefore illegal in itself.  Judge Benack, who issued these, and Judge Jokl who is enforcing them should, and soon will be ashamed of themselves.

Having the full force of the $700 billion a year US military to protect him is, apparently, to our trembling commander, but a weak shadow.  The plaintiff commander also requires the full force of the sheriff’s department, and the local courts to let him sleep easy.

Makes you wonder, doesn’t it, why his sleep is so fitful and his days troubled.  Makes you wonder why he’s so frightened of peaceful us citizens who stand before him only with signs and truth.

The killer  drones this commander commands are actually completely illegal, immoral, and are, according to the UN, undermining all  human law, by ignoring laws against extrajudicial  (outside the law) killings.  These are very serious offenses against common sense and common morality. Indeed as law-abiding citizens we are required by US law, customary international law, and the long established Nuremberg principles, to stop these illegal activities wherever they occur."

Local activists targeted by the order have filed a lawsuit in the state supreme court against Donald Benack, Jr. and Robert Jokl, Jr., the DeWitt judges who made the choice to threaten these citizens with felony charges for exercising their first amendment rights in protesting the unjust and illegal killing being perpetrated by drones in the name of the "war on terror."

Demonstrators peacefully submit to arrest after blocking the
 gate at Hancock Air National Guard Base.

April Days of Action Against Drones continue with the Convergence for Action and Inspiration against drone warfare in Syracuse this weekend. which will conclude with a return to demonstrate at the gates of Hancock Air National Guard Base!

April Days of Action Against Drones in New York

Noor Mir

Judy Bello of Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones joined Noor Mir of CODEPINK  April 15th on Clearing the Fog Radio with Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, MD. Mir discussed at length the challenges of documenting civilian casualties of Drone Strikes in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA): 

"what people don’t often realize is that these tribal territories are already so excluded from the urban centers of Pakistan that when these drone strikes happen it’s really very difficult to have a record of them or to bring that kind of narrative out to larger news sources, so these stories get lost."

Mir continued by describing in detail the traumatic effects of living under drone warfare:

"It is a visceral hatred…if you kill civilians and ruin [a home] you’re bound to create enemies”

“On the ground I see anxiety about the violation of their sovereignity and just a general fear and terror…just the psychological effects on the families of the victims I’ve spoken to, they talk about how the buzzing just never goes away…the administration targets group of people that are moving, so that’s why children never go to school and why funerals just aren’t held anymore."  

Judy Bello

Bello applied her experience visiting the FATA to communicate a sense of the isolation of the region, even from the urban populations of Pakistan. 

The remainder of the show focused on how activists in the U.S. have been protesting the killing of civilians in violation of international law, through the April Days of Action Against Drones. Mir gave accounts of the recent protests in San Diego and Washington, D.C..

Bello described the ways in which the anti-drone movement, with the help of the Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones, has been bringing the anti-drone message to upstate New York. She gave her account of a recent protest at Hancock AFB near Syracuse, a site of drone operation. Many of those demonstrating were arrested while blocking the gate to the base, and Bello described how they used their day in court as a platform to highlight the violations of international law entailed by U.S. drone warfare. 

Demonstrators arrested while blocking the gate to Hancock AFB

The momentum will continue with a Convergence to Action taking place at Syracuse's Southwest Community Center from April 26th-28th. The weekend will include panels on drone warfare, workshops on political organizing, and social events and will conclude on Sunday, 4/28 at 12:30 with a demonstration at Hancock AFB followed by a solemn procession around the base at 2.

To hear the full show, click here!

To learn more about the Convergence, visit the Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones

(For rides to the Convergence, contact Ann Glick at aglick@hotmail.com)

April Days of Action Against Drones continues nationwide! How will YOU get involved?