22,000 protest at gates of U.S. torture school

Protesters outside Ft. Benning, Ga. Photo: Al Viola

The annual protest at the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga., demanding the closing of the School of the Americas (SOA—now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security and Cooperation) drew record numbers and displayed the growing participation of young people from all across the country.

Among the many memorable and emotional elements of the multi-day event: survivors of torture at the hands of SOA graduates speaking of their brutal treatment; the sight of 1,000 grandmothers wearing white kerchiefs in the tradition of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo of Argentina, who stood with pictures of their “disappeared” children demanding accountability from their government; 117 U.S. veterans marching towards the gates of Fort Benning on the early morning of Nov. 19; the impact of thousand of voices intoning “presente” after the calling out of names of victims murdered by SOA-trained soldiers; and the magical appeal of giant puppets, dozens of drummers, and stilt walkers combined with contagious music and song from dozens of musicians.

As of Nov. 20, some 16 people, including three of the grandmothers, had entered onto base property and were arrested. They face up to six months in federal prison.

As evidence that the struggle to shut down the SOA is expanding, similar protests were held this weekend in Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, El Salvador, Colombia, Canada, Ireland and in the U.S.

For additional information, go to www.soaw.org.