Fall Action, 2024

Report Back:
 
SHUT DOWN DRONE WARFARE
Fall Action, October 13-19, 2024

Creech Killer Drone AFB, Southern Nevada
co-sponsored by Veterans for Peace, CODEPINK and Ban Killer Drones
 
Our Hearts & Minds Are With Palestine during this Horrific Time in Human History!                   FREE PALESTINE NOW!
 
Full report and press release attached at end of this page.   
But first, the videos and photos:
 
 
VIDEOS & MEDIA:
 
Day of PEACEFUL Resistance, Wed, October 16: 
    -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.) 
    -Are the Police Serving Us?  (30 sec)

SOCIAL MEDIA:
   -A Passionate Message from GAZA!  Delivered by Colleen, CODEPINK, Las Vegas

MEDIA COVERAGE:
   -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)
 
 
PHOTOS TELL THE STORY:
 

    "Telling It Like It Is” at Creech Killer Drone Base, Fall Action, 2024
 

 

 
"Our Audience":  A mile long train of hundreds of cars that enter and leave Creech Killer base every weekday.
 
"Camp Justice," Our Little Peace Encampment, directly across from Creech Killer Drone Base
 
Appreciating the shade from our Canopy in 90+ degrees
 

 
"WAR IS A LIE" vigil
 
 
Michael brought his Veterans For Peace flag to every vigil!
 
 
"WAR IS NOT GREEN" vigil;  Many "CREECHERS" of the earth joined us...

                                                                        
                                   The "Creechers" join our vigil and stand with the Planet...
 Amy and the desert Bighorn Sheep
 
Phoebe with cranes & dragon
 
 Colleen escorted by Mr. Snake!  
 
Tiger and Rabbit cohabitate with Fred
 

Thank You Karen & Colleen, with CODEPINK Las Vegas, who joined our vigils numerous times!
 
Phoebe's first time at SDDW/Creech AFB
 
 
GI Support and Education is part of our mission and goals...this includes raising awareness of the harm militarism and drone warfare has on military personnel.  Signage for GI Rights Hotline, and other important messages were displayed during the week:

 

 
PEACEFUL DAY OF RESISTANCE, October 16:
Putting the Tragedy of Genocide in Palestine Front and Center 
 
 

 

 
 
 
Virginia Honoring Aaron Bushnell:  "I will no longer be complicit in genocide."
"FREE PALESTINE!"

Toby gets cited & released, fortunately bypassing Las Vegas jail!

We had a very successful week; though our numbers were small, our impact was big!
  
Will you join us for our Spring Action at Holloman Drone Training Base in Southern New Mexico where 700+ drone pilots and operators graduate every year?    April 19-26, 2025
 
FULL REPORT BACK of Fall Action, 2024:
by Toby Blomé
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Nico Colombant and Kari Barber’s documentary, Battles Beyond the Horizon, highlighting our 15 years of Anti-Drone work at Creech AFB, now available online HERE!
 
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 Tiktok and Instagram, resulting in thousands of views!  Thank you Karen Pettit and Colleen for your valuable contributions!

Highlights of our Week of Resistance:
Our Successes:
-Great media coverage during an election season, including DemocracyNow.org and pre-event coverage on KPFA in Berkeley! 
-Impactful vigils throughout week, including:  “Drone Attacks Are...”,  “War is a Lie,” "War is Not Green/Creechers 4 the Climate,” Day of Resistance:  STOP DRONING GAZA (“Food to Gaza, not Weapons to Israel").
       -Mon, Oct. 13, we joined NevadaDesertExperience.org "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 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, strong windstorm on last night and day, no refrigeration, roughing it style camping, and 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 & "restoration space"; a local who provided "Freezer support" to replenish ice for our coolers; and so many others who provided in much needed ways!
-Good connections made with Creech personnel thanks to our “friendship greeter,” Oregon's Amy Merryday, who donned herself with lots of pink and offered good-hearted love and kindness dailyo!
-Michael Kerr successfully towed our port-a-potty from Las Vegas and back with his Toyota  Prius without misshap!
-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 and the horrors of remote killing by drones.  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 to offer travel stipends and other expenses: Thank you Kathy Labriola, Ray Cage, VFP-Albuquerque, Bruce Radtke, and Maggie Huntington.  Most importantly: extra special thanks to the Creecher campers who took the time in their lives to be there (Michael, Amy, Fred, Diana, Phoebe, and Shirley, and to our Las Vegas friends and allies who participated when they could!  We did it!

We will return…until militarized drones are grounded for good!

Toby & Virginia
SDDW Fall Action Coordinating Team
 
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!)
 
 
Our Media Release:

VERY URGENT NEWS ADVISOR
WEDNESDAY, Oct 16, 2024
  
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

Just prior to arrest


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.

Co-sponsored by CODEPINKVeterans for Peace and Ban Killer Drones

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 








 

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