Protesters rally at Quantico in support of Manning

Singing “We Shall Overcome” and blowing whistles, about 150 activists marched outside Quantico Marine Corps base Monday to protest what they call the inhumane treatment of Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, accused of providing classified documents to the WikiLeaks website.

Military police officers, Town of Quantico and Prince William County lawmen stood by as the group crossed U.S. 1 and marched to the arch at the base entrance that reads "Quantico Crossroads of the Marine Corps." The protestors were not permitted to go past the arch.

“They’re exercising their First Amendment rights that the Marines that are standing here are sworn to uphold and defend and that falls under the Constitution,” said Quantico spokesman 1st Lt. Scott Villiard. “Good on them. They’ve got their beliefs. They should be able to express those beliefs. At the same time, we have responsibilities, and as long as they continue to exercise their free speech rights in a peaceful manner then everything will work out.”

Manning has been held at the Quantico brig since May and is awaiting a court martial on charges that he violated articles 92 and 134 of Uniform Code of Military Justice. He is charged with transferring classified data onto his personal computer and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system. He has also been charged with communicating, transmitting and delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source. If convicted, Manning faces up to 52 years in prison.

“We think that anybody who gets out information about the illegality of the wars the United States is engaged in is not somebody who should be behind bars,” said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the group CodePink: Women for Peace. “He is a hero to us. We believe there should be people behind bars now, but they are not the whistleblowers. They are the real criminals.”

Benjamin said the protestors are also concerned about how Manning is being treated while being held at the brig.

“He is in solitary confinement, no matter how the military wants to spin it. He is alone in his cell 23 hours a day. For us, that is inhumane treatment,” she said.

Benjamin noted that Manning has been held for more than seven months in pre-trial confinement.

“Bradley Manning deserves to have his day in court now,” she said. “He deserves to be treated humanly now.”

Cynthia Papermaster traveled from Berkley, Calif., to deliver a care package to Manning. The care package included a donated CD, CD player, boxer shorts, a book, chocolate, and a Snuggie.

“We understand he is under a very scratchy blanket that he gets rug burns from if he turns over during the night,” she said.

Papermaster tried to deliver the box, but was told to mail it to Manning.

Ray McGovern was among those who held signs that read “Free Bradley Manning.” 

“Keeping people awake all the time, keeping people in a very small cell, unable to exercise except an hour a day, if they’re allowed to do that, those are cruel and inhumane treatments which are not allowed for our troops are not allowed to do to prisoners of war, much less prisoners of conscience, which I believe Bradley Manning is.” 

Military editor Julia LeDoux can be reached at 703-369-5718.