Free Bradley Manning Protest in Menlo Park

Since Army PFC Bradley Manning’s arrest in May 2010 for allegedly sharing the “Collateral Murder” video and other evidence of war crimes and government corruption with the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks, progressives and human rights activists have been asking, “Why isn’t President Obama stepping in to help Bradley?”

In coordination with 25 cities nationwide, members of Peninsula Direct Action and supporters took their message to Democratic campaign headquarters in Menlo Park, California today. After protesting outside the office for over one hour, they convinced Mike Aydelott, Campaign Manager for the Democratic Volunteer Center, to take a prepared letter demanding that the President free Bradley Manning and send it to the President.

From outside the campaign headquarters, where Democrats were gathering to watch tv coverage of the Democratic National Convention, demonstrators addressed "our brothers and sisters" in the building via megaphone. "Why weren't you with us against the war?" they asked. One angry Democrat came out of the building and shook his finger at demonstrators. "Why don't you say something about Mitt Romney instead?" he asked.