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Indybay Feature

Orange Jumpsuit Protest in Palo Alto Marks Opening of Guantánamo 11 Years Ago Today

by Ruth Stevens
January 11, 2013: Today is the day the unlawful prison Guantánamo opened 11 years ago. A protest organized by Amnesty International Chapter 19 was held in Palo Alto's Lytton Plaza. Protesters demonstrated to remind President Obama of his promise to shut down Guantánamo prison and uphold human rights.
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Participants from many groups gathered in busy downtown Palo Alto today to gather signatures and draw attention to the human rights abuses that continue in Guantánamo. Amongst the demonstrators were members of high school chapters of Amnesty International at Lynbrook and Mountain View High Schools and members of the San Jose and Palo Alto Peace and Justice Centers.

Eight Raging Grannies armed with an amplifier emceed the event and led singing.

Amnesty International's very active Chapter 19 organized the protest, erecting a "cage" and supplying the orange jumpsuits to create a powerful visual for the demonstration.

Together the groups publicized their demands:

*all detained people must either be charged & fairly tried, or be released

*the cases of the publicly cleared detainees, including Shaker Aamer & Djamel Ameziane must be resolved

*End indefinite detention & remove detention provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act

*End unlawful killings with drones and other weapons

*Ensure accountability for torture, unlawful killings & other abuses
§banner: ready to unroll
by Ruth Stevens
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Maher Arar suffered torture because of the actions of U.S. officials. Demonstrators urged President Obama and Congress to apologize to Maher Arar and used this banner to bring attention to the case
§H.S. students donned orange
by Ruth Stevens
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§A Raging Granny and her orange sign glow
by Ruth Stevens
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§One of the Grannies is in an orange jumpsuit
by Ruth Stevens
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§Caged
by Ruth Stevens
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§Who will get in the cage next?
by Ruth Stevens
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§Some of the Mountain View H.S. students
by Ruth Stevens
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§H.S. students interview with corporate media
by Ruth Stevens
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§Collecting signatures at literature table
by Ruth Stevens
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§inviting speakers up to the mic
by Ruth Stevens
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§Student observers
by Ruth Stevens
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§PROSECUTE
by Ruth Stevens
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Bush, Rice, Yoo, and more
§As the protest draws to a close...
by Ruth Stevens
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Final message: Torture is INHUMANE
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