Two US Air Force Bases Shut Down to Protest
US Complicity in Israeli Genocide in Gaza
Wynd Kaufmyn and Toby Blomé / CODEPINK
(March 15, 2024) — On Thursday, March 14, our Shut Down Travis coalition, that included members of CODEPINK, Occupy Beale, and others, simultaneously orchestrated nonviolent blockades at two US military bases, Travis AFB and Beale AFB, to oppose and interfere with US complicity in the Israeli-led genocide in Gaza. Travis directly transports US weapons to Israel.
We are a new and evolving coalition of Northern California organizations collaborating loosely in solidarity with Palestinian resistance and to oppose the US War Machine. Thursday’s joint effort may be the first time in US history where activists have coordinated simultaneous blockades of more than one US military base. If anyone knows of a similar occurrence in the US history please contact us. Attached are the two independent reports from Thursday’s action. Please reach out to us to join this campaign!
See this excellent article in the Vallejo Sun.
Peace Demo Shuts Down Travis Air Base
FAIRFIELD, Calif. On March 14, a small contingent of activists arrived unannounced at Travis Air Force Base at the pre-dawn hour of 5:30 am. They attempted to block the wide 3-lane road entering the main gate but quickly realized that the darkness, the speed of the cars (many going way over the posted speed limit), the strong winds, and our small numbers made this much too dangerous. In addition, a couple of very aggressive drivers heightened the concern for safety.
The activists then moved to the side of the road with posters, flags, and a massive banner that read, “STOP TRAVIS: NO US WEAPONS FOR GENOCIDE: STOP ILLEGAL WAR CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS.” On the other side was a bigger than life-size poster of Aaron Bushnell with his last words: “I will no longer be complicit in genocide… Free Palestine.”
Aaron was the 25 year young active duty US airmen who, on February 24, in an extreme act of protest, set himself on fire to expose US complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Five of the activists took another long banner, “STOP GENOCIDE,” to a nearby side entrance into the “Hospital Gate,” and briefly shut it down. Soon after, the Fairfield police arrived to warn us that arrests would be made if we continued to block roads.
Note Military Police Vehicle with “Caution: Military Working Dog” written on the vehicle!
Meanwhile, at the stop light leading into the Main Gate, with each green crossing light, a small group of activists walked into the crosswalk with the posters, flags and the banner, “FOOD TO GAZA, NOT WEAPONS TO ISRAEL,” making eye contact and chanting at the cars lining up at each red light.
At about 8:00 AM, some of the activists regrouped at the Travis Air Force Base North Gate and proceeded to block traffic on the narrow two-lane road going into the base with their massive banner. The successful blockade lasted for nearly an hour, under extremely severe wind gusts.
Our Leaflet
Together, in solidarity with Palestine, we will continue to organize protests at US military bases against US supported genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, and for Mother Earth! DEMILITARIZE OUR PLANET NOW! Please reach out and join our campaign!
Drivers stalled by the blockade were offered a granola bar, an educational card and a leaflet explaining the purpose of our action. Martha Hubert reported that 25-30 drivers accepted, and that no one was disrespectful. Some engaged in conversation with her.
Eventually Fairfield police arrived in riot gear, with helmets and batons in hand. The 3 remaining in the roadway after the warning was given were quickly arrested at around 9:30am: Toby Blomé, Fred Bialy, and Wynd Kaufmyn. Two others, Art Koch and Jay, were unexpectedly arrested soon after.
Art, an independent videographer, was actively filming the direct action and arrests when suddenly, without warning, a Fairfield police officer aggressively manhandled and twisted his wrist, and arrested him, as recorded at end of video. “Usually the police don’t arrest journalists walking across the road, except for Gaza, where they murder the press,” he said.
Jay, observing Art’s arrest, went over to attempt to rescue Art’s shoulder bag on the road and tell the police that Art was not a protester but was merely documenting. As she approached, another officer reached for her arm in a threatening way, so she retreated across the road to the opposite shoulder.
The officer followed her, pushed her to the ground and aggressively handcuffed her hands behind her back, despite the fact that she told him that her elbow was still healing from a recent fracture and was very fragile. Luckily she did not sustain serious physical injury, but it was a very traumatizing experience nonetheless.
All five were taken to the Solano County jail and released by 2pm. The Solano Unity Network and Codepink activists welcomed the detainees out of jail with food and drink and community! The five detainees were given a court date of May 13, 2024!
Thanks to Art Koch, Martha Hubert and Vallejo Sun photographer Ryan Geller.
Beale Air Force Base Report
Activists organized simultaneous “Shut Downs” at Beale AFB.
The Schneider and Wheatland gates were closed for an hour or more.
Beale Air Force Base Shut Down
In Solidarity with Besieged Palestinians
NorCal Anti-War Action & IndyBay
(March 14, 2024) — This morning NorCal Anti-War Action caused the biggest disruption at Beale AFB in almost a decade, by blockading several entrances into the base in solidarity with Palestinian resistance.
In solidarity with the cause of Palestinian liberation, at 6:30am on the morning of March 14th, 2024 Occupy Beale closed down Beale AFB in Marysville, California.
The genocide in Gaza is being funded, supported, and endorsed by the United States Government, and to be silent against that is to be complicit in it. As residents upon stolen land in the heart of the empire, it is our duty to do everything in our power to resist, disrupt, and SHUT DOWN the war machine.
Every facet of the United States government, and military is complicit in this genocide, and so to allow institutions of the imperial machine to operate, IS UNACCEPTABLE.
Organized outside of the view of the imperialist apparatus, we organized a simultaneous shut across two separate gates at Beale AFB. At 6:30am 3 activists blockaded the entrance to the Schneider Gate at Beale AFB, and another 3 blocked the entrance to the Wheatland Gate, the two busiest gates at imperialist installation.
At the Schneider gate the blockade was held for over an hour before the activists were arrested by military police. The blockade at the Wheatland gate on the other hand was held for over two hours, before arrests were made. After around an hour all arrestee’s were released.
Simultaneously CodePink organized a rally at Travis AFB in Fairfield, the largest air transit base in the US, and a base directly involved in the sending of arms to Israel. At Travis, the north gate was blockaded and closed leading to five arrests. Among these arrests were two bystanders who were uninvolved in the blockade, including one woman who was violently arrested by police.
Understanding that this fight is greater than just the imperialist machinations of Beale AFB, Occupy Beale has joined with others to form NorCal Anti-War Action, an autonomous coalition organizing to continue the fight against the military by any means necessary. We understand that it is our duty to continue this struggle, and so on March 22nd we’ll be at Travis again to SHUT IT DOWN.
In solidarity with resistance and with the martyrs we will continue to disrupt and disobey until COMPLETE AND COLLECTIVE LIBERATION. This is only the beginning, and we will not stop until the entirety of the imperial machine is destroyed. The call went out to GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA, this our response.
