Tuesday, July 29, 2014

No Drones Illinois Endorses Call to Drop Boeing from Chicago Air and Water Show



No Drones Illinois has endorsed the following call by Anti-War Committee – Chicago, Jews for Justice in Palestine, U.S. Palestinian Community Network and 8th Day Center for Justice:

Protest Boeing Death Machines in Gaza:

Demand Chicago Drop Boeing from Air and Water Show!


Press Conference & Die-in
Wednesday, July 30, 10:00 a.m.
City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., 2nd Floor


4-traders Financial Website Reports:
"Boeing : protested by pro-Palestinian humanitarians in Chicago";

Boeing stock closes down 1.5% on July 31

Additional coverage:
UPI coverage
Progress Illinois video
NBC Chicago coverage

READ: statement by Father Bob Bossie representing
Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo
.


More links and discussion on the Facebook event page.
Event photos by Matt McLoughlin:

Joe Iosbaker of the Anti-War Committee details the reasons Boeing should be
dropped by the City of Chicago as a sponsor of its annual Air and Water Show.


Hatem Abudayyah spoke on behalf of U.S. Palestinian Community Network.
Palestinian-Americans in Chicago -- the largest population of
Palestinian-Americans in the country -- have called for Boeing to be
dropped from the Air and Water Show based on its role supplying weapons
used to kill Palestinians in Gaza.

Ashley Bohrer from Jews for Justice in Palestine stressed the determination
of many Jews to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

A die-in dramatized the killings by Israel of 1300+ civilians in Gaza, using
the fighter jets and attack helicopters of Boeing.

Press conference attendees say Boeing is enabling the genocide in Gaza.


Boeing Company is a major sponsor of Chicago’s annual Air and Water Show this summer. Many people come to the lake shore every year to see displays of jets and other aircraft.

Boeing weaponry are responsible for many of the over 1000 dead and over 6000 seriously wounded Palestinians in Gaza in the past three weeks. The dead are mostly civilians, including over 200 children. Israel’s fighter jets – the F15s and F16s – as well as Apache helicopters are all made by Boeing.

Boeing has made billions from the sale of weapons for use in Israel's attacks, as part of its eight year old siege of Gaza.

The City of Chicago should drop Boeing from the sponsors of the Air and Water Show. No company that makes profit from the slaughter of civilians should be included.

Protest initiated by: Anti-War Committee – Chicago, Jews for Justice in Palestine, U.S. Palestinian Community Network and 8th Day Center for Justice. Endorsed by: Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo, Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights, Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy, Illinois Coalition Against Torture, American Friends Service Committee, Jewish Voice for Peace


Related posts

Coming off our experience this past weekend once again protesting against drone killing, drone surveillance, and related acts of militarism at the Chicago Air and Water Show, I am more confirmed than ever in my view that air shows are a very effective place to get our message out to the public.

(See Why Air Shows Are a Very Effective Place to Protest Drone Killing and Drone Surveillance )


When Chicagoans fully succeed in fully connecting the dots -- especially to the crimes being committed in their name with their tax dollars and the weapons produced by their favored corporate citizen, Boeing -- I think there will be some new and different phone calls taking place . . .

(See What's New in Chicago: Connecting the Dots - US Aid, Boeing Weapons, Gaza Massacre, Chicago Complicity )







Now that the Israeli government's killings in Gaza are front-page news -- particularly the way military aircraft is being used to mow down innocent men, women, and children -- Boeing's involvement is in everyone's face.

(See Boeing Has an Israel Problem . . . and Chicago Has a Boeing Problem)






Year after year, hundreds of thousands of people from Chicago and the surrounding area gather on the lakeshore to watch aerial displays by an array of planes. Most don't suspect that they are being subjected to an intense propaganda effort by multiple branches of the U.S. military.  The Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo views this as a perfect opportunity to engage with the public and enlist them in the growing movement against U.S. war, torture, surveillance, and other crimes.  We will join activists from many other peace and justice groups who have had a growing presence at this event in recent years.

(See August 16-17: Protest U.S. Kidnapping, Torture, and Drone Assassinations at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show Protest )


As reported on local TV news, at Fight Back News, and by Progress Illinois, Dozens of activists came to the Field Museum in Chicago last Monday (4/28) to speak out against Boeing's involvement in developing the next generation of killer drone.

(See Activists Challenge Boeing to Disinvest from Drone Research )


Monday, July 14, 2014

Protest Drones Killing and Surveillance at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show

Supporters of No Drones Illinois will join with other opponents of U.S. military aggression and surveillance to protest at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show on August 16 and 17.





For the third year in a row, No Drones Illinois supporters will do public outreach at this event.  Full information on 2014 plans is on the website of the Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo.




Related posts

Now that the Israeli government's killings in Gaza are front-page news -- particularly the way military aircraft is being used to mow down innocent men, women, and children -- Boeing's involvement is in everyone's face.

(See Boeing Has an Israel Problem . . . and Chicago Has a Boeing Problem)






A large contingent participated in creative resistance activities at the 2012 Air and Water Show.

(See Taking the NO DRONES! Message to the Masses at Chicago's Air & Water Show for full details.)








August 19, 2013 -- We had an outstanding day on Saturday at the Air and Water Show! There was an antiwar presence in at least three distinct locations:  east of the North Avenue Bridge with the Free Bradley Manning Contingent, representatives of the Anti-war Committee of Chicago, World Can't Wait, and allies from the north and west suburbs on the west side of the North Avenue Bridge, and members of Occupy Chicago on the bridge itself, as well at various places along the beach.

(See We're Pushing the Chicago Air & Water Show to be "War-Free"!)







"Overall, a great success," said David Soumis. "We had a lot of people riding by in cars, buses, trucks, and golf carts. A lot of thumbs up, a few one finger salutes, a lot of questioning glares, and tons of people that could only see the hood of their car."

(See Welcome to Oshkosh! (got drones?) )