Seventy-five protesters gathered under threatening skies at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California at 6:30 am on Wednesday, November 20. Their mission: to speak out and briefly interrupt the shipment of weapons to Israel from this air base.
For 90 minutes, they showed banners such as “Stop Arms for War Crimes” and “Stop Travis: No US Weapons for Genocide. ” They delayed traffic on the busy six-lane roadway into the base by frequently pressing the button to allow pedestrian crossing. Fliers were handed out to receptive drivers. The flyers asked “Why are we blocking access to Travis Air Base and messing up your day?”. It was explained that while November 20 is World Children’s Day, weapons to Israel from Travis are being used to kill children. Bombs loaded onto planes at Travis and other US air bases have killed many thousands of children.
David Vidmar grew up on Travis Air Base. He said, “I am participating in the People’s Arms Embargo to honor my father as he would have been sickened by the indiscriminate targeting, slaughter and starvation of Gazan children and women in Israel’s genocide.”
In the second stage of the protest, protesters completely blocked the roadways into the base. Ultimately, they shut down all of the entry points to the base before Fairfield police arrived en masse and arrested those blocking the roadway. A total of 28 persons were arrested for blocking the north, south, and main entry gates to Travis AFB.
Some of those arrested were processed in a few hours. Ten persons were still in Solano County Jail six hours after the action. It is not known when they will be released. They include Toby Blome, David Hartsough and others who were organizers of this action.
The protesters have been charged with blocking the road and “not following a lawful order”.
Many people globally believe the US is violating international law by continuing to provide weapons for what the International Court of Justice describes as “plausible genocide”. One year ago many prominent US State Department and USAID officials criticized the Biden policy of blanket support for Israel. Yet it continues unabated. Today’s action at Travis AFB highlights the discrepancy.
Rick Sterling is an independent journalist based in the SF Bay Area. He can be reached at rsterling1@gmail.com.
Totally Cool! Peace Action!
"A total of 28 persons were arrested for blocking the north, south, and main entry gates to Travis AFB." 28 Nelson Mandela.
…along with 18 Senators. This is not contemptible, … fear & trembling in The Lobby.
"They delayed traffic on the busy six-lane roadway into the base by frequently pressing the button to allow pedestrian crossing."
i have seen this at other pro-Palestine protests years ago. When the walk sign goes up they enter the road with signs, and vacate as the timer counts down. A clever and completely lawful way to spread one's message.
Our peace rally before the "First Gulf War" (1991) finished a day of No Blood for Oil presentations and music by using the crosswalk across Highway One for non-stop pedestrians. Before long beach traffic was backed up for miles, and wasn't dispersed until CHP arrived an hour later. Our protest (the smallest of many) was the only one that gained media coverage in the Bay Area.
Warms my heart to see there are still Californians who care for Life.
Stop the Genoicide of Children. Honor the Warriors, butt NOT the Wars!
Soon these peaceful protests become violent and bloody…! because they don't sink in…!
"They delayed traffic on the busy six-lane roadway into the base by frequently pressing the button to allow pedestrian crossing."
🤦♂️ seriously? You are publicizing the activation of a crosswalk signal as having any sort of meaning in relation to genocide in Gaza? This could easily be read as parody.
I was at a "Peace Walk" a week ago where the median age was 60-ish. Many of these actions seem to be increasingly elderly people on autopilot, performing theater for a public which is largely the actors themselves.