Photo of Martha Hennessy by Bud Korotzer
On June 19, fifty people marched to the U.S. Mission to the U.N. in New York City after gathering at the nearby Isaiah Wall for a nuclear disarmament vigil. Nineteen of the activists blocked the doors, in protest of the U.S. decision to boycott negotiations on a nuclear weapons ban treaty. While the group chanted “U.S. join the talks, ban the bomb,” the blockaders were soon arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. All of them were taken to the 7th Precinct on Pitt Street, and were released at 5 p.m. with desk appearance tickets and an arraignment date of August 24th at 100 Centre Street.
Bud Courtney
Felton Davis
Matt De Vlieger
Kate Gandall
Jerry Goralnick
Ed Hedemann
Martha Hennessy
Sally Jones
Mike Levinson
Ruben E. Mendez
Helga Moor
Kirk Nicewonger
Mary Round
Vicki Rovere
Ron San Marchi
Davin Sheaffer
Trudy Silver
Alice Sutter
Photo by Bud Korotzer – Quote on banner is from the Bhagavad-Gita, and what came to Robert Oppenheimer’s mind when he witnessed the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945
From Reuters
More than a dozen activists were arrested for disorderly conduct after they blocked the entrances to the United States mission to the United Nations on Monday to protest Washington’s decision to boycott negotiations on a nuclear weapons ban treaty.
Chanting “U.S. join the talks, ban the bomb,” the protesters sat in front of the doors for about 10 minutes before New York police moved in. Police had repeatedly warned protesters that they would be arrested if they did not disperse.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced in March that the United States, Britain and France were among almost 40 countries that decided not to join talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty at the United Nations.
A second round of negotiations is underway at the United Nations.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in December – 113 in favor to 35 against, with 13 abstentions – that decided to “negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination” and encouraged all member states to participate.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool)
Photo by Bud Korotzer
From Press TV
A number of anti-nuclear weapons activists have been arrested in New York during a protest against Washington’s decision to boycott negotiations on a nuclear weapons ban treaty.
The arrests were made after the activists chanting slogans such as “US join the talks, ban the bomb,” blocked the entrances to the US mission to the United Nations.
The protesters sat in front of the doors before the police moved in. police said they warned the demonstrators that they would be arrested if they did not leave the place.
In March, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced that the United States, Britain and France had decided not to join talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty.
The United Nations is currently holding a second round of negotiations about the issue.
The world body adopted a resolution in December to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading toward their total elimination and encouraged all member states to participate.
A total of 113 nations voted in favor of the resolution but 35 countries, including the United States, Britain and France, voted against it. Thirteen countries abstained.
According to the US military’s recent declaration, the United States has 806 deployed ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missile), SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missile), and heavy bombers as well as 1,722 deployed nuclear warheads.
The Pentagon is also equipped with a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV), a highly advanced version of the intercontinental nuclear missile carrying several independent warheads.