Taking PRIDE in Chelsea Manning

A cable car featured in the SF contingent

July 8th, 2014 by the Chelsea Manning Support Network
On June 28th & 29th, Chelsea Manning supporters marched in PRIDE parades around the country and world, raising awareness and support for Chelsea Manning and her upcoming legal appeals. Supporters organized street theatre performances, banners, and in SF a motorized cable car with Free Chelsea Manning banners highlighted the contingent!
All this public support for Chelsea has sent a clear message: Chelsea Manning is a heroic whistleblower, and enough is enough – she must be set free!
In the SF Pride parade, Chelsea Manning was honored as an Honorary Grand Marshal!  The contingent featured supporters riding in a trolley car, the Brass Liberation Orchestra marching band, and a synchronized dance group doing a routine to Michael Jackson’s ‘They Don’t Care About Us’. Former military strategist Daniel Ellsberg, who in 1971 leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times, marched alongside supporters while sporting a pink boa.

San Francisco Chelsea Manning contingent

Daniel Ellsberg

SF Flash Mob

In New York City, supporters marched with Free Chelsea t-shirts, posters, and a banner stating “Pride Means Freedom for all Political Prisoners”.

New York

 In London, England, Queer + Friends of Chelsea Manning organized a contingent with banners, flyers, stickers, badges, and posters.

London

In Dublin, Ireland, supporters marched in a Chelsea Manning contingent featuring a hand-painted “Free Chelsea Manning” banner.

Dublin

Seattle

In Seattle, WA, the Veterans for Peace organized a Chelsea Manning contingent featuring buttons, stickers, and t-shirts.
And in the Twin Cities, supporters handed out flyers and stickers at Saturday’s pride festival as well as marching with a Chelsea Manning banner in the Parade on Sunday.