CODEPINK Protest Against Drones at DC Air and Space Museum

CODEPINK Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2, 2014

Contact: Alli McCracken, CODEPINK National Organizer, 860 575 5692, alli@codepink.org

CODEPINK Protest Against Drones at DC Air and Space Museum as Part of International Day of Action on October 4th

When: Saturday, October 4 at noon

Where: National Air and Space Museum (401 Independence Ave SW)

Visuals: 8ft Drone Model that hovers 10 ft in air, large banners

Washington, DC -- CODEPINK and other activists will hold a protest outside of the National Air and Space Museum at noon on Saturday, October 4 as part of the Global Action Day Against the Use of Drones for Surveillance and Killing. Activists are calling for the end of the use of unmanned drones to target and kill people from the skies in warfare. The National Air and Space Museum has an exhibit glorifying the use of these drones, which have led to the deaths of countless civilians since they have come into use. At the protest, activists will read out the names of children who have been killed by drone strikes and call on the National Air and Space Museum to take down their drone exhibit.

"Drones flying over Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq or Syria have not made people safer nor eliminated extremism.  In reality, they prevent us from seeking real, political solutions," said CODEPINK Co-Founder Medea Benjamin. "Instead of rushing to try to compete with the US and Israel by obtaining their own drones, the nations and peoples of the world could far better protect themselves by working together to enforce an international ban on these dangerous weapons -- an approach has already been successful in the case of chemical weapons, landmines and cluster bombs.”

“The use of unmanned drones to kill civilians is unconscionable,” says CODEPINK activist Jes Grobman. “In addition to being immoral, they are also not effective at ending hostilities. Drone strikes destroy infrastructure and ruin lives, further destabilizing areas and leading to an increase in the power of extremist organizations. Drones only destroy; they will never create peace.”

Activists are available for interviews.

###