Horsham, PA (April 26, 2013) – Reacting to the public release of a drone command center commencing operation at what used to be the Horsham Air National Guard base, a diverse coalition will stage a protest onsite Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 2:00 pm. The demonstration will be aimed at raising local awareness of the dangers, consequences, and ethical issues surrounding the controversial drone program.
The facility, announced to open by October of this year, will function as a command center for the MQ-9 Reaper. The Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles and laser guided bomb units, has killed thousands in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. The drone program, which was launched during the Bush administration, has expanded exponentially under the current administration.
Those opposed to the program cite many concerns, from the ethical issues raised by civilian deaths to questions about the overall effectiveness of the program. Some specific points of concern cited by those opposed include the bombing of a religious school that killed 69 Children on October 29, 2006, the assassination of 16-year-old Denver-born US Citizen Abdulrahman Anwar al-Awlaki, and the use of the “double-tap” technique, which targets mourners and rescuers of previous drone attacks.
You can find further details on the demonstration, along with more information about the drone program here:
http://www.dronefreehorsham.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/281904038609069/
Contact:
Sean Miller
Drone Free Horsham
(215) 260-8834
www.dronefreehorsham.com
dronefreehorsham@gmail.com
