Sunday, October 27, 2013

Thank You, Edward Snowden

Demonstarators carry signs at "Stop Watching Us: A Rally Against Mass Surveillance" march near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 26, 2013. (Reuters / Jonathan Ernst)

The Guardian reports that thousands gathered in Washington D.C. Saturday to protest NSA spying in an unusually diverse political alliance tweeted at #StopWatchingUs.  Protesters chanted, "Hey hey, ho ho, mass surveillance has got to go," and "They say wire tap? We say fight back!"  Groups included the left-wing American Civil Liberties Union, Green Party, Color of Change and Daily Kos, along with the right-wing Libertarian Party, FreedomWorks, and Young Americans for Liberty.

2012 libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson was among many notables speaking to the crowd on what was also the anniversary of the Patriot Act - and he called for its repeal.  

Many people carried signs reading, "We the People Oppose the Surveillance State - and say: Thank you, Edward Snowden!"  

Some video coverage below:




RT reports that organizers delivered 580,000 signatures in a petition to Congress calling for an investigation into NSA spying activities as well as reform of the Patriot Act.

U.S. Department of Justice ethics advisor Jesselyn Radack read a statement by Edward Snowden upon his request (from Russia where he now resides), and to a vocal and boisterously responsive crowd:

 

In the following Real News broadcast, an analysis of campaign contributions shows that the surveillance industry backs Democrats equally or more than Republicans:

 

*Photo credit/via RT, photographer: Jonathan Ernst, Reuters, protesters marching in Washington D.C. against NSA spying on October 26, 2013.

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