Public photos (3)

On Oct. 31, with just 80 days remaining for President Obama to close Guantánamo, Kev Davidson, a teacher and musician in London, showed his support for the Countdown to Close Guantánamo.

On Oct. 19. with just 92 days remaining for President Obama to close Guantánamo, Anna Fauzy-Ackroyd sent this photo, and says, “Thank you so much for organising this campaign.” Please feel free to make similar amended posters and keep sending us photos! We will make the "50 days" poster -- for Nov. 30 -- available soon. In the meantime, if you're in the U.S., please vote wisely in the Presidential Election on Nov. 8.

Julisa Wescott, in Sarasota, Florida, says, "I am proudly supporting the Close Guantánamo Campaign by giving President Obama a concerned reminder that he has only 100 DAYS left to permanently shut down the disgraceful Guantánamo Bay Prison Camp."

Steve Lane, in Bethesda, Maryland, says, "President Obama, you will not just keep your word when you close Guantánamo. You will also make us safer, by doing away with one of the Islamic State's most powerful recruiting tools. Perhaps most importantly, you will show the world that the United States stands by the principles enshrined in our Constitution, and that we can, after all, live up to our own ideals."
In a message sent on October 11, Steve added, "Innocent men are imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay concentration camp without trial and without hope, simply because someone in the Department of Defense says they should be. Is that who we are as a country?"

Tom Dickinson of Tackling Torture at the Top, a committee of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), a peace organization based in Minneapolis and St Paul, MN, says, "I keep having to make these embarrassing selfies - embarrassing because my country is a rogue nation with such a prison and causes so much suffering."

Charlie X, South Africa. Charlie X is the creation of activist Neil Goodwin, the co-director of the 1991 UK TV documentary 'Operation Solstice', about the infamous Battle of the Beanfield, the 1985 showdown between travellers and the British establishment under Margaret Thatcher. Neil was also involved in the resistance to the M11 Link Road in East London in the early 1990s, and Charlie X was conceived in opposition to the exclusion zone Tony Blair created around Parliament to prevent any kind of spontaneous protest. More recently, in South Africa, Neil has been active in promoting LGBT rights via an inventive photo campaign.

Christine Hogg, photographed at the Muizenberg festival, near Cape Town, South Africa. Christine is a photographer, writer, events organizer, and one of the main people behind the groundbreaking musical showcase, The Submerse.

Andy Worthington, the co-founder of the Close Guantánamo campaign, and the lead singer of The Four Fathers, for whom Andy wrote "Song for Shaker Aamer," about the last British resident in Guantánamo, freed last October. The Four Fathers will shortly be releasing a new song, "Close Guantánamo," and will be making a video to accompany it, to be used for the Close Guantánamo campaign. Andy says of the Countdown to Close Guantánamo reaching the 100-day mark, "President Obama, you are seriously running out of time to fulfil your promise. The next time we're holding up posters, with 50 days to go, we will already know who the next president will be, and we hope you will be able to finally close this stain on America's reputation before the next president is inaugurated."

Richard Clare, guitarist with The Four Fathers, London.

Louis Sills-Clare, bassist with The Four Fathers, London.

Bren Horstead, drummer with The Four Fathers, London.

Anna Sadlo, London.

Susie Sullivan, in Dorset, says, "It is not too late to put an end to one of the USA's most calamitous mistakes and close Guantánamo."

Bernard Sullivan, in Dorset, says, "In a world almost bereft of humanity, President Obama stills has 100 days to show that all hope is not lost."

Tim Lind, Three Rivers, Michigan.

Ibrahim, a young supporter of the Countdown to Close Guantánamo, in Tooting, south west London.

Val Brown of the London Guantánamo Campaign.

David Harrold of the London Guantánamo Campaign.

Dave Esbester, the treasurer of the Guantánamo Justice Campaign, formerly the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign, which worked tirelessly to secure the release from Guantánamo of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in the prison.

Maude Casey, a campaigner for the closure of Guantánamo from Brighton.

Dave Hembrey of the Guantánamo Justice Campaign, formerly the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign, which worked tirelessly to secure the release from Guantánamo of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in the prison.

Dot Young, London.

Tyler Worthington, London.

Amir Farouq, UK.

Ian Clark.

Ian Bell, Aberystwyth, Wales.

Ian Bell sent this photo of members of Cor Gobaith streetchoir, Aberystwyth, Wales, calling for Obama to close Guantánamo. "We sing for peace and justice", he says.

This photo, and the eight below, were taken at the Cambridge University Freshers' Fair on October 4-5, 2016 by members of Cambridge Stop the War Coalition.

This photo was taken at a Cambridge Stop the War Coalition event on October 5, 2016, when Medea Benjamin, the co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace, was speaking.

Here are the children of Matthew W. Daloisio​ of Witness Against Torture​, photographed on their first day at school, supporting the Countdown to Close Guantánamo​ by marking the fact that President Obama has just 134 days left to close Guantánamo​, as he promised when he first took office in January 2009.

Andi Vincent, Edinburgh-based composer and civil rights activist, supports the Countdown to Close Guantánamo, and sent this picture, drawn by Walter Michael DeForest in New York City.

Sue Spivack, from Cobleskill, NY, sent in this photo of Peacemakers of Schoharie County at their weekly Saturday vigil, which they have been holding every Saturday since Oct. 6, 2001 (789 consecutive Saturdays), to increase peace and justice & to end war. From L to R: Ann Adams, Sue Spivack, Katherine Hawkins, Wayne Stinson, Nancy Sheehan. Since June 2013, Sue Spivack has fasted one day a week and sends out a weekly Gitmo update. On behalf of Peacemakers (80+ members) & friends, she calls our Congresspeople, the President, the US Atty General, State & Defense Depts., Southern Command and now Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters urging an end to the unconstitutional crimes against humanity we commit every minute of every day against the bodies and spirits of the now 61 detainees at Gitmo. President Obama, it's long past time to hold the creators of our torture program accountable; end labelling any detainee as a "forever" prisoner or using evidence obtained thru torture; to promptly release all cleared detainees and promptly charge & try the remainder in the Federal Court system; or lacking constitutionally obtained evidence, asap release them.

CODEPINK Women for Peace staff in Washington, D.C. From L to R: Martha Durkee-Neuman, Alice Newberry, and Bushra Al-Fusail.

Cristina.

Anna Sadlo in London says, "Mr. President, please keep your promise and be remembered as the man who stood up against injustice and human rights abuses. Please end this disgraceful chapter of the American history, please close Guantanamo."

Ingrid Fraenki says, "My name is Ingrid Fraenki and I'm from Sweden. It's not enough to close Guantanámo - Obama wants to move prisoners to the US. The prisoners need fair trials. They can't just be 'moved'!"

Baseer Naveed, researcher, Asian Human Rights Commission.

Arslan Barijo, human rights activist, Pakistan.

Zareen, Cambridge Stop the War.

Denise, Cambridge Stop the War.

Hilary, Cambridge Stop the War.

Jannie, Cambridge Stop the War.

Daniel, Cambridge Stop the War.

Martin, Cambridge Stop the War.

Gianni Max, age 7, Monza, Italy.

Julisa Wescott, from Sarasota, Florida, USA, says, "I have attached my photo holding the provided poster for President Obama, reminding him that there are just 150 days left for him to keep his word - and close down the disgraceful Guantánamo Bay for good. THE INJUSTICE MUST STOP! The clock is ticking ... let's see him keep his word. Thank you sincerely to everyone supporting the Close Guantánamo Campaign!"

Steve Lane, from Bethesda, MD, sent the following message:
President Obama, you have said, "Gitmo has become a symbol of an America that flouts the rule of law. Our allies won’t cooperate with us if they think a terrorist will end up at Gitmo….. There is no justification beyond politics for Congress to prevent us from closing a facility that never should have been opened."
Hillary Clinton said, "Over the years, Guantánamo has inspired more terrorists than it has imprisoned. Closing Guantánamo would be a sign of strength and resolve."
Donald Trump said, "This morning I watched President Obama talk about Gitmo, right, Guantánamo Bay — which, by the way we are keeping open. And we're going to load it up with some bad dudes, believe me. We're going to load it up ... I would leave it just the way it is, and I would probably fill it up with more people that are looking to kill us."
The rest of us say, "Close it now."

Barbara Glassman in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, says, "President Obama: The world is watching and imploring you to close Guantánamo. Time is short."

Muhammad Khan, Leeds.

Shahmeer Khan, Newcastle.

Dorianne Galarnyk

Heike Schotten sent this photo and the three below.

Rael Nidess, M.D., from Marshall, Texas, says, "Solidarity!"

Susie Sullivan, from Dorset, has been campaigning to secure the release from Guantánamo of torture victim and best-selling author Mohamedou Ould Slahi, as well as supporting the Countdown to Close Guantánamo. Slahi had his release approved by a Periodic Review Board last month, although he has not yet been freed. His brother, Yahdih, recently launched a petition on Change.org, addressed to U.S. defence secretary Ash Carter, stating, "Let my brother, Mohamedou Slahi, come home from Guantánamo," which we encourage you to sign.

Bernard Sullivan, from Dorset, has been campaigning to secure the release from Guantánamo of torture victim and best-selling author Mohamedou Ould Slahi, as well as supporting the Countdown to Close Guantánamo. Slahi had his release approved by a Periodic Review Board last month, although he has not yet been freed. His brother, Yahdih, recently launched a petition on Change.org, addressed to U.S. defence secretary Ash Carter, stating, "Let my brother, Mohamedou Slahi, come home from Guantánamo," which we encourage you to sign.

Rosalind Belanger, in Alberta, Canada says, "Success in freeing prisoners, slow but sure getting the job done. Kudos to Andy and crew."

David Simmons, in West Sussex, says, "President Obama, please act now. This is urgent. We do not know how the election will go in November and it is too much to risk human lives under the possible regime of someone whose supporters chant 'Lock her up' like a lynch mob."

Pam Kelly, in West Sussex, says, "President Obama, please act now. This is urgent. We do not know how the election will go in November and it is too much to risk human lives under the possible regime of someone whose supporters chant 'Lock her up' like a lynch mob."

Elaine, Seattle, WA.

Rebekah, Seattle, WA.

Mary Crosby in Alaska.

Annie.

Rene Dansereau says, "Godspeed!"

Steve Benson

This is Benji Ashby, an Amnesty International campaigner from Leicester, in the U.K. Benji also asked friends and acquaintances to send in photos, and the eight photos below were sent in as a result of that appeal.

Mary Crosby in Alaska.