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Friday A.M. Court Date in Fairfield Tests 1st Amendment At Military Bases

The authority of military and civilian police to issue unlawful citations to constitutionally-protected anti-war advocates protesting the use of military drones in Pakistan at Travis AFB will be tested here in a Fairfield court Friday morning.

The case - involving police giving expensive tickets for impeding traffic while driving to protesters even though they were not in vehicles - will be heard FRIDAY, 8:30 A.M., DEPT. 26 (600 Union Street).

A brief rally and news conference will be held at 8:15 a.m. on the courthouse steps for CodePINK lead anti-drone peace organizer Toby Blome.

A 7-8 a.m. vigil and protest will be held at Travis AFB's main gate prior to the court appearance, and demonstrators will return to the base at 11:30 a.m.

Cindy Sheehan was similarly cited a year ago, and recently another activist was found not guilty after she was cited at an anti-military drone protest at Beale AFB. Peace advocates have been peppering Travis AFB here and Beale AFB in Marysville with protests - and are increasingly being harassed, and unlawfully cited, by police.

Leaflets will be distributed to educate military personnel of recent massive protests in Pakistan, where tens of thousands of citizens from all walks of life are holding nonviolent sit-ins, Dharnas, to protest drone attacks and the U.S. "war on terror" that has caused high civilian deaths and destabilized Pakistan, said Blome.