The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) at the University of Michigan has called a meeting and a demonstration demanding the immediate release of imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning. A rally will be held on Wednesday, March 13 at 12 PM on The Diag in front of Hatcher Graduate Library. A subsequent meeting will take place on Thursday, March 14 at 7 PM in the Michigan League, Room A.

The IYSSE is declaring the imprisonment of Manning an egregious attack on democratic rights and a threat to press freedom. The courageous whistleblower was imprisoned on Friday for refusing to testify before a secret grand jury that is drawing up fabricated charges against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange on behalf of the Trump administration. Beginning in 2010, Manning exposed major US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan including the infamous Collateral Murder cockpit video showing a US helicopter in Baghdad gunning down 16 unarmed civilians, including two Reuters journalists.

Wednesday’s demonstration is part of a series of coordinated rallies around the country, with the Socialist Equality Party (US) and the World Socialist Web Site (wsws.org). The perspective of this campaign places the basis of the defense of press freedom and democratic rights on the mobilization of the international working class. More information on the campaign to defend Manning can be found on the website: freechelsea.org