Supporters of Bradley Manning, soldier accused of giving classified data to WikiLeaks break into melodic tune at Rs 15.5 lakh Obama fundraiser
Supporters of Bradley Manning, soldier accused of giving classified data to WikiLeaks break into melodic tune at Rs 15.5 lakh Obama fundraiser
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US President Barack Obama last night faced an unusual singing protest over the detention of Bradley Manning, a US soldier held for allegedly passing classified documents to WikiLeaks. On a campaign-style swing, Obama was headlining a fundraising breakfast where tickets cost $35,800 (Rs 15.5 lakh)u00a0 when a woman in a white suit rose to interrupt him, saying she and her friends had written him a song.
Free Bradley: Demonstrators protest against Obamau00a0 and showed their
support to Bradley Manning (inset) who has been transferred to Fort
Leavenworth. Pic/AFP
The woman, who stripped off her jacket revealed a black T-shirt that said 'Free Bradley Manning', and others at a table for 10 then sang a song that noted they had just contributed to Obama's 2012 reelection bid and went on to criticise his detention.
"Dear Mr. President we honour you today sir/Each of us brought you $5,000/It takes a lot of Benjamins to run a campaign / I paid my dues, where's our change?" the song began. "We'll vote for you in 2012, yes that's true/Look at the Republicansu00a0-- what else can we do/Even though we don't know if we'll retain our liberties," it continued.
The protesters also handed out small signs that read 'Free Bradley Manning' or bore his picture. "That was a nice song," said Obama. The woman was escorted out, two others at her table left, but others stayed and applauded Obama's speech when he finished it. Manning was transferred Wednesday from a military prison at Quantico, Virginia, to another in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, according to the Pentagon.
The 23-year-old Welsh-born US army intelligence officer, who allegedly provided WikiLeaks with a trove of secret military and diplomatic documents, has been imprisoned at Quantico since July 2010. Manning's detention conditions, which have included solitary confinement and being forced to sleep naked, have drawn the attention of Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union and the British government.
The White House played down the incident, with spokesman Jay Carney saying the singing "broke his flow a little bit" but that he "thought it was kind of funny" and quipped "you don't get that every day" as he left the room.
Transferred
Bradley Manning suspected of giving classified data to WikiLeaks was moved to a medium security prison following international criticism of his treatment at Quantico.
Rs 15.5 lakh cost of the ticket for the fundraising breakfast
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