Direct action "NATO MUST DISSOLVE" in front of NATO deputy-secretary gen., Sicily Oct 19th

SHORT AND SMALL HISTORY OF A PROTEST WITH A BANNER

“NATO MUST DISSOLVE” AND “NATO NEVER PAYS FOR ITS CRIMES”, PLUS SHORT SPEECH AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE NATO TRIDENT JUNCTURE, 2015

         Marinella Correggia

I hope that this short description of my non-violent direct action against NATo “kapò” can be useful for similar “attacks”. Sometimes, even alone or in few, it is possible to act. Marinella Correggia, ecopeace activist. Email: mari.liberazioni(at)yahoo.it

1.       When I came to know that the NATO Trident Juncture  (http://www.jfcbs.nato.int/trident-juncture.aspx) would have a big show in Italy, with a huge opening ceremony with press conference at the military airport of Trapani, I asked to be accreditated as a free lance journalist just sending the form to Brunssum (Netherlands). I was accreditated, inspite of the bad questions I had made at the time of Nato press conferences in Naples during the bombings of Libya in 2011. I think they did not check. Or they dont care?  

2.       Nato was providing a plane for journalists from Rome till Trapani but OF COURSE I did not profit of that and instead reached Trapani with 18 hours bus from Rome (I then came back by ferry from palermo). I had prepared the banner you see in the picture, on two sides. Luckily, the dogs were just searching for explosives, and the detectors for weapons. The weapon of a protest is not dangerous enough for NATO, or they did not expect rebel media?

3.       I entered the airport. I was tempted to do the action during the enfatic opening ceremony during which Nato was painted as the savior of humanity against the bad guys and countries. But I wanted also to have time to talk a bit. So, I waited for the press conference with the deputy secretary-general (American) Vershbow and some Italian and Nato military men and politicians. After 2 questions by the international and Italian media (very kind with NATO and basically targeting Russia), I insisted raising my hand (hte non brone one).

4.       They gave me the microphone. So, I said to the Vershbow: «You said that NATo is necessary to fight against the terrorism in Middle East and North Africa. You said that NATo must defend its member from threats from the East, South and North. You spoke about failed Staes like Libya exporting terrorism and desorder. BUT it was exactly NATO war in Libya which put to power the jihadist who helped spread the terrorism elsewhere, and it was NATo which created a failed State in Libya. And are NATO members who destroy countries with direct or proxy wars. And it was NATO which bombed the hospital in Afghanistan days ago…But inspite of this tragic record, WHY NATO never gets a criminal prosecution and, plus, just pay a pittance to victims?» They allowed me to talk (they have to behave polite).

5.       Then without waiting for the answer I raised the banner 

Of course 3 seconds, then it was removed by a soldier.  

         6.       I also gave Verhbow’s  (when he was going) the  poem “A post-NATO peace                  world”, by an Iraqi.

7.       During the following “static display” of  planes and elicopters and tanks, and the fly of them, I prepared with a piece of paper a banner “NATO KILLING MACHINE”, immediately removed.

8.       Note: the media were NOT simpathetic to me (apart from some local ones or few whom I knew - but did not write).