Protesters at Defense Meeting in Newport Demand Reed Act to End U.S. Support of War in Yemen

Protesters at Defense Meeting in Newport Demand Reed Act to End U.S. Support of War in Yemen

Protesters took to the Newport Marriott on Tuesday to demand that United States Senator Jack Reed (D - RI) act in his role on the Senate Armed Forces Committee to end the United States support for the war in Yemen. 

Reed was in Newport to participate in Defense Innovation Days, a conference of weapons manufacturers including Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin.

“Senator Reed refuses to make time to clearly stand with his constituents against the war in Yemen, but he seems to have plenty of time to speak to weapons industry lobbyists,” said rally co-organizer Joey DeFrancesco with Demand Progress. “He needs to come out decisively against our complicity in this horrific war.”

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Protesters called on Reed in his power as Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee to ensure the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) halts the United States' support for the conflict. 

Actor -- and political activist -- Danny Glover joined the effort via Twitter (see below). 

"The NDAA is expected to be finalized by mid-September. The carnage and deprivation resulting from this war is generally understood to be the worst ongoing humanitarian crisis in the world. Senator Reed has yet to publicly support a resolution to end US involvement," said DeFrancesco. 

Reed was a keynote speaker at the conference, which also featured speeches and discussions with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, RI Congressman David Cicilline, RI Congressman Jim Langevin, and RI Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.