Henoko protesters arrested by US Marines released after 35 hours detention

On February 22^nd, the leader of the protest action against the construction of US base in Henoko, Okinawa, was arrested. During a rally in front of the gate of US Marine Camp Schwab, YAMASHIRO Hiroji, the Director of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center, was dragged into the camp by security guards employed by the US military. He was arrested together with another protester in violation of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Criminal Cases and handed over to Nago Police. This was the first time that the Act was applied to Henoko protesters.

There was an immediate protest action against Camp Schwab and Nago Police. After 35 hours of detention, the two detainees were freed from the police station. Just after the release, Yamashiro told, “ It was a groundless arrest. The US military was afraid of the rally to be held that day”.
Photo:YAMASHIRO Hiroji after his release (Okinawa Times)

怒りの沖縄！山城博治議長不当逮捕に抗議
　2月22日、キャンプシュワブゲート前で開かれた「辺野古基地反対集会」には2800人が集まった。山城議長の釈放を求めて名護署前に押しかけた人びと。
写真：釈放された山城議長(沖縄タイムス）