I Am Edward Snowden

Coverage of the Restore the Fourth demonstration on July 4th in New York City, to protest NSA spying. 

 

Demonstrations are being held nationwide and globally.  More here from Venture Beat.  John Koetsier reports:

The massive corporations accused of assisting the NSA with its surveillance program have all denied the allegations – most notably and clearly Google – but there are some big holes in those accusations. And it appears that the nine companies are just the tip of the iceberg, as literally thousands of technology and finance companies have been implicated in further revelations.

The photo below from a July 4th RT tweet shows part of a flash mob scene near the U.S. consulate in Munich, Switzerland;  protesters hold Edward Snowden masks to their faces, a symbolic statement to the effect, "I Am Edward Snowden," or "We are all Edward Snowden." 

Meanwhile, Edward Snowden reportedly remains holed up in the Moscow airport.  On Tuesday, Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane was rerouted upon departure from Russia after being denied access to airspace controlled by U.S. European allies, and due to U.S. suspicions that Edward Snowden was on board with the Bolivian president.  Bolivian officials stated that this was not the case.

President Morales was forced to land in Vienna where his party was detained for more than 13 hours, and where Austrian officials also said that Mr. Snowden was not on board.  The incident has caused an uproar in the international community with the Bolivian vice president comparing it to a kidnapping and President Morales urging European nations, upon his return to Bolivia, to free themselves from control by the U.S. government while stating that the actions were a provocation to all of Latin America.

Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has now offered Edward Snowden asylum and President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua has stated that his nation currently weighs a request by Mr. Snowden, as well.  Wikileaks reported on Friday, July 5th, that Edward Snowden has applied to 6 more countries, and to a total of about 20 nations, for protection from U.S. espionage charges.

Below, video coverage from Bolivia, where supporters greeted President Morales upon his return to El Alto, Bolivia, and following the plane's diversion to Vienna, Austria.  Bolivia has filed a complaint with the United Nations stating that the actions constitute a diplomatic kidnapping of a democratically elected head of state, violating a number of international treaties.

Patricia Casilda Alanoca, a resident of El Alto present in the crowd, told reporters, "We are outraged with these neoliberal countries that have always enslaved us, and now they have humiliated our President Evo Morales.  You can see how the social organizations and the city of El Alto are truly angered, the women, men, and children.  We are here to receive and give our full support to our President Evo Morales."

Bolivian congresswoman Segunda Flores called the episode an open act of aggression towards the Bolivian people and the entire country.