On Wednesday, June 18, the Minuteman Project will hold a day-long assembly at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, Ca. to protest the continued imprisonment of veteran U. S. Marine Corps Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi in a Mexican prison.
According to Sgt. Tahmooressi, a member of the Mexican military is solely responsible for his imprisonment.
Mexican border police were about to let Sgt. Tahmooressi turn around and re-enter the United States after he inadvertently drove into a Mexican border checkpoint adjacent to San Diego on March 31.
Tahmooressi explained to the Mexican border police that he mistakenly drove into the checkpoint, which is a common error motorists make in the border areas, and that it was impossible for him to turn around without first going through the checkpoint into Mexico.
Sgt. Tahmooressi also offered up that he had three legally registered unloaded guns in his vehicle. Quickly thereafter Mexican military troops surrounded him with weapons drawn and took him into custody on suspicion of trafficking guns into Mexico. He has been held prisoner for over two months.
It is our opinion that Sgt. Tahmooressi is being held by Mexico as a political prisoner. All charges against him are erroneous and should be dropped, and he should be immediately released.
The Minuteman Project cordially invites everyone to join us in this effort to urge Mexico to repatriate Sgt. Tahmooressi back to the United States.
The release of Sgt. Tahmooressi will serve to ease the long-standing tensions between the United States and Mexico and help to bridge political and cultural gaps between the neighboring countries.
Tahmooressi is an honorably discharged, decorated veteran of two combat tours in Afghanistan. He has no criminal record and has no history of aberrant behavior.
Please bring any hand-held signs supporting Sgt. Tahmooressi’s release, a U. S. flag and/or any state flag. I will carry a U. S. flag as well as the historic 13-star Rhode Island state flag.
Sgt. Tahmooressi’s situation is not just a Marine Corps issue, or a San Diego issue. It is an issue of national importance that puts every American at risk of abduction by people who do not like us.
Where: Mexican Consulate building, 1549 India Street, San Diego, Ca.
When: Wednesday, June 18
Time: 8 AM – 4 PM
