Protesters Break Into Song During Obama Fundraiser

Bradley Manning supporters made an expensive (and well rehearsed) statement yesterday, interrupting a $5,000-a-head Obama fundraiser by breaking into song. “Alone in a 6x12 cell sits Bradley / 23 hours a day is night / The 5th and 8th Amendments say this kind of thing ain’t right,” the protesters sang. “We paid our dues / Where’s our change?” Some protesters pulled off their shirts to reveal “Free Bradley Manning” T-shirts beneath them.

Several protesters were ushered out by security, but others were allowed to stay. In all, the protesters spent more than $100,000 for the chance to directly confront Obama, the Wall Street Journal reports. Obama responded to the “Where’s our change” refrain from the stage (after quipping, "You guys have much better voices than I"), saying, “Over the last two and a half years, change turned out to be tougher than a lot of us expected,” but he didn’t mention Manning specifically. The Journal notes that Obama spoke with some of the protesters afterward, defending the government's actions regarding Manning thus far. (More Bradley Manning stories.)