As part of the global day of action on the sixth anniversary of the US detention centre at Guantánamo, an event was held in Washington DC.

Activists gathered on the National Mall, in view of Congress and the White House, at a demonstration organised by Amnesty International, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and Witness Against Torture. The demonstration marked the delivery of 1,200 signatures from Parliamentary representatives from many countries around the world calling for an end to illegal detention by the US government carried out in the name of counter-terrorism.

After the joint action, activists from Witness Against Torture walked in file to the steps of the Supreme Court, where a number were arrested both inside and outside the building as demonstrations of any kind on Court grounds are prohibited. Those arrested were later charged and released.

See more pictures of the action on Flickr.

Watch footage of the protest and hear the inspiring speech made by the Director of Amnesty International in the USA, Larry Cox.