Demonstrators form human chain near US base in Germany

June 11, 2016 at 12:01 p.m. | Updated June 11, 2016 at 12:20 p.m.

by Associated Press

Peace activists form a human chain on the street leading towards the US air base during the 'Stopp-Ramstein' campaign in Ramstein, Germany, Saturday June 11, 2016. Demonstrators have formed a human chain near the U.S. air base in western Germany to protest against lethal drone strikes.  Protest organizers contend that the Ramstein Air Base is used to relay flight control data for lethal drone strikes. They are calling for the base, a major U.S. military hub, eventually to be closed altogether. (Oliver Dietze/dpa via AP)
Peace activists form a human chain on the street leading towards the US air base during the 'Stopp-Ramstein' campaign in Ramstein, Germany, Saturday June 11, 2016. Demonstrators have formed a human chain near the U.S. air base in western Germany to protest against lethal drone strikes.  Protest organizers contend that the Ramstein Air Base is used to relay flight control data for lethal drone strikes. They are calling for the base, a major U.S. military hub, eventually to be closed altogether. (Oliver Dietze/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) - Demonstrators have formed a human chain near a U.S. air base in western Germany to protest against lethal drone strikes.

Organizers estimated that about 5,000 people took part in the chain near the Ramstein Air Base on a rainy Saturday, while police put the number at some 2,000, news agency dpa reported.

Activists contend that the base is used to relay flight control data for lethal drone strikes. They are calling for the base, a major U.S. military hub, eventually to be closed altogether.

President Barack Obama said during a 2013 visit to Berlin that "we do not use Germany as a launching point for unmanned drones ... as part of our counterterrorism activities."

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