Protesters arrested outside upstate NY drone base

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A protest against armed military drones operated from an upstate New York air base has led to a number of arrests.

WSYR-TV in Syracuse reports that about 30 people were charged with minor violations during the demonstration outside Hancock Air National Guard Base that included 250 people at its peak.

The Syracuse base is a hub for controlling Reaper drones in combat overseas.

Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh says those arrested Friday had blocked traffic after the protest permit expired. He said the demonstrators cooperated with police.

The protest was organized by the Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars. The organization says civilian deaths in drone attacks are violations of human rights.

Drones have increasingly been used in Iraq and Afghanistan and strikes in Pakistan.