Ellsberg was among a group of about 100 anti-war protesters arrested Sunday. Pentagon Papers source arrested

Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg was arrested twice this weekend as he rallied against the Iraq war and in support of Bradley Manning, the Army private who’s accused of funneling classified data to WikiLeaks.

Ellsberg, who gave classified documents about the conduct of the Vietnam War to the New York Times, the Washington Post and others, was one of more than 30 people arrested Sunday while protesting outside Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where Manning is being held. Also arrested was retired Army Col. Ann Wright. On Saturday, Ellsberg was among a group of about 100 anti-war protesters arrested after gathering outside the White House to mark the eighth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.


Manning is being held in solitary confinement in his cell for 23 hours a day, and is forced to strip naked before bed because of a comment about committing suicide, which his lawyer says was just a joke.

“I identify with him more than anyone else I’ve seen in the last 40 years,” Ellsberg said on Sunday, the Post reported.

Solitary confinement is “a form of torture, and as such, it’s illegal internationally and domestically,’’ Ellsberg said. “It’s giving lie to President Obama’s promise to end torture. It’s happening right here to an American soldier in an American brig.’’

Obama “could change” the treatment of Manning, Ellsberg said, but the president has “apparently … been told by the Defense Department that this is appropriate.” That, he said, is “a terrible commentary on our standards, which means that they feel free to use illegal measures against someone in their custody.”

Ellsberg also said that he thinks former State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley “acted honorably and boldly” for calling Manning’s treatment by the military “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.” Those comments ultimately led to Crowley’s forced resignation a week ago.