[JURIST] Protests [JURIST report] against the US military prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] Cuba continued Thursday as the facility marked its fifth anniversary. In Cuba itself, peace activists, including former detainee Asif Iqbal [Wikipedia profile], and Gold Star Families for Peace [advocacy website] founder Cindy Sheehan [Wikipedia profile] marched from Guantanamo city to the location of the US camp to demonstrate against its existence. AP has more. Meanwhile new United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon [official profile] also called for the closure of the facility [transcript]. Ban follows in the footsteps of his predecessor Kofi Annan [official profile], who had also called [JURIST report] for the camp's shutdown. Ban will reiterate his call when meeting with President Bush next week. Reuters has more.

In Washington, a group of approximately 100 people were arrested while protesting the camp inside the US District Court for the District of Columbia [official website]. The group had a permit to assemble outside the courthouse, but moved inside after going through metal detectors, when Chief Judge Thomas Hogan [official biography] told US marshals to allow the group to hold a peaceful demonstration. The arrests came soon after the group began waving signs and banners, violating rules set down by the marshals. AP has more.