In what is being called the largest-ever raid on undocumented workers, 1,187 people were taken from their workplaces and arrested on April 20th by the Department of Homeland Security and local police. While the story is still unfolding, it appears that 275 workers have been deported to Mexico. The raids occurred in 26 states, including California, where workers in both Riverside and Fresno were rounded up. All the workers are said to be employed by IFCO Systems North America - an international corporation that builds shipping pallets.

Read more on Indybay's Immigrant Rights and US Pages

On Friday, April 21st, President Bush will be in San Jose (1 | 2 | 3). A protest will be held at 1:00pm outside of Cisco Systems. Bush will then be unwelcomed at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University from 2:30 to 4:30pm. He will spend Friday night in the Napa County town of St. Helena, where are protests are being planned for Friday April 21, 5-7pm, and Saturday April 22. Bush has also scheduled a stop in West Sacramento (1 | 2 | 3) on Earth Day, 4/22.

Read More On Indybay's Government and California Pages

The National Socialist Movement (a nazi white supremacist group) plans on holding an anti-immigration rally on the west steps of the state capitol in Sacramento on Saturday, April 22nd at 2:00pm.

Anti-racists from all over Northern California plan to converge upon the nazi rally and stop them from spreading their message. Protesters will meet at the cactus garden at the capitol near 15th and N streets at 1:30pm. Read more

If the BALCO case is strictly about drug use in sports, then why is Barry Bonds represented by Michael Rains -- a lawyer whose entire legal career has been spent protecting police from prosecution? While the US is being distracted by the Bonds saga, are people missing a connection between steroids and police? Independent journalist Junya looks behind the headlines and finds a scandal that may explain this conjuncture of legal phenomena. Have cops gone psychotic from steroid use become even more of a danger behind their guns and badges?

Read more on Indybay's Police State and San Francisco Pages

The Bay Area Radical Mental Health Collective held an April 19th follow up to a community dialogue that was held several weeks ago. On Wednesday evenings, their Free Skool Classes will continue at the Long Haul. Topics will include suicide prevention and nutrition. There will be a Radical Mental Health Cafe Night with dinner and a movie at the Long Haul on Sunday, April 23rd at 7pm.

Read more on Indybay's Health and Housing and East Bay News Pages

The leader in the April 9 election for president of Peru was Ollanta Humala, a former army colonel who was backed by leaders Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and Evo Morales of Bolivia. As of April 15, second place was still too close to call between former president Alan Garcia and conservative Lourdes Flores. Because no one got over 50%, there will be a runoff between the top two vote-getters in May. A commentator on Indymedia Peru said: "The old practice of corruption which is the fruit of the centralization of power will not be changed by any president, despite how the illustrious orators paint themselves as messiahs to the beat of reggaeton."
Read More On Indybay's Americas Page

Bay Area Grandmothers Against the War held a protest against the continuing and rising costs of the Iraq war paid for by Americans' income taxes on Monday, April 17, at noon at the Federal Building in Oakland. At 1 pm the group marched to the Civic Center Post Office. At noon there was a war tax day protest in San Francisco that focused on the plight of Palestinians. Photos At 6:30pm a "Tax Day Action & People’s Life Fund Granting Ceremony" took place in West Oakland.
Read More on Indybay's Anti-War and East Bay Pages

On April 11th, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that the country had succeeded for the first time in enriching uranium on a small scale. Seymour Hersh reports that the Bush administration has increased clandestine activities inside Iran and intensified planning for a possible air attack to destroy Iran's nuclear program.The Badr militia tied to Iraq's ruling SCIRI party has strong ties to Iran, and Muqtada al-Sadr has pledged the support of his militia if Iran is attacked. Retired Air Force Colonel Sam Gardiner says a military operation has already begun inside Iran.
Read More On Indybay's Iraq and International Pages

On April 11th, 2006, in spite of the pouring rain and administrative attempts to stifle students’ free speech, Students Against War (SAW) organized over 150 students to march from the center of campus to the job fair, where they nonviolently prevented access to military recruiters through sit-ins and other measures. After about an hour and a half of negotiations and students’ refusal to back down, military recruiters left the job fair.

Read more on Santa Cruz IMC and Indybay's Anti-War Page

On April 11th, a crowd of 200 gathered at UCB to support a "sweat-free UC". Condeming the University's use of sweat shop labor in the production of collegiate apparel, and promoting United Students Against Sweatshops' designated supplier program, students staged a "Naked Truth" rally and sit in that resulted in 18 arrests and more verbal volley from University administration. Photos

Read More On Indybay's Globalization, Education, and East Bay Pages

A Day of Action to Shut Down PG&E;'s Hunters Point Power Plant was held on April 11th. People gathered at 12:00pm on Evans Street at Middlepoint Road. After eight years of broken promises, Bayview Hunters Point residents and community organizations continue to demand that the power plant be closed, and that the neighborhood be given clean energy and restoration, rather than redevelopment and gentrification. Video
Read More On Indybay's Environment and San Francisco Pages

On Monday, April 10th, 2006, immigrants and their allies continued their recent historic mobilizations in cities all over the US to oppose HR 4437. They have been demanding real immigration reform that is comprehensive, respects civil rights, reunites families, protects workers, and offers a path to citizenship for the current undocumented and future immigrants to the US. In California, organizations in cities across the state showed what California would look like if immigrants did not work in positions such as dishwashers, cooks, housecleaners, nannies, gardeners, office workers, and in dozens of other jobs.
Photos: San Rafael · Oakland: 1 | 2 · Fresno 1 | 2 | 3 · San Francisco 1 | 2 · San Jose 1 | 2 | 3
Video: San Francisco · Fresno · Reports: Stanford · Berkeley · San Francisco · San Jose

Read More On Indybay's South Bay, North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, US, and Immigrant Rights News Pages

East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) conducted an undercover investigation of Foster Farms' operations in the Central Valley. While Foster Farms claims that the "climate is ideal" for their chickens, EBAA found "systematic animal neglect." The results of the investigation were posted at fosterfacts.net, a website dedicated to documenting Foster Farms' treatment of its chickens. The site also covered recently striking workers who complained of unfair labor practices. Foster Farms struck back with a "cease and desist" order demanding that "EBAA immediately cancel or transfer the fosterfacts.net website to Foster Farms." EBAA refuses to back down, claiming their documentation speaks for itself. Regardless of Foster Farms’ next move, EBAA promises to continue to speak out on the "cruelty of agriculture in California.”

Read More on Indybay's Animal Liberation News Page

A former Pacific Lumber (PL) official has filed a wrongful-termination suit alleging he was ordered to conceal waste including asbestos and oil residue from Water Quality officials when seeking environmental permits for the company’s new $30 million sawmill. The lawsuit alleges Jimmy Dan Cook suffered "repeated verbal abuse and threats from (PL CEO Robert) Manne because of (Mr. Cook’s) resistance to follow orders he believed to be unlawful," and that a runoff-retention pond was built on the contaminated site which has "resulted in dangerously polluted water leaching and/or overflowing into the Eel River."
Read More | Indybay's North Coast And Environment Pages

Yet another Federal Grand Jury targeting local activists has been convened. The apparent reason is to investigate the anti-G8 protest held in the Mission District on July 8, 2005, during which a local police officer was injured. Charges against three people in connection with the protest are pending. Independent journalist Josh Wolf, a frequent poster to Indybay, has been subpoenaed to provide his unedited videotape of the demonstration. The National Lawyers Guild is representing Josh Wolf and filed a motion to quash the subpoena on several grounds including that the FBI is on an illegal "fishing expedition." The motion was denied April 5th. Wolf and his attornies are considering their next move.

At least two of those arrested July 8th are set to return to court on the 19th of May at 9am in Department 20 of the SF Hall of justice on 850 Bryant street. They are asking people to save the date, come to the courthouse, and show solidarity.

Read More on Indybay's Media, Global Justice, Police State, and San Francisco News Pages

The San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition sponsored "An Evening of Reflection… Determination… Action" on Thursday April 6th. The event was hosted by Michael Krasny as a kickoff for April’s nationwide Million Voices for Darfur Campaign. A rally and vigil for Sudan will take place on Sunday, April 30 in San Francisco. On March 16th 2006, the University of California's Board of Regents voted to divest from companies tied to the government of Sudan.

Read About The Situation In Sudan On Indybay's Racism And International Pages

On Monday March 27th, students in California and across the nation walked out of their classes in protest of the anti-immigrant legislation known as HR 4437. The demonstrations continued Tuesday and grew in number. Local walkouts have included thousands of students in Fresno, Aptos, Watsonville, Hollister and Salinas. Police have dealt harshly with many of the students while other authority figures have both offered support for the student's cause and simultaneously urged students to remain in school. School districts, working with local police, have now begun to implement lockdowns to prevent students from leaving campuses. Nevertheless, the actions continued Wednesday and more are planned for the near future.

March 27 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 · Audio: 1 | 2
March 28 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 · Audio: 1
March 29 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3
March 30 Report
March 31 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 · Audio: 1

Read more on the Immigrant Rights, Santa Cruz IMC, and Central Valley Pages

Fernando Suarez del Solar, Pablo Paredes, Camilo Mejia, and Aidan Delgado led a "coalition of the willing" on a 241-mile quest for peace. They started in Tijuana, Mexico on March 12th, passed through Marine Corps Depot Camp Pendleton to the Cesar Chavez burial site in La Paz, CA (on March 22nd), and ended in the Mission district of San Francisco on March 27th.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Video

Read More On Indybay's Anti-War and Immigrant Rights Pages

Over 50 hunger strikers and organizations held a seven-day protest in front of the Federal Building in San Francisco from March 21st through March 27th to protest against anti-immigrant laws. The protesters spoke out against Senator Arlen Specter’s bill (HR4437) that designates all undocumented immigrants as aggravated felons, allows for the indefinite detention of non-citizens, and criminalizes day-labor centers, churches, health clinics and all others who serve, help or work with undocumented immigrants. There were candlelight vigils at the Federal Building every day and a march on Monday March 27th.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Audio: 1 | Video: 1 | 2

On March 25th, in what may be the largest demonstration in California history, over one million people filled the streets of Los Angeles to demand civil rights for immigrants. Photos On March 27th there were student walkouts state wide. Photos From Fresno

Read more | Immigrant rights news | San Francisco news

Late News: Settlement reached with Watsonville authorities.

On Saturday, March 25th, Watsonville saw the largest march for peace and justice in the history of the city. Documented and undocumented workers, families and allies marched in solidarity with anti-war activists in a peaceful march though the city of Watsonville. The route had been pre-planned and sent to the police. Crowd security was provided by the Watsonville Brown Berets. People marched down the furthest right hand lane of the four lane roads and traffic was moving in both directions.

Yet, after the march, the Watsonville Police Department targeted one organizer (a Brown Beret) and wrote him a citation with 8-10 counts against him, including criminal charges. They will also be charging the Brown Berets for police overtime. This was an effort to show people that “…they can’t do whatever they want to,” in the words of the Watsonville Police.
Read more on Santa Cruz IMC and Indybay's Police State Page

A christian right organization will hold a "Battlecry" event at San Francisco's AT&T; Park at 3rd and King Streets on March 24th and 25th. Before the event they held a rally at City Hall on Friday, March 24th and were meet by a spirited counter rally.
Photos: 1 | 2
Read More On Indybay's Government And San Francisco Pages