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West Coast IMCs: Seattle, S. Puget Sound, Portland, Rogue, Santa Cruz, L.A., and San Diego
Fri Mar 13 2009 (Updated 03/16/09)
Oakland CA Resident Tristan Anderson Critically Injured by IDF Tear Gas Canister in Ni'lin
On Monday March 16th at 4pm there will be a protest in solidarity with Tristan and with the Palestinians' struggle in front of the Israeli Consulate at 456 Montgomery St. in San Francisco. Solidarity events are being held all over the world.
On March 13th, 2009, Tristan Anderson, from Oakland, California was critically wounded in the village of Ni'lin after Israeli forces shot him in the head with a high-powered tear-gas canister. Tristan is a dedicated activist and reporter who has long been committed to social and environmental justice in the U.S. and abroad in places such as Oaxaca, Iraq, and Palestine. Tristan has posted his reports to Indybay since 2001. Tristan's family reported Sunday that he has moved his fingers in response to a request from a doctor.
Sun Mar 15 2009 (Updated 03/16/09)
Activism Right There (A.R.T.) Festival Celebrates 40 Years of Third World Liberation
On Tuesday March 10th, the “Activism Right There (A.R.T.) Festival” was held at Zellerbach Auditorium at UC Berkeley. The festival, part of a week of events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the third world Liberation Front (twLF) strikes, featured a variety of radical performances.
Read more on Indybay's Global Justice and Anti-Capitalism, Education & Student Activism or Arts + Action pages
Tue Mar 10 2009 (Updated 03/16/09)
Dozens of publishers and alternative media outlets participate in Anarchist Book Fair
On Saturday and Sunday, March 14th and 15th, dozens of publishers, distributors, independent booksellers, alternative media and political groups, artists, and others participated in the 14th Annual Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair. The fair was held in the San Francisco County Fair Building at Golden Gate Park, 9th Avenue & Lincoln Way.
Read more on Indybay's Global Justice and Anti-Capitalism page
Mon Mar 9 2009 (Updated 03/10/09)
Palestinian Village of Bil'in Celebrates Four Years of Struggle Against the Apartheid Wall
On February 20th, the Palestinian Village of Bil'in celebrated four years of weekly protests against the Apartheid Wall. The village of Bil'in has fought for four years against the Apartheid Wall. The wall steals much of the villagers' land and is part of the Israeli plan to divide Palestine into tiny pieces. Many villagers, journalists, foreign and Israeli activists, and even politicians attended on the anniversary.
Sun Mar 8 2009 (Updated 03/14/09)
Disruptive Protests to Be Held at BART Stations Until Demands Met
No Justice No BART (NJNB) held their first action at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland on March 5th. NJNB intends to continue disruptive protests at various BART stations until their list of demands is addressed. NJNB said the demo was a success despite not having fully closed the station. Passengers came and went yet BART collected no fares during the protest. The next NJNB action will be March 19th at Rockridge BART.
Sat Mar 7 2009 (Updated 03/16/09)
From Art Exhibits to Book Events, International Women's Month in the Bay Area
International Women's Day was Sunday, March 8th, and was celebrated around the Bay Area through a variety of events. The Stop Violence Against Women: 1 in 3 Art Exhibit included performances on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday, March 8th, Code Pink marched across the Golden Gate Bridge, and then attended a potluck and program in Berkeley. In Palo Alto, the film "A Single Woman: The Story of Jeannette Rankin" was screened. In L.A., a march and rally aimed to "Celebrate Resistance and Internationalism! " and on Sunday there was a Women Hold Up Half the Sky presentation.
Fri Mar 6 2009
Contracts for Top-Level Administrators Remain Untouched
On March 5th, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) board of trustees approved a budget that closes a 14 million dollar deficit. The cuts eliminate the Class Size Reduction program in kindergarten and 3rd grade (eliminating 50 teacher positions from the elementary schools), slash funding for nurses, custodians, aides, and counselors.
On Thursday, March 5th, legal arguments took place in the California Supreme Court regarding an attempt to overturn 2008's Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage. Lead counsel Shannon Minter argued that if the initiative process is
used to take a fundamental right away from a persecuted minority, no one in
California is safe. The court has 90 days to issue an opinion, but Equality California thinks that a decision will be issued sooner. Several events related to same-sex marriage are planned for the next few days.
Read more on Indybay's LGBTI / Queer page
The satirical song warbling Raging Grannies have been both booed and applauded up and down the San Francisco Peninsula and excitement is building as the premiere of Pam Walton's documentary *Raging Grannies: The Action League* comes to the Cinequest Film Festival this weekend. The San Jose Mercury News puts the spotlight on this documentary saying it's "what's hot at Cinequest" and the Metro News Silicon Valley calls it a PICK of this year's annual 10 -day film festival.
The 55 minute documentary premieres in San Jose on March 7 and 8.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama, along with other major Democratic candidates, promised to stop the federal government's raids on medical cannabis dispensaries. Federal medical cannabis-related raids continued in January and February. On February 25th, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that Obama's pledge "is now American policy." However, no laws have been changed.
Mon Mar 2 2009 (Updated 03/09/09)
Israeli Apartheid Week Held for the Second Time at UC Berkeley
From March 2 to March 6, UC Berkeley students will host Israeli Apartheid Week. The week long event will include lectures, panel discussions and movies addressing the legal system of Apartheid in Occupied Palestine. The event is also orientated toward educating the public about the boycott, divestment, sanctions campaign, of Israeli-Apartheid products. In its fifth annual year, Israeli Apartheid Week will be held in over forty cities around the world. At UC Berkeley, the event is happening for the second year.
Sun Mar 1 2009 (Updated 03/08/09)
Upcoming Events Include BART Shutdowns and Recall of DA Orloff
Over a hundred people marched through Hayward from the BART Station to City Hall on what would of been Oscar Grant's 23rd birthday on February 27th, 2009. A large outpouring of friends and family rallied in front of Hayward City Hall after the march. Family members called for justice for all those murdered by police and to keep the movement going. There was a large police presence throughout.
Sun Mar 1 2009
Aerial Pesticide Spraying Affects the Entire Chain of Life
A report released in February and authored by a group of researchers from various organizations supports concerns Californians have had about the aerial spraying of pesticides in the Monterey Bay area in 2007. The study shows the correlation of the unprecedented bird die off and red tide with the timing of the spraying of the pesticide Checkmate.
Thu Feb 26 2009
Eric McDavid Update - Lockdowns, Move and New Address
January 2009 marked the 3rd year that Eric McDavid has spent behind bars. His arrest and imprisonment were a direct result of government infiltration and entrapment. Eric has spent the last three years of his life in a cage for what amounts to thought crime. Those years have been full of challenges and struggle. Most recently, Eric has been enduring lockdowns at the prison, the loss of phone and internet access, and a move.
On February 23rd, students at UC Berkeley voted whether to recall John Moghtader, a senator at the student government. Moghtader, along with members of the student groups Tikva and Zionist Freedom Alliance, are accused of assaulting three Palestinian students for displaying Palestinian flags during a campus event last November.
Thu Feb 26 2009
Mendocino County Under Medical Marijuana Siege
Laurel Krause writes: Ongoing medical marijuana busts throughout Mendocino County have been arresting local residents daily. I was one of five busts made and charged with two felonies (cultivation and intent to sell/distribute) on February 20th, even though I had my doctor recommendation and was growing with the guidelines published at the Mendocino County website.
Thu Feb 26 2009
New Campaign Launched to Ban Taser Use in Sonoma County
On February 13th, about 75 people gathered in Santa Rosa's Courthouse Square to demand that the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department end their use of Tasers, a deadly device which has led to five deaths of unarmed civilians in our community over the last two years. The October 22nd Coalition Against Police Brutality organized the protest as part of a new campaign demanding the end of Taser use in Sonoma County.
Phoenix, AZ — Organizations from around the country are calling for an end to the immigration raids of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and specifically to revoke his controversial contract with the Department of Homeland Security. A national organizing conference will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on February 27th, as well as a march on February 28th.
On Tuesday, February 24, hundreds of hotel workers and community members marched through downtown San Francisco to call on visitors to boycott two major hotels: the HEI Le Meridien and the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf. Workers at these hotels are seeking respect, job security and better livelihoods for themselves and their families. HEI and Hyatt workers have called on management to respect their choice whether or not to form a union through the majority sign-up process – the same process used by numerous other hotels in San Francisco and across the US.
Read more on Indybay's Labor & Workers page
Wed Feb 25 2009 (Updated 03/09/09)
Town Halls Culminate with Caravan to Sacramento to Demand Justice for People of Color
Following a series of Town Hall meetings that have been held since the murder of Oscar Grant, the first in a series of Caravans for Justice traveled to the California State Capitol on February 19th to speak out and lobby legislators on the issues of Oscar Grant and police killings, repressive gang laws, Three Strikes, the San Francisco 8, environmental justice, and other laws and issues that negatively effect urban communities of color.
The 55-year-old Bevatron particle accelerator at the Berkeley Lab will soon be reduced to 4,700 truckloads of rubble to make way for a new experimental facility. Local residents worry that UC's disposal methods are not taking the human population and environment thoroughly into account, and point to the history of the Bevatron as a facility intended to further nuclear weapons technology. Radioactive waste will be trucked to Nevada, while less hazardous rubble will be dumped in Richmond and Livermore.
Read more on Indybay's Environment & Forest Defense page
Sun Feb 22 2009 (Updated 03/01/09)
Activists Arrested for Chalking Sidewalks, Protesting with Bandanas, and Leaflet Distro
Federal authorities have arrested four animal rights activists accused of protesting animal abuse at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, a FBI press release reported on Friday, February 20th. The activists are accused of "chalk[ing] defamatory comments on the public sidewalks", protesting while "wearing bandanas to hide their faces", and distributing leaflets with the contact information for vivisectors on them. All four will be charged at least in part under the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.
Thu Feb 19 2009 (Updated 02/21/09)
San Jose Sees Sixth Victim of Death by Taser
The sixth victim of death by taser in the city of San Jose was remembered on February 20th at a taser-danger awareness event and fundraiser. Jolted with a stun gun by a San Jose police officer on February 11th, Richard Lua died at the scene as he was returning home. At least 334 people in the United States have died after being shocked by a taser since 2001.
Diverse communities in the U.S. have been standing together to bring about social change at the grassroots level in an unprecedented wave of euphoria set off by the inauguration of Barack Obama. Whether in public meetings, workshops, or protests the unity of purpose and momentum is palpable. What will it take to translate that human energy into real change?
In lieu of recent high profile cases of police brutality and murder, some in the community remember that these atrocities are an ongoing epidemic in the Chicano and Black communities. On February 17, 2004, Rudy Cardenas, a father of five children, was shot and killed by state narcotics agent Michael Walker in San Jose. Jesse Villarreal, a nephew of Rudy Cardenas, was interviewed on February 14th about his uncle’s murder, the organizing efforts to bring attention to the issue, the results of the case, and how this incident is similar to the case involving the murder of Oscar Grant.
After a year and a half of bargaining, custodians, gardeners, food service workers and drivers organized through the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 voted to accept a historic agreement with the University of California (UC). This new agreement includes wages increases over five years of 4%, 3%, 3%, 3%, and 3%. UC service workers will have a state wide minimum wage that reaches $14.00/hour by the end of the contract.
Mon Feb 16 2009 (Updated 02/25/09)
Community Groups Assume Control of BART Meeting and Demand Justice for Oscar Grant
On Thursday, February 12th, community activists attended a BART Board of Directors meeting to voice their concerns about the inadequate response to the abuse and murder of Oscar Grant III on January 1st. Activists assumed control of the meeting and unfurled a banner in the room. Three demands were issued. Demonstrators then worked their way through the Board asking them one by one to publicly commit to the demands. Activists promised that "more, much more is coming," unless BART accedes to the community's demands for more accountability and transparency.
Fri Feb 13 2009 (Updated 02/14/09)
Video of Fresno Police Beating is Shown Nationwide
A coalition of community groups are demanding the City of Fresno establish police accountability and community confidence in the police department. Representatives from 20 grassroots organizations were at Fresno City Hall on February 13th calling for an independent investigation into the beating of a homeless man by a Fresno police officer. Video of the incident has been shown nationwide.
Sat Feb 14 2009 (Updated 02/15/09)
Rising Tide Activists Protest Foreclosures by Bank of America
Rising Tide, an organization that is dedicated to fighting the root causes of climate change, called for nationwide demonstrations against Bank of America to take place on Saturday, Feb 14th. In San Francisco, the local branch protested Bank of America on Powell St.
Read more on Indybay's Global Justice and Anti-Capitalism page
Fri Feb 13 2009 (Updated 02/15/09)
People Power Celebrates Everyday Heroes
On a rainy February 15th, People Power! and other cycling advocates demonstrated the everyday utility of the bicycle for transportation. Beginning at the Hub for Sustainable Transportation in Santa Cruz, the Tour de Everyday took participants through various bike routes riders can take to school, to work, to shopping or natural resources.
Since December, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been disrupting whaling operations by a Japanese fleet that illegally hunts whales under the guise of "research." Confrontations included Sea Shepard lobbing rotten butter onto the decks of the whaling ships as well as directly ramming whaling ships on the open seas at times. The whalers in turn have used sonic weapons to retaliate. After three months of operations attempting to prevent the illegal whaling, the Sea Sheperd crew are returning to better prepare for future battles with the whalers.
Environmental leaders from throughout the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas have asked Federal District Judge Saundra Armstrong to deny the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s motion to block disclosure of the chemicals used in the CheckMate pesticides sprayed on Monterey and Santa Cruz residents as part of the government’s Apple Moth Eradication Program. EPA has requested Judge Armstrong to prevent disclosure of the chemicals in the spray, claiming the manufacturer’s proprietary interest outweighs the public’s right to know.
Thu Feb 12 2009 (Updated 02/13/09)
Waltz With Bashir, Based on Memories of Soldiers who invaded Lebanon in 82', in Theaters
Last week, "Waltz With Bashir" opened in theaters across the Bay Area. The movie concentrates on stories and experiences of Israeli soldiers who invaded Lebanon in 82'. Following Ari Folman's journey to retrieve his memory, the viewers are shown a glimpse of the atrocities and war crimes committed by the Israeli Army and its allies in Lebanon.
Tue Feb 10 2009 (Updated 02/12/09)
Page Mill Properties Hires Off-Duty Policeman to Harass Renters' Rights Champion
Page Mill Properties began buying up apartment buildings in the largely low-income and immigrant city of East Palo Alto in 2006. A short while later, the company announced rent increases that violated the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance. The giant landlord/investor was challenged by tenant Christopher Lund, who called on the public pension fund CalPERS, a major Page Mill investor, to help stop Page Mill Properties's predatory actions. Page Mill began a campaign to ruin Mr. Lund's reputation, and with the assistance of the Palo Alto Police Department, tried to entrap the tenant activist.
03/15/09 Activism Right There (A.R.T.) Festival Celebrates 40 Years of Third World Liberation globalization | education | arts 03/13/09 Oakland CA Resident Tristan Anderson Critically Injured by IDF Tear Gas Canister in Ni'lin antiwar | international | palestine 03/10/09 Dozens of publishers and alternative media outlets participate in Anarchist Book Fair globalization 03/09/09 Palestinian Village of Bil'in Celebrates Four Years of Struggle Against the Apartheid Wall globalization | palestine 03/08/09 Broken Windows at KFC in Santa Cruz animalliberation | santacruz 03/08/09 Disruptive Protests to Be Held at BART Stations Until Demands Met police | race 03/07/09 From Art Exhibits to Book Events, International Women's Month in the Bay Area womyn | california | international 03/06/09 We Don’t Want to Lose Our Homes poverty | centralvalley 03/06/09 Contracts for Top-Level Administrators Remain Untouched education | santacruz 03/05/09 A Dedicated Activist and Socialist poverty | santacruz 03/05/09 Gay Marriage Proponents Argue That Proposition 8 Is Illegal and Should Be Overturned lgbtqi |
Bethlehem Updates Number 17: Solidarity with Tristan Anderson and Rachel Corrie!
Monday Mar 16th 12:41 PM
US Consul General Says Awaiting Israeli Report on IDF Shooting of American Citizen
Monday Mar 16th 8:23 AM
Boycott the Bloodshed - Poster by Favianna_Rodriguez for SF 4pm Demo Tristan & Palestine
Monday Mar 16th 1:48 AM
Book Fair Speakers - Andrej Grubacic, Victoria Law, & Osha Neumann, SF, 3/15/09: audio
Monday Mar 16th 12:13 AM
Leviev (builder of West Bank Settlements) owns SF Rialto Bldg on New Montgomery
Monday Mar 16th 12:12 AM
students at UC Berkeley commemorates 40 years of third world Liberation Front (twLF)
More Local News...
Sunday Mar 15th 1:53 PM
Employee Free Choice Act: The Biggest Anti-Union Busting Campaign in History
Monday Mar 16th 12:10 PM
On Trip to Gaza, Parents of Slain Peace Activist Rachel Corrie Remember Their Daughter Six Years After Her Death
Monday Mar 16th 8:22 AM
Leftist FMLN Candidate Mauricio Funes Wins El Salvador Presidential Election, Ending Two Decades of Conservative Rule
Monday Mar 16th 8:21 AM
Chief Justice Reinstated in Pakistan; Protest Rally in Capital Cancelled; Crisis subsiding
Monday Mar 16th 7:38 AM
March 12, 2009 Activists confront AIPAC donors with checkpoint outside fundraiser
More Global News...
Sunday Mar 15th 11:15 PM
Bush to visit Calgary Tuesday...hear live on the ground reports from the demonstration!
Monday Mar 16th 10:05 AM
Huge SF Infrastructure Projects linked to the Stimulus Plan lack Accountability.
Open Newswire...
Sunday Mar 15th 9:31 PM |