DOWNEY - Michael Nida was an unarmed, innocent man, who was gunned down at the hands of the Downey PD in an admitted case of mistaken identity. He was not a criminal; he was a loving husband and father of four. He was a union carpenter who worked hard to provide for his family, and also volunteered his time in his community as a coach for youth sports teams.

The Downey PD admits that they were pursuing Michael Nida because they thought that he was an armed robbery suspect. However, no non-lethal methods were used in apprehending him, and their police error resulted in his death. He was on a date with his wife and had briefly stopped at a gas station when he was shot and killed by an officer yielding an MP5 submachine gun.

The family and their supporters are asking for people to come and speak out at the next Downey City Council meeting this Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 7:30 p.m., located at 11111 Brookshire Avenue in Downey
Full article: Justice for Michael Nida II, Murdered October 22, 2011 by Downey Police by Lashonte Mayer & Lima Harris

Related Story: Tyisha Miller remembered in light of recent spate of police shootings by Rockero

[Editorial by The Journal of Aesthetics & Protest] Issue 8 of the Journal of Aesthetics & Protest is out. Its forward, recently written but conceived in the afterglow of the 2009/2010 UC occupations looks into the broad strategy of occupying everything.

The chart shows how we editors understand how each writer's article functionalizes distrust/trust of institutionality in relationship to how much mediation they understand is useful in reflecting on the complexity of culture.

With increased institutionality, the work transforms from an isolated autonomous actor towards more socialized formations, be the formations consciously organized community groups or general mass cultures operating with less conscious collective arrangements.

With increased mediation, the project of sharing dreams, ideas, critiques and meaning goes from something very intimate (a kiss, a whisper or a slap in the face) to something that is milled through various representational machines.
Full article: Towards Occupying Everything by the editors of the Journal of Aesthetics and Protest

PASADENA - Occupy joined this year's New Year celebrations by marching at the end of the Rose Parade. They carried float-sized props of the Constitution, the "corporate Constitution," and the Occupy Octopus, made entirely of recycled material rather than the plant material the Tournament of Roses requires.

As Rose Parade spectators dispersed, the Occupy movement held a rally outside Pasadena City Hall with speakers, including Cindy Sheehan, the "peace mom."

Despite recent setbacks for the economic justice movement, including the breakup of all the major encampments, occupiers in the US and the outraged worldwide are hopeful that 2012 is the year of great change.

From the newswire: Occupy the Rose Parade by Rockero | | Did Occupy the Rose Parade Get Air? by nobody | | OCCUPY roses and constitution showed up in media by one of many

This year's version of the National Defense Authorization Act, in addition to allocating massive amounts of tax dollars to war, contains provisions that will allow the president to indefinitely detain anybody he determines is part of Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, an "associated group," or has committed "belligerent acts" against the United States until such a time as he declares an "end to hostilities." The wording of the bill is vague enough to create the potential for the detention of peaceful activists for positive change, and eliminate the rights of due process and trial by jury.

The potential for the use of this act for political repression is clear, and for this reason, it has encountered widespread popular opposition. While some elements of the right have also taken measures against the bill, including an Oathkeepers group in Montana who have launched a recall of their congressional delegation for supporting NDAA, it is the Occupy movement that has taken the most militant stance against it, with actions nationwide resulting in several arrests. Southern California has seen its share of the action, as well.

From the newswire: Banner Drops Urge Veto of NDAA and Occupy Riverside Challenges Indefinite Military Detention by Rockero | | Is The Passed Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (retroactive) To Detain Americans? by Sue Riley | | Obama Year Three: Continuing His Rogue Agenda by Stephen Lendman

UPDATE: On New Year's Eve, President Obama quietly signed the NDAA from his holiday hideaway in Honolulu. Although he issued a signing statement promising that his administration would not use the law to violate the rights of American citizens, the statement has no force of law, and there is no guarantee whatsoever that future presidents will keep that promise. The ACLU has vowed to fight the military detention provisions in the courts, while Occupy and other justice advocated have vowed to take that fight to the streets.

The days of the immigrant rights movement's maintaining a safe distance from the Occupy movement are long gone as throughout Southern California, "Occupy ICE" actions have brought the movements much closer together in honor of International Migrants Day. In Los Angeles, mainline labor and immigrant rights leaders spoke alongside mic-checking occupiers as marchers the downtown federal building, which contains an ICE detention facility.

Eastward, Occupy Riverside's Latino Forum held a "Latino Day," designed to celebrate the struggle of the immigrant and highlight Latino issues in the Inland Empire.

The Occupy movement has always been sensitive to pre-existing movements, whether they were environmentalist, pro-labor, feminist, or pro-civil rights, but this is the first time that immigrants and occupiers have come together in a serious way.

From the newswire: "Dí­a del Latino" en Occupy Riverside / Occupy Riverside's Latino Forum Celebrates by/por Rockero

LONG BEACH, California - Heeding the call of Occupy Oakland, which called for a shutdown of west coast ports in response to the brutal eviction of occupy encampments nationwide, and in solidarity with expolited port workers and truckers, about 500 militant occupiers and their friends shut down Terminal J of the Port of Long Beach, the home of SSA Marine, an investment of the criminal enterprise Goldman Sachs and the main stakeholder of the US government.

The marchers were eventually split off from each other by the Los Angeles Port Police. However a group of 300 to 500 people successfully blocked a road that led to one of the SSA piers for a few hours causing traffic snarls and the like. At this point the police phalanx declared the march an unlawful assembly and threatened the Gandhian / King-inspired demonstrators with possible bodily harm from batons, percussion weapons, tasers and finally......nonlethal dog bites.

The Port Police eventually physically pushed the people back for 100 yards or so, at which point the nonviolent protesters turned and walked back to Harry Bridges Park. The rain began to fall heavily as the crowd of now about 200 began to disperse.

Some arrests were made. One for failure to disperse, one for resisting and a number of pedestrian traffic violations were issued.The well known Los Angeles organizer Kwazi Nkrumah was arrested and charged with failure to obey a police officer and walking in a roadway. He is out on bail of 10,000 dollars.

Full report: Occupy the Ports - A Day without Goldman Sachs by Rockero

Occupy The Ports Long Beach, part 1 by Robert Stuart Lowden

Occupy The Ports Long Beach, part 2 by Robert Stuart Lowden

UPDATE: Interview with Nathan, arrested at Long Beach Port shutdown by Rockero

RIVERSIDE - Tuesday, Dec. 06, 2011 – A coalition including Occupy LA, Occupy Riverside, ACCE, Refund California, and SEIU teamed up to defend two families who are facing eviction by sheriffs who protect the profits of JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo.

Fraudulent mortgages and a refusal by bankers to negotiate with families struggling to get by has resulted in a huge wave of foreclosures. As people are driven from their homes and neighborhoods, their homes are left empty for months and even years at a time. The banks and the capitalist class have shown over and over that they don't care about anything but their profits and their property.

Ana Casas Williams, her husband James, her mother, and her son reached out to community organizations for help in defending their foreclosed home in South Gate after Wells Fargo refused to modify the conditions of their mortgage. Ana has been fighting stage 4 breast cancer which forced her husband to quit his job to provide full time care for her.

Art D. and his family have been refused the opportunity to modify their mortgage by JPMorgan Chase on their home in Riverside. Art is still employed although the recession has cut into his ability to make the payments at the previous rate.

Today, people from around LA stood up for the right of all people to homes by rallying, speaking out to the media, and taking direct action by setting up their tents in the yards of people facing eviction in order to physically defend the families from the sheriffs who will come to evict them. From the Newswire:

Occupy Our Homes: L.A. Joins a Nationwide Day of Action Against Foreclosures by a wobbly

They Are Not Going to Steal Another Home! by LizardQueen

PASADENA, December 2, 2011 - Much of the San Gabriel Valley area was hit with a wind storm of unprecedented force Wednesday night. At this time 100,000s of people in the area effected are still without power. Some people are unable to leave their home by car due to fallen trees blocking the street. Wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour brought down trees and cut power lines. Large hundred year old trees have fallen on some homes causing serious structural damage. Many cars parked on the street have also been crushed by fallen trees. No fatalities have been reported.

Report with photos: Massive Wind Storm Hits San Gabriel Valley Area

RIVERSIDE - Wed. Nov. 30, 2011 - While all eyes were on the destruction of the Occupy LA camp Tuesday night. In Riverside police evicted the Occupy Riverside mall encampment. 3 arrests have been reported from the raid. There are also reports of police violence. One person, an Iraq war veteran, is said to have sustained a spinal fracture when police bashed his head into the roof of a police car.

Excerpts from an eye witness account: At 6:15 am, the Riverside Police marched approx. 40 troops to the 9th St. sidewalk, lining them up, and then marched approx. 40 troops onto the University Ave. sidewalk to create a sort of loose perimeter such as in a battlefield, leaving the remaining 24 or so of the 104 troops (as stated by Chief Diaz) to organize the removal, demolition, and hauling away of all tents, signs, and personal belongings not claimed. From the Newswire: Report of the eviction and dispersal of the tents and belonging at Occupy Riverside by John Dingler | Occupy Riverside Also Raided Tuesday Night

LOS ANGELES, November 30, 2011 - The Occupy LA encampment at City Hall was raided late last night and destroyed last night by the LAPD. Police mobilized a force of an estimated 800 officers and formed a tight ring around the surrounding area and then an inner ring around the park. When the raid came hundreds of riot police poured out of the South door of City Hall and flooded the camp. Police quickly surrounding those locked in arms in the South Plaza and began making arrests.

Arrests continued late into the night. The exact count is unclear but estimates put it near 200 people. Those not arrested during the raid staged protests on First Street just East of the park. About 1,000 supporters were able to get to the park before police line went up. Those who did not arrive before 9:00 pm were prevented by police lines from getting to the park. Other late arrivers marched around the police perimeter looking for a way in. For a while some people found ways in through some open buildings, but police caught on and stopped it.

Occupiers have regrouped at the La Placita Church and some tents have been set up there. A general assembly is still planned for tonight at 7:30 pm on the West steps of City Hall. Photos: LAPD RAIDS OCCUPY LA by Marcus

UPDATE, Thursday, Dec 1, 11:30am: Total arrests said to be 292. Most charged for unlawful assembly. Some resisting arrest charges. Hundreds still in jail. Numbers released at this time unclear. Excessive bail set at $5,000. Times 300 arrested means $1.5 million at 10% rate means $150,000 needed in bail money for all arrestees. Bail fund said to be only $12,000. Arraignments expected today, 1:30 pm at 429 Bauchet St. Dept. 80-83. Police claim no force used or injuries but video posted online indicates otherwise. There are reports from Occupy medics of injuries. Unconfirmed reports of rubber bullets fired. Park is now completely fenced off. City is now blaming occupiers for the mess created by police when they destroyed the camp.

Personal Testimony: My Occupy LA Arrest by Patrick Meighan

LOS ANGELES - November 28, 2011 - The Occupiers at City Hall spent a sleepless night working to defend their camp, armed with only their bodies and their strength of will. Even when surrounded by police with one small escape route the occupiers held their ground. And as dawn broke, staying in the park past the city's deadline turned out to be safer than shopping at walmart this holiday weekend.

It now appears that the city's strategy for eviction is to wear people down with a low intensity slow motion raid, hoping that most will pack up and leave on their own. In classic Orwellian speak, police chief Beck has said, "It's not an eviction, it's the beginning of an informational campaign".

For the most part Beck's informational campaign appears to have achieved some partial success for the LAPD. At morning light the camp looked in disarray with less than half the number of tents from the day before. The 1,000s of supporters that packed last night's general assembly are also gone.

At this time police forces have been demobilized and there is only a small police presence at the camp. Both sides could be awaiting a ruling on an injunction filed by the National Lawyers Guild to stop the eviction on the grounds that the City Council has passed a resolution in support of Occupy that waived the no camping ordinance and that the mayor can not unilaterally order an eviction without the council's reinstatement of the no camping ban.

Last night was a long night for the occupiers and it is thought that most are resting and preparing for the days ahead. The night saw some creative displays of non-violent resistance with some people taking to the trees in the park, others formed a circle around a symbolic last tent. And there was, for a while, the formation of a human chain on the First Street side of the park.

Police riot squads did not attempt entry into the park. There were however 4 arrests reported that occurred during a brief scuffle when police cleared the protest off First Street. A dedicated core of perhaps 200 occupiers still vow to hold their ground and defy the eviction. Reports from the newswire:

Occupy LA defies eviction order by Rockero

The Deadline Passes at Occupy LA by RP

City's Deadline Passes No Sign of Riot Squad

Occupy LA Holding General Assembly Now | Up to 1,000 at General Assembly Now

OLA Protest has Spilled into Street | PHOTOS: Protesters in the Streets - 1st & Main by LA-IMC

OCCUPY LA at 10 PM by Marcus

From the KPFK Archive: Indy Media on the Air (available for 90 days)