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Welcome, to This Is America, May 8th, 2019.
In this episode, first we talk with people involved in the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance about the connections between policing and counter-insurgency, as well as new surveillance technologies, in both occupied Palestinian territories and along the so-called US and Mexico border. We then open up into a broad discussion on current affairs.
All this and more, but first, let’s get to the news!
Living and Fighting:
- In DC, on Tuesday night, thousands of people took to the streets, both on foot and on quads and motorcycles, in response to gentrifers complaining about Go-Go music playing out of speakers from a cell phone store, something that has been a fixture in northwest Washington for decades. The protests, dubbed “MOECHELLA,” a play on “Moe,” a local term for friend, and Chochella, the large corporate music festival, first kicked off in April and have now grown to include thousands of people.
WE SHUT THE CITY DOWN! @yaddiya #longlivegogodc #moechella #dontmutedc pic.twitter.com/McCLl4Kxyx
— Domo (@Dora_Winifred_) May 8, 2019
As Newsone wrote:
A Metro PCS store in the historically Black Shaw neighborhood has been playing go-go music without any complaint for nearly a quarter of a century. But that all changed in March when T-Mobile, Metro PCS’ parent company, ordered an end to the musical tradition. That… silenced the music for several days. [But soon t]he hashtag #Don’tMuteDC went viral and there were protests…
#DontMuteDC #MOECHELLA pic.twitter.com/EUnGZoGhmx
— Dell The Artist (@DellTheArtist) May 8, 2019
On April 10th T-Mobile agreed to turn the music back on however the protests, gatherings, and block parties have continued, all with a clear anti-gentrification and pro-community framing.
Illegal ATV & dirt bike riders showed up at Moechella (Save Chocolate City Protest at 14 & U St.) Some residents who live nearby in expensive condos told me they want @DCPoliceDept to make arrests. Cops tell me they aren’t allowed to chase: “There’s nothing we can do.” #Moechella pic.twitter.com/tITwyLs1oA
— Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) May 8, 2019
- Student organizing at Swarthmore University in Pennsylvania continues, as student have now launched a hunger strike in response to attacks by police on continued protests.
It has been 36 hours since the #SwatHungerStrike began. @swarthmore is still silent. How much longer do students need to go without eating for Swarthmore to respond?
— SwatHungerStrike (@SwatHungrStrike) May 8, 2019
As a recent statement reads:
On May 4th, The Coalition to End Fraternity Violence began a sit-in that ultimately led to the voluntary disbanding of both Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon fraternities. This was a huge win…On May 6th, a group of students began a sit-in in President Smith’s office to ensure she made the right decision to permanently end fraternity violence and institutional neglect. This peaceful sit-in immediately became violent when administrators barred students from entering the space and called police to assist them…The reason for this retaliation is clear: the College is punishing us for recognizing our own power. The College is punishing us for using the power of nonviolent direct action to make change.
- A sit-in at Texas State has ended, yet student actions remain ongoing. Students began taking action in response to the police targeting of students standing up to the far-Right goons on campus.
Our sit in has officially ended, but this isn’t over. Our statement here. #TXSTSITIN2 #TXSTINJUSTICE pic.twitter.com/4RQPK0LxBU
— Resistance TXST (@ResistanceTXST) May 4, 2019
- At John Hopkins University in Baltimore, after physically locking down at the campus on May Day, on May 8th, seven people involved in the ongoing sit-in opposed to a proposed $1.5 million contract with private university police and ICE were arrested after a police raid. Students denounced the raid in a press conference and the situation remains ongoing.
Calls Grow for Hopkins University President Ron Daniels to Resign #ResignRon pic.twitter.com/yZ45gQeirf
— JHU Sit-In Day 35 (@TheGarlandSitIn) May 8, 2019
- Across the world, gig economy drivers for apps like Lyft and Uber launched a mass strike against cuts to their pay and for more control over their work as Uber is set to launch their stock to be publicly shared and traded. In some cities, drivers rallied, while in other places they participated in striking for the day, as many supporters turned the app off and refused to cross the digital picket lines.
San Francisco #UberLyftStrike has flooded out on to Market Street now. pic.twitter.com/uFmQXYAnV0
— Sarah Belle Lin (@SarahBelleLin) May 8, 2019
Crowd swells outside Uber HQ.
“Drivers United will never be defeated.”#UberLyftStrike pic.twitter.com/CkHQTaPR2y— scott budman (@scottbudman) May 8, 2019
- People protested rich bureaucrat Betsy De Vos in Manhattan.
100 pissed-off New York public school students & teachers confront billionaires in tuxedos striding into @ManhattanInst gala to celebrate fellow billionaire @BetsyDeVosED pic.twitter.com/Axozzm7u1B
— Michael Kink (@mkink) May 1, 2019
- In so-called British Columbia, resistance continues to man camps and pipeline construction as the Tiny House Warriors continue to hold it down.
We deny consent for Trans Mountain pipeline and man camp to be built on our lands! #noconsent #nopipelines #stopkm #stoptmx #tinyhousewarriors pic.twitter.com/omBT91MYxO
— Kanahus Manuel (@KanahusFreedom) May 3, 2019
- Protests broke out in Wethersfield, Connecticut after police shot and killed Anthony “Chulo” Cruz. According to Elm City RAM:
The people of Wethersfield occupied WPD’s HQ today before taking the streets and marching to and occupying the lawn outside of Mayor Bello’s mansion. These escalations are only the beginning.
#JusticeforChulo and all who have died at the hands of the terrosits in blue#Fuck12
The people of Wethersfield occupied WPD's HQ today before taking the streets and marching to and occupying the lawn outside of Mayor Bello's mansion. These escalations are only the beginning. #JusticeforChulo and all who have died at the hands of the terrosits in blue #Fuck12 pic.twitter.com/Ax2U1GljlO
— RAM – ElmCity (@RevAbolitionEC) May 4, 2019
#JusticeforChulo demonstrators are blocking the road outside the Wethersfield Police Department chanting “no justice no peace.” Officers have threatened to arrest them if they don’t clear the roadway pic.twitter.com/XqdKUQWoBB
— Rebecca Lurye (@RebeccaLurye) May 3, 2019
- In a major development, Portland bar and venue Cider Riot announced that it was launching a lawsuit against Joey Gibson and several other Patriot Prayer followers after Gibson led the group in an attack against Cider Riot patrons on May Day, shooting pepper spray at them and throwing projectiles. In the pursuing brawl, one Patriot Prayer supporter cracked a femme across the back of the head, sending them to the hospital. One of those charged, David Willis, had posted on social media before the brawl about “cleansing the streets of ANTIFA” and is strongly believed to be behind a string of vandalism in Portland directed at the local IWW hall and Cider Riot.
- In DC, clashes continue between those occupying the Venezuelan embassy who oppose the US coup and supporters of it. Currently, those in favor of the coup on the outside of the building are trying to story their way inside while also attempting to stop food from getting in.
BREAKING: Police violently arrest the president of @VFPNational, Jerry Condone, for trying to get food into the embassy. He is left with lacerations on his face. @UrsulaRozum also arrested. Opposition walks away with stolen food. pic.twitter.com/KhPvSAtC05
— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) May 8, 2019
- In New Orleans a massive banner was dropped reading “No Human Being is Illegal.”
Good morning New Orleans! The Shotgun approves this message. pic.twitter.com/D71IUAPOsj
— The Shotgun (@shotgunpaper) May 3, 2019
- At the Chapel Hill UNC campus, actions continued against repression of those that have fought against the Silent Sam Confederate statue as well as a continued presence of neo-Nazis and neo-Confederates. This last Saturday, an antifascist rally was held and a free food giveaway was organized.
Got our potluck set up. Confeds hiding in parking garage, police hiding in graham memorial. Join us at the Silent Sam hole for free food with anti racist friends. pic.twitter.com/SLTCAESOrt
— Lindsay Ayling (@AylingLindsay) May 4, 2019
cops and klan go hand in hand pic.twitter.com/amGXKNs82q
— Лиля (@lo_lifer) May 4, 2019
- No More Deaths and other organizations helped organize vigils across the US against deportations, mass detention, and continued deaths of people held by immigration enforcement.
Some images from last nights vigil in solidarity with @NoMoreDeaths thank you to everyone who came out and held space for one another in the cold & rain it was beautiful ❤ Seguimos en la lucha @littlevillagesn 🔥✊ pic.twitter.com/m9XjQXhEz9
— Hija De Mi Santisima Madre (@HijaDeMiMadre3) May 4, 2019
- In Ohio, #FreeMasonique demonstrators took to the streets, locked down, and blocked traffic. Masonique is an underage woman who is charge by police with manslaughter for the death of her boyfriend – who police shot and killed. To hear more about the case, check out this previous episode of This Is America.
North High Street at Buttles Ave. was shut down for maybe 90 minutes this evening as #FreeMasonique protesters took to the street. I’m told two protesters chained themselves inside a car parked in the intersection.
Protesters have now confined to the southwest corner. pic.twitter.com/5DhL4QhXKu
— Geoff Redick (@GeoffWSYX6) May 5, 2019
- In Eugene, Oregon a large group came out to counter-protest far-Right Trump supporters and members of the Proud Boys.
Beautiful brown women holding it down taking threats from peeboys all day. Proud of you girls. Antifascists Eugene Kallapuya calapooia pic.twitter.com/JiohBKkb0W
— 🌺Cozca Itzpapalotl🌺 (@bluemazatl) May 5, 2019
- On May 5th, events remembering Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women were held across the world.
- In Arizona, students organized a walkout after their friend was picked up by border patrol and is now facing deportation.
We need mass support, it's not about one case it's about all the people taken from us and about the end of community terrorism by la policia y la Migra. we keep each other safe, No more ice collaboration! pic.twitter.com/fHrHJO0JA9
— Alejandra (@AleLaPlebe) May 6, 2019
Desert view high students walking out for their friend in BP custody #fuckborders pic.twitter.com/2c8fLudB1D
— Autonomy Tucson (@autonomytucson) May 6, 2019
- At the University of Florida students held a banner during graduation against the campus’ connection to prison labor.
shout out to our comrades from @DivestUf for walking across the graduation stage waving this #endprisonslavery #abolishprisons pic.twitter.com/pROliRMc6O
— IWOC Gainesville (@iwoc_gnv) May 6, 2019
- People rallied in Tucson, Arizona rallied in support of another volunteer, Scott Warren of No More Deaths started trial for the supposed crime of leaving water in the desert for migrants, thousands of which die during border crossings. Check No More Death’s trial updates here.
We're here for the press release before Scott Warren's misdemeanor trial today. Come out. pic.twitter.com/NnE1bswoME
— Coalition for The Arizona 3 (@CoalitionAZ3) May 6, 2019
- In Wisconsin, Water Protectors blockaded the Enbridge regional office against the Line 3 Pipeline.
Breaking: Water Protectors blockade @Enbridge regional offices in Superior, WI on day of shareholder meeting to declare “We Will #StopLine3”. Native Water Protector is suspended 20 feet in the air from a tripod. Updates: https://t.co/Qbk0FjfoYb pic.twitter.com/LECCNF7XgW
— Resist Line 3 (@ResistLine3) May 8, 2019
- Members of the IWW in Washington state held a rally against austerity cuts at Evergreen University.
While the cowardly Board of Trustees met off campus to avoid our rally and to instill more Austerity, we delivered our demands to them at the mansion they were meeting at. They can't run from the working class! pic.twitter.com/HPKdMQ3SpG
— IWW South Sound General Education Union (@IWWSouSouGenEdU) May 8, 2019
- Educators in Oregon walked out of work today in massive #Red4Ed protests, bringing tens of thousands of educators into the streets.
The numbers at the Portland #RedForEd teacher rally just hit 20,000. pic.twitter.com/2m367hNpQL
— Shane Burley (@shane_burley1) May 8, 2019
Upcoming Events:
- May 9th: Portland Anarchist Black Cross open house and letter writing night. More info here.
- May 12th: Benefit BBQ in Marshall, NC to Bailout African-American mothers. More info here.
- May 15th: Rally outside of Dekalb County Jail near Atlanta, GA against continued abuses. More info here.
- May 18th: Mobilize against American Renaissance conference. More info here.
- Sunday, May 25th: Mobilize against the KKK in Downtown Dayton, OH. More info here.
- May 18th – 19th: Come out to the Revolutionary Organizing Against Racism Conference (ROAR) in the bay area. More info here.
- May 30th – June 3rd: Earth First! regional rendezvous in Hudson Valley. More info here.
- In June be on the lookout for ‘Running Down the Walls’ events happening across the world to benefit Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) chapters.
- June 12th – 19th: Save the Mattole Direct Action Convergence in Northern California. More info here.
- June 14th-17th: Fight Toxic Prisons conference. Gainesville, Florida. More info here.
- June 15th – 23rd: Wild Roots, Feral Futures in Southwest Colorado. More info here.
- June 19th: Mobilize against Nationalist Solutions conference. More info here.
- August 3rd-11th: Institute for Advanced Trouble Making in Worcester, MA. More info here.
- August 16th-18th: Indigenous Anarchist Convergence in so-called Flagstaff, Arizona. More info here.