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January 11th, 2013, marked the day the unlawful prison Guantánamo opened 11 years ago. A protest organized by Amnesty International Chapter 19 was held in Palo Alto's Lytton Plaza. Protesters demonstrated to remind President Obama of his promise to shut down Guantánamo prison and uphold human rights. Participants from many groups gathered in busy downtown Palo Alto to gather signatures and draw attention to the human rights abuses that continue in Guantánamo. Amongst the demonstrators were members of high school chapters of Amnesty International at Lynbrook and Mountain View High Schools and members of the San Jose and Palo Alto Peace and Justice Centers. Eight Raging Grannies armed with an amplifier emceed the event and led singing. Amnesty International's Chapter 19 organized the protest, erecting a "cage" and supplying the orange jumpsuits to create the visual for the demonstration.
Together the groups publicized their demands:
· All detained people must either be charged & fairly tried, or be released
· The cases of the publicly cleared detainees, including Shaker Aamer & Djamel Ameziane must be resolved
· End indefinite detention & remove detention provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act
· End unlawful killings with drones and other weapons
· Ensure accountability for torture, unlawful killings & other abuses
 Photos
A well-known anti-Muslim group known as "The American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI)" began running Islamophobic ads on ten San Francisco buses. The ads read: "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad." After MUNI announced that it would not remove the ads, local artists took matters into their own hands and began modifiying the ads. Several now read: "In any war between the colonizer and the colonized, support the oppressed. Support the Palestinian right of return. Defeat racism."
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors proclaimed Palestinian Cultural Day at its regular meeting in the Alameda County Administration Building in Oakland on Tuesday, July 24th, 2012. Board President Nate Miley and Supervisor Wilma Chan awarded the Proclamation to representatives of the Palestinian community: Fouad Atieh, Sandra Nasser, Nabil Wahbeh, and Loubna Qutami.
The proclamation is a victory for Palestinian residents who have long sought recognition as a community despite sometimes fierce opposition. It recognizes Palestinians as a people who “trace their roots back to this historic land of Palestine” and that “Palestinian residents of Alameda County now number approximately 20,000 and continue to make major contributions to the County.”
Alameda County becomes the second in California to officially recognize Palestinian Cultural Day, following the lead of Santa Clara County which issued its first proclamation in 2002. But getting started ten years ago was very challenging because of fierce opposition from supporters of Israel who feared the proclamations would erode Israel’s image by raising public awareness of recent Palestinian history.
Read More and View Photos
Related Articles: Palestinian Culture and Catastrophe Recognized by Santa Clara County || Palestinian Cultural Mural Unveiled After Turbulent Struggle || Santa Clara County marks Palestinian Culture Day on 60th Anniversary of al-Nakbah || Silicon Valley Proclaims May 15th Palestinian Cultural Day
On July 20th, George Cadman interviewed Medea Benjamin about her new book "Drone Warfare: Killing By Remote Control," which is "a comprehensive look at the growing menace of robotic warfare, with an extensive analysis of who is producing the drones, where they are being used, who 'pilots' these unmanned planes, who the victims are and what some of the legal and moral implications are." Benjamin's book also looks at what activists, lawyers and scientists are doing to ground the drones, and ways to move forward. Medea Benjamin spoke at Bookshop Santa Cruz on Monday, July 23th.
Around 500 people from 15 cities in Mexico and 11 countries in the world came together in the National Encounter of Autonomous Anti-Capitialist Resistance at the end of May 2012 to share experiences of autonomy and support the uprising and current process of self-government in Cherán, Michoacán. The Cherán K’eri uprising on April 15, 2011 and the process of self-government now underway in that community is, for many, a source of inspiration, a strong show of resistance to be defended, and an experience to learn from.
The Montreal student strike began in February when most of the cégeps in the province of Québec, as well as two of the largest universities, voted to protest new austerity measures. For some of the schools, continuing the strike has been a week-to-week re-negotiation while others voted right from the beginning to participate in an unlimited general strike, and still others voted to strike until all education was free. On May 18th, two new laws came into effect in Montréal: one, a municipal by-law, aims to discourage people from wearing masks at demonstrations by threatening them with fines from $1000 to $5000; the other, a provincial Special Law which demands that demonstrators, anywhere in Québec, submit to the local police a start time and a complete route at least eight hours in advance. The provincial law also declares that there can be no demonstrations on the grounds of academic institutions, with organizers risking fines in the tens of thousands of dollars.
The students of Quebec have taken a struggle against tuition hikes and mobilized hundreds of thousands against austerity and state repression. What began as a one-week university student strike has widened into an anti-capitalist revolt against universities, banks and police in what many are calling a general and indefinite social strike. In the face of state repression, including Law 78 more or less banning protest, court injunctions against university picket lines, and mass arrests, the students of Montreal have returned to the streets night after night for over 100 days.
On June 1st, an evening march was held in Oakland to show solidarity with the students to the north.
 Video of Oakland's March |
 Oakland Event Announcement |
Over 100,000 protesters commit civil disobedience in Montreal |
Solidarity Means Attack - Call For Support From Montréal!
On April 18th, U.S. Federal authorities removed a server from a colocation facility shared by Riseup Networks and May First/People Link in New York City. The seized server was operated by the European Counter Network (“ECN”), the oldest independent internet service provider in Europe, who, among many other things, provided an anonymous remailer service, Mixmaster, that was the target of an FBI investigation into a series of bomb threats against the University of Pittsburgh.
“The company running the facility has confirmed that the server was removed in conjunction with a search warrant issued by the FBI,” said May First/People Link director Jamie McClelland. “The server seizure is not only an attack against us, but an attack against all users of the Internet who depend on anonymous communication.”
Disrupted in this seizure were academics, artists, historians, feminist groups, gay rights groups, community centers, documentation and software archives and free speech groups. The server included the mailing list “cyber rights” (the oldest discussion list in Italy to discuss this topic), a Mexican migrant solidarity group, and other groups working to support indigenous groups and workers in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. In total, over 300 email accounts, between 50-80 email lists, and several other websites have been taken off the Internet by this action. None are alleged to be involved in the anonymous bomb threats.
“The FBI is using a sledgehammer approach, shutting down service to hundreds of users due to the actions of one anonymous person,” said Devin Theriot-Orr, a spokesperson for Riseup. “This is particularly misguided because there is unlikely to be any information on the server regarding the source of the threatening emails.”
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UPDATE: The trial has been delayed. More details will be forthcoming.
On November 17th, a Jerusalem civil court will convene regarding the case of Tristan Anderson, an international solidarity activist from Oakland, California, wounded in March 2009 when he was shot in the head by Israeli border police in Ni'ilin, Palestine. He survived the attack on his life, but has been left paralyzed on one side of his body and with significant damage to his brain. In the weeks following his shooting, the family of Tristan Anderson initiated legal action against the Israeli military in both criminal and civil court. As is the pattern, the police investigation into its own conduct yielded no criminal convictions against any of the officers or military personnel involved in the shooting. The investigation has been widely criticized as a sham. To date, no one has been charged with any crime whatsoever related to the shooting of Tristan Anderson. The police, instead, chose to focus much of the attention of their so-called investigation on attempts at information gathering against activists.
Supporters write: "We demand that the State answer for the unprovoked attack on our friend, and we maintain that Tristan's shooting was not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of deadly and illegal violence being used against protesters in Palestine."
On November 17th at 6:30pm, there will also be an event in Berkeley in solidarity with the trial featuring Tristan, an update from court from Gabby, and a discussion as well as music.
Read more |
Solidarity with Tristan Anderson event announcement |
Al Jazeera article about Tristan’s civil suit
Previous related Indybay feature:
Ni'lin Demo in Solidarity with Tristan Anderson and Rachel Corrie
UPDATE July 19th: The MV Juliano was detained in Crete by Greek authorities who refuse to let the boat sail. The last remaining Flotilla II boat, the French boat Dignite/Al Karama, was stopped by the Israeli navy about 40 miles off of the coast of Gaza.
The 2011 Stay Human Freedom Flotilla has faced repeated threats and admonishments from the U.S. and Israeli governments, the early pullout of the Turkish contingent, meddling from Zionist law firms, sabotage to the propellers of the Irish and Greek-Swedish-Norwegian boats by underwater divers, and an order from the Greek government banning the flotilla from embarking on the journey to Gaza from Greece.
The "Freedom Flotilla 2 - Stay Human" was scheduled to depart by the end of June, but at this point, it remains uncertain how many boats will be able to leave the port of Athens and set sail for Gaza. Among the European, Australian, and North American ships that had intended to non-violently break the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip was the U.S. boat The Audacity of Hope. On July 1st, The Audacity of Hope left port against the orders of the Greek government and was eventually turned back by the Greek Coast Guard, leading to the arrest of the boat's captain. A Canadian boat tried the same thing three days later and was likewise turned back by Greek military forces. One smaller French boat, the Dignité-Karama, was able to get out to sea the day after that.
Now, with the U.S. boat being held indefinitely at a Greek military port behind barbed wire, the Americans will not be able to sail with the Freedom Flotilla. The French boat that departed from Athens was detained and later released by the Greek Coast Guard in Crete. The Greek-Swedish-Norwegian boat MV Juliano has been repaired and is also at sea, currently being tracked by Greek helicopters.
Statements by and Interviews with U.S. Passengers:
Interview with Northern California Gaza Freedom Flotilla Passenger Debra Ellis |
Interview with Northern California Gaza Freedom Flotilla Passenger Regina Carey |
Interview with Northern California Gaza Freedom Flotilla Passenger Henry Norr |
This Is Not My Jerusalem - An Israeli American Explains Why She Will Be on the Flotilla |
Alice Walker: Why I am sailing to Gaza on the Freedom Flotilla
Read More on Freedom Flotilla II — Stay Human:
Israeli Navy takes Dignite/Al Karama in international waters - CALL TO ACTION |
Gaza Flotilla/"Who Profits from the Occupation" |
Freedom Flotilla II: Final Thoughts |
Dueling Flotilla I Commissions |
Tahir and Most Other Freedom Flotilla II Boats Regroup for Later Efforts to End the Seige |
 This Week in Palestine, July 8th, 2011 |
Freedom Flotilla II: Blocked but not Defeated |
Queers to Israel: Stop Pinkwashing Apartheid and Occupation! ||
July 6th Update: With Boat Still in Greek Military Custody, U.S. Will Not Sail with Flotilla ||
Let Us Sail to Gaza ||
Calls grow for Freedom Flotilla to launch from Egypt ||
Factsheet: Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip ||
Free Palestine Movement Gaza Flotilla Update: Greek Civil Society Rallies Against Blockade ||
July 5th Update: US Captain John Klusmire Free! Canadians Free! French Depart for Gaza! ||
Updates from Canadian Freedom Flotilla 2 Boat: Owner and Two Kayakers Arrested ||
July 4th update - Six More Arrested at US Ambassador's House, Hearing for John Klusmire ||
Breaking: Canadian Boat to Gaza leaves port, seized by Greek Coast Guard ||
US Needs a Declaration of Independence - from Israel ||
Protest @ Israeli Consulate - Let the "Be Human" Aid Flotilla to Gaza Sail ||
US Gaza Boat: New Numbers to Call to Free Capt Klusmire from Illegal Jail Conditions ||
Palestinian & Jewish Israeli Statement for Freedom Flotilla 2 ||
US Boat Hunger Strike in Athens: Gaza flotilla: We still plan to breach blockade ||
Action Alert: US Flotilla Passengers Fasting/Camping at US Embassy in Greece ||
Leftist Greek MPs accuse government of caving to Israeli pressure to stop Gaza flotilla ||
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister: Flotilla Sabotage Thanks to IDF ||
Photos, audio, and video of US Boat to Gaza launch, Greek coast guard, military port ||
Israeli Freedom Flotilla II Terrorism ||
This Week in Palestine, July 1st, 2011 ||
Free John Klusmire: Contact The Audacity of Hope Captain's U.S. & CA Reps and Senators ||
U.S. Boat to Gaza Seized by Greek Authorities and Captain Jailed ||
Greek move against boats born of Netanyahu campaign for Greek financial rescue ||
Latest update from The Audacity of Hope in Greece ||
Flotilla Stopped by Greek Coast Guard: Urgent Need for Calls to Greek and U.S. Officials ||
US Boat to Gaza on Way Out to Sea; Greece Coast Guard Stops Boat ||
US Boat to Gaza Sailing Now with Gaza Freedom Flotilla ||
Websites to Follow for Updates on the Stay Human Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2011 ||
U.S. Flotilla Activists To Challenge Greek Blockade of Boat, Plan to Set Sail Within Hours ||
LA Times Runs Pro-Gaza-Blockade OpEd and Omits that Author Is Ret. IDF Colonel ||
Fact Checking Israel's Misinformation on Gaza Flotilla II ||
MV Saoirse Sabotage Photos and Video ||
Netanyahu admits pressurinig Greek PM on Gaza Freedom Flotilla ||
Tour of Gaza-Bound U.S. Ship, Audacity of Hope; Saboteurs Damage Other Ships in Flotilla ||
Sam Hart, retired US diplomat, joining Gaza Freedom Flotilla; Phone Brigade Needed Now ||
Irish ship MV Saoirse dangerously sabotaged by Zionist terrorists ||
WikiLeaks document on Gaza blockade puts Israel’s flotilla hasbara to shame ||
The Audacity of Hope: We're Sulfur-Free and Ready to Sail ||
Israeli Anti-Freedom Flotilla II Propaganda ||
Assault on Gaza Flotilla Ship: 'Sabotaged by Divers' in Port, Attacked by Legal Group Fund ||
Israeli Gov't Attempts to Discredit Flotilla with Hoax Video Claiming Flotilla Is Anti-Gay ||
Flotilla not a declaration of war, but a declaration of peace ||
Flotilla Organizers: Participants Have Signed Declarations Of Non-Violence ||
Stay Human Freedom Flotilla 2011: How You Can Help Now ||
Flotilla Updates: French Boat Set Sail! Greek Boat Sabatoged! Calls Needed to Release US Boat! ||
Israel: Flotilla will be prevented from reaching Gaza ||
Israel drops warning to foreign journalists on Gaza flotilla ||
Breaching Gaza's Siege Update ||
U.S. Boat to Gaza Responds to Reports Israeli “Lawfare” Group Filed Complaint Delaying Departure ||
Flotilla 2011: This Little Boat of Ours, We're Gonna Let It Sail ||
US government threatens to arrest US flotilla participants ||
Greek Officials Attempt To Block U.S. Boat To Gaza From Leaving Greek Port ||
Flotilla 2011 Starts: Sailing from Corsica Now ||
Reporters hector State: Is the blockade legal? Does Israel have right to 'defend' from Flotilla? ||
Breaching Gaza's Siege ||
This Week in Palestine, June 24th, 2011 ||
Freedom Flotilla 2 U.S. Boat to Gaza Responds to State Dept. Warning ||
US Jews comprise one-fourth of US Freedom Flotilla contingent ||
'Freedom Flotilla 2' prepares to sail to Gaza in next few days ||
Medical Care in Gaza (Part II) ||
IHH Pulls Out Of "Freedom Flotilla 2" due to technical problems ||
Medical Care in Gaza Under Siege ||
Freedom Flotilla Two: Another Massacre Looms? ||
Israel Readies To Attack Freedom Flotilla 2 ||
Break the siege on Gaza NOW! ||
Shurat HaDin Lawyers, not IDF, at Forefront of Battle Against Stay Human Gaza Flotilla 2011 (FF2) ||
Humanitarian Ship to Gaza Running out of Food & Water-Egypt Navy Forced to Sea
On June 15th, thousands of citizens from Barcelona gathered outside the parliament of Catalunya. They were protesting against austerity measures that were to be discussed that same day. These measures included cut-backs on education and health care. The citizens of Barcelona defined themselves ‘indignados’, because of the fact that the banks responsible for the crisis benefited from hundreds of billions of euros in public credits while public services and citizens themselves were made to pay.
On the morning of June 16th, the front pages of Spanish newspapers all brought the story of a fringe of protesters who had become violent. The story did not match up with the facts documented by the people on the spot. Amateur footage shows police attacking protesters and firing warning shots to disperse the crowd. It also shows a group of the supposedly violent protesters covering their faces and being escorted away by the police. Judging from their weaponry, these persons were likely to have been infiltrators from the Spanish national police. Videos posted on YouTube documenting the infiltration were later blacked out. The man who posted them received a letter from the video site stating that the footage violated the privacy of the infiltrating officers.
Read more with original video
Exarchia is known throughout Athens as the center of social struggles. This densely packed neighborhood has a reputation as being anti-establishment and is home to students, anarchists, artists, and leftists of all stripes. A month of nationwide rioting was sparked in December 2008 when a 15 year-old local high school student and anarchist was shot and killed by police near Exarchia Square. Most Athenians hate the police, and when this young boy was murdered the whole country exploded. On the corner where Alexis was shot, his mother has mounted a memorial plaque which has his photo as well as an inscription in Greek.
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