Shortly before midnight on Sunday, June 28th, a demonstration will begin at Vandenberg Air Force Base to protest the U.S. launch of a Minuteman III nuclear missile. The target of the rocket is the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, South Pacific.

The protest will be held at the front gate of Vandenberg AFB, located at the intersection of Highway 1 and Casamila-Lompoc Road, which is six miles north of Lompoc on Highway 1 in Santa Barbara County, CA. The protest is sponsored by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. Andrew Lichterman of the Western States Legal Foundation will speak at the front gate rally.

Tony de Brum, a Member of the Kwajalein Parliament, writes, "Kwajalein has not gotten the attention it needs to straighten out the mess created by the Military programs it hosts. The displacement of the population and its living conditions on Ebeye continue to plague a society whose only crime against the powers that be was to be living in an atoll the US found attractive for first, nuclear testing, and now, the testing of the vehicles to carry those nuclear weapons around the world."

Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, notes, "We must become 'dehypnotized' so we can see things as they are. The US uses the fear of other nuclear pipsqueak nations to get our own citizens to support massive US military buildups that are all about dominating the world. If the US was genuine in wanting other nations to stop the development of their nuclear capability then we'd lead by example, as is required by the United Nations Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and we'd get rid of our own evil WMD." Read more

In the face of the Obama administration's refusal to release a reported 2,000 more photographs of detainee abuse — in spite of being ordered by a federal court to do so — torture opponents in fifteen U.S. cities held protests to demand that the government make the photos public. These protests also called for prosecution of those who ordered, legally justified, and carried out torture in US detention and secret prisons during the Bush years.

On May 28th in San Francisco, protesters rallied outside the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals court house to call for the prosecution, impeachment, and disbarment of "Torture Judge" Jay Bybee. Bybee's 2003 lifetime appointment to the federal bench was his reward from George Bush for his work as head of the Office of Legal Counsel. There, Bybee issued the 2002 torture memo which authorized torture including waterboarding, walling, sleep deprivation and other torture techniques.

Read More | Video | Photos: 1 | 2

Also See: May 31st John Yoo Home Demo: Shame on Yoo

At the May 16th ceremony for UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall law school graduates, World Can't Wait protested against Boalt Hall Law Professor and author of legal justifications for the Bush administration to torture detainees. Graduates were greeted by people calling on them to wear orange ribbons and demand the firing and prosecution of John Yoo. Dozens of demonstrators mingled with graduates and their families along a mile stretch of Berkeley's Piedmont Avenue. The protest against torture called on graduates and now alumni to demand that the UC law school not tolerate torture and those who are apologists for torture policies.

Photos 1 | 2 || World Can't Wait

On Wednesday, May 6, several Women in Black members were holding signs of peace in the breeze way of the Fresno County Courthouse when they were confronted by armed Sheriff Deputies and threatened with arrest. One of the shotgun toting guards was quoted as saying "Guns don't kill people, people kill people."

The group, Women in Black, have been holding their silent protest at the County Courthouse for seven years, without any incidents. Jean Hays, one of the participants with WIB, said “a woman deputy came out of the Courthouse and told us we had to leave until we obtained a permit because the Courthouse was now under the jurisdiction of the state.” Read more |

Women in Black

Anticipating former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's return to the Stanford University campus, student and faculty activists began demanding early this year that the University take the position that it is aware of Rice’s alleged offenses against human rights, the U.S. Constitution, and international law.

On May 3, members of the April Third Movement (A3M) from the Vietnam War protest era nailed a memo to the university president's office door, demanding that Stanford sever relations with the former Provost. The former students who led the fight 40 years ago to dislodge Stanford University from the War in Vietnam were joined by faculty, students, and peace activists from the local community who added color to the protest in Raging Granny regalia and orange jumpsuits with black hoods. A3M leader Marjorie Cohn, now president of the National Lawyers' Guild, said, "By nailing this petition to the door of the president's office, we are telling Stanford that the university should not have war criminals on its faculty."

Last week the former Secretary of State appeared at a dinner for selected students in a dormitory hall. While there she was asked to explain the use of waterboarding to which she replied, "we did not torture anyone". She referred to torture as "enhanced interrogation" and scolded the student saying, "do your homework." The conversation with Rice's denial was caught on videotape by a second student.

Rice's role in authorizing waterboarding in 2002 was detailed in a narrative released last month by the Senate Intelligence Committee. It showed that Rice played a greater role than she admitted last fall in written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Condi Caught Lying on Tape About Torture | April Third Movement Members Demand Stanford Sever Ties with Condoleezza Rice | Condoleezza Rice Challenged on War and Torture at Stanford

On March 30th, 2009, in response to President Obama's Mar. 27th announcement of an escalation of the war in Afghanistan, an emergency action was called in front of the San Francisco Federal Reserve at 101 Market Street. About two dozen demonstrators displayed banners at the busy intersection of Market and Main Street, drew small crowds with the bullhorn, passed out literature, and engaged interested onlookers in conversation. The banners protested the escalation of the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, decried the notion of Obama's "good war," and called for the complete withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Participating organizations included CodePink, Cindy Sheehan, War and Law League (WALL), and World Can't Wait.

Video | Photos | CodePink | War and Law League | World Can't Wait

On March 25th, Juan Cole reported that "The Obama administration is so discouraged by the poor performance of the government of Afghan president Hamid Karzai that it is contemplating appointing a prime minister who would do the serious work that Karzai appears to avoid. The plan raises questions of constitutionality in Afghan law, and has a "great man theory" that what is wrong with Afghanistan is personalistic and could be fixed with a new executive officer." India, Iran and Russia are worried this hostility to Hamid Karzai and the U.S. pledge to negotiate with moderate Taliban, might deliver Afghanistan into the arms of a "Taliban lite" government.

U.S. predator drone strikes on Pakistan are increasing hatred of the US in Pakistan and the hatred is helping to unite Taliban supporters. Months after closing ranks and grouping under one umbrella council, the Taliban in Pakistan is now being asked to direct attacks towards neighboring Afghanistan to help counter an American military buildup. "Mullah Omer has strictly directed the newly formed militants' body not to attack Pakistani troops and concentrate on activities against foreign troops operating in Afghanistan," a senior intelligence official told IslamOnline.net.

Obama Plan for Afghanistan Flawed | US Drone Kills 10; Mahsud Threatens DC | Afghanistan is America’s Second Vietnam | World Reactions to Obama Plan for Afghanistan | DN: Afghans Urge Obama to Send Aid, Not Troops to Afghanistan

Activists took a stand for human rights in front of a Verizon Store in Santa Clara, California on March 30th. Verizon carries Motorola cell phones and accessories — Motorola makes military guidance systems and fuses used in a variety of bombs which they sell to the Israeli army. Demonstrators passed out flyers calling for a boycott against Motorola. Demands include: End production and sales of fuses and other weapons components to Israel; End sales of communication devices to Israel (The "Mountain Rose Communication System" that Motorola designed for the Israeli military enables military invasions and a regime of over 600 checkpoints that prevent Palestinians from getting to school, work and hospitals across Palestinian); End sales of all products that support Israel's separation barrier and settlements, including the "Wide Area Surveillance Sytem" manufactured by Motorola-Israel.

Photos | New York kicks off boycott campaign against Motorola

The U.S. Navy is facing criticism for its training operations on the Pacific coast. Environmental groups say some areas should be off limits to weapons testing, criticizing the militarization of the sea. The Navy wants to use nearly the entire U.S. coastline for weapons and warfare training. The North West Training Range Complex stretches more than 134 thousand nautical miles, from the U.S./Canadian Border to Northern California, into the waters just off Mendocino County. The Navy is claiming this entire area for its weapons training including under water bomb detonations and mining, and the use of aircraft, missiles and sonar. John Mosher, project manager for the North West Training Range, says the Navy has already claimed Northern California for its weapons training, but this is the first time they have actually mapped out the boundaries. Mosher says most of the training occurs off the coast of Washington. But environmental groups say the use of sonar and bombs will impact the marine life that makes Northern California special. Taryn Kiekow, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), says sonar has long-range effects on marine life including fish.

Read more with audio | NRDC on military sonar

Tristan Anderson is still hospitalized, unconscious and on a respirator, in a hospital in Israel, 10 days after he was shot in the head by an Israeli Defense Force high-velocity tear gas canister. His family's attorney has filed a formal complaint with the West Bank Israeli border police, demanding the immediate launch of a rigorous and independent investigation into the shooting. Tristan's parents and lawyer held a press conference in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon (Reports). Tristan's condition deteriorated somewhat over the weekend, and he is now in a medically-induced coma as he had to undergo two more brain surgeries due to elevated cerebral pressure. Tristan's condition is now again defined as critical and unstable. “We have to make sure this investigation is not a whitewash, so that the investigation takes place as an investigation should,” as 90-92 percent of all of the Israeli military system's investigations of itself since 2000 have yielded no results. Tristan's friend Jonathan Pollack says, "Tristan is fighting for his life, just as he has been fighting for justice his whole life."

Friends of Tristan and Palestine held a rally and press conference on Thursday, March 26th at noon. Protesters gathered outside of San Francisco's Israeli Consulate at 456 Montgomery St. for speakers, music, art, and videos of Tristan and the SFPD's attack on protesters last Monday. They stood in solidarity with the Palestinians and with self-determination and autonomy for all people. One person was arrested at the rally after an apparent provocateur began to accost those present for disrupting business in front of the consulate. The press conference addressed the police attacks against protesters that occurred after the Solidarity with Tristan protests on March 16, and those that happened after the ANSWER march on March 20; the speakers demanded that the SFPD drop all charges from the protests. The March 16th arrestees will have their next court date on April 29th. Their legal team is asking that witnesses to the arrests, people injured by the police, or those who have picture and video footage that is pertinent contact them.
Photos: 1 | 2 | Audio & More Photos

Friends of Tristan and Palestine is asking that people call Representative Barbara Lee and tell her to condemn the attack on Tristan and the ongoing economic and physical attacks on Palestine.

Barbara Lee calls for an investigation of the shooting of Tristan Anderson | Barbara Lee Press Release on Tristan Anderson | Palestinian Demonstration in Ni’lin Honors Tristan | People in Beijing Reacting to Tristan | Israel using excessive force against protesters

Indybay's previous coverage: 3/17: Solidarity With Tristan Events Around the World | 3/13: Tristan Anderson Critically Injured | 3/9: Four Demonstrators Shot and Wounded in Ni'ilin, Palestine | | Justice for Tristan website | Donations to Tristan's Medical Fund | Updates from Anarchists Against the Wall | International Solidarity Movement

On Saturday, March 21st, protest marches took place across the U.S. and around the world on the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

In the Bay Area, four days of demonstrations protesting the continuing war on Iraq commenced on Thursday, March 19th with leafleting at more than 20 BART stations during early morning and evening commuting hours, including El Cerrito and Pittsburg. In San Francisco, Iraq Moratorium held a protest at Montgomery BART, IVAW hosted an action at Civic Center BART (Photos: 1 | 2), and a large rally was held at the 16th and Mission BART plaza, with a theme connecting the war in Iraq to oppression against people of color here at home. No Justice No BART was at Rockridge BART in Oakland (Photos). Also in the east bay, antiwar protesters marched through Berkeley (Photos) and a fundraiser was held at Grand Lake Theatre.

The night before the Berkeley protest, a group of persons wearing masks smashed the windows and splattered red paint at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Center.
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

All along the San Francisco peninsula the March 19th anniversary was marked with rush hour traffic vigils and leafleting. In Daly City, Women in Black leafleted rush hour BART commuters, while in Palo Alto and San Mateo, protesters held vigil at busy auto traffic intersections with signs and songs.
Photos

A number of events marked March 19th in Sacramento.

On Friday the 20th, vigilers with candles, signs, music and food rallied in the Golden Gate Park Panhandle.

On Saturday, March 21, a demonstration sponsored by ANSWER began with a march from Justin Herman Plaza at 11am culminating in a rally at Civic Center Plaza (Flier). An Anti-Authoritarian Bloc also meet at Justin Herman Plaza at 11am. A group of people were attacked by police near the end of the event and several were arrested.
Audio | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Photos & Reports on Arrests: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

In the South Bay, the Coalition Against Occupation (CAO) covered the four corners of the major intersection at Winchester and Stevens Creek Boulevards in San Jose on both Saturday and Sunday, March 21st and 22nd. The CAO, formed with the goal of broadening the activist movement in the South Bay community, will also march on Saturday from Santana Park in San Jose, where they will meet and rally at 11:00am.

On Sunday, March 22nd, Peace Fresno’s 8th Annual Rally in the Valley for Peace and Justice was held in downtown Fresno. Photos | Video

Previous anniversary of the war protests In SF: 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

On Monday March 16th, hundreds demonstrated at of the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco to hear speakers in support of Tristan Anderson and the people of Palestine, including Tristan's partner Gabrielle Silverman, from the hospital in Israel where Tristan is being treated. About 5pm, demonstrators marched to the intersection of Market and 5th. After demonstrating there for about an hour, many in the crowd marched back to the consulate where police attacked protesters with clubs and as many as six people were arrested. Other solidarity events are being held all over the world.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Reports: Peace & Freedom Party Statement on SF Police Riot | Activists consider wrongful arrest litigation | Call the D.A. and the Mayor to drop charges | Victims & Witnesses to Police Riot Go to SF Board of Sups Mtg | Hundreds Rally and March

Arrestee Support & Updates: People still in jail, 3/18 | Show up for court hearings on 3/19 & 3/20 | 3/19 Update on 4 felony charges | 3/22 Update on 4 felony arrestees

Global solidarity events: In Tel Aviv a protest was held outside of the ministry of defense on March 15th. The same day there was a protest in Chicago (Photos). On March 16th, three people were arrested at a solidarity demonstration in Miami. A demonstration was also held in New Haven, CT, on the 16th. Mazin Qumsiyeh and others spoke. On March 17th, people gathered outside of a Friends of the IDF Gala Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. A solidarity event took place in London on March 18th at the Israeli Embassy. Another is being planned for March 20th in New York City. Dozens of activists from Anarchists Against the Wall have called on police to refuse to participate in war crimes and the killing of demonstrators. United for Peace and Justice will hold a number of vigils. In London a vigil was held outside of the Israeli Embassy.