The first annual Earth First! California Roadshow will be traveling through the state this month to build connections between bioregions and different ecological resistance groups, and to promote the upcoming Organizers' Conference and Winter Rendezvous in Santa Barbara. About a dozen events are scheduled from January 12th to 24th, including stops in Santa Cruz (Jan. 13), Santa Rosa (Jan. 15) and Fresno (Jan. 20), to feature skillshares, music and information about ecology-based resistance to hierarchical power structures. Read more

Wednesday at 6pm: Anarchism & Fiction / Earth First! Bio-Regional Resistance Tour

Worker safety activists say that toxic site property developers are developing long time military and commercial radioactive toxic dumps without properly cleaning them up and that one of the most deadly is in Downey, California. On December 10th members of the Coalition for Workers Memorial Day visited Tesla's world headquarters in San Carlos to report on the continuing contamination and dangerous working conditions at the Downey site. They asked that Tesla not choose that site for their new plant to build their environment-friendly cars.

Steve Basile, who faces life threatening illness after working as a propmaker for Downey Studios, told Tesla's VP of Communications Ricardo Reyes, "Making electric cars, that will help the environment. You are doing the right thing." He said he made the trip to the Bay Area to speak out for other workers who will come after him, and asked that Tesla not risk exposing their employees to the same fate he has suffered. Mr. Reyes assured the visiting activists that Tesla "wants to make an informed decision as we grow the company" and will not rush to a decision on a location for an auto assembly plant.

Read more | Announcement: Press Conference At World Tesla Headquarters | Workers Memorial Day

On Thursday, Novemember 19th, Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson ordered that Johannes Mehserle's trial for the murder of Oscar Grant be moved to Los Angeles County. In the hearing to decide if the venue should be held in San Diego County or Los Angeles County, the determining factors were: pretrial publicity, relative hardship to parties, conservation of judicial resources and public funds, and demographics.

Los Angeles currently claims it is not to be able to take the case for another six to twelve months. While San Diego is able to schedule the trial at an earlier date, Los Angeles already has the facilities to handle high profile cases and would not bill Alameda County taxpayers for the cost of the judge and security enhancements. Mehserle and his defense team, though, had previously waved his right to a speedy trial, so there remains the possibility that the defense will revoke that waiver which would put pressure on Los Angeles to move the trial date forward, and if L.A. was not able to, then the trial could yet be moved to San Diego.

Read More | Photos | Southern California: First Cop on Trial for Murder in the History of the State Is Headed Your Way

See Also: Rekonize Newsletter v1i1 | Violence again on BART involving police and passenger | Oscar Grant Case: Trial of Mehserle to be held in Los Angeles | LA Indymedia 10-Year Anniversary: "Troublemaking: The Worst and Best of Indybay" | Town Hall on Environmental Justice in Oakland and Mehserle Change of Venue, 11/7/09: audio | BART Police Review Committee on Hiring New Police Chief and New Year's Eve Plans, 11/4/09: audio and PDFs | "Operation Small Axe" Highlights Resistance in Oakland's Occupied Territories: Review & Trailer | Town Hall on BART Police, DA Failing in Mehserle Change of Venue, and Rape of Women, 10/31/09: audio | Town Hall on Venue Change, State BART Hearing, and Oakland Merchant Credit, 10/24/09: audio | Who leaked information about Mehserle's change of venue? Los Angeles or San Diego? Next hearing Nov 19th | Judge Orders Change of Venue in Oscar Grant Case-Outrageous… and Unjust! | Town Hall for Justice for Oscar Grant Faces Mehserle Venue Change Order, 10/17/09: audio | CA Assembly Hearing on BART's Deeply Inept, Reckless, and Corrupt Police Force: audio and PDFs

Previous Related Indybay Features: Mehserle's Trial to Be Held Outside of Alameda | Indybay Coverage of the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement

In anticipation of fee hikes, students planned a series of occupations and strikes across the state for November 18th through 20th. On Thursday, November 19th, the University of California Regents approved a 32% increase in undergraduate fees, pushing fees to over $10,000 a year for the first time. Student Regent Jesse Bernal was the only vote in opposition. Protests, sit-ins and occupations took place at UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, CSU Fresno, San Francisco State and San Francisco City College. Students occupied Campbell Hall at UCLA, Kresge Town Hall and Kerr Hall at UC Santa Cruz, Mrak Hall at UC Davis, Wheeler Hall at UCB, and the library at CSU Fresno.

At UCLA, there were uncounted incidents of police violence against students during the three days of protests while the UC Regents held their meeting on the UCLA campus. LA-IMC reports confirmed use of tasers, pepper spray and much baton use on peaceably assembled students.

A total of fifty-two students were reportedly arrested at UC Davis on Wednesday. On Thursday, students occupied Mrak Hall, and were later arrested for trespassing. On Friday afternoon, students sat-in at Dutton Hall and were dispersed by police that evening.

On Wednesday, students at SF State staged walkouts, and at least 100 students took over the administration building and occupied it beyond closing time.

In the early hours Friday, about 40 people occupied Wheeler Hall at UCB — three were arrested as police arrived. Solidarity crowds outside grew throughout the morning. As metal barricades were set up by police, police beat demonstrators with batons, including smashing one woman's hand which required surgery. At least one demonstrator was shot with a rubber bullet. Occupiers voluntarily left the building with misdemeanor citations in the evening. That same evening, students at CSU Fresno occupied Madden Library and held it overnight.

On Wednesday, hundreds of students rallied at the two entrances to the UC Santa Cruz campus, shutting them down for several hours. Also on Wednesday, students began an occupation at Kresge Town Hall. On Thursday, students occupied UCSC's main administrative building, Kerr Hall. Both occupations ended on Sunday morning after UC Police and Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Officers dispersed the people outside of Kerr Hall and those occupying the building.

On Monday, November 23rd, about 100 students flooded the office of UC headquarters in Oakland to demand a meeting with UC President Mark Yudof.

Read More: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Audio

Davis: Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

Fresno: Photos | Audio | Report

San Francisco: Photos: 1 | 2 | Video: 1 | 2 | 3

Berkeley:
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23
Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Audio
Reports: Students, faculty & workers protest U of Calif. hikes, cutbacks | Doug Gilbert Free! UC Berkeley Anarchist out on Bail. Court Friday!! | 40 UC Berkeley students occupy Wheeler Hall - SUPPORT NEEEDED | UCB Wheeler Occupation Updates | An Open Letter to Chancellor Birgeneau | Behind the Privatization of the UC, a Riot Squad of Police | Occupy Everything! Behind the Privatization of the UC, a Riot Squad of Police | Support Doug "G"! First UCB Arrestee from Wednesday | New Berkeley Ordinance Will Affect First Amendment Activities | Occupations Spread Across California | Open Letter to Chancellor Birgeneau on the Events of Friday, November 20 | The Necrosocial

Oakland: UC headquarters action updates | Photos

Santa Cruz: Hundreds Demonstrate at UCSC Against 32% Fee Hikes | UCSC Students Occupy Administration Building and Issue Demands

Los Angeles: Video of Regents Exiting meeting at UCLA | LA Indymedia Coverage

See Also: Video: Occupy Everything! Full Report on Student Solidarity Action In NYC | Photos: NYC Solidarity March with UC Occupiers | Occupation and campout at Napa Valley College Nov. 30th | "WE ARE STILL HERE" mural at SF State University honors the First People

Previous Related Indybay Feature: A Call for Days of Action Against the Tuition Hikes

Today the concentration of CO2 in our planet's atmosphere is 390 ppm, say the organizers of 350.org, a group that called for an international action on October 24th. They helped organize more than 5,200 rallies in 181 countries, calling it the most widespread day of political action in history. In countries throughout the world activists called for a reduction of CO2 to a maximum of 350 ppm, and in Northern California residents in many of the state's diverse micro-climates took part in the big day.

In Santa Cruz, marchers carried placards through town to the clock tower where they held a mock trial of the automobile. In Humboldt County, demonstrators chose the ancient redwood forest in Richardson Grove as their site for protest because it is threatened by Caltrans’ proposal to widen highway 101. In San Francisco, folks spread a giant 350 banner across Justin Herman Plaza to call attention to this important number.

In Menlo Park, a San Francisco peninsula suburb, the Raging Grannies sang their message, saying the trick is getting leaders to craft policies that will get us to the number 350. In addition to lobbying politicians, the Grannies have joined a year-long project led by Menlo Park's Green Ribbon Committee to promote homeowner installation of "cool roofs" that, because they are white or other light colors, can help protect the earth's atmosphere.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Video | 350.org

On October 19th, in a federal court house in Los Angeles, Alex Sanchez was once again denied bail. Sanchez, a nationally recognized activist and peacemaker, is accused of maintaining ties to his former gang and participating in a conspiracy to murder. Bail was denied after Judge Real suppressed testimony from father Greg Boyle, an expert in Los Angeles gangs.

Father Boyle believes that Alex's case is built on weak evidence and that he was targeted due to his political activism, specifically on police harassment and abuse. US Ninth Circuit Judge Manuel Real rejected Alex's bail due to assumed risk of flight. Over one-hundred supporters gathered outside the courtroom and demanded Alex's release and a fair trial. Included in the crowd of supporters was former State Senator Tom Hayden, author Luis Rodriguez, and Barrios Unidos founder Nane Alejandrez. Other vocal supporters have included UFW founder Dolores Huerta and hip-hop author Jeff Chang.

Read more with audio and photos | Photos from the Solidarity Rally | More Photos | Coverage at LA-IMC and WitnessLA.com | Previous coverage on Indybay

On Thursday, September 24th, actions against the budget cuts, fee hikes, layoffs and furloughs at University of California campuses took place throughout the UC system. Workers, graduate student employees, staff and faculty held a strike, walked out, and demonstrated in defense of public education and fair labor practices.

Under the cover of the summer months, the UC administration pushed through a program of fee increases, enrollment cuts, layoffs, furloughs, and increased class sizes that harms students and jeopardizes the livelihoods of the most vulnerable university employees. According to one analysis, with the next round of proposed fee increases (32% over the next year) UC would be funded more by student tuition than by the state, effectively making it a private university. Even with furloughs going ahead for many UC employees, management is laying off workers, cutting services, and planning to reduce in-state student enrollment to make room for nonresidents.

On September 23rd, students, faculty and staff joined together at the SFCC Mission Campus to speak-out against the massive attacks on education and to encourage organizing in solidarity with the UC statewide strike and a Northern California Educational Workers and Students conference at SFSU on September 26th at the SFSU Student Union. Video

On September 24th on the UC Berkeley campus, the day started with picket lines and teach-outs happening around campus, with a mass rally and march at noon and a general assembly in the evening to plan the next steps forward.

Thousands at labor/student picketlines at California universities | Audio from UC Berkeley Walkout | Reports from around California (and the world) - The UC Walkout | "Solidarity, What Is A Public University" A Poem For The UCB Strike/Walkout | California students and faculty denounce education cuts | UC "Student Leaders" Sabotage Occupation of Wheeler Hall | Blanca Misse UCB UAW-AGSE2865 & SWAT Member Speaks At UCB Strike/Walk-Out | UC Berkeley One Day Mass Walkout & Mass Rally-Workers and Students Speak Out | UC Berkeley Teach-Out Schedule | Poster for UC Berkeley Walkout

On September 24th at the UC Santa Cruz campus, picket lines began at 6am followed by a noon rally and afternoon general assembly at the base of campus. Also, students at UCSC began an occupation of the Graduate Student Commons as part of the day of action at all UCs across the state. The occupation lasted until October 1st.

Walkout and Rallies at UC Santa Cruz | UCSC Students Occupy Graduate Student Commons

Over 1,000 UC San Diego students and supporters walked out, marched and rallied on September 24th, the first day of the fall quarter, to protest tuition increases, pay cuts and furloughs, administration pay raises and privatization of the UC.

UCSD Students Walk Out September 24 | Reports from UC Riverside and UCLA

The Associated Students of the University of California (UC Berkeley Student Government) endorsed the walkout unanimously saying that "Never before has there been such a large-scale single action across all of the UCs. For the first time, we have seen an alliance being built among students, faculty and staff all taking a strong stand against the erosion of the quality, accessibility and affordability of our UC education. United, we are confident that we can fight these budget cuts, oppose the enormous fee increases being proposed, and preserve the excellence of the UC public education system at this very pivotal moment in time."

The September 24 Walkout is supported by the American Association of University Professors, the UC Student Association, the University Professional and Technical Employees and all of the student governing bodies of UC Berkeley. UPTE Strike Announcement

Related: INVITATION - October 24 Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education | UC Walkout: Trapped in a Partisan Cul-de-Sac? | UC Berkeley Is Rising | An Open Letter to UC Graduate Students | UC Faculty Walkout - September 24

Related Indybay Feature: Service Workers Ratify Historic Contract With UC