On Sunday November 22nd, a vigil in honor of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado will be held at the intersection of MacArthur Blvd., Lakeshore, and Grand Ave. in Oakland. Mercado, a very well known person in the gay community, was found dead on November 14th, in Cayey, Puerto Rico. Mercado was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered. The police investigator handling the case said in a public televised statement that "people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen."

On November 16th, a suspect was arrested who confessed to the killing, saying that he murdered Marcedo who he thought to be a woman, after discovering that he was a man. According to the Porto Rico police, the suspect will likely use a “homosexual panic” defense, arguing for a plea of temporary insanity.

Pedro Julio Serrano, from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and a founder of Puerto Rico Para Todas said in a statement: “This is a terrible, terrible crime. While we are pleased that law enforcement has acted promptly in making an arrest, it is vital that the hate crimes angle be investigated. This horrendous killing of a young gay man shows no compassion or respect for the dignity of a human life. As someone who grew up in Puerto Rico and has been very active in its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, this is a heart-wrenching moment. Our hearts and sympathies go out to all of Jorge Steven López’s loved ones at this difficult time. Justice must prevail.”

Read More | Gay Puerto Rican Teen Decapitated, Dismembered, and Burned

Danny Blackgoat, a longtime Dine' (Navajo) resister of forced relocation, will be traveling from his home at Big Mountain (AZ) this weekend to speak in Santa Cruz on Friday, Nov. 13th and San Francisco on Saturday, Nov. 14th. He will be screening a new 24 minute film featuring Pauline Whitesinger, and giving an hour long presentation about relocation, coal mining, and recent happenings at Black Mesa.

Since 1974, federal relocation policy has forced 14,000 Dine' people from their ancestral homeland in Arizona. This genocidal policy was crafted by government agents and energy company representatives in order to gain access to the mineral resources of Black Mesa - billions of tons of coal, uranium and natural gas. For over 30 years, traditional Dine' at Black Mesa have lived in resistance, steadfastly refusing to relocate as strip-mines rip apart their sacred lands and generating plants poison the desert air.

Both events are benefits for the 2009 Fall Caravan to Black Mesa.

On Thursday, October 29th, Israelis and internationals joined Palestinians for a quiet protest against the destruction of olive trees near the village of Susya, South Mountain Hebron. The Hoshia family who own the land in this area, had more then twenty olive trees cut down by settlers in October. During the recent months, settlers destroyed hundreds of olive trees own by Palestinians in the West Bank.

Read More

125 Grapevines and Fruit Trees Destroyed by Israeli Settlers in Saffa, West Bank | B'Tselem video, Oct 09: Settlers harass Palestinians and steal crops during olive harvest in the West Bank

September 28th was called as an international day of protest against the coup d'etat in Honduras. In San Francisco, demonstrators gathered at the Honduras Consulate at Powell and Market streets to demand the immediate suspension of all U.S. financial aid to the coup government; stop endorsing the Arias Plan; and immediately recall the U.S.Ambassador until the reinstatement of President Zelaya.

San Francisco, California se hizo eco de la convocatoria mundial para solidarizarse con el pueblo de Honduras este Lunes 28 de Septiembre. La coalicion BALASC (Bay Area Latin American Solidarity Coalition), de la que el FMLN-Norte de California es miembro fundador, convoco a una manifestacion frente al consulado de Honduras en el centro de San Francisco. Cerca de un centenar de personas se hicieron presentes en una de las manifestaciones mas grandes en defensa del pueblo Hondureño que se han realizado durante los ultimos 90 dias.

Video | Photos: 1 | 2 | Announcement

Previous Related Indybay Feature: Ousted President Zelaya Returns to Honduras

Ryan Harvey has published an analysis of militant-street protest, movement strategy, and the state of anarchism. The analysis is based around the G20 Pittsburgh demonstrations.

"War is A Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges talks about the strange attraction that people have to war, even those highly opposed to it. Even those scarred by it, terrified by it, and deeply affected by it. Some go into war and get real messed up, vowing to never return, only to soon find themselves desiring that adrenaline, the fear, the intensity. Hedges was a journalist in Bosnia, El Salvador, Lebanon, and Iraq. He realized after many years that he was experiencing a type of addiction, seeking a high that can only be attained in a combat situation.

"I fear that we too, anarchists and street militants, have similar symptoms. We intentionally go into situations that we know are dangerous, that we often know don't really have any solid plan. Maybe it's part machismo, maybe it's part desperation, maybe it's part legit too, but I think it's a lot of high-seeking. We desire the intensity, the rush. We get to enact roles that we don't get to enact in our everyday lives, heroism, bravery, sacrifice, quick thinking, fear-testing, and some forms of solidarity. We also get to experience prison, pain, and life-changing trauma.

"All of this is well worth it if we have our eyes on the prize and are fully aware of the risks, reasons, and responsibilities of these types of actions. The risks are obvious, the reasons usually are few and far between (meaning we usually don't have a very sound strategic approach to protest that results in the real changes we desire). The responsibilities are usually totally missing, aside from street medics and basic legal support. But larger ones, like trauma support for years afterwards, support for those abused in prison, networks of real care and compassion like those veterans have created with groups like Vets 4 Vets and Homefront Battle Buddies to heal from the painful experiences of violence, don't exist yet." Read more

UPDATE via G20 radio, 12:30p EST, 9/24/09: 1100 protesters march despite dispersal orders. Police use tear gas and LRAD accoustic weapon on demonstrators.

Post-G20 update: Video Appears to Show Pittsburgh Police Using Arrested Student as Prop for Group Photo

The second G-20 summit of 2009 is due to take place at Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center on September 24–25. Held annually since the 1999 Berlin G-20 summit, the G-20 has been meeting twice a year in 2008 and 2009 in response to the global economic crisis. The G-20, consisting of the leaders of 20 wealthy nations, meets behind closed doors to make unaccountable economic decisions affecting billions of people.

Among other issues on the table this year, the heads of state will evaluate measures taken so far to stimulate the global economy and discuss a proposal to reform the International Monetary Fund. Pittsburgh will also be host to a major coal industry conference just before the G-20 summit.

Throughout the week, economic justice and climate activists from across the country will seek to upstage the official story through marches, educational forums, tent cities, a climate camp and other tactics. Pittsburgh Indymedia will be covering the September 21–22 People's Summit and protests throughout the week at indypgh.org/g20. Tune in to live coverage by G-Infinity Radio all week long (local mirrors): MP3 | Ogg | lo-fi MP3 | lo-fi Ogg

G-20 protest links | Why and how I oppose the G-20 | Bay Area G-20 resistance consulta | Restrictions anger G-20 protest planners

Indybay coverage of the April 2009 G-20 summit in London

On September 18th, Ralph Schoenman spoke with Louis LaFortune on Free Radio Santa Cruz about the origins of the crisis in Iran. Mr. Schoenman lived in Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and was involved in that struggle. He spoke about the involvement of the Iranian workers in the overthrow of the government of Shah Reza Pahlavi, and the state of Iranian society following the disputed presidential election in which President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad retained his office, in spite of widespread charges of fraud and massive protests.

Ralph Schoenman and Mya Shone will outline the suppressed story of the resistance in Iran at the Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Cruz on Thursday, September 24th at 7pm.

Ralph Schoenman Interview | Taking Aim with Ralph Schoenman and Mya Shone

On Friday, September 11th, at 8pm in the Beach Flats Community Garden, the Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive In presents A Little Bit of So Much Truth, the story of Oaxacan people taking control of the local media in the summer of 2006, in order to tell their own stories of struggle and action in the face of repression. After the annual teachers' strike was attacked in June, civil society took over Oaxaca City, expelling politicians and police from their desks, stations, offices, and palaces. But to defend their city, to defend their lives, the people of Oaxaca also took over radio stations to broadcast their message, and at one point a Womens' march took over the state television station to broadcast the voices of women who could no longer be slandered by the television of the rich. Read more

Indybay coverage from Oaxaca 2006: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17

The Shock Doctrine is the latest documentary from acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom, co-directed by Mat Whitecross. Based on Naomi Klein's bestselling book, The Shock Doctrine argues that America's 'free market' policies have come to dominate the world through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries.

Both the film and the book argue that governments all over the world exploit natural disasters, economic crises and wars to push through radical free market policies. Klein calls this 'disaster capitalism' and in her view, disaster capitalism is as effective as psychiatric shock therapy at wiping our collective memory.

Read more

On August 18th, the Israeli Ministry of Defense informed American activist Tristan Anderson’s family and legal counsel that it considers his shooting during a nonviolent protest in the West Bank village of Nil’in, which left him critically injured, an “act of war,” absolving the soldiers responsible from any liability under Israeli law. Anderson was shot directly in the forehead with a high-velocity tear gas canister by Israeli forces on March 13th, 2009, suffering several condensed fractures and necessitating several life-saving surgeries. To date, he remains unconscious at Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv; his prospects for recovery are as of now unclear.

According to Michael Sfard, "If a process by which unarmed civilian demonstration is classified by Israel as an ‘act of war,’ then clearly Israel admits that it is at war with civilians. International law identifies the incident as a clear case of human rights abuse. As such, Tristan and his family are undoubtedly entitled to justice and compensation. We will pursue this matter and take the government of Israel to court. In addition to filing a criminal complaint against the State of Israel for the shooting of their son, the Andersons have submitted a notice of intent to file a civil suit."

Leah Tsemel, the civil suit attorney, stated, "This is another occasion where the Israeli government is alluding responsibility. The demonstrations that take place in Ni’lin and Bil’in are not acts of war. We will pursue, in Israeli courts and international courts if necessary, justice for the Anderson family." Several eyewitnesses have given testimony that Tristan was shot when he could not have been perceived as any threat to the forces in the area. He was shot from around 60 meters while standing with a few internationals and Palestinians, hours after the demonstration had dispersed from the construction site of the Wall. Read more

Israeli Authorities Declare Shooting of Tristan Anderson an “Act of War” | Smearing Tristan Anderson | Shooting Tristan Anderson

Solidarity with Tristan Anderson

As Tristan Anderson Fights for His Life, Protests in Ni'ilin Continue | Solidarity with Tristan and Palestine Events Around the World | Tristan Anderson Critically Injured After Demonstration Against Israeli Wall

On August 15th, hundreds rallied at the Richmond BART and then marched to the Chevron oil refinery. The protesters called attention to Chevron’s polluting oil refinery in Richmond, to oil industry expansions - killing people and the planet for profit, and to Chevron and Big Oil standing in the way of solutions to climate change. At the end of the march there was a non-violent civil disobedience action against the refinery. A critical mass, "bike for climate justice" also meet at the Richmond BART and followed the main march to the Chevron refinery.
Read More | Photos: 1 | 2 | Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

On August 13th, in solidarity with the Mobilization for Climate Justice, Earth First!ers took to the waters of the Bay reclaimed the Red Rock Island by dropping a 50' banner, just SW of the Richmond Bridge, reading "HEY CHEVRON: NO JOBS ON A DEAD PLANET."
Photos | Report

This action marks the launch of the Mobilization for Climate Justice whose goal is to empower community-based activists and networks to lead a global movement in confronting the root causes of climate change at home, while defining self-determination pathways for a new energy economy. Read more

Why we protest Chevron

True Cost of Chevron: Shareholders Protest | October 27 Rally Against Chevron Actions In Nigera | Theater Action and Demonstration at Chevron World Headquarters in San Ramon | Nonviolent Direct Action At Chevron Headquarters

Jen Marlowe writes: "I heard the jangle of ankle and wrist cuffs before I saw them. The detainees (five Israeli, four Palestinian and four international) were being led into a small court room. One woman had a black eye. They had been arrested the night before at a demonstration against the eviction of the Hannoun and al-Ghawe families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem. At 5:00 Sunday morning, the families were removed from their homes by Israeli police, leaving 53 people homeless — 20 of them children."

"I walked to Sheikh Jarrah. It was easy to locate the houses. They were blocked off and guarded by police forces. I found the father of the Hannoun family, Maher, sitting on the pavement across from his home with his family, friends and supporters. A pile of thin foam mats were stacked up behind them."

"I asked Maher the details of what had taken place the previous morning. 'A lot of policemen came with weapons,' Maher told me. 'My son was standing guard outside. When he saw them, he came inside and locked the door. The soldiers broke the door to the gate, the main door and the windows. They got in by force and they kicked all the family out of the house. Seventeen people.' Read more

Also see: Evicted Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah Remain Dispossessed but Determined | Another Day Sleeping Under the Sky: The Situation in Sheikh Jarrah and the Uncertain Destiny of The Gawi and Hannoun Families | UN concerned over potential further evictions in East Jerusalem

Other articles by Jen Marlowe: The Ordeal of Suleiman Jamous Trapped in Darfur | Gaza Struggling under Siege | Death in Darfur | In Gaza, Circles of Hell

Raj Jayadev writes: "What would have happened to Dr. Gates if he were not an acclaimed scholar and author, friend to the President, and someone whose stardom could greatly embarrass a city and county justice system?

"First things first, charges for his disorderly conduct would not be dropped shortly after his arrest, and Dr. Gates, a few weeks after the incident, would just be starting his journey in the criminal justice system, rather than reflecting on it in hindsight, while throwing back a beer with the leader of the free world. Let’s start from there.

"Let me roll out what would have happened if Dr. Gates, were he not a noted scholar, was arrested in my city, San Jose, California with the same fact pattern, even as described by the police report. Starting from arrest, Dr. Gates would have been charged with more than disturbing the peace (penal code 415 in California). From the narrative of what happened at his home, Mr. Gates would have also picked up a 148 resisting arrest, a misdemeanor.

"As for the comment, 'You don’t know who you are messing with,' Dr. Gates would have also likely picked up a penal code 69 (felony in this case), for making a criminal threat to a police officer. Dr. Gates would not know of all these charges until he was arraigned at court." Read more

Why Should Demanding Respect Get You Busted? Beer Will Not Solve This | Gates in Cambridge: First the Outrage of Arrest, Then The Outrage of Denial | Arrest of Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: What do they call a Black man with a PhD? | The Gates arrest and the “national conversation on race” | Cambridge Stands Against Racial Profiling-Protest In Support of Prof. Gates