For the 5th year running, the burning of American flags will take place on Friday, July 3rd at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz. Organizers say they raise the burning flag up as a sacred symbol representing their highest ideals as Americans, and that the "American Flag is so great a symbol that it represents the right to burn it."

Robert Norse comments, "Burning a flag in solidarity with the Honduran people on July 4th makes more sense to me than burning a flag as a celebration of the First Amendment. Divorcing flag-burning from its visceral ('Yanqui, go home!') content is a way of stripping the action of its force. Using constitutional arguments and hailing the First Amendment seems to me to be an attempt to dampen reactionary knee-jerk jingoism ('see, it's not so threatening'). But the point of a flag-burning in countries occupied by the U.S. or profiteering international corporations closely tied to U.S. guns and money IS to threaten ('get the fuck out!').

"Burn a flag on the 4th in front of the Honduran consulate in protest of continued U.S. support for the Honduran coup-sters. That's a real way of using the First Amendment in more than an empty symbolic way. Divorcing U.S. flag-burning from what it traditionally means is a way of concealing or ignoring important history."

previous coverage of flag-burnings: 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | 2008

A Committee of Outside Agitators, write: "On September 24-25th, leaders from the 20 richest and most powerful economies of the world will assemble in Pittsburgh, PA to discuss how they can further entrench their power in the face of the most devastating global depression seen in the last 70 years. We will meet them there."

"For most of you reading this text, the political grounds upon which we would oppose such a gathering are at this point common sense. Were we to make a laundry list of grievances, it would certainly not be a short one: the evictions, the food prices, the energy costs, the increase in racist and anti-immigrant attacks, the repression of social movements, the insane ecological collapse that industrial capitalism has spread out before us like a bright red carpet rolled out over the edge of a cliff."

"And then there’s the domestic front. The new boss, same as the old boss, has already reneged on every single one of his meager campaign promises, throwing in a few extra treats for us, like billions of little paper handouts to bankers and this new thing called “clean coal.” Nobody is celebrating his inauguration anymore." Read more

Pittsburgh G20 Resistance Project | Tens of Thousands of Protesters Converge on the G20 Summit in London

After two small print-runs for the San Francisco and New York Anarchist Book Fairs, a magazine entitled Unfinished Acts: January Rebellions is now available on Indybay in digital format. Unfinished Acts is a collective recounting and analysis of events surrounding the shooting of the unarmed, 22-year-old Oscar Grant III by BART police officers during the first hours of 2009 on the platform of the Fruitvale station. The 32-page magazine was written collectively by a group of anarchists who were and still are actively present in the rebellion.

The authors write: "We were in the streets during the spontaneous uprising in downtown Oakland on January 7th where numerous cars were torched and businesses were smashed during militant standoffs with the Oakland Police Department. We were in the many demos since, attended countless 'community meetings' at locations ranging from Black churches to art gallery spaces to anarchist co-ops, and organized support and solidarity for those who were arrested during confrontational actions. In those free moments, which barely exist, we have put together this exposé on the events so far (as the story is still unfolding) and would like to share it with you."

Read More

On Wednesday June 10th, hundreds of people who will be affected by Gavin Newsom's budget cuts took to the streets in protest. The demonstration followed a proposed budget, released by Mayor Newsom, that will terminate critical health and human services, while pumping up salaries for police by 25% and adding many new high paid patronage positions into his own administration.

Some highlights of the devastating impact of the budget include:

• Closure of Ella Hill Hutch shelter serving up to 100 people every night in the Western Addition;
• Closure of Caduceus Outreach Services, a mental health treatment and wrap around support program for severely disabled homeless adults with co-existing addictive disorders;
• Almost total elimination (66% cut) of SRO Families United program for families with dependent children living in hotels;
• Cut of 22% to residential substance abuse and mental health treatment programs budgets;
• Cut of 30% to all outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment;
• Almost total elimination of STOP treatment program;
• 1,600 people to lose psychiatric treatment through Private Provider Network; and
• Closure of Tenderloin Health, homeless multi-service center in the Tenderloin serving over 300 people a day, 16,000 people a year. The program provides health services, HIV case management, HIV prevention, mental health services, harm reduction work, improving quality of life by getting people out of the rain, providing hygiene kits, bathrooms, snacks, crisis intervention, 30,000 shelter reservations a year.

For the first time in recent memory, the City’s General Fund would give more to Police than to Public Health – and more to the Fire Department than Human Services.

Read More with Photos | Thuggery of the firefighters & police at 6/16 Bd of Supes hearing | Workers Storm City Hall Over Budget | Video: 1 | 2 | Newsom Budget Figures Don’t Add Up | Supes Push for More Equitable Budget

On May 19th, Melissa C. Roxas was abducted along with two Filipino companions, Juanito Carabeo and John Edward Jandoc from a house, in La Paz, Tarlac, Philippines. Roxas and her companions were taken by suspected elements of the Philippine Armed Forces, who accused them of being members of New People's Army, the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines.

In Melissa Roxas' affidavit, she recounts in detail the physical and mental torture and the denial of her other human rights during her captivity from May 19 to May 25. John Edward Jandoc is still being held captive.

Melissa Roxas is a well known community and cultural activist and human rights advocate. She is a member of the cultural group Habi-Arts and of BAYAN-USA, the progressive alliance of Filipino organizations in the U.S. She was in the Philippines to gather materials for her writing project and to help Bayan-Tarlac members conduct a survey in their area for a future medical mission.

Read more | U.S.-Trained and Funded Philippine Military Implicated in Abduction | CANADA-PHILIPPINES SOLIDARITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - Justice for Melissa Roxas and Juanito Carabeo! Surface John Edward Jandoc! | The Philippines Matrix Project

Susan Jordan, a civil litigator and criminal justice lawyer from Mendocino County, died on Friday, May 29th in a plane crash in Utah. She was 67 years old and left a legacy of civil litigation and criminal justice work behind. Jordan represented several prominent political activists throughout her career as a criminal defense lawyer, including Earth First!'s Judi Bari after she was car bombed with Daryl Cherney in 1990 and members of the SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army) in the kidnapping of Patty Hearst.

Susan Jordan was one of the first attorneys to offer legal defense for Earth First! activists planning non violent civil disobedience during the Redwood Summer campaign in 1990. Then, Earth First! organizers Judi Bari and Daryl Cherney were car bombed and subsequently arrested as the main suspects. Cherney says Jordan came to their defense.

In the legal field, Jordan most notably made the first successful argument of self defense for a battered woman who killed her rapist, in the late 1970s. Jordan said it was the first ruling of its kind. Jordan was dubbed a feminist lawyer for her work defending women in criminal court. Read more

Joe Tougas writes: June 4th is the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, what my friend in Beijing cautiously refers to in public as “that thing that happened in 1989.” In the context of that bloody day and the economic crisis, China is re-examining the merits of capitalism versus communism in a pivotal moment in the country’s history.

For the past six years, there’s been a political movement in China called Wu You Zhi Xiang, which roughly translates to “Utopia” in English. However, it should be noted the translation is very loose due to the absence of a completely correlating word that fully expresses the sentiment of this organization’s Chinese name.

With images of Mao Zedong, Che Guevara, and the Chinese flag at the meetings, where on can hear songs from the Cultural Revolution playing before the speakers get started. Utopia is critical of the United States, and the right wing of the Chinese government, particularly with regard to China’s neoliberal capitalism and economic involvement with the U.S. It also conveys a message through its literature that China should replace the U.S. as the world leader. Whether Mao Zedong would have agreed with these sentiments or not, there is a banner on the wall that says “we miss Mao” in Chinese.

Read more | Twenty years since the Tiananmen Square massacre | DN: 20 Years Later, Chinese Dissident Wang Juanto and U.S. Journalist Philip Cunningham Look Back on Tiananmen Square Uprising

Previous Indybay Feature from Joe Tougas China reports: May Day With the Chinese Working Class

On May 27th, mayor of Richmond Gayle McLaughlin attended the Chevron Shareholder's meeting, along with delegates representing Nigeria, Burma, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Philippines, and Canada. The delegates introduced to the meeting this year's alternative Chevron annual report: The True Cost of Chevron. Board Chair David O'Reilly was reported, by the delegates, to have said that the alternative report was "an insult and should have been thrown in the trash". The annual report documents the ecological and human damage caused by mismanagement of infrastructure, laborers, and the environment. Backing the report was Amazon Watch and the Rainforest Action Network.

Iraq Veterans Against the War, along with World Can't Wait, US Labor Against the War and Code Pink were present at the protest to speak out against the wars in the Middle East. Joining these groups were concerned citizens from the Bay Area, along with citizens of San Ramon, where Chevron locates its headquarters.

Activists blocked the main gate entering the Chevron offices, including a few in a lock down position.

Photos: 1 | 2 | Antonia Juhasz on "The True Cost of Chevron: An Alternative Annual Report" | We Will Protest Chevron. Will You Join Us?

Previous Indybay Chevron Coverage

Joe Tougas writes: On International Workers’ Day, 2009, after living in Beijing for five months without leaving the city, I finally made it into the country. I traveled with a British national and three Chinese folks to a small village about four hours northeast of Beijing, called Hong Xing Cun, or Red Star.

Many questions I had about socialism, Maoism, capitalism, global warming, independence from the government, and the working class in China were answered to a much greater degree in my mind. We hiked through a valley along the edge of a river for several hours before arriving at a village that had been in this valley long since before World War II. Perhaps it had even been there for a thousand years. Who knows?

During our stay, it became apparent this place had survived both social and geological upheaval over time. In spite of it all, the descendants of past people living on this land are still there, still engaging in the same socialist agricultural lifestyle—with a few exceptions like solar power and cell phones. The story begins when we wander into a village of no more than 100 people after hiking in the heat and humidity for almost twenty kilometers. We were hot, tired, and hungry. Through the translations of our bilingual Chinese friends, we were able to learn that one house in the village provides accommodations for travelers, such as a room to sleep in, food, a shower, etc.

Almost immediately, we began friendly exchanges about politics, history, and the local culture. Many of these exchanges were with an old farmer who would impart much knowledge before we left his little valley.

Read more | People in Beijing Reacting to Tristan

On May 23-24, the Soupstock Food Not Bombs Convergence will be held in San Francisco. Soupstock will include a concert and a conference celebrating 29 years of Food Not Bombs, providing a forum for reflection on the past, present and future of the movement.

The conference will take place on Saturday the 23, at the 5lowershop at 992 Peralta St near the Alemany Farmers Market. Opening discussions will begin at 10AM and the event will conclude at 6PM. There will be movies, speakers, panels and group discussions. Sessions will discuss anarchism, food not bombs, solidarity, food justice and community building.

The concert will be held on Sunday the 24, at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren park, a lesser known venue on the southern edge of San Francisco.

Read More | Soupstock | San Francisco Food Not Bombs

Anonymous communiques posted to Indybay report that on the evening on May 1st approximately fifty people marched through the streets surrounding Union Square in San Francisco. Blockades were made in the streets with trash cans and news stands. Windows of numerous businesses were smashed including those of De Beers, Prada, Coach, Tumi, Wells Fargo, Longchamp, Macy's, Armani, Crate and Barrel, Montblanc, Urban Outfitters, and Guess. Chants of “anti-Capitalista” and “fuck the state” were yelled while participants threw out fake $100 bills. Paint and water balloons were thrown into downtown businesses, damaging merchandise in the stores. According to the reports, the action was planned without the use of electronic media such as websites or cell phones and was completed within a matter of about ten minutes. The 100 block of Grant Street appeared to be the hardest hit. Corporate media has reported that the total damage was in the tens of thousands of dollars. No arrests have yet been reported.

Photos: 1 | 2 | Reports: 1 | 2 | 3

May Day 2009 Indybay Feature: International Workers Day Mass Action in Defense of Families, Jobs, Immigrants

Between the forest and the ocean, among the students and the yuppies, Anarchists in Santa Cruz have fostered a close-knit community dedicated to the destruction of this world and the creation of another. Santa Cruz is a hub of anarchist culture and resistance, with a long history of radical struggle and active anarchist projects spanning decades. From May 7th to 10th, the Santa Cruz Anarchist Convergence was a four-day event for building community and resistance and sharing radical ideas. The convergence was focused around the SubRosa Infoshop, but event happened at various locations in the Santa Cruz area.

Santa Cruz hosted its first ever Anarchist Bookfair, a two-day exposition of books, zines, pamphlets, art, film/video, and other cultural and political productions of the anarchist movement, on May 9th and 10th at SubRosa Infoshop. A Free Skool Conference happened in conjunction with the Santa Cruz Anarchist Convergence, with activities including a community picnic, panel and group discussions, and a campfire. Additionally, there was a kick-off show, a squaredance, bike rides, a punk show and more.

Anarchist Convergence: Bigger Than a Breadbox | Workshop Schedule | Workshop Descriptions and Events Info

Audio Interview || May 9th: Where the Wild Things Are - Midnight Mystery Ride || May 10th: Local History Bike Tour || Call for Housing and other Mutual Aid || Workshop Tracks for Santa Cruz Anarchist Convergence

Reportback from the North American Free Skool Conference & More!

On Thursday, April 16th community rights defense organizer and filmmaker, Simon Sedillo, was at AK Press to offer perspectives on global implications of the Oaxacan peoples' struggle for communities in the United States. Through his multimedia presentation, Sedillo created a dialogue on the effects of neoliberalism on indigenous communities, immigrant communities, and communities of color in the US and Mexico. Sedillo will also give his presentation on Monday, April 20th at the Watsonville Cabrillo Center.

Over the past six years Sedillo has documented, produced and taught community-based video documentation in indigenous communities, in immigrant communities and with youth of color across the US and Mexico. He has placed cameras and editing equipment in the hands of communities in resistance so that they may be able to document their own histories and human rights situation.

Sedillo will present at two other Santa Cruz County locations, on Wednesday, April 22nd at UCSC Kresge Town Hall and on Thursday, April 23rd at the Brown Berets Warehouse in Watsonville. He will also be the keynote speaker at the 15th Anniversary of the Watsonville Brown Berets on Saturday, April 25th.

Audio

Announcements: 4/16 in Oakland | 4/20 in Watsonville | 4/22 at UCSC | 4/23 in Watsonville | Simon Sedillo's web page

See also: The Demarest Factor: The Ethics of U.S. Department of Defense Funding for Academic Research in Mexico

Hundreds of protesters marched on Wall Street on April 3rd in the lead-up to a march of an estimated 10,000 people on April 4th. On the 3rd, four protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct when they allegedly attempted to march down the center of Broadway. Marchers passed the New York Stock Exchange and companies that took federal money, including American International Group (AIG), a particular target of negative attention after they gave company executives bonuses with bailout money. Protesters also demonstrated against Obama's plans to move forces from Iraq into Afghanistan.

The movement to demand a major overhaul of the US banking system went national on Saturday, April 11th with demonstrations in more than 50 US locations, including one in front of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank. Elsewhere in northern California, rallies were held at the State Capitol in Sacramento, in Santa Cruz at the County Building, in Redding at City Hall and in Eureka's Waterfront Park. Rallies all began at 11:00am.

Organizers called for the decentralization of banks, saying that it is not enough to try to patch up the current system. The group A New Way Forward is demanding "serious reform that fixes the root problems in our political and economic system including excessive influence of banks, dangerous compensation systems, and massive consolidation."

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Video

A New Way Forward - Rallies Nationwide April 11th | Anti-Capitalist Call to Action | Punks Against the Federal Reserve

On April 1st & 2nd, protesters from around the world have converged in London as the G20 Summit got underway Wednesday. Leaders from the world's 20 largest developed and developing nations are meeting in the UK to discuss the global economic crisis largely created by U.S. "financial innovation." Actions, camps and marches have taken place in the week leading up to the summit and have been met with an expectedly large police presence in the city center. Anti-capitalist protesters attacked the Royal Bank of Scotland.

G20 Meltdown coordinated a Reclaim the Streets Party at noon GMT Wednesday in front of the Bank of England. Windows were smashed at the Royal Bank of Scotland as demonstrators made their way through the city.

More than 25 tents were set up for the ClimateCamp 09 in front of the European Climate Exchange in London. UK Indymedia reports the peaceful camp was cleared by riot police as the day drew to a close.

More than 40,000 people took to the street in a Put People First March on Saturday, March 28 before the foreign dignitaries made their way to London. More actions and marches are planed for the second day of the G20 Summit on Thursday.

4/1 Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Video | Audio: 1 | 2
4/2 Report | Audio: 1 | 2 | 3

Indymedia London | UK Indymedia | G20 Meltdown | ClimateCamp 09