Feature Archives

Scientists have confirmed a dead gray whale that washed up in Richmond died as a result of blunt force trauma due to a suspected vessel strike. The news comes as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a revised population estimate showing continued decline in eastern north Pacific gray whale numbers, some 13,000 individuals, the lowest since the 1970’s.

On July 25, the Northern California office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla in San Francisco was the scene of a large and exceptionally noisy protest as hundreds of activists armed with pots and pans called attention to the ongoing genocide and the starving of the people in Gaza. After a rally and chalking of the sidewalk outside the building, protesters marched to join an ongoing action at the offices of BlackRock.

On February 15, activists from Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) protested outside a Neuralink lab in Fremont to protest the company’s cruel experiments on animals. Owned by Elon Musk and headquartered in Fremont, the company has subjected primates and pigs to invasive brain chip implants. Employees have spoken out saying the procedures are rushed and cause needless suffering and deaths. Neuralink has killed more than 1500 animals.

On July 23, activists blocked the entryways of the global headquarters of Wells Fargo in San Francisco, shutting down the building. As part of Stop Billionaires Summer, the action was organized due to Wells Fargo's investments that have contributed to climate destruction, Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the funding of Palantir and deportations, the privatization of the US Post Office, and the funding of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The Never Again Moss Landing (NAML) stakeholder group has released a new report detailing the findings of their 120-day investigation into how and why the Vistra Energy lithium-ion battery facility at the Moss Landing Power Plant caught fire and destroyed itself during the period of January 16-22. The report is highly critical of Vistra's design of the facility, as well as the California PUC's role in regulating the plant.

On July 19, hundreds of people showed up in Dublin to oppose the establishment of new detention centers in Northern California and across the U.S. ICE has signaled serious interest in reopening the notorious FCI Dublin prison as an immigration detention center. FCI Dublin was closed in 2024 due to powerful survivor-led organizing following years of horrific staff sexual abuse, retaliation, and medical neglect.

Demonstrators in Palo Alto blockaded the offices of data company Palantir on June 26, and returned for a similar action on July 14, demanding the company stop building surveillance systems for ICE and working with the Israeli government. Actions took place in Palo Alto frequently in the years 2016 to 2020, before Palantir moved its headquarters to Denver. Demonstrations have started up at the remaining Palo Alto office in earnest again.