Feature Archives

The struggle to free Pennsylvania death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has reached a crucial juncture, and two events were scheduled for the Bay Area this week to raise awareness of and funds for his legal struggle. On Sunday, September 17th, a Night of Music and Poetry for Mumia Abu-Jamal will be held at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. This event, which will begin at 7:00pm, will include Boots Riley from the Coup and many others. The Labor Action Committee to Free Mumia held a rally at the Alameda County Courthouse on Friday, September 15th. Photos

Anarchist political prisoner Rob Los Ricos was released from prison this summer, after serving a sentence of seven years for hitting a police officer with a rock in Eugene, Oregon. He will be speaking at several Bay Area events between September 14th and 26th about his experiences in prison, what it takes to make it through, and the scene in Eugene (pre and post prison), amongst other topics.

A hip hop show was held on Saturday September 2nd at International Capoeira Angola Foundation in Oakland, to benefit the Doe Family. 150 people came together to raise consciousness and funds to combat police brutality through hip-hop, dance and spoken word. The Doe Family is a group of activists sueing the SF Sheriff's Dept. for using torture against non-violent protesters, which left several people with lasting injuries including broken bones, torn ligaments, nerve damage, and post traumatic stress disorder. Photos

The Fresno City Council approved the start of a massive police video surveillance project at their Tuesday, August 22 meeting. The last hurdle to approve this project was the acceptance, by the City Council, of a policy manual to regulate the use of the cameras. While much of the policy manual came from The Constitution Project and was protective of civil liberties, there were several key elements of the manual that community members strenuously objected to.

On August 17th, Nadia Winstead reported, "Today I appeared before the federal grand jury. Before going in the grand jury room I was granted immunity. I respectfully declined to answer all questions asked of me. After 30 minutes of questioning I was excused and able to go home. My lawyer and I aren't sure what will happen next, but I will send out updates as the situation unfolds. I thank you all for your continued support and dedication to resisting grand juries."

A federal judge in Detroit ruled on August 17th that the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program is unconstitutional and must be stopped. President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency program in 2001, and it was revealed in the media last year. U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor found that the program violated freedom of speech, protections against unreasonable searches and a constitutional check on the power of the presidency. The Justice Department has appealed the decision and a hearing is set for September 7th. The ruling is on hold pending the appeal.

Independent journalist Josh Wolf was taken into custody on Tuesday, August 1st at a hearing in San Francisco. He was charged with civil contempt and has been jailed until further notice without being convicted of a crime, because he refused to testify or turn over unpublished video to a Federal Grand Jury that is investigating a July, 2005 anti-G8 demonstration. Josh is being held at FCI Dublin, and can receive mail and books there. A resolution is currently before the SF Board of Supervisors, aimed at resisting the federal government's intervention in the local investigation of the G-8 protest and expressing support for the California Shield Law. People are being asked to call the supervisors to encourage them to vote in favor of the resolution and to express their support for Josh.