Feature Archives

After more than a year in a Tel Aviv hospital, Bay Area activist and photo-journalist Tristan Anderson has returned home to California. Tristan was critically injured when he was shot in the head at close range with a metal high-velocity tear gas canister at the Israeli Separation Wall on March 13, 2009, while taking photos following a demonstration against the apartheid wall in the West Bank village of Ni'lin.

On May 5th, KION Salinas Channel 46, reported on "The Anarchist Profile in Santa Cruz" promising to go in-depth "to really understand and explain the sub-culture of anarchy we have here in Santa Cruz." In the video, KION reporter Brooke Holmquist tries to connect the May Day property destruction to a "gypsy drum circle" at farmer's market, protests at UCSC and SubRosa Cafe.

Four armed deputies attempted to visit SubRosa on May 19th. SubRosa was closed at the time, and the deputies told SubRosa's neighbor that they wanted to talk to staff about "worker's comp issues." One of them was an inspector in the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office. Apparently, this makes good on the DA's promise to investigate SubRosa for any connection with the May Day property destruction.

On the night of Saturday, May 1st, May Day, there was a dance party to mark International Workers' Day. During the event, around 250 people roved through the streets in a mixture of dancing, partying and protesting. A smaller number of people, some wearing masks or bandanas on their face, carried torches, spray painted graffiti, broke windows at an estimated 18 downtown businesses, and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. In addition, a police squad car that responded was reportedly pelted with rocks, surrounded, and paint was poured on the hood.

A clamor across the country to hold banks and Wall Street accountable for the financial crisis started in earnest this week with a large demonstration in San Francisco. Hundreds of protesters rallied in front of the building where Wells Fargo's annual shareholders meeting was being held on April 27. They said bankers broke laws, lack ethics and need to create jobs for working people instead of rewarding themselves with huge bonuses.

Saturday, May 1st is May Day, or International Workers Day. The Bay Area observed the holiday with celebrations, marches, rallies, and street parties. Events on Saturday included rallies, marches, and demonstrations for immigrant and workers rights in San Francisco, Watsonville, the East Bay, Fresno, Modesto, and San Jose. Celebrations and street parties were held in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Oakland.

On April 27th, people believed to be paramilitaries affiliated with the ruling party of Oaxaca ambushed an international aid caravan en route to the autonomous town of San Juan Copala, Oaxaca. At least two people are reported dead. The caravan was carrying food, water, and other basic necessities to the town, which has been subject to a paramilitary blockade that has prevented anyone from entering or leaving the community since January.