Feature Archives

In Sacramento, eco-prisoner Eric McDavid is still on hunger strike. Support groups are asking people to call the jail to demand that Eric be given vegan meals and better living conditions. Info here .

Also in Sacramento, two protests have happened in the last week. The first, in response to the various DEA raids on medical cannabis stores in California. The second was a culmination of three consecutive Saturday anti-war/anti-Bush rallies was held in Sacramento on March 18. Over 400 Sacramento activists gathered at 16th & Broadway to mark the third anniversary of the U. S-led illegal aggression against the sovereign nation of Iraq. The rally was sponsored by various peace and progressive groups. This series of Saturday rallies, which started on March 4, were multi-national, multi-issue protests focusing on the illegal, bungled occupation of Iraq, now slipping into full blown-civil war.

In Fresno, activists held the yearly, "Rally in the Valley". Over 300 Fresnan’s marked the three-year anniversary of the U.S. war in Iraq by holding a march and rally today. The demonstration started near CSU Fresno and the march proceeded to the Free Speech Area on the campus where numerous community groups had literature tables set up. Local speakers included the Reverend Floyd Harris and Stan Santos. Harris told the crowd that “if you want peace, work for justice.” He called for an end to the war in Iraq and invited the community to join the National Action Network for the rally they hold in West Fresno every month. That rally is held on the third Friday of every month at the intersection of 'C' and Fresno Streets in Fresno. Some organizers have asked other activists why numbers were possibly lower than previous years.

In Modesto, pressure from various groups has caused Wal-Mart to cancel it's plans for building in Ripon. While the corporation still wants to build in the area, they will no longer be building in the main street area of the small town of Ripon.

On March 8 supporters were informed by Eric McDavid’s lawyer that he is now on hunger strike. Last month there was some confusion regarding this issue. At the beginning of February Eric engaged in a brief fast because he could not cope with the food that the jail provided. This was incorrectly interpreted as the beginning of a hunger strike. Later he was interviewed by a jail nutritional nurse who recommended that he be given two vegan protein shakes a day. Eric patiently waited and went through all channels to get these shakes. Finally, after extensive inquiry his family found out that the doctor had denied Eric the shakes, citing the need for a “health reason”. Eric believes that it is the jail’s responsibility to feed him and has stopped buying food from the commissary. In a declaration submitted to Judge England, Eric wrote “I have done everything possible to get a vegan diet here at the jail, without success. I have written to the jail medical staff, had numerous meetings with jail supervisors, done everything. They will simply not provide me with a vegan diet, for whatever reason.” For a full report, and how to help.

Eric is on day 13, (as of Monday), of his hunger strike after 2 months of being given frozen fruit and bread. Supporters are again asking that people call the Sacramento main jail to demand he be given vegan food. Eric's support groups reports that ,"The jail staff has lied in the past that he is great and getting vegan food or that they just talked to him and hes great. Do not be deterred by their lies. DEMAND he receive food before he becomes seriously ill if not dead from malnutrition. When you call the jail you have to find your way through the robot "press this number now" system.. but right when you call it says if you are on a touch tone phone press one, if you are on a rotary phone stay on the line. Just stay on the line and you can talk to someone right away without having to navigate the maze. Call the jail all day today on monday, March 20 in addition to the rest of the time he doesnt receive vegan meals. SLAM THEM with calls, emails, faxes, letters, messenger pigeons, ANYTHING!" More info.

The Fresno City Council rejected a proposal for an Independent Police Auditor that the mayor had proposed. Not only did they reject the IPA proposal, they refused to allow the item to be put on the June ballot. The mayor’s IPA proposals, which didn’t receive much support from community groups, police associations, or the public, would have led to the IPA issue being put before city voters in the June primary election. Fresno COPWATCH, whose members have been active on the IPA, issued a statement on this proposal. Fresno COPWATCH’s statement said “the Mayor by proposing this resolution is unable to comprehend the need for a truly Independent Police Auditor. The proposal of having the IPA report to the City Mangers office (who also has the police chief under his office) is an offer of false hope to the community. He is attempting to undermine the work of the Central California Criminal Justice Committee (CCCJC) who have struggled for over six years to bring independent police accountability to Fresno.” This proposal was rejected by the City Council. More info here.

Breaking Central Valley News

On Wednesday, February 22, 2006 a group of concerned residents of Fresno’s Addams Community held a demonstration to oppose the relocation of Rosenbalm Rockery, a Clovis concrete and soils processing facility, to a lot directly across the street from the Addams Elementary School. The group, which was made up largely of youth, their parents, and community members, called on Fresno City officials to rezone the area so Rosenbalm Rockery, won't be able to be built by the school. Report and pictures from the protest.

Merced activists believe the federal case of medical marijuana patient, caregiver, and activist Dustin Costa represents a dangerous turn for California's medical marijuana law, as the arrest of DC on federal charges for medical marijuana cultivation was effectively a re-arrest for what had originally been a state case. This was the third case in 2005 in which California law enforcement in the Central Valley has conspired with the DEA to deny a fair trial to a patient-caregiver who sought to operate legally in accordance with Prop. 215. Report and more info here.

Also in the Fresno area, the Reedley Police Department went to court last Thursday to force Bernabe Santillan, who irritates officers by videotaping them during Copwatch, to stop his practice of filming the police. Instead, police officials were served with a counter-claim that would make the city of Reedley liable for Santillan's attorney fees and court costs if the civil injunction is not granted. The case in Fresno County Superior Court pits Santillan's First Amendment right to document police activity on public streets against the city's desire to stop Santillan from allegedly harassing police officers with his cameras. Report and more info here.

In Modesto, the anarchist collective Direct Action Anti-Authoritarians announced a protest on March 25, to rally against a string of racist, fascist, and nazi vandalism attacks in Modesto, and the local area. More info here.

Today Fresno County sheriff Richard Pierce admitted his departments role in what is called by some legal observers as a violation of Peace Fresno members civil liberties, regarding the infiltration of the group by an undercover police officer. It was reveled today that representatives from California Attorney General Bill Lockyer’s office have been negotiating with Sheriff Pierce for months over the release of information surrounding the infiltration of Peace Fresno. The group is now working with the American Civil Liberties Union and local attorneys to defend their civil liberties. Mark Schlosberg, Police Practices Policy Director of the ACLU of Northern California, applauds the Attorney General’s finding, however, Schlosberg added: "Action needs to be immediately taken to ensure the future protection of Fresno county resident’s privacy rights. We urge Attorney General Lockyer to exercise his constitutional authority and direct the Sheriff Department to put in place clear guidelines prohibiting future unlawful spying on political activists. We also urge full disclosure of the results of the investigation." More info here.

The 'March for Migrants', which was started on February 2nd, was organized to lobby Congress and state legislators to VOTE NO! on issues such as HR 4437 which calls for continued militarization of the border, as well as the criminalization of migrants and anyone who assists them in any way. The March also demands justice for Guillermo Martinez Rodriguez (assassinated by the Border Patrol in San Diego on 12/30/05), and will pay homage to the 4000 migrants that have died since the inception of the failed Operation Gatekeeper in 1994. The new proposed bill will allow for undocumented, (and even some legal), immigrants, including the majority of farm workers, to be prosecuted as aggravated felons. This means they would be subject to jail time and potentially barred from future legal immigration. This will also broaden the definition of "alien smuggling", so that anyone who comes into contact with an undocumented immigrant, such as a church or family member, can be charged as a criminal. View a video of the march here.

Since January 13th Eric McDavid (X reference #-2972521) has been held in the Sacramento County Main Jail and denied vegan food. His family has reported that his health is failing from three weeks of malnourishment. On January 31st Eric began a hunger strike. Eric has been vegan for years and despite the efforts of his family, friends and lawyer he has not been given food he can eat. We are asking that people please call the county jail and politely but firmly request that he be given vegan food (food without animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs) before his health deteriorates further. Let them know that being able to eat is Eric’s human right and vital to his physical and mental well being. Please spread the word and call, e-mail, fax, write as much as possible. Every day that goes by Eric’s health becomes worse. Please act now.

Sacramento County Main Jail 651 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814 916.874.6752 916.874.8984 fax

Sheriff Lou Blanas 916.874.7146 916.874.5332 fax sheriff@sacsheriff.com

Jail Commander Mark Iwasa iwasam@sacsheriff.com