Feature Archives

Various anarchist and community groups/collectives converged on Tower Park in Modesto, to draw attention to police repression, urban sprawl, homelessness, and environmental racism. The event attracted around 100-150 people throughout the day, three meals were served as well as a Really Free Market, and a group of about 30-40 anarchists and anti-authoritarians from Modesto, Fresno, and the bay area also marched through the streets of Modesto in an un-permitted march that lasted close to an hour. Police managed to stop the march, and ticketed three people they considered "leaders". Read full report here.

One year ago, when Kern County, Calif. table grape picker Asuncion Valdivia, 53, fell victim to 100-plus degree weather in July 2004, and now another farm worker has died due to heat stroke. He succumbed to more than 105-degree heat while laboring in a bell pepper field outside nearby Arvin. Though co-workers attempted to hydrate and cool him when he began to shake and wave his arms frantically, the sweltering heat proved too intense. On Monday, July 18, United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez used a news conference in Bakersfield to urge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to issue an emergency regulation aimed at preventing more heat-related fatalities. The UFW is also calling on lawmakers to pass AB 805, by Assemblymember Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), UFW-sponsored legislation requiring basic steps by growers to prevent and respond to heat illness. A state regulation on heat illness was first proposed in 1990. But the state has been dragging its heels for 15 years. Table grape growers last year ignored pleas from the UFW for voluntary preventive measures against heat stress. More info here.

The Ringling Brothers Circus, a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, stands accused by animal advocates of torturing elephants and other animals with whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other painful tools of the trade. With this summer's circus season in full swing, the industry is already facing several fines nationwide levied for injuries and mistreatment of animals.

In Fresno, dozens of activists from throughout the Central Valley and the Bay Area joined Fresno Voices for Animals for five days of protests against Ringling Bros. On July 14th, five activists were arrested outside Selland Arena in downtown Fresno while protesting the circus. Despite this and repeated threats from Feld, arena officials, and Fresno police, activists persevered. They banged drums, displayed a twenty foot banner and numerous signs including a five foot tombstone listing animals that have died in Ringling's "care", took backstage photos of Ringling animal handlers with bullhooks, and handed out thousands of pieces of literature detailing the abuse of circus animals. Many patrons of Ringling/Feld stopped to learn more from activists about animal treatment in the circus, and many declared that this would be their last animal circus show.

Reports & Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 · Video

Upcoming Ringling Protest/Leafletting Schedules: Bay Area in August
Fresno Voices For Animals Circus Protests in 2004: 1 | 2
More Information on Animals in Circuses: Circuses.com

Northern California peace organizations confronted Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Hart at the California National Guard headquarters in Sacramento on Wednesday, July 6, in response to alarming revelations that Guard illegally spied upon three anti-war groups at the State Capitol during a demonstration on Mother's Day. Over 30 members of the three peace organizations and others, after holding a protest in front of the Guard’s office, tried to talk to the Guard Commander, but were stopped at the front door by armed guards. That’s when the activists and reporters confronted Hart, the Guard’s public affairs representative, who met them and reporters at the front door. Police are accused of tracking civilians' constitutionally-protected activities, and spying has been reported to have happened at protests, which is illegal under the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the U.S. military from participating in domestic law enforcement. Read full report here.

7/10/2005: Over 200 immigrants and supporters convened on the State Capitol on Wednesday (July 6, 2005) to demand drivers licenses without special markings to undocumented residents and to oppose border vigilantes in California.

Over 200 immigrants and supporters convened on the State Capitol to demand drivers licenses without special markings to undocumented residents and to oppose border vigilantes in California. They met inside with State Senator Gil Cedillo to demand no special markings on the licenses, and then held a press conference at the steps of the Capitol while a group of up to ten citizens practiced civil disobedience at the Governor’s office.

Two buses of immigrants from San Francisco and dozens more from the Northern California area met with State Senator Cedillo in a crowded meeting room inside the Capitol to talk about the driver license legislature. In this session immigrant workers and families expressed their strong opposition to the proposed markings on the drivers licenses to undocumented residents. “We do not want markings, we are not animals,” chanted a day laborer from San Francisco. Senator Cedillo seemed to agree but could not guarantee passage of the driver license legislature without such marking. Similar legislature has been vetoed by Governor Schwarznegger once already, and he is expected to do so again if the marking isn’t included. The State Bill SB60, introduced by Cedillo, awaits a hearing later this summer.

See the full story HERE | Radio interview

7/3/2005: The United Farm Workers union is "inviting people of good will" to join their second boycott of Gallo wine in 32 years. Hundreds of farm workers and supporters kicked off a new international boycott of Gallo wine on June 14. They are in a struggle to convince America's wealthiest wine making family to do the responsible thing by stopping the exploitation of their workers. The Gallos deny the majority of their farm workers benefits and grievance rights. The UFW says the Gallos abuse, cheat and deny these workers benefits, job protections and humane living conditions in the heart of California's fabled wine country. Read the full statement by UFW president Arturo Rodriguez HERE.

6/23/2005:People of Color spoke out against the Fresno Police Department's Violation of their Civil Rights. At a press conference held in front of the Fresno Federal Courthouse, the Rev. Floyd Harris, California president of the National Action Network said that some Fresno Police Officers are engaged in racially discriminatory treatment of Blacks, Latinos and Asians; harassing and abusing their authority; conducting race-based traffic stops; failing to adequately investigate and monitor discrimination complaints filed by citizens, and using excessive force. A press statement said “We believe that the City of Fresno is discriminating against our communities by failing to continue to provide assurances to our children, families and working poor that they can live in a society free of hate, fear and greed.”

Gloria Hernandez of the Coalition for Immigrant Rights invited the community to an all day meeting on Saturday where participants will learn how to defend their rights when confronted by the police. Go HERE for information about that meeting.