Feature Archives

On Saturday, June 2nd, immigrant rights activists gathered in front of Dianne Feinstein's home in San Francisco to demand that she help to bury the current immigration bill. Feinstein came out to talk to the protesters. Activists told her that among other things, the bill will separate families, further criminalize immigrant communities, cause more suffering and deaths at the border, institutionalize worker exploitation through a guest-worker program, and provide no realistic chances for the undocumented to legalize.

Rainbow Grocery Cooperative has been hailed by animal activists for the decision to become the first San Francisco-based retailer to announce an exclusive cage-free egg policy. The celebrated grocery store joins a growing national network of cities, educational institutions, farmers, and retailers that oppose the intensive confinement of laying hens — a common egg industry practice.

On June 7th, dozens of people gathered at the San Francisco Federal Building to vigil and conduct civil disobedience to oppose the ongoing occupation war in Iraq. Organized by Declaration of Peace Bay Area, this event takes place every first Thursday of each month. While activists tried to block the entrance to the building, the names of Iraqi war dead were read.

Parrots known to have lived in San Francisco since the early 1970s has survived the loss of some tree habitat, cold snaps, and various other threats over the years. A popular film and book both called "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" brought the birds to national attention in 2004 and 2005. Legislative efforts have been made to help protect the flock, the first of which protected some of the birds' long-time tree habitat. Now, activists say the health, welfare and safety of the beloved wild parrots has been threatened by a large group of bird lovers who have taken to feeding the parrots daily, and on May 22nd and again on June 5th, the SF Board of Supervisors voted to ban human feeding of the flock.

The first of at least two bail hearings for the San Francisco 8 took place on Monday, June 18th. A large crowd gathered in front of the SF Courthouse at 850 Bryant Street at 8 am Monday morning calling for the release of the SF 8 and the dropping of all charges. The San Francisco 8 have called for a national movement to demand the reopening of hearings into COINTELPRO, which was responsible for government harassment, persecution, and long-term imprisonment of members of organizations such as the Black Panther Party. A Night of Solidarity with the SF8 will be held on July 1st in San Francisco.

On Wednesday May 30th, a jury split its verdict for author and medical marijuana advocate Ed Rosenthal on federal marijuana charges. Rosenthal was found guilty of three federal felonies related to the cultivation and distribution of marijuana, not guilty of cultivation and distribution and deadlocked on a conspiracy count. Rosenthal faces no punishment for the felony convictions, aside from one day in jail that he has already served.

Members of the San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network (SFILEN) entered San Francisco’s City Hall on Thursday, May 24 hoping to influence the 2007-2008 city budget. SFILEN's request, entitled the Immigrant Rights Budget Proposal asks for funding of specific immigrant programs within the People's Budget which they contend will strengthen the city's communities and add to economic growth.