Feature Archives

Paul Rusesabagina, general manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines during the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, spoke in San Francisco on Friday, April 21, 2006. He helped shelter over 1,200 people from slaughter by using his influence as general manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali, Rwanda. Almost a million others were killed in about 100 days. His heroic and resourceful actions inspired the 2004 film "Hotel Rwanda." Campaigning for world action to help stop the ongoing genocide the Darfur region of Sudan, and in support of his new autobiography, Paul Rusesabagina spoke and took questions from the public.

There will be rallies across the nation on Sunday April 30th to demand action from US political leaders to bring pressure on those responsible for the genocide in Darfur to stop the killing. There will be a rally locally in San Francisco. The largest will be held in Washington, DC.

Audio, Photos, and Report

Read More on Indybay's International News Page

To mark the 19th annual World Week for Animals in Laboratories (WWAIL), In Defense of Animals (IDA) joined with Vigil For Animals on April 26th, 2006, to protest the University of California, San Francisco's (UCSF's) use of dogs and other animals in controversial, taxpayer-funded medical experiments. This past October UCSF paid one of the largest fines ever for Animal Welfare Act violations after the U.S. Department of Agriculture charged the lab with 75 counts of animal welfare violations. By educating the public and keeping pressure on the university to operate with greater transparency, the groups hope to help end what they call the pointless suffering of these exploited animals.

Read More on Indybay's Animal Liberation News Page

Sunday, April 23rd was a day of action in solidarity with immigrants and against the anti-immigrant bills in Congress. People gathered for a 12:00pm rally in Dolores Park, and then marched to the San Francisco Federal Building at 2:00pm.
Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Report | Read a recent update about the bills

The Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition has flyers available in Chinese, English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese on its website.

An organizing consulta will be held on Sunday, April 23rd from 6-8pm at the Mission Village Market, on 18th St. Between Florida and Alabama Sts. in SF.

Immigrant rights and Latino organizations all over the US are calling for a general strike on May 1st, 2006-- MayDay, or International Workers Day. The convergences in San Francisco will be at 8:30am at Montgomery & Market (Montgomery BART; 11:00am at the Embarcadero (Embarcadero BART); 3:00pm at SF Civic Center (Civic Center BART); and 5:00pm at the Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate. Organizers are encouraging people to wear white and bring energy and creativity, as well as pots and spoons to bang together in a cacerolazo. Flyers and posters

Demands of the SF day of action and resistance will include: Full, unconditional and immediate "amnesty" for all immigrants; Free movement for all people; Freedom for all ICE detainees and the abolition of detention centers; De-militarization of the US-Mexico border; and The repeal of NAFTA and all neoliberal trade agreements which create economic conditions leading to the displacement of people. An open consulta (planning meeting) will be held on Sunday, April 23rd at 6:00pm at a location to be announced.

Read more on Indybay's Immigrant Rights News Page

If the BALCO scandal is strictly about drug use in sports, then why is Barry Bonds represented by Michael Rains -- a lawyer whose entire legal career has been spent protecting police from prosecution? While the US is being distracted by the Bonds saga, are we missing a connection between steroids and police? Independent journalist Junya looks behind the headlines and finds a simmering scandal that may explain this mysterious conjuncture of legal phenomena. Have cops gone psychotic from steroid use become even more of a danger behind their guns and badges?

In 2003, about a month after Bonds' trainer was arrested in Burlingame, the same Narcotics Task Force discovered more than 700 tablets of steroids and syringes in the truck and house of Burlingame Police Officer Robert J. Cissna. While Bonds' trainer and others received jail time, the officer received a deal of 18 months probation, with the charges dismissed and his records cleared because his defense convinced prosecutors that the steroids were for personal use. As one police psychologist reported, steroid use among star baseball players may be getting the most attention, but a bigger problem is likely the police officer down the street who is using them: "At some point in using the drug, psychotic-type symptoms come in. And they're not predictable. That makes it an even more dangerous issue."

Read More | Steroid Abuse Can Contribute to Police Brutality -- Even Murder | Cops Accused of Using Steroids to Bulk Up | Cops Using Steroids To Get An Edge
Beyond Chron: Readers Respond on Bonds | Steroids to Heaven | Professional sports, drugs and profits

On Monday, April 10th, 2006, immigrants and their allies continued their recent historic mobilizations in cities all over the US to oppose HR 4437. About five thousand people marched this evening through San Francisco’s Mission District in support of immigrant rights. From 16th Street to 24th Street, thousands of immigrant workers, families, youth, and supporters marched down the middle of Mission Street.

Photos: 1 | 2 · Video · Reports: 1 | 2
Read More On Indybay's Immigrant Rights News Page

A Day of Action to Shut Down PG&E's Hunters Point Power Plant was held on April 11th. People gathered at 12:00pm on Evans Street at Middlepoint Road. After eight years of broken promises, Bayview Hunters Point residents and community organizations continue to demand that the power plant be closed, and that the neighborhood be given clean energy and restoration, rather than redevelopment and gentrification.
Video | Report From BeyondChron

Indybay's Environment Page | Indybay's past coverage of the PG+E plant struggle