Feature Archives

On Monday, April 4th, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, local coalitions participated in nationwide actions to support Wisconsin workers, public services and the middle class. Organizers of the rally at the Santa Cruz County Government Center stated, "Dr. King was killed in Memphis, TN, where he had stood with sanitation workers who were struggling for the right to bargain collectively. The actions by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to eliminate collective bargaining – and the gradual eroding of the American middle class - only undermine that struggle."

Responding to an international call to action, on March 9th activists in Berkeley unfurled a large banner over the highway reading, “Justice for Mehdi Aby Ayyash,” a Palestinian youth killed two years ago by the Israeli military. On March 10th, Palestinian solidarity activists in Chicago replaced street signs that read “Honorary Ben Gurion Way” with “Honorary Mehdi Abu Ayyash Way.” More actions are expected to take place in the coming weeks in different locations around the world.

For the past two years, California has been in an ongoing struggle against cuts to education and public services. On March 4th, 2010, students, teachers, faculty, workers, and supporters statewide held coordinated Strike and Day of Action in defense of public education and public services. This year, California's new governor, democrat Jerry Brown, is planning to cut $1.4 Billion from public higher education, and students across the state demonstrated in coordinated actions on March 2nd and over the following days.

Last month, BART riders complained about anti-Palestinian ads posted in the subway system by a Los Angeles-based pro-Israeli lobby called Stand With Us. When the public complained about the ads, BART officials pulled them. In February, a new version of the same ads appeared in BART stations and this time BART officials are refusing to take them down. Bay Area culture jamming activists installed replacement ads on February 21st that say "Stop Israeli Apartheid — Human Rights for All Is The Answer."

UPDATE: Tree-Sitter Released on April 4th After 67 Days in Jail; Still Faces Four Misdemeanor Charges

A nearly three-month treesit in People's Park in Berkeley ended in the early morning hours of January 28th when Midnight Matt, the primary sitter, was arrested on attempted murder charges. Midnight Matt's charges were reduced to assault with a deadly weapon at his arraignment, but he remains in Santa Rita jail with his bail set at $100,000. Supporters are asking for donations to help make his $10,000 bond and for a show of support in court. Midnight Matt's next court date is April 4th.

Geoffrey King is the subject of this ninth profile in a series by Peter M. King grew up in Vallejo, went to community college, then to Berkeley, and then to Stanford Law School. He is now a public interest attorney serving the community of media workers. He is also a self-taught professional photographer of social protest. He talks about representing a wronged Indybay reporter, and a night he spent photographing an Oscar Grant demonstration.

WikiLeaks is receiving significant persecution from the US government and transnational corporations for releasing information the government finds embarrassing for the world to know. In San Francisco on Jan. 15th, WikiLeaks supporters held a "media intervention" at the TransAmerica Pyramid and New York Times office. On Jan. 12th, a procession and rally was held in Berkeley to close Guantanamo and support Wikileaks and Bradley Manning. Dozens of people came together in Santa Cruz on Jan. 8th to rally and march in solidarity with WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning.