Feature Archives

Anarchists Against the Wall (AATW) is an Israeli direct action group established in 2003 to resist the Annexation Wall being built by Israel on Palestinian land in the Occupied West Bank. They support Palestinian civilian resistance to massive confiscation of land and denial of freedom of movement caused by construction of the Wall. AATW activists have joined thousands of demonstrations against the Wall and against the Occupation in dozens of villages throughout the West Bank. They are currently touring in the US, including giving several presentations in Northern California.

A vigil for Oscar Grant was held on New Year’s Day 2011 at Fruitvale BART, two years after he was shot and killed by former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. Meanwhile, documents recently obtained by KALW's The Informant reveal the significant involvement of state and federal law enforcement in monitoring the various Oscar Grant protests in Oakland over the past two years. Logs obtained indicate OPD monitored websites, including Indybay.org, public demonstrations, flyers and meetings to gather information about potential protests. Other documents indicate FBI involvement in monitoring the Oscar Grant protests as early as January 2009.

Indybay reporter David Morse has filed a lawsuit against the UC Berkeley Police for violations of the First, Fourth and Eighth Amendments and for violations of a federal law barring the use of search warrants for unpublished journalistic materials. The lawsuit follows Morse’s successful motion to quash a search warrant issued for his unpublished news photographs. Morse was arrested without probable cause a year ago at a UC Berkeley protest he was covering and held on felony charges, which were later dropped.

Martin Cotton II was living houseless and unarmed on August 9th, 2007, when he was severely abused by police, and brought to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. At the jail, he was further attacked by guards, and left to die on the floor of a cell. On Monday, January 10th, a federal civil rights trial, brought on behalf of Martin Cotton's baby daughter, Siehna Cotton, and by Martin's father, Marty Cotton, will begin in Oakland: Siehna Cotton et al. v. Eureka Police Dept. and Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept.

During the December 7th, 2010 Oakland City Council meeting, outraged and grieving family members, friends and members of the public demanded to be allowed to speak during "Open Forum" at the beginning of the meeting. When the council refused, supporters chanted to the front and Derrick's father spoke along with several others. Later many more spoke. The council's response was to offer to agendize the topic for a future meeting.

John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and Food Revolution, says the film Bold Native "is the controversial story of young adults who just can’t sit by and stay silent in the face of massive cruelty to animals. Unwilling to passively succumb to resignation and despair, they take a stand, not just with their words, but with their actions. Some might see them as threats to society, others might admire them as self-sacrificing heroes, but no one could see this remarkable film and not gain a greater understanding of what courage really means.”

Indybay has not only survived but thrived for ten years now. On November 13th, 2010, Indybay acknowledged everyone who has contributed over the last decade to the many projects of the SF Bay Area and Santa Cruz Independent Media Centers. We hosted a media conference with speakers, panels, and workshops — and then we threw a benefit party with radical musicians into the night. Thank you to everyone who came out!