Feature Archives

On December 14th, over 200 people gathered in downtown Oakland for a lively lunch time protest against plans by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to demolish 4,500 housing units in New Orleans. On December 20th, there was a City Council meeting in New Orleans to vote on the demolitions. Police used pepper spray and tazers to prevent residents from entering the City Hall chambers. City Council voted unanimously to approve the demolitions.

In early December, members of the Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) in Montana met with Yellowstone National Park administrators and also attended the Interagency Bison Management Plan open house. At both meetings the news from the agencies wasn't good. BFC was told that it will likely be a very bad winter for the buffalo.

From December 14th through the 16th, striking writers held picket-lines at the Disney Store on Post and Powell Streets in San Francisco from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The strike is against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization that represents the interests of American film and television producers. On December 13th, the Writers Guild filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the AMPTP for its refusal to bargain in good faith.

On November 15th Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that it would not hear an appeal by two US soldiers who had sought refuge in Canada to avoid participation in the war and occupation of Iraq. The ruling means that conscientious objectors Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey, as well as other American soldiers who have filed formal applications for refugee status, could be deported back to the US. Courage to Resist is encouraging people to sign petitions and to write letters to ask that Canadian officials provide sanctuary for the US military resisters.

October 22nd, 2007 was the 12th National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation. In Oakland, protesters converged at 1:30pm in Frank Ogawa Plaza, outside of Oakland City Hall, at 14th Street and Broadway. A march began at 2:00pm, with a rally at 3:30pm back at Frank Ogawa Plaza. A Community Feeder March demanded justice for Gary King Jr. and "No More Stolen Lives!" Gary King was killed by an Oakland Police officer on September 20th.

Activists are mobilizing to roll back changes to the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which is moving quickly through the House of Representatives. ENDA, which was introduced to protect LGBTQ employees, was recently stripped of provisions prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity. The stripped down bill denies protection to transgendered people and introduces loopholes that would seriously limit the bill's effect.

On May 17th, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia heard oral arguments in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. A decision is expected sometime very soon. Organizers have called for protests to take place if the Court rules to uphold the death sentence or denies Mumia’s appeals for either a new trial or new hearing the day after a decision - or on Monday if the decision falls on Friday or Saturday.