Feature Archives

Iraqi Bloggers Faiza Al Araji and her son, Raed Jarrar, spoke in Santa Cruz on April 7th, 2006, about their experiences in Iraq.

A Family in Baghdad is written by Faiza and her three sons. The blog is written as a family’s diary, though most of the posts are from Faiza. Faiza is a strong, independent woman, and writes about the continuing war in Iraq and her daily life, such as moving from one residence to another, or what it’s like when a bomb explodes near where you are buying vegetables.

Raed in the Middle brings together news reports from diverse sources and adds his own commentary to what is occurring in the Middle East. Knowledgeable, informative, and opinionated, Raed’s blog offers a critical look at Iraq’s state of affairs. Read more and visit the blogs

Audio: Faiza Al Araji and Raed Jarrar at the Louden Nelson Center || Interview with Faiza Al Araji and son Raed Jarrar

On April 11th, 2006, in spite of the pouring rain and administrative attempts to stifle students’ free speech, Students Against War (SAW) organized over 150 students to march from the center of campus to the job fair, where they nonviolently prevented access to military recruiters through sit-ins and other measures. After about an hour and a half of negotiations and students’ refusal to back down, military recruiters left the job fair.

The students’ first victory appeared early in the day, as administrators separated military recruiters from other employers, allowing the protesters to block access to the military, while the remainder of the job fair continued...

The successful protest was also significant in light of the fact that University administrators hired, at great cost to the school, a number of police from other UC campuses. These police, local officers, and a top local official, physically assaulted multiple students without provocation and repeatedly refused to provide identification when requested. Students were pushed, punched, choked, and a student’s hand was slammed in a door. One student, acting as a legal observer, was pushed and arrested for documenting police surveillance, but was released after an immediate display of student support...

In the face of administrative and police repression the students remained remarkably peaceful... Read More

Photos: Military Recruiters Evicted From UCSC Job Fair, Again! || Military Recruiters Out At UCSC After SAW's Third Strike || A11 SAW Action - One Student's Perspective
Videos: The moment of departure || April 11th Student Action to Kick Military Recruiters Off of UCSC || Interview w/ Arrested Student
Audio: Interview with David from SAW || Recruiters Out Remix || Interview with Mara from SAW

See also: Military Recruiters Abandon Post at UCSC Career Fair || Far-Right Threats Fail to Distract from Santa Cruz Protest Successes

Previous coverage: SAW to protest Military Recruiters on April 11 || UCSC anti-war group SAW makes demands of administration concerning career fair|| UC Students Demand Answers about Spying Scandal || Students Denounce Pentagon Surveillance of Counter-Recruitment Activities || Rally, Queer Kiss-in Greet Military Recruiters at UCSC || UCSC Students Kick Military Recruiters Off Campus

On Monday March 27th, word spread fast around high schools in the Pajaro Valley School District that students would be walking out of their classes at 11:00am in protest of anti-immigrant legislation known as HR 4437. The message of the students was that the United States is nothing without Mexicans and HR 4437 is nothing short of racist. Monday's local walkouts, including thousands of students, were at Watsonville HS, Pajaro Valley HS, Aptos HS, Alisal HS, and Alvarez HS. Student walkouts have erupted all of the state of California, but is also occurring in cities nation-wide. Read more

Audio: FRSC: Jenn and Ramiro of the Brown Berets discuss Student Walkouts, HR 4437 and more || Accounts of Police Violating Civil Rights of Students in Watsonville on 3/27
Photos: 3/27 Watsonville HS Walkout || MARCH 27th WALK OUT || Watsonville High Walk Out

Student walkouts continued Tuesday in Watsonville, Salinas, and now Hollister. As with Monday, there appeared to be a large squad of riot police in Watsonville attempting to squelch student dissent. Reports also suggest that students may have halted traffic on Highway 1.

Soraya Hernandez, a student, said: "Watsonville High students walked out again today for the second time during our break time. A student posted a bulletin on a site which expressed their thoughts of the walk out and were very hurtful and expressed in an "angry" way [anti-immigrant]. Someone decided to print it and post around school which infurried student of immigrant desent. By this incident, many students were mad including myself which made us want to stop this and make a point... to make a statement about immigration. We [students] didnt mean to cause "violence" or "public disturbance" but yet of course there were a few break outs here and there that were made big deals of which trust me if you went to high school they would be NOTHING...cops got aggressive and so did some students. The point is the walk out, it meant something, or at least to me it did." Read more...

Photos and Reportback from Day 2 of the Walkouts: Watsonville High Walk Out
Audio Interviews About Monday and Tuesday: Watsonville High School Students Speak About Walkouts

On Wednesday, March 29th, hundreds of students from Santa Cruz High, Santa Cruz Community, Habor, Aptos, Soquel and Cesar Chavez (Barrios Unidos) left class at 10:00am and marched to the Santa Cruz County Courthouse. They marched for immigrant rights and justice and against HR4437.

Audio: Students From Six High Schools March in Santa Cruz Against HR4437

In Watsonville, supportive teachers and allies met after school on Wednesday to discuss creative and productive actions such as teach ins, panels, presentations, and community work as "consequences" for student actions. On Friday, March 31st, thousands of students from local schools, including Watsonville High, Pajaro Valley High, Aptos High and Renaissance High, marched and rallied against HR 4437 in Watsonville. In anticipation of the walkout, both Pajaro Valley High and Watsonville High decided to not hold classes in an effort to keep students safe. ( Audio | Photos)

see also: Watsonville Student Legal Defense || Commentary: Immigrant Movements, Xenophobia, Racism || Greenfield Student Walk Out Against HR 4437

On Saturday, March 25th, Watsonville saw the largest march for peace and justice in the history of the city. Documented and undocumented workers, families and allies marched in solidarity with anti-war activists in a peaceful march though the city of Watsonville. The route had been pre-planned and sent to the police. Crowd security was provided by the Watsonville Brown Berets. People marched down the furthest right hand lane of the four lane roads and traffic was moving in both directions.

Yet, after the march, the Watsonville Police Department targeted one organizer (a Brown Beret) and wrote him a citation with 8-10 counts against him, including criminal charges. They will also be charging the Brown Berets for police overtime. This was an effort to show people that “…they can’t do whatever they want to,” in the words of the Watsonville Police.

Residents came from everywhere to use the opportunity to be heard. This has been a silent population until now. Silent because they are working 12-16 hour days in the fields, hotels, and factories so Americans can enjoy the lifestyle and economic privilege they are accustomed to. Read more

Update: Charges Have Been Dropped and the Brown Berets Have Agreed to Pay the $1,500 Fine

On March 25th, over 2,500 latino immigrants joined Gold Star Families for Peace member Fernando Suarez del Solar, and Iraq War resister Pablo Paredes for the 5 mile Watsonville leg of their 241 mile march for peace from Tijuana to the Mission District in San Francisco. Along with chants for peace, many on the march were also moved to take a stand against the draconian anti-immigrant bill HR4437.

photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
audio: Short Interviews

After the march, the Watsonville Police Department targeted one organizer (a Brown Beret) and wrote him a citation with 8-10 counts against him, including criminal charges. Read more

Shortly after the march in Watsonville, a thousand latino immigrants joined Fernando Suarez del Solar and Pablo Paredes for the 5 mile Salinas leg of their 241 mile trek. People took to the streets in opposition to war in Iraq and the anti-immigrant bill HR4437. Read more and view photos

Organizers say, "Latinos represent nearly 15% of the US population and 11% of the US military, with many serving in combat or hazardous duty occupations. In addition, an estimated 20% of the fallen service members in the early months of the invasion were Latino. With the continued growth of the Latino population and its vital importance to the future of this country, it is time the Latino community become an active and vocal part of the 60%+ of US citizens that oppose this War."

Read more about the march for peace from Tijuana to San Francisco on Indybay's Immigrant Rights and Anti-War Pages

There is finally news after weeks of silence on the police spying issue in Santa Cruz. The Independent Investigation into Santa Cruz Police spying was released today by Bob Aaronson. This focused on an undercover police infiltration of a group planning an unpermitted New Year's Eve parade in Santa Cruz, California.

"In my opinion, the Santa Cruz Police Department violated the Last Night DIY Parade organizers' rights to privacy, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in the manner in which they went about obtaining information about the organizers' activities." Bob Aaronson, Police Department Auditor. Read more and download report

Audio: Interviews with Bob Aaronson and Rico Thunder || Santa Cruz Public Safety Committee Meeting on SCPD Spying

see also: Police Auditor's Report Reportedly Available In Main Library || Urgent Public Mtg Wed about Police Spying || ACLU Letter to City Council RE Police Spying Policy || Draft Policy on Police Spying

previous coverage: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

On March 19th, somewhere between 150 and 200 people rallied at the clock tower in Santa Cruz before marching down Pacific Avenue and up Front Street. Demonstrators called for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, the removal of George Bush from the White House and for government money to be spent on education instead of warfare. Read more and view photos

see also: An Open Letter to the SC Activist Community

Protests also took place in cities throughout California, the United States and across the world.