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Indybay Arts + Action Features
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2023/12/12/18861062.php
Taking Direct Action Against US Support for Israel's War on GazaActions for Gaza: Blockades, Occupations, Banner Drops, Graffiti, Smashed Windows, Sabotage2023-12-12T10:44:39Z2023-12-12T10:44:39Zen-US
Israel would not be able to continue its genocidal war on Gaza without military and political support from the United States. The US provides Israel weaponry and munitions to carry out its onslaught. The US feeds the IDF military intelligence gained via satellites and drones flying over Gaza. The US covers for Israel on the global stage with UN Security Council vetoes against ceasefire resolutions. US businesses profit from the current war and never-ending occupation.
Taking local resistance to the next level, protesters in Northern California have engaged in a number of direct actions aimed at disrupting business as usual, targeting those most responsible, and raising the profile of the call to free Palestine. While President Biden was in San Francisco for the APEC Summit, activists shut down all westbound lanes of the Bay Bridge, and others hung a banner on Highway 101 between the airport and San Francisco. A US military vessel destined to deliver weaponry to Israel was blocked from leaving the Port of Oakland for the better part of a day. The San Francisco office of US defense contractor Lockheed Martin was locked down. Communiqués posted on Indybay claim sabotage of train lines in multiple cities, as well as a water main at a pro-IDF fundraiser. Others have taken it upon themselves to smash windows of a military recruiter, banks, and businesses with ties to the Israeli war machine. Banner drops and graffiti in solidarity with the Palestinian people have gone up all over.
Related Features: Millions Stand Up Worldwide in Solidarity with Palestine |
Israel Decimates Gaza, Nearly 2M Palestinians Displaced |
BDS Protesters Block the Boat, Prevent Unloading of Israeli Ship (2021)]]>Anti-War and MilitarismArts + ActionCaliforniaCentral ValleyCity of San FranciscoEast Bay AreaFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismInternationalPalestineU.S.image/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2023/08/08/18858238.php
Cities for People, Not for ProfitArtists Evicted from Stop Music Studios to Make Way for Commercial Development in Portugal2023-08-08T07:34:34Z2023-08-08T07:34:34Zen-US
Porto has undergone significant changes in recent years under its political leadership, losing its identity and losing thousands of inhabitants due to a housing affordability crisis. Furthermore, its city administration is being investigated for real estate speculation activities and favoring economically powerful interests.
The city finally moved on the Stop Shopping Center in late July. For over 10 days, more than 500 musicians in Porto have been forcibly evicted from their workspace, by police and the city authorities, with over 100 rehearsal rooms and workplaces closed down at Stop, in what has been called the largest DIY studio complex in Europe. Thousands came out to protest the eviction.
Artists face forced Eviction of STOP in Porto, the largest DIY Studio complex in Europe
]]>Arts + ActionFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismGovernment & ElectionsInternationalPolice Stateimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2023/05/31/18856411.php
"Fentalyfe" Poster Campaign RedecoratedReactionary "Street Art" Campaign Backed by Billionaire Michael Moritz Targeted by Graffiti ArtistsIn a pseudonymous communiqué published on Indybay on May 21, "some vandals" write: Under the cover of night, with the Frisco fog as our accomplice, a crew of friends vandalized over 10 of the right-wing, pro-police “Fentalyfe” street poster installations.... These disturbing posters are part of a $300k campaign, by reactionary group Together SF, that is shaming drug and Narcan users, and calling for the racist criminalization of poor people.]]>2023-06-01T06:52:37Z2023-06-01T06:52:37Zen-USIn a pseudonymous communiqué published on Indybay on May 21, "some vandals" write: Under the cover of night, with the Frisco fog as our accomplice, a crew of friends vandalized over 10 of the right-wing, pro-police “Fentalyfe” street poster installations.
We painted messages such as "Narcan Saves Lives, Cops Kill People", "The War On Drugs Failed", "TogetherSF = SFPD", "Cops Sell Fentanyl", "Fuck You Fascists", and "Fuck Michael Moritz".
These disturbing posters are part of a $300k campaign, by reactionary group Together SF (who are funded by billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz), that is shaming drug and Narcan users, and calling for the racist criminalization of poor people. They are also calling for the criminalization of graffiti while themselves wheat pasting posters on the streets.
Related Feature: Community Demands Justice for Banko Brown
]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoDrug WarFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesPolice Stateimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2021/07/27/18844012.php
Mindful Intelligence: Alan Clements on his New Book and FilmAuthor Delves into Dark Satire in Latest Book "Extinction X-Rated"2021-07-27T18:50:42Z2021-07-27T18:50:42Zen-US
His latest book — Extinction X-Rated — was written during the pandemic and according to Clements was “LSD inspired.” He describes the book as part autobiography and partly an “auto-fictional dark satire about good and evil.”
Since the 1970’s Clements’ life has been intertwined with the Buddhist country of Burma/Myanmar. Clements was a monk there for four years and then alerted the world to a modern genocide when he wrote Burma: The Next Killing Fields? (1990) He did a series of interviews with democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi who has often been imprisoned for her activism and those conversations later became the 1997 book Voice of Hope. Clements was kicked out of Burma and banned from traveling there until 2012. In recent years he returned to interview hundreds of activists, teachers, artists and lay people about on-going resistance to authoritarianism, chronicled in a four-volume set, Burma’s Voices of Freedom. (2020)
Read More and Listen to the Interview]]>Arts + ActionCaliforniaEnvironment & Forest DefenseFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismInternationalSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay AreaU.S.image/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2021/04/30/18842038.php
Graffiti and Vandalism Protests Hit Both Sides of the BayAnomymous Communiqués Claim Responsibility for Four Actions Across 19 Properties2021-05-01T06:33:19Z2021-05-01T06:33:19Zen-USreleased a statement saying that a multi-agency investigation was underway, since the residences attacked were in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco.
On April 16, another action "repainted" houses believed to be owned by three members of the San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board. An anonymous communiqué describes a sarcastic note left at the houses. Those claiming responsibility cited the 1998 shooting death of graffiti artist Jonathan See Lim.
Both the University of California and San Francisco police contacted Indybay and Indybay's Internet service provider, threatening to obtain a search warrant for the IP addresses of the contributors who published these articles to Indybay's newswire. However, Indybay does not log the IP address of website visitors, as stated in the privacy policy.
On May 2, nine Sullivan Management Company properties were similarly targeted, following a May Day direct action that, at least temporarily, reclaimed a long-vacant SMC property which was lost to foreclosure in 2011. SMC is owned by corporate landlord and real estate speculator Neill Sullivan.
A fourth communiqué claims credit for breaking into an Oakland police vehicle lockup at 10th and Union Streets on May 7, damaging cruisers with muriatic acid, flattening tires, and smashing windows.
Related Features: People's Park in Berkeley Faces Greatest Danger Yet |
Graffiti and Noise Demo Targets Oakland Mayor's House in the Hills |
Three Nights of Bay Area Attacks Against the Police State |
Anti-Racists Send a Message at San Francisco CIS Headquarters |
Big Year for Moms Includes Reclamation of Home and Co-founders Winning Elected Office]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoEast Bay AreaEducation & Student ActivismFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismPolice Stateimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/21/18831707.php
California on Coronavirus LockdownMutual Aid Efforts to Assist Those Most at Risk Increase as COVID-19 Spreads2020-03-21T09:01:23Z2020-03-21T09:01:23Zen-US
Beyond the expectation that medical facilities will soon be overwhelmed with a surge of severe coronavirus cases — complicated by shortages of supplies and healthcare workers becoming sick themselves — life is changing drastically for everyone, infected or not. As the state adopts more stringent measures to mitigate the rapid spread of coronavirus, millions find themselves without an income with which to pay bills and meet their basic needs. School closures mean students who depend on school lunches face the possibility of going hungry. Curbside communities, always on the edge of survival, are in dire straights. Persons incarcerated in overcrowded prisons and jails are especially at risk for contracting the virus. The stress and requisite isolation of the pandemic are taking a toll on mental health everywhere.
While many have long known of the painful cruelties of our capitalist system, a wider recognition grows that it is grossly ill-equipped to rise to the challenge of this time. Politicians on the national level are pondering solutions that were anathema to them just a few weeks ago, such as direct payments to individuals to bolster the economy. It remains to be seen whether elected officials choose a single payment or a monthly Universal Basic Income, or whether such emergency relief will be adequate to meet people's needs. Some prefer that the bulk of pandemic-related financial assistance goes to corporate bailouts. ICE announced that they will decrease raids and deportation operations, prioritizing instead immigrants with criminal records. On a state and local level, moratoriums on rent, mortgage, and utility payments are under consideration. The California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) determined that energy, water, sewer, and communications companies under CPUC jurisdiction should halt customer disconnections for non-payment as a result of the COVID-19 State of Emergency. In order to alleviate the pandemic dangers related to mass incarceration, officials are directing law enforcement to arrest fewer people now that courts are closed and unable to offer timely arraignments. Limited release of inmates has begun in a number of counties.
Not waiting for government action, allies and effected peoples are stepping up with ad hoc and coordinated mutual aid efforts to assist those most in need. Numerous groups listed in the posts below can use your physical and/or financial support during this crisis.
Related Features: Santa Cruz Police Evict Unhoused Community, Despite Pandemic |
Station 40 on Rent Strike Against Gentrification and the Pandemic |
COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Most Vulnerable Populations
]]>Arts + ActionCaliforniaCity of San FranciscoEast Bay AreaEducation & Student ActivismFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismGovernment & ElectionsHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesLabor & WorkersPolice StateSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay AreaU.S.image/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/05/18831323.php
Interview with Negativland's Mark HoslerMark Hosler on Politics, Music, True False and 40 Years of Art Activism2020-03-06T06:24:48Z2020-03-06T06:24:48Zen-US
Since 1981, Negativland and an evolving cast of characters have operated “Over The Edge,” a weekly radio show on KPFA in Berkeley. “Over The Edge” continues to broadcast, and over 34 years of shows are available at The Internet Archive. In 2004 Negativland worked with Creative Commons to write the Creative Commons Sampling License, an alternative to existing copyrights that is now widely used by many artists, writers, musicians, film makers, and websites.
True False (2019) is Negativland's 13th studio album and follows on many other EPs and LPs including Escape From Noise (1987), U2 (1991), The ABC's of Anarchism (1999) and It's All In Your Head (2014).
Listen to the Interview]]>Arts + ActionEast Bay AreaFront PageIndependent MediaSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay AreaU.S.image/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/14/18829747.php
Protesters Hijack Facebook's Giant "Like" SignDemonstrators Call Out Political Ad Policy at Facebook Headquarters2020-01-15T00:36:45Z2020-01-15T00:36:45Zen-US
Activists believe that misinformation on Facebook played at least some role in Trump's surprise win in 2016, and that the social media giant contributed to the spread of toxic hate that has created a climate of fear for immigrants, suppressed voter turnout among African Americans, and threatens the upcoming US census count. Organizer Andrea Buffa, addressing the late afternoon rally at the company headquarters said, "Facebook is actually facilitating bad actors putting out disinformation, putting out divisiveness that can jeopardize our election."
Ted Lewis of Global Exchange said, "If you're a paid political advertiser on Facebook, you can go ahead and lie. We think they should just forego political advertising in this election cycle." Speaking on behalf of a coalition of activists, Buffa announced that future actions are planned against "this huge social media company in our back yard."
See Also: Mark Zuckerberg is a Rich Jerk
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https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2019/01/15/18820397.php
Qilombo Community Social Center EvictedWest Oakland Gentrification Claims Yet Another Casualty as Qilombo Forced Out2019-01-16T04:22:42Z2019-01-16T04:22:42Zen-US
Hours after being locked out, Qilombo member Chaga kwa Nia came to the building to retrieve clothing and other items. Oakland police accused him of having broken into the building and handcuffed him. He was later released and not charged with any crimes. Next steps for the community social center remain uncertain.
Related Features: Hundreds Defend Africa Town Community Garden, Win Reprieve from Bulldozer and OPD (2015) |
Rock Paper Scissors Being Displaced After More Than Ten Years on Telegraph Avenue (2015) |
AK Press, 1984 Printing, and Friends Need Help Now to Recover from Fire (2015)
]]>Arts + ActionEast Bay AreaFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesPolice StateRacial Justiceimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/09/18/18817607.php
30,000 March in Largest West Coast Climate Action EverProtesters March on Climate Summit, Disrupt Meeting During Week of Action2018-09-18T08:07:06Z2018-09-18T08:07:06Zen-US
The GCAS, hosted by Governor Jerry Brown, was designed to celebrate climate achievements and encourage more action. Protesters insisted that Governor Brown continues to protect billion-dollar dirty oil corporations that actively seek to undermine the necessary change. They called on the mayors and other public servants at the summit to work for genuine and urgent climate protection, and to address the disproportionate effects of climate change on underserved communities.
Protesters took to the streets again on September 13th, after the summit had commenced, this time shutting down the intersections of Third and Folsom and Third and Howard, substantially disrupting entrance into the GCAS venue. Police presence was heavy; demonstrators gathered behind barricades and were pushed further back by lines of law enforcement and there were two arrests. The week of actions was in solidarity with indigenous and frontline communities.
Related Feature: Most Oil Wells Approved Under Jerry Brown in Low Income Areas, Communities of Color
]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoEnvironment & Forest DefenseFront PageHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesImmigrant RightsPolice StateRacial Justiceimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/05/16/18809231.php
Kiilu Nyasha, Rest In PowerMemorial Service to Honor San Francisco Activist and Journalist Kiilu NyashaSunday, May 20. Beloved friends, family, comrades, and admirers of Kiilu are welcome to a community gathering that celebrates Kiilu’s life and principled pursuit of liberation for all oppressed peoples.]]>2018-05-16T07:40:21Z2018-05-16T07:40:21Zen-US
Kiilu would have turned 79 on May 22, 2018, and loved celebrating her birthday alongside Malcolm X, Yuri Kochiyama, and Ho Chi Minh, who were all born on May 19.
A memorial service is being organized by Kiilu’s close family and friends for Sunday, May 20. Kiilu was loved and cherished around the world. Beloved friends, family, comrades, and admirers of Kiilu are welcome to a community gathering of music, art, and storytelling that celebrates Kiilu’s life and passionate and principled pursuit of liberation for all oppressed peoples.
By Kiilu:Slavery On The New Plantation |
American Torture Chambers: A Report on Today’s Prisons & Jails |
Ruchell Cinque Magee and the August 7th Courthouse Slave Rebellion]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoFront PageHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesIndependent MediaPolice StateRacial JusticeWomynimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/04/04/18808236.php
Queer Arts Collectives Create Iconic Ahed Tamimi Street ArtBay Area Queers Spread Palestinian Teen Ahed Tamimi’s Image Far and Wide2018-04-05T03:43:53Z2018-04-05T03:43:53Zen-US
"Mainstream feminists talk about 'empowering' girls and young women, but often it’s understood as an apolitical, individual type of empowerment" said one QUIT! member. "Ahed is a symbol of what real empowerment for looks like."
QUIT! distributed hundreds of signs with the artist’s rendering of Ahed at the Women’s March in San Francisco, while members of Jewish Voice for Peace carried them in the Oakland march. The posters include part of a statement Ahed made while at a film screening in South Africa, "We may be victims of the Israeli regime, but we are proud of our choice to fight for our cause, despite the known cost….[W]e chose the struggle and our struggle is just."
Related Features:
Worldwide Actions Commemorate Ahed Tamimi’s 17th Birthday, Demand Freedom |
Millions March for Women's Rights Worldwide]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoEast Bay AreaInternationalLGBTI / QueerPalestineWomynimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/03/14/18807385.php
"Homeless Junkies" Propaganda Spreads in Santa CruzAnti-Houseless Stickers a "Team Effort" at Broprints Screen Printing2018-03-14T23:14:19Z2018-03-14T23:14:19Zen-US
A quick search of the hashtag #131stickers shows a number of posts also tagged @broprintsscreenprinting, or with check-ins at Broprints Screen Printing. Broprints is a sticker, shirt, and banner printing company based at 131 Center Street, #3. It's founder, Aaron Clark, began printing with his brother Ian Clark at the turn of the century. Aaron Clark confirmed that Broprints produced the sticker in question and that its design was not attributed to any one artist but was "a team effort." The co-owner of Broprints, Steve Guisinger, also owns and operates Consolidated Skateboarding out of the same address, 131 Center Street.
"In regards to these stickers," Aaron Clark writes, "I have helped drug addicts get back on their feet and homeless friends clean up and get them employment. What it boils down to is people wanting to help themselves. I’m sorry if a sticker we printed has offended anyone and will do my best to monitor what gets printed here. I welcome anyone to come in to the shop and see for yourself what we are all about."
Read More and View Stickers]]>Arts + ActionDrug WarFront PageHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay Areaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/03/11/18807333.php
Uncolonized: Film Screening and TalkHistorical Experiences of Native Children Inside U.S. Public SchoolsUncolonized is a short documentary film about a native family who decided they would never enroll their two daughters in the public school system, choosing instead to homeschool them from birth. Chris is Potawatomi and Chasity is Navajo. Their daughters carry both of their parents' lineages in their blood, but also in their way of being. The film takes a critical look at the historical experiences of native children inside of the U.S. public education system and brings clarity to the decisions of the family to keep their daughters out of the public school system.]]>2018-03-12T04:58:07Z2018-03-12T04:58:07Zen-USUncolonized is a short documentary film about a native family who decided they would never enroll their two daughters in the public school system, choosing instead to homeschool them from birth. Chris is Potawatomi and Chasity is Navajo. Their daughters Nathaney and Mimicah, ages 11 and 7 at the time of filming, carry both of their parents' lineages in their blood, but also in their way of being.
The film takes a critical look at the historical experiences of native children inside of the U.S. public education system and brings clarity to the decisions of the family to keep their daughters out of the public school system. Uncolonized shares some history of so-called “boarding schools” for native children in the United States. These "schools" exercised the official U.S. government policy of "Kill the Indian, Save the Man" attempting to Americanize native children by brute force.
Film Trailer and Film Teaser]]>Arts + ActionEast Bay AreaEducation & Student ActivismFront PageRacial JusticeSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay Areaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/03/03/18807115.php
No Platform for Border Patrol Agent Turned Book AuthorFrancisco Cantú, Ex-Border Patrol Agent, Confronted and Cancelled in Bay AreaChinga la Migra reports on an action against Francisco Cantú which took place on February 19 in San Francisco, and the cancellation of his event in Oakland the following day: After being shut down by comrades in Austin and forced to publicly admit he is against abolishing Border Patrol by comrades in New York, Cantú decided not to read from his book or discuss it as had been planned, and at the last minute, announced that he would only be signing books. A few minutes into the book signing a group of us disrupted it by reading prepared statements and handing out flyers, as well as free copies of No Wall They Can Build.]]>2018-03-03T19:53:48Z2018-03-03T19:53:48Zen-USChinga la Migra reports on an action against Francisco Cantú which took place on February 19 at Green Apple Books in San Francisco, and the cancellation of his event in Oakland the following day: After being shut down by comrades in Austin and forced to publicly admit he is against abolishing Border Patrol by comrades in New York, Cantú decided not to read from his book or discuss it as had been planned, and at the last minute, announced that he would only be signing books. A few minutes into the book signing a group of 12-15 of us walked past security guards hired by the bookstore for the event and disrupted it by reading prepared statements and handing out flyers, as well as free copies of No Wall They Can Build: A Guide to Borders & Migration Across North America.
It took us approximately 40 minutes to read 9 prepared statements. Most of the statements focused on the well-documented abuse of migrants by the U.S. Border Patrol and on known instances of collusion between Border Patrol agents and drug cartels. Statement #3, however, highlighted the 2002 murder of Tohono O’odham teenager Bennett Patricio Jr. by Border Patrol agent Cody Rouse and the characterization of Border Patrol as a “death squad” by Patricio’s Tohono O’odham family. Choosing to include only the thinly veiled account of the Border Patrol agent who killed Patricio in his memoir, Cantú misrepresents the teenager’s death as an uncontested accident, erasing years of struggle on the part of Patricio’s family to bring attention to the case and get justice for their son.
Read More | No Platform for Border Patrol]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoEast Bay AreaFront PageImmigrant RightsPolice Stateimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/02/25/18806967.php
Tantra & The SF Two-Spirit PowWow7th Annual Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirit PowWowTsunami Huerta shares a personal account of the February 3, 2018, San Francisco Two-Spirit PowWow: I'm being whisked to a PowWow. We zip along San Francisco's waterfront. I inhale the fresh sea air and hear seagulls squawking. The Two-Spirit PowWow, to over simplify, is a LGBTQ PowWow. LGBTQ fluidity may be new in a sense for we modern inhabitants of the U.S. these last few centuries, but not at all, for most, very ancient Indigenous cultures here! They/we, were accepted as an important, integral and sacred part of the community at large.]]>2018-02-26T01:02:13Z2018-02-26T01:02:13Zen-USTsunami Huerta shares a personal account of the February 3, 2018, San Francisco Two-Spirit PowWow: I'm being whisked to a PowWow. We zip along San Francisco's waterfront. I inhale the fresh sea air and hear seagulls squawking. The Two-Spirit PowWow, to over simplify, is a LGBTQ PowWow. LGBTQ fluidity may be new in a sense for we modern inhabitants of the U.S. these last few centuries, but not at all, for most, very ancient Indigenous cultures here! They/we, were accepted as an important, integral and sacred part of the community at large.
At this PowWow the stronger emphasis is put on just showing up and bravely being yourself, far more so than actually competing. There are many shy people dancing in the big circle barely moving their feet. And I found myself unfairly judging them at first until I finally realized that this PowWow circle was an especially safe and sacred space. Here everyone was invited to be completely and exactly themselves in this precious moment.
Read More]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoFront PageLGBTI / QueerRacial Justiceimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/12/13/18805282.php
National Day of Action in Defense of Net NeutralityPalo Alto March on Verizon Starts at Site of Censored Political ArtUPDATE: In sweeping act of deregulation, the FCC has voted to repeal Net Neutrality
Protests to save net neutrality burst upon the San Francisco Bay Area scene on December 7. The proposal at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to roll back Obama era rules would fundamentally change the internet by favoring carriers over internet content providers. In Palo Alto, a "March on Verizon" started in Lytton Plaza, where "Digital DNA", a sculpture inviting the viewer to question how technology can enslave us, is slated for removal because of its political message. Demonstrations on the national day of action targeted Verizon because FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is a former Verizon lawyer.]]>2017-12-13T13:19:14Z2017-12-13T13:19:14Zen-USUPDATE: In sweeping act of deregulation, the FCC has voted to repeal Net Neutrality
Protests to save net neutrality burst upon the San Francisco Bay Area on December 7. The proposal at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to roll back Obama era rules would fundamentally change the internet by favoring carriers over internet content providers. It would allow internet service providers to establish fast and slow lanes which favor certain types of content over others.
Demonstrations on the national day of action targeted Verizon because FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is a former Verizon lawyer. In the Bay Area, protests were held in San Francisco, South San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto, and Walnut Creek with other demonstrations planned for Berkeley and Santa Clara.
In Palo Alto the Raging Grannies mobilized a crowd of over 100 in the city’s downtown Lytton Plaza. Their “March on Verizon” started in front of a symbol that has invited viewers to question the use of technology for over twelve years and is slated to be removed after a recent vote for deaccession by the city’s Public Art Commission. The Grannies and speakers said that removal of “Digital DNA," a 7-foot tall egg shaped sculpture covered with recycled circuit boards, constitutes censorship and that an FCC vote against net neutrality would allow censorship by large ISP's.
After the plaza rally, the throng marched down University Avenue stopping first at Verizon and then the AT&T retail store shouting, "Verizon, Comcast, ATT... We want net neutrality!" and passing a bullhorn for protesters to air their grievances. One speaker castigated Google and Facebook for taking a back seat on the issue. In the past, Google has flip-flopped on net neutrality, but at one time the company played a leading role in supporting internet freedom.
See Also: Digital DNA: "I have been condemned" |
Protest at Google for Net Neutrality (2010)
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https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/11/20/18804666.php
Beloved Sculpture On Chopping Block in Palo Alto"Censorship Committee" of Palo Alto Banishes Public Art Piece2017-11-20T12:30:18Z2017-11-20T12:30:18Zen-US
The Raging Grannies, members of Friends of Digital DNA, appealed to the commissioners in a very brief open comment period at the November 16 commissioners meeting. They questioned whether the art commission is attempting to erase history, both that of the sculpture and the anti-gentrification movement, and they said that deaccessioning the piece amounts to political censorship.
In 2005 when the sculpture was dedicated, a group of two or three dozen anarchists gathered in the plaza to highlight the importance of retaining a gathering place for the people in Palo Alto. Performing rap songs that railed against the capitalist machine and the war in Iraq, they took the spotlight away from the official city dedication by showing up ahead of time and holding an alternative ceremony. The anti-gentrification movement went into full swing around that time.
Read More |
Censorship Committee of Palo Alto Banishes Public Art Piece]]>Anti-War and MilitarismArts + ActionFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismPeninsulaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/11/16/18804578.php
Anarchist Community Center Celebrates Nine Years in Santa CruzSubRosa is an Anarchist Community Space Run by a Collective of Volunteers2017-11-16T10:00:35Z2017-11-16T10:00:35Zen-US SubRosa has books and zines you can't find anywhere else, as well as the Anarchist Lending Library. Meetings, film screenings, music shows, art exhibitions, privacy workshops, and the increasingly popular Really Really Free Market all take place at SubRosa.
SubRosa explains: Back in September 2008 we were working hard to transform a vacant and dusty retail shop into a vibrant anarchist social space, and a parking lot into a lush garden. Almost as difficult was coming up with a suitable name that everyone liked. The word subrosa was lifted from Emma Goldman's Living My Life where she wrote repeatedly about subrosa plans and endeavors.
Many people are being impacted by the changes taking place in Santa Cruz. Folks that previously lived in town, as well as those that visited over the years, are also feeling saddened. The funky alternative counterculture community known as Santa Cruz, loved by so many people near and far, continues getting its capitalist corporate makeover from the university, technology, and tourism industries.
See Also:
UC Santa Cruz Terminates Historic Stevenson Coffee House (March 2016) |
Heather’s Patisserie Turns Off the Oven]]>Arts + ActionFront PageLabor & WorkersSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay Areaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/05/30/18799828.php
Fuck Trump at the Oakland ColiseumArtists Project Call for Trump Impeachment at Coliseum, Get Handcuffed by SecurityFrom the open-publishing newswire: Don the Con has admitted to obstructing justice, and he should be impeached. We tried to project just that on a billboard next to Oracle Coliseum, after a Warriors game (victory!). IMPEACH didn't fit the sign as well as Fuck Trump. As fireworks went up so did the chant, "Fuck Trump! Fuck Trump!" Security noticed. A policewoman asked us to leave, and we packed up. As we were on our way out, we were surrounded and seized by coliseum security. Some of us were handcuffed. Our projector tripod was broken. The coliseum security did not wear badges and refused to give their names.]]>2017-05-30T18:04:21Z2017-05-30T18:04:21Zen-USFrom the open-publishing newswire: Don the Con has admitted to obstructing justice, and he should be impeached. We tried to project just that on a billboard next to Oracle Coliseum, after a Warriors game (victory!). IMPEACH didn't fit the sign as well as Fuck Trump. As fireworks went up so did the chant, "Fuck Trump! Fuck Trump!"
Security noticed. A policewoman asked us to leave, and we packed up. As we were on our way out, we were surrounded and seized by coliseum security. Some of us were handcuffed. Our projector tripod was broken. The coliseum security did not wear badges and refused to give their names. Once an official policeman arrived, the handcuffs were taken off, and we were released without charge.
Photos]]>Arts + ActionEast Bay AreaFront PageGovernment & ElectionsPolice Stateimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/05/22/18799652.php
The Highway Murderers Are A Neo-Nazi Band From Santa CruzEffort Underway to Stop Neo-Nazi Band The Highway Murderers from Performing in San JoséSaturday, May 27 in San José.]]>2017-05-23T00:20:14Z2017-05-23T00:20:14Zen-US
The band is generally good at masking their white power and fascist symbols and aesthetics behind the violent and authoritarian imagery that permeates in contemporary metal music scenes. Despite this, members have slipped up and revealed their true colors with careless social media posts that expose their neo-nazi leanings. The Highway Murderers and their supporters continually try to deflect charges of being fascists by pointing out that one of the members is a Latino man. The use of token non-white people associated with fascists and neo-nazis to dodge being called out on their racist actions is a common occurrence in the contemporary moment.
The Highway Murderers are currently scheduled to perform on Saturday, May 27 at one of the domes in west San José which used to house the Winchester Theaters. Located at 3161 Olsen Drive, this property is owned by Winchester Investments LLC, and is owned by the wealthy South Bay Farris and Raney families that also own the nearby Winchester Mystery House among other large real estate holdings. These owners include Ray K. Farris II who has this corporation and many other business entities registered to the address of 1515 The Alameda in San José.
Read More]]>Arts + ActionFront PageRacial JusticeSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay AreaSouth Bay Areaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/01/14/18795348.php
Speakeasies and Artists Warehouses: A Tale of Two OaklandsFruitvale Community Further Marginalized in Politicization of Ghost Ship Fire2017-01-15T04:37:41Z2017-01-15T04:37:41Zen-US
For over a week after the fire, the city kept the section of International boulevard around the burnt out building closed off. In the first few days, as damage assessment and recovery operations occurred, this seemed like a reasonable and necessary decision, especially in view of how critical it was to provide information for the families involved. But long after there was any legitimate excuse, the city kept the street—a main artery for the busy neighborhood—closed because it was where it had set up its public relations stage.
Related Features: Fascists Organizing and Spreading Propaganda in Berkeley and at UCB |
Anti-Fascists Shut Down Nazi Rally at California State Capitol]]>Arts + ActionCaliforniaCentral ValleyCity of San FranciscoEducation & Student ActivismFront PageRacial JusticeU.S.image/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/06/06/18787291.php
Posters Protest Google-Government CollusionStreet Art Targets Google's Close Relations with the White House, NSA & Other Spy Agencies2016-06-07T06:39:48Z2016-06-07T06:39:48Zen-US
On May 16, art activists in San Francisco postered Google headquarters, Google Ventures, Mozilla, and other areas with satirical art showing Google to be pulling President Obama's strings. They even postered the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which the activists say has gone along with the policies that have built the Intelligence State.
Nobody claimed credit for the poster protests, but they come amid reports, like the recent piece in The Intercept, detailing Google's close relations with the White House.
Photos]]>Arts + ActionCity of San FranciscoFront PageGovernment & ElectionsPolice Stateimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/05/06/18786130.php
Santa Cruz Artists Dare to Display Art "Outside of a Blue Box"Artists Arrested Repeatedly for Free Expression Outside of City-Designated Confines2016-05-06T23:01:23Z2016-05-06T23:01:23Zen-US
The City of Santa Cruz is using it's police force to ticket and arrest artists for free expression in the public space. Jones and Skelton created a video with footage showing numerous Santa Cruz Police officers ticketing and arresting them on May 1, 2016, for simply being "outside of a blue box" while displaying their art.
See Also:Unpermitted Blue Boxes Appear Overnight on Pacific Avenue (August 24, 2015)]]>Arts + ActionFront PageHealth, Housing, and Public ServicesPolice StateSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay Areaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/12/30/18781339.php
Food Not Bombs Co-Founder Keith McHenry Faces New Criminal Charges for His WorkFNB Activist Charged with Misdemeanor in Santa Cruz for Using "Offensive Words"2015-12-31T07:56:37Z2015-12-31T07:56:37Zen-US
On December 8, Santa Cruz District Attorney Archie Webber told the court that a warrant had been issued for Mr. McHenry's arrest in a new case where he has been charged with "offensive words" under California Penal Code 415(3). The other new misdemeanor was 'Failure to obey a police officer' who claims he told McHenry to use a cross walk at City Hall at midnight during a Freedom Sleepers protest.
The next important court hearing will be held on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 10:00 am.
"This dedication of the Collateral Damage sculpture represents not the despair its conception was motivated by, but a victory for the voices of peace and intelligence," Chase said at the dedication in 1995. Presently, organizers say one of the issues they are concerned with is the tension between the United States and Russia over Ukraine.
Read More with Photos]]>Anti-War and MilitarismArts + ActionFront PageSanta Cruz / Monterey Bay Areaimage/jpeg
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/07/16/18775006.php
Rock Paper Scissors Being Displaced After More Than Ten Years on Telegraph AvenueRPSC Community Arts Space to Close as Result of Continuing Wave of Oakland GentrificationRock Paper Scissors Collective writes: With a little volunteer elbow-grease and fundraising effort, the Rock Paper Scissors Collective (RPSC) was born — a destination where the community could come together, organize, share skills, knowledge and create. Now, we are being forced out of our space. The Collective’s long time landlord plans to charge market value for the space, well beyond what we can afford as an all-volunteer run nonprofit. As of August 31st, RPS will be without a home.]]>2015-07-16T19:33:38Z2015-07-16T19:33:38Zen-USRock Paper Scissors Collective writes:
Eleven years ago, downtown Oakland was home to mom and pop shops, socio-economically diverse, occasionally dangerous; a sometimes eccentric, sometimes wonderful, and always dynamic community. A group of artists, crafters, organizers and makers found a vacant little storefront among a sea of vacancies. With a little volunteer elbow-grease and fundraising effort, the Rock Paper Scissors Collective (RPSC) was born — a destination where the community could come together, organize, share skills, knowledge and create. ALL were welcome in the space.
Now, after more than a decade in the same location, we are being forced out of our space on Telegraph and 23rd to make way for a new vision of the transforming neighborhood. The Collective’s long time landlord plans to charge market value for the space, well beyond what we can afford as an all-volunteer run nonprofit. Eleven years ago we could afford market value for the space, but thanks to our success in building a vibrant community in downtown, market rate is now far out of reach. The increase will more than triple our current rate.
As of August 31st, RPS community arts space will be without a home. Our lease is being terminated after ten years at the same location. Only with the help and support of the community can we continue to ensure a safe and open space for everyone.
Read More |
Rock Beats Paper: On the Connections Between Art and Development |
A Defense of the RPS Collective and a Critique of the Critiques |
Another Contribution to the Dicussion of the Artists' Role in Gentrification]]>Arts + ActionEast Bay AreaFront PageGlobal Justice and Anti-CapitalismHealth, Housing, and Public Servicesimage/png
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/07/07/18774619.php
Community Rallies Behind Vandalized Gay, Lesbian, Transgender Mural in the MissionFollowing Hate Crime, Speakers Call for SF Community to Heal with Love, Not Revenge2015-07-08T01:33:21Z2015-07-08T01:33:21Zen-US
Supervisor David Campos and staff brought the community together. He spoke of the pain this act caused him as a gay man who could not come out until he was 26 years old. Campos and every speaker emphasized that unity must be maintained in the Mission, healing with love not revenge, even though the vandalism was a hate crime
Trans man, Lucindo, spoke of the deep emotions, pain, and scars the mural image of the trans Latino man brought up inside. René Yañez, a founder of Galeria de la Raza, spoke its history and that the Galeria has always celebrated our differences and maintained our love for the Mission and one another.