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Freedom of Speech and Assembly

Pussy Riot Supports Wisconsin Solidarity Singers

March 15, 2014 The Voice Project, www.occupy.com , , ,
"The solidarity singers who gather daily at the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison have a pair of surprise guest musicians joining their chorus — Pussy Riot. Two members of the notorious Russian female rock group known for their outspoken protests, Nadya Tolokonikova and Masha Alyokhina, make a surprise appearance in a new video extolling Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to drop the state’s prosecution against the singing protesters. Pussy Riot is an 11-member female group known for staging impromptu performances and protests in the streets of Russia, and then editing the footage into music video. The group has vocally opposed many of the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin – in particular his anti-gay policies – and in 2011 three members (including Tolokonikova and Alyokhina) were convicted and imprisoned of “hooliganism” for singing an anti-Putin song outside a cathedral."

“The War On Campus” Against Palestinian Human Rights Advocacy

March 15, 2014 Staff, www.democracynow.org , , ,
"The Northeastern University chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine has become the latest student group to face reprimand for organizing around the Palestinian cause. Northeastern has suspended the group until 2015, barring it from meeting on campus and stripping it of any university funding. The move comes just weeks after student activists distributed mock eviction notices across the campus during Israeli Apartheid Week. The notices were intended to resemble those used by Israel to notify Palestinians of pending demolitions or seizures of their homes. We speak to Northeastern Students for Justice in Palestine member Max Geller and Ali Abunimah, co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of the new book, "The Battle for Justice in Palestine." His new book includes a chapter titled "The War on Campus."

Barnard Censors Students For Justice In Palestine

March 15, 2014 Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, www.columbiasjp.org , , ,
"Columbia SJP is a student group at this university—no different from any other group—and has equal access to the same platforms and resources that are made available to all students. Barnard College students went through the necessary banner placement review process, which included clearly stating the banner’s message in advance. Had our request been rejected, it would have been an act of censorship and an infringement on our freedom of expression as a student group at this university. The fact that our banner has been taken down now is a direct violation of our freedom of expression. The removal of our banner this morning has left members of Columbia SJP, Palestinian students on campus and other students that are often marginalized and silenced, feeling that Barnard College does not follow its own anti­discrimination policies. We are alarmed to know that ‘Palestine’ and ‘justice’ are not acceptable in Barnard’s educational space and that certain voices are discriminated against by the College."

Banner Drop on Brooklyn Bridge Calls out Cuomo

March 14, 2014 Doyle Murphy, www.nydailynews.com , , ,
The group behind the stealth signposting, Money Out of Politics, is trying to goad Gov. Cuomo to follow through on his promises to revamp the state’s campaign finance laws. “He’s really at a crossroads, deciding whether he’s going to fight for the little guy — people who can’t afford to give big campaign contributions, or is he going to sell us out and keep the center of political power in the monied interests?” said Matthew Edge, the group’s founder, who lives in Berne, N.Y., near Albany. Edge and his cohorts have been crisscrossing the state for nearly two weeks, slapping up signs in conspicuous — and even iconic — locations as they go. They plan to hit all 62 counties by the time they’re done. Queens and Kings counties were numbers 37 and 38, he said. Cuomo has launched an ad campaign to promote campaign finance changes including matching funds for statewide races, but Edge fears he’ll back off when challenged by big-money boosters. “We’re raising the stakes,” said Edge, who said he has been trying to dampen the influence of big-money donors for a decade. “If he extends the political capital and keeps fair elections in the budget, he’ll be a hero. If he doesn’t, people are going to know about it.”

Death of Teen in Turkey Awakens Dormant Gezi Spirit

March 14, 2014 Binnaz Saktanber, roarmag.org , , ,
After the police cracked down on the Gezi protests, people retreated to neighborhood forums. Folks gathered in their local parks all over the country to discuss the future of Occupy Gezi. Some forums had thousands of participants, some just a dozen. The consensus seemed to be that it was time for a new phase for the movement, which began to concentrate on solidifying the momentum that had been created by the protests; preserving the “Gezi Spirit,” as protesters called it — and even strategizing how to make the AKP (Justice and Development Party) lose the upcoming local elections of March 30. Yet neither the forums nor the social media were devoid of dissidence. Some in the Gezi crowd, most not just emotionally exhausted but physically injured as well, insisted that the street protests had to continue. Others argued that going out on the streets was way too dangerous and had no productive value at that juncture in time.
kent state

Kent State Truth Tribunal Seeks US Govt Accountability for Killing of 4 Unarmed Students

March 10, 2014 Staff, www.sparrowmedia.net , , ,
The Kent State Truth Tribunal (KSTT) is seeking US government accountability for the killing of four unarmed students and the injury of nine others by US military personnel on May 4, 1970 at a Kent State University anti-Vietnam war rally. The Kent State killings gained national attention in 1970 leading to mass protests and student strikes across the United States. Witnesses and historians have asserted a pronounced role by the FBI before and during the shootings, and command responsibility that pointed to Ohio governor James Rhodes’ collusion. In response to the surge of activism following Kent State, on May 5, 1970 President Nixon said: “This should remind us all once again that when dissent turns to violence it invites tragedy. It is my hope that this tragic and unfortunate incident will strengthen the determination of all the nation’s campuses, administrators, faculty and students alike to stand firmly for the right which exists in this country of peaceful dissent and just as strong against the resort to violence as a means of such expression.”

NYPD: You Can’t Submit FOIA Requests for Our FOIA Manual

March 9, 2014 Staff www.muckrock.com ,
Unless NYPD prepared their FOIL manuals solely for litigation, this ruling is a concise page of babbling pseudo-legalese. Mirroring the initial rejection, NYPD's appeal rejection starkly undercuts Commissioner Bratton's commitment to "do more to open up the organization, to make it more inclusive, to make our information more readily available to the public." Here, the department has dug in its heels: to get the NYPD Freedom of Information unit to divulge how it understands and applies principles of transparency, a freedom of information request apparently is not enough.

Opponents of Unconstitutional Anti-BDS Bill Make Their Voices Heard

March 7, 2014 Kate S. Alexander, www.gazette.net , ,
"The bill reacts to a recent boycott of Israeli academic institutions by the American Studies Association — a national organization devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and history — as well as a decision by the Department of American Studies at University of Maryland, Baltimore County to maintain its annual membership in the association. At a hearing Wednesday before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, Sara N. Love, public policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, said the ACLU opposes the bill because it is “inimical to democratic principles.” Under a guise of protecting academic freedom, the bill penalizes a particular viewpoint as unacceptable and acts as a censor in an academic controversy, Love said in her testimony. She also said the Supreme Court has found similar actions by governments unconstitutional."

Immigration Activist Disrupts Obama

March 7, 2014 Von Diaz, www.colorlines.com , ,
"On a routine visit to Central Connecticut State University on Wednesday, President Obama was again confronted by a passionate immigration reform activist calling for an end to deportations. John Molina, a 46-year-old Colombian immigrant, interrupted a speech Obama was giving about his recent minimum wage increase. Much like 24-year-old Ju Hong—who called out the president in November during a speech in San Francisco—Molina stood on a chair and yelled, “Mr. Obama, stop the deportations!” Originally, Molina went to the event to join a demonstration outside of the university, and hadn’t planned on going in. But once he arrived he decided it was his only chance to tell the president how he really felt. Unlike with Hong, however, the president did not respond, nor did he intervene when Molina was asked to leave. "

Venezuela: Some Realities On What Is Happening

March 6, 2014 Miguel Tinker Salas, www.commondreams.org , , ,
On February 12th, (Venezuelan Youth Day and the commemoration of the independence battle of La Victoria) some university students and traditional conservative opposition groups took to the streets in Venezuela. In Caracas students and others attacked a government building, burned cars and damaged the entrance to a metro station. The demonstrations extended for several days, as it quickly became obvious that the principal purpose of the protests was to destabilize the government and seek the ouster of the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Maduro faced a hotly contested presidential election shortly after the death of Hugo Chávez, in which he narrowly defeated Henrique Capriles. To gain support, Capriles promised to continue social programs initiated by the late president becoming what some called a “Chávez lite” candidate. The hard line elements of the opposition, including Capriles refused to accept the results of the elections and street violence generated by conservative forces left close to a dozen people dead.

Drones: Spring Days of Action In April And May

March 2, 2014 Staff, www.knowdrones.com , , ,
An international call for Spring Days of Action – 2014, a coordinated campaign in April and May to: End Drone Killing, Drone Surveillance and Global Militarization -- The campaign will focus on drone bases, drone research facilities and test sites and drone manufacturers. The campaign will provide information on: 1. The suffering of tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Gaza who are under drone attack, documenting the killing, the wounding and the devastating impact of constant drone surveillance on community life. 2. How attack and surveillance drones have become a key element in a massive wave of surveillance, clandestine military attacks and militarization generated by the United States to protect a global system of manufacture and oil and mineral exploitation that is creating unemployment and poverty, accelerating the waste of nonrenewable resources and contributing to environmental destruction and global warming. In addition . . .

Indiana Police Can No Longer Interfere With People Filming Police

March 2, 2014 Staff, thefreethoughtproject.com , ,
King claimed the city and the officers violated his First, Fourth and 14th amendment rights. In addition, he asserted the IMPD used excessive force against him and that he was a victim of false arrest and malicious prosecution. The settlement was reached within weeks of King’s March 10, 2014, trial date. Along with requiring the city to implement a new policy, the settlement also awarded King $200,000 in damages. Police Chief Rick Hite now has two months to issue a bulletin informing his officers that they should not stop civilians observing or filming their actions in public, so long as the person filming does not interfere with their duties and keeps a “safe and reasonable” distance. Chock this one up for a win!

Student Protests Result In Withdrawal Of “Success Fee”

February 27, 2014 Claudia Jambor, www.sonomastatestar.com , , ,
President of Sonoma State University RubenArmiñana explained two funding alternatives that could be used to increase class availabilities. Firstly, chancellor of the California State University (CSU) System, Timothy White, is introducing new funding in the form of graduation initiatives in next year’s budget. Secondly, next year’s budget will provide more funding for campuses toward enrollment growth. “We will use the money we get in the next budget for enrollment growth and whatever we get from the graduation initiative from the chancellor toward hopefully increasing classavailabilities,” Armiñana said. Armiñana said both the graduation initiative and extra funding for enrollment in next year’s budget would not prove to be as effective in supporting increased class availabilitiesas the proposed Academic Success fee, an annual student fee increase of $500. “Those two measures would not be as vigorous as what would have happened if the fee got approved,” Armiñana said. Community Service Advisor and sophomore Veronica Saxer described the administration’s decision to drop the Academic Success fee as “bittersweet.”

Youth Protest Against Keystone XL This Weekend

February 27, 2014 STAFF, XL Dissent , , ,
Join us in Washington DC March 1-2 to tell President Obama to reject the northern leg of Keystone XL and protect us from a future defined by climate chaos. The plan is to bring together a powerful student-led escalated action in Washington DC to stop Keystone XL on March 2nd, 2014. To participate in the action you will need to plan to be in DC for at least two days — with the unlikely possibility of a third. First, all participants will be required to join a nonviolent direct action training, which will be held from 5-9 PM on Saturday 3/1.  Dinner will be provided, and it will be at Thurgood Marshall Center, 1816 12th Street NW. At the training we will discuss the plan for the action, practice key elements of the event, and go through all the legal and logistical issues involved with the action. Everyone who wishes to participate in civil disobedience on the 2nd must attend the training on the 1st.

Demonstrations Demand Erdogan Resignation Over Corruption

February 27, 2014 Manolis Kostidis, www.balkaneu.com , , ,
Everybody in Turkey are wondering if the sound document is real or a fake as the Turkish prime minister claims. The minister of technology and science, Fikri Işık, stated that the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TUBITAK) will examine the sound document and decide on its validity. A few hours later there was a government intervention and five of the institution’s members were removed. The main opposition claims that Erdogan is trying to set the investigators himself, in order to come up with a verdict that will speak of a montaged document. The leader of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy political party, Selahattin Demirtaş , called the prime minister to visit TUBITAK and prove that the voice that can be heard on the recording is not his own. Erdogan however has not denied that the sound that can be heard is that of his own voice, but that the whole document is a product of montage.
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