News Highlights: March 5 2018 - March 11 2018
In case you didn’t see, hear, or do it yourself these are some events that took place or were reported during the last week.
Smashy
Rennes, France: incendiary sabotage against a construction site in their town for bourges |
“The sound of two Molotov cocktails exploding on the excavators of the site cheers us up, we hope that this little fire warms your heart a bit, as it did for us! It’s for the drop-outs, the dossers, the galley slaves, the excluded, the migrants, and all those who are cold in winter due to lack of dough.“
Berlin, Germany: Cafe Owned by Turkish Fascists Targeted by Young Women’s Revenge Unit Şehid Viyan Soran
“Young Women’s Revenge Unit Şehid Viyan Soran carried out a radical action against a cafe run by Turkish fascists in the Wedding district last night. The cafe walls were spraypainted with the slogans ‘FCK AKP’, ‘Free Afrin’ and ‘Free APO’ (Abdullah Öcalan) and the windows of the cafe displaying Turkish flags were smashed. The action was carried out as revenge for the YPJ fighter Viyan Soran, who was martyred a few days ago in the historic resistance of our era in Afrin.“
Italy,Trento: Bomb against the fascists CasaPound |
“A device exploded outside the premises of Casapound in via Orna Marighetto, Trento. Outside the premises was written “THE ONLY USEFUL VOTE ANTIFASCISM ALWAYS”
West Java, Indonesia: Backhoe Torched during Resistance Against Apartment Development Project in Bandung
“Citizens and solidarity who want to occupy the Backhoe to stop the development process being held by mass organizations. Because of the defeat, mass organizations began to attack people and students with beatings and throwing stones. Dozens of students and residents were seriously injured and had to be rushed to Sariningsih hospital. A backhoe is also burned by a mass of Tamansari solidarity.“
Paris, France: Arson Attack Against a Turkish Agent’s Car by Revenge Team Şehid Avesta Xabûr in Solidarity with Afrin
“The Revenge Team Şehid Avesta Xabûr torched a car belonging to a Turkish agent in Paris to express their anger at the fascist Turkish State and its attacks against the people of Afrin.“
Baden-Württemberg, Germany: Molotov Attack Against a Turkish Fascist Club in Lauffen am Neckar
“In revenge for the attacks by the fascist Turkish State in Afrin, Kurdish youth carried out an action against a club for Turkish fascists in Lauffen am Neckar with Molotov cocktails and stones.”
#Nantes, #France: squatted refugee centre evicted
“Castle of Tertre occupation started towards the end of a students party held at its premises. The students, along with refugees, took over 888 m² of space spread over three floors, in order to house unaccompanied minors. Since then, the occupation met with police harassment, legal action in order to evict it, and attacks from local fascists. In December, despite of ongoing negotiations with the occupants, the university obtained eviction order. Following the police eviction, a mysterious “Commando Nicole” has painted the university headquarters in solidarity with displaced migrants.”
Animal Liberation
'Mega-Colonies' of 1.5 Million Penguins Discovered in Antarctica
“Huge “mega-colonies” of penguins have been discovered near the Antarctic peninsula, hosting more than 1.5 million birds. Researchers say it shows the area is a vital refuge from climate change and human activities and should be protected by a vast new marine wildlife reserve currently under consideration.“
Canada: As Indigenous Hunting is Restricted, Research Shows Mining is Responsible for Caribou Decline | Earth First! Newswire
“It is easy to blame hunters for the decline of a species, but the authors of the report say that when the numbers are added up, traditional subsistence hunting has had a negligible effect on the caribou population. In fact they maintain that there’s good evidence that Indigenous communities historically are very responsible in their harvesting — voluntarily decreasing their take in response to natural fluctuations in caribou numbers in order to preserve the health of the population. But the recent catastrophic drops in caribou population aren’t natural. And the evidence suggests the real culprit is the disruption and degradation of habitat due to road construction and mining exploration and operations. This kind of development has expanded dramatically in the north — at exactly the same time that caribou populations have been collapsing. Despite this, the main response of governments has been to put restrictions on Indigenous hunting — while allowing resource development to accelerate.“
Buffalo Defenders Lock Down to Capture Facility: Stop the Yellowstone Park from Slaughtering Last Wild Buffalo - It's Going Down
“Two members of the Wild Buffalo Defense collective named Cody and Crow descended from the hills onto Yellowstone National Park’s Stevens Creek buffalo trap and using a steel pipe, locked themselves to the bars of the “Silencer,” a hydraulic squeeze shoot that holds buffalo for testing, shipping and slaughter. In freezing temperatures the individuals blocked the buffalo processing facility and prevented the park from shipping wild buffalo to slaughter.”
Yellowstone Bison Slaughter Protesters to Remain in Jail Until at Least Monday | Earth First! Newswire
“The three protesters who were arrested Tuesday for their attempt to block the slaughter of Yellowstone bison will remain in jail at least until a detention hearing next week, a U.S. district judge decided.”
In Battle With Animal Rights Activists, He Sent Letter Filled with White Powder. To Himself | Earth First! Newswire
“It was part of an elaborate plot intended to frame his longtime nemesis, the animal-rights group called Smash HLS. For sending the letters, Block pleaded guilty recently to a federal charge of intentionally conveying false information through the mail. Block sent the letter, and another one to one of his own employees, and then turned around and used them as evidence in a lawsuit seeking a permanent restraining order against the protest group. But FBI agents found Block’s DNA on the seal strip of the letter. At a previously unpublicized hearing in January, Block accepted five years of probation and agreed to pay $14,872 for the cost of the police investigation. He got no prison time.”
Earth Liberation
After Months of Protests, Citizens Bank Ends Their Financing of Dakota Access Pipeline Company
“Activists and organizers with The FANG Collective, the Shame On Citizens campaign and other groups celebrated after learning that Citizens Bank had ended their financing of Energy Transfer Partners (ETP). Citizens Bank faced waves of demonstrations last year over their dealings with ETP and their sister company Sunoco Logistics.”
Scotland: Seaweed Shuts Down Nuclear Reactor Again | Earth First! Newswire
“Roving jellyfish and seaweed have long been unwanted guests at Scotland’s last two nuclear power stations. Now the marine algae have hit again, forcing one of the plants to partially power down despite freezing temperatures pushing up demand for electricity.“
New Anti-Coal Camp set up in Pont Valley, England
“At the entrance to the proposed Banks Group mine outside of Dipton and Leadgate on the outskirts of Newcastle in England, a new camp and occupation was put in place. In half a meter of snow and surrounded by uprooted hawthorne trees cut to make access to the mine, now serving as good source of fuel to the cold activist, a section 6 was placed on all the structures and entrances. Section 6 states that this location is occupied as living premises and court proceeding starting the eviction process have to take place before bailiffs or the police show up to evict.”
Sunrise Movement Blockades Oil Lobbyists' Dinner in Trump Hotel for an Hour | Earth First! Newswire
“The Sunrise Movement successfully slipped past the defenses of Trump Hotel and blocked the entrances to a room where “IPAAaccess” planned to eat dinner while lobbying politicians to do their bidding. All got out safely after an hour-long blockade.IPAAaccess is a lobbying arm of the Independent Petroleum Institute of America, and the purpose of the dinner was to promote fracking.”
Honduran Police Arrest Executive for Helping Plan Murder of Berta Caceres | Earth First! Newswire
“Roberto David Castillo Mejía, executive president of Desarrollos Energéticos Sociedad Anónima (DESA), was detained Friday at the Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport in the Honduran capital as he was trying to flee the country.”
Seneca Nation Rallies To Defend River From Fracking Wastewater | Earth First! Newswire
“In Coudersport Pennsylvania, over 100 members of the Seneca Nation of Indians appeared at a public meeting to oppose a fracking wastewater treatment facility planned for development on the Allegheny River, known by the Seneca as the Ohi:yo’, which means “beautiful waters.”
UK Fracking Backlash: Seven of Eight Plans Rejected in 2018 | Earth First! Newswire
“The application by Ineos to explore for shale gas in South Yorkshire has been rejected by local councillors, bringing the number of planning decisions that have gone against fracking companies this year to seven.”
Climate protectors occupy coal-ship transfer port in #Rotterdam
“Dozens of climate activists from ‘We Stop Coal’ occupied the coal-ship port of the EMO Rotterdam. The participants of the protest state that it is time to break the power of the fossil industry. They say they will not leave until this renewed contract of EMO is made public and destroyed.”
Workplace Organizing
Gig economy strike and the Bologna Riders Union
“Food delivery riders in Bologna working for platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, Glovo, Sgnam went on strike for two hours, from 7pm to 9pm on a Friday evening. The strike was organized by the “Riders Union” and had a participation so high that the major platforms were forced to suspend their services, at first on and off and then finally for the entire night shift.”
2 Strikes, 1 Struggle: The Significance of the Communications Workers Strike in West Virginia
“As of 12:01am today, there are now 2 statewide strikes in West Virginia. Even though the negotiations between the Communications Workers of America members and Frontier have been ongoing for 10 months for a new collective bargaining agreement, it seems likely that the statewide strike by public school workers has played a role in the decision to strike (and to strike now).“
Montreal: IWW Action Following Wave of Abusive Firings at Heritage Coffee - It's Going Down
“The Montreal branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (SITT-IWW) started a picket line in front of the distribution centre Heritage Coffee, situated at 5715 chemin Saint-François in Ville Saint-Laurent. This picket line follows the firing of two workers, members of the SITT-IWW, for union organizing.”
Not All Strikes Are Created Equal - It's Going Down
“West Virginia teachers and school service personnel have returned to work. I wasn’t sure if they would accept the settlement and return to the schools today, but I saw the buses on the road on the way to work. The state capital in Charleston was full of energy last night as the masses of workers inside the capital complex cheered the signing of a 5% raise for all state employees and more details about the PEIA “Task Force” were divulged by our coal operator Governor.
Elsewhere yesterday, in Flatwoods, West Virginia, a scab pulled a gun on a Frontier striker. I didn’t see any police at any teachers’ and school workers’ pickets, but they’re definitely there outside Frontier performing their primary function: protecting private property. Whatever the scab would-be gunman did, it was bad enough for the cops to arrest him (and not the striker) – which means it must have been worse than the union’s statement makes it sound.”
Strippers Are Fighting Gentrification & Police Raids in New Orleans - It's Going Down
“This following report from strippers in New Orleans discusses ongoing actions against police raids, criminalization, and gentrification on Bourbon Street.“
A-Infos (en) Bitain, Manchester Solfed Picket Polish Consulate
“Manchester Solidarity Federation held a picket outside the Polish Consulate in Manchester today. Our picket was in solidarity with self-organised Polish postal workers who have been involved in a two year campaign aimed at improving pay and conditions and are being supported by our Polish IWA sister-section the ZSP union.”
A strike against/beyond borders: The march 8 feminist strike in #Spain
“Tens of thousands protested during the day and roving pickets closed roads, public transportation services, shops. Public and private sector workers (teachers, journalists, care workers, cleaners (las kellys) and so on) struck. Originally called by radical labour unions (the CNT, CGT, Solidaridade Obrera, among others), along with hundreds of feminist collectives and other political groups, its extraordinary resonance finally forced spain’s larger labour unions (the CCOO and the UGT) to join, with their membership contributing to a two hour afternoon labour stoppage involving some 6 million people. (El Pais 08/03/2018). Night brought the final act, with massive demonstrations in spain’s cities (over half a million people in Madrid and Barcelona, respectively).“
Antifa
Motor City Meltdown: Alt-Right Event Falters in Detroit as East Lansing Gears up to #StopSpencer - It's Going Down
“But even the road to the conference has been a rocky one. First, Elliot “Mosley,” the former leader of Identity Evropa, and once a part of the brand new Alt-Right super group headed by Spencer, ‘Operation Homeland,’ was discovered by The New York Times to have lied about his military service in Iraq. In response, Mosley was thrown under the bus by Spencer and friends and it remains unclear if he will be involved in the conference and associated activities at all.“
"We're Americans, And We're Fascists": Inside Patriot Front - UNICORN RIOT
“Unicorn Riot has gained access to a large amount of materials from Patriot Front Discord servers, including chat lots and audio recordings of voice meetings. The records of conversations between Patriot Front leaders and members spans months and provides a unique insight into the operations of the self-described “American fascist” organization.”
Entire Community Shuts Down Milo: Scottsdale & Phoenix Don't Want What You're Selling - It's Going Down
“Hello to everyone from the desert of southern so-called Arizona! We are Antifascist Action Phoenix and we’ve come to fill you in our efforts to shut down the first tour date for Milo Yiannopoulos’ new tour in the so-called united states. We put in many hours worth of work and researching; finding his shell companies, his “tactics,” and calling a few promotion companies in the valley. In the end it came down to an entire community effort that eventually got Milo closed out again.“
IGD East Lansing: Michigan Confronts the Alt-Right - It's Going Down
“Hundreds converged in East Lansing to mobilize against Richard Spencer, a leader among Alt-Right, neo-Nazi, fascist, and white nationalist circles.”
Salem, OR: Report Back From 'March 4 Trump' Counter Rally - It's Going Down
“The following submission, is an anonymous report back on an antifascist mobilization in Salem, Oregon, against the ‘March 4 Trump’ rally, which in the past has brought together neo-Nazis, militia members, and Trump supporters.”
Seattle: Gym Members and Community Members Demand "No Tolerance for White Nationalism" - It's Going Down
“Approximately 30 people, a vibrant, mixed crowd of gym members of community supporters ranging in age from 1 to 70 years old, showed up at the gym on a cold February evening. They delivered a demand to management that they implement a clear “No Tolerance for White Nationalism” policy, and flyered other members in order to inform them of the situation. Front desk staff thanked the group for their support for a policy that seems to be widely popular among the workers, and numerous visitors were happy to learn that people were taking action.“
Rebranding Fascism and Refinancing Mortgages: Andrew Murphy Harkins, Portland’s Nazi Banker
“Murphy Harkins is a fascist white supremacist involved with many local fascists and is affiliated with the racist group True Cascadia. When Murphy Harkins first became known to antifascists, he attempted to conceal his racist beliefs and connections. However, by June 2017 he was outwardly organizing with known fascist groups like Identity Evropa and True Cascadia. By August 2017, he was caught on film in Charlottesville, Virginia, attending the neo-Nazi/fascist/Confederate revanchist “Unite The Right” rally, both marching in the racist and anti-Semitic torch procession the night before the rally, and also during the violent day of the rally, when one of Murphy’s racist compatriots took the life of Heather Heyer.”
UK , London : London Antifa shuts down alt-right talk |
“A group of student and anti-fascist activists successfully shut down an ‘alt-right’ talk at King’s College London last night. Demonstrators stormed the stage and reportedly set off smoke bombs and a fire alarm in order to disrupt the event. The venue had to be evacuated.”
Pittsburgh: Alt-Weekly Whitewashes White Power Tattoo Artist - It's Going Down
“Women Ink” profiles 16 women who are challenging the male-dominated tattoo art scene in Pittsburgh. It could ostensibly be a pretty cool article… if it weren’t for the fact the author knowingly and deliberately dedicated a significant portion of the piece to a fucking Nazi.”
Outreach
#Olympia: Coffee Not Cops Responds to Community Police Forum
“We tabled under a sign saying, “coffee not cops” and passed out fliers, snacks and zines. We had some good conversations with people who expressed their distrust in community policing as well as some conversations with people who dismissed any critique of police as unrealistic.“
Other Disruptions
Java, Indonesia: Libertarian Student Federation (FML) Call for Direct Violence Against all forms of Sexual Repression in Indonesia at #WomensMarch2018
“At Women’s March 2018 in Salatiga (a city in Central Java province), the Libertarian Student Federation (FML) called for the direct use of violence against all forms of sexual repression in Indonesia. This is a response to the RKUHP (planned revisions to the Indonesian Criminal Code) which is considered to be detrimental to the women’s group and other marginalized gender groups. In addition, this call is also a response to the rise of ultra-nationalist and Islamic fundamentalists who became the moral police for all sexual activities, as well as a form of autonomy and solidarity with regard to the handling of cases of sexual violence outside the intervention of law and police.”
Melbourne, Australia: Action at the Turkish Consulate on International Women’s Day in Solidarity with Afrin
“As consulate staff cowered behind their security console we unfurled a banner that read ‘Turkey’s War On Afrin Is A War On Women’. We began chanting ‘Down Down Erdogan, Turkey Out of Kurdistan’, ‘Death To AKP, Afrin Women Will Be Free’ and ‘Free APO’ (PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan). A male consulate staff member soon began taking photos of us to try and intimidate us but we continued our action. Eventually a different male consulate staff member opened the inner security door and emerged angrily shouting at us ‘What are you doing here?’ The woman who organized the action told him that we were here on International Women’s Day to protest against the Turkish State’s genocidal invasion of Afrin and its brutal killing and mutilation of women fighters defending Afrin. He then yelled at us that we had to protest outside then promptly locked himself back in the security console. We continued our action, not intimidated in the slightest by his aggressive posturing. Eventually we went downstairs to the front of the building that houses the consulate and unfurled another banner that read ‘Stop The War In Kurdistan’ written in English, Kurdish and Turkish.”
International Women's Day: Solidarity From Olympia to Afrin - It's Going Down
“In honor of International Women’s Day and the ongoing struggle against sexism, patriarchy and oppression around the world, members of Demand Utopia, IWW and other comrades gathered in downtown Olympia, Washington to spread a message of solidarity with the Women’s Revolution in Afrin Canton and the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (Rojava) and their heroic resistance to the recent Turkish invasion.”
Repression & Prisoner Updates
More than 4000 people on fascist demo in #Kandel, #Germany
“Both fascist demos together had up to 4500 participants. The counter demo around 1000. We have no exact numbers. During the demo there were at least 3 fascist attacks against local residents, apparently some people got injured.“
Water Protector Support: Happy American Horse Held Captive By The U.S. Empire
“Happi is currently being held captive by the U.S. Empire around his traditional Lakota homelands (so-called Bismarck, North Dakota). He is in Burleigh / Morton County Detention Center. Any and all funds will be used for his freedom. As a frontline warrior, he took courage during the #NoDAPL struggle by putting his body in front of earth-destroying construction equipment and stood up for the people. Happi continues to inspire with his humble and happy spirit.“
“I can shoot you in a kneecap” – how Belarusian cops intimidate youth for alleged contacting with anarchists | anarchistnews.org
The ABC-Belarus received anonymous information about the intimidation of a young man from Stolin by Brest policemen. The man was threatened with a gun as the cops tried to force him to be a snitch for money.“
In solidarity with Pablo Hasél
“On the day that marks 44 years after the assassination of the anarchist Salvador Puig Antich, at the hands of Franco and the vile garrote, the condemnation of the rapper Pablo Hasél to two years and a day in prison for “promoting terrorism and insulting and calumniating the Crown and the state security services” cannot pass without a response.”
Environmental Racism Case: EPA Rejects Alabama Town's Claim Over Toxic Landfill
“The US Environmental Protection Agency has dismissed a civil rights case brought by residents of a small, overwhelmingly African American town in Alabama who have spent much of the past decade battling a toxic landfill they blame for causing a myriad of physical and mental illnesses.”
Hamilton, ON: The Tower Anarchist Social Centre's Statement on Recent Events - It's Going Down
“The following statement comes from the anarchist social center in so-called Hamilton, The Tower, and addresses their windows being smashed out and their door being kicked in on Sunday night. Locals believe it to be the apparent act of members of the far-Right, angry over a recent march against gentrification.”
Prosecutors Say A Woman Who Went Undercover With An "Anarchist Extremist Group" Will Testify At Inauguration Protest Trials | anarchistnews.org
“In the next round of trials against people charged with rioting during President Donald Trump’s inauguration, federal prosecutors want to put a witness on the stand under an alias who spent two years undercover with “an anarchist extremist group” in New York.”
#Gothenburg: Nazis placed bomb in spite of Swedish Security Service surveillance
“Three Nazis were prosecuted and are later convicted for the bombing. But when we review the preliminary investigation protocols it becomes apparent that the Security Service had several opportunities to stop the bombing.”
#Sweden: The court was not allowed to see important evidence at Nazi trial
“When two Nazis were prosecuted for a bombing against a refugee housing in Gothenburg, the court was not allowed to see important evidence. The Nazis were acquitted in the Court of Appeal.”
South-Africa: Abahlali baseMjondolo are under attack in #Ekukhanyeni
“Abahlali baseMjondolo are once again under attack in eKukhanyeni in Marianridge. Our members decided to go to the eThekwini Municipality’s department in numbers and demanded that they are provided with electricity. When they came back from that protest they found that their houses were being demolished by a private security company. When challenged a white man named Christopher who owns factories in the area claimed that the security company had been hired by the Land Bank. Furthermore, three members of the movement were attacked by men driving in two unmarked vehicles. These comrades were seriously injured and are currently in hospital.
Abahlali decided to blockade a nearby road to show their anger at the government who does not respond to their needs, the actions of the security company and the men in the unmarked vehicles and who ever sent the security company and these men.”
Kurdish Movement: German police raid #Mesopotamia Publishing House in #Neuss
“The raid came after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu’s visit to Berlin on Tuesday. While the search in the publishing house continues, no details were immediately available regarding the raid. During Turkish Minister’s visit, German police carried out a raid on German leftist groups in solidarity with the Kurds in the city of Erfurt. Police conducted a search in a total of 5 houses and offices.”
Italy: Update on “Scripta Manent” prisoners (03/2018) | anarchistnews.org
”All the defendants who are able to attend the hearings have expressed a desire to see a possible solidarity presence in the courtroom. Marco has attended some of the last hearings, but he doesn’t know whether he will attend or not the next ones, since lately he is attending alone. Anna obtained the permit to attend the hearings of 7th and 8th, therefore we CALL FOR A SOLIDARITY PRESENCE IN COURTROOM to give them a sign of closeness and support. For all we know, Danilo, Alfredo and Anna get their mail regularly. They are fine and in high spirit. Valentina is under house arrest, with all the restrictions, she can meet just few family members. Soon an e-mail address will be available to ask for additional information about the case.”
Police Authorities Banned Kurdish #Newroz Demo in #Hannover, #Germany
“The AKP tries to intimidate the Kurdish population with bans, arrests and massacre against civilians. But also this year hundreds of thousands, or even million of people will take the streets in North-Kurdistan and Western-Turkey, to celebrate Newroz and to show their solidarity with Afrin. That the German government is importing the dirty Turkish policies to Germany and thinks that they can intimidate the Kurdish population and their friends with repression and bans is really dangerous. In this way the German government is participating in the policies of oppression and denial of Kurdish people.“
Campus Arson Attacks Follows Months of Alt-Right Activity - It's Going Down
“Last Saturday, Rob Cantrall, a member of the Proud Boys, was filmed on camera harassing staff members of Revolution Books in Berkeley, California. Cantrall and friends were returning from Sacramento after a right wing rally had fallen through, and decided to stop in Berkeley to take part in routine harassment of the small radical bookstore. In a video which has since gone viral, Cantrall, who is wearing a red MAGA hat is recorded as saying, “We’re going to burn down your store!” “
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