Midwest Action Network

Many of us went up to Seattle to fight the FCC, knowing all along that the deck was stacked. They wanted to hand over a huge victory to the corporate police state: They wanted to allow anyone with enough riches to take control over all of the media they want. That means, they would have been able to control what we see, hear, learn, and think. And they had the votes to override the voices of millions of citizens who opposed the plan. ...Or so they thought.

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A U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of California has ruled that the City of Fresno's practice of immediately seizing and destroying the personal possessions of homeless residents violates the constitutional right of every person to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

"The question is no longer whether the City will have to pay damages to class members, but how much," said attorney Oren Sellstrom of the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights. "Given that many homeless people lost everything they owned in these illegal sweeps - including their medicines and items of tremendous sentimental value - we believe the damage award will be significant."

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From Earth First Journal

Resistance to the 2010 Olympic games in British Columbia, Canada, began with last year’s string of direct actions and protests (see EF!J July-August 2007). As it becomes clearer that the Olympics are already causing evictions, homelessness, industrial development and environmental destruction, the resistance continues to grow. In the first few months of 2008, a wide variety of militant actions and public demonstrations have already taken place. As most groups engaged in the resistance have vowed, things are sure to escalate in the coming months. Here is a quick roundup of what’s been happening recently.

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I'm writing to you in the hopes that you'd take the time to familiarize yourself with the case of election rigging in Ohio.

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"If you work through the existing structures you are going to be corrupted. By working through political system that poisons the atmosphere, even the progressive organizations, you can see it even now in the US, where people on the "Left" are all caught in the electoral campaign and get into fierce arguments about should we support this third party candidate or that third party candidate. This is a sort of little piece of evidence that suggests that when you get into working through electoral politics you begin to corrupt your ideals. So I think a way to behave is to think not in terms of representative government, not in terms of voting, not in terms of electoral politics, but thinking in terms of organizing social movements, organizing in the work place, organizing in the neighborhood, organizing collectives that can become strong enough to eventually take over - first to become strong enough to resist what has been done to them by authority, and second, later, to become strong enough to actually take over the institutions."

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Calling the 33 undocumented workers arrested during a federal immigration raid earlier this week "disappeared," more than 50 Richmond protesters demanded to know where those people are being held and for immediate reunification with their families. The raid occurred at the construction site of a new federal courthouse at Seventh and Broad streets. Read More & Pics: ICE rounds up workers in Richmond | Richmonders stand against ICE raid

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Hector Antonio Ventura, one of 14 people arrested during an anti-water privatization protest last year in the town of Suchitoto, El Salvador, was assassinated in his home on May 3. The assailants apparently stabbed him to death, while another man was attacked but survived. Organizations such as the legal group FESPAD have called for a full investigation into the death of the 19-year old Ventura, while expressing concern that Salvadoran authorities will not address the likely political motivation for the murder.

More news from El Salvador: From U.S. to El Salvador, ‘gangs’ and the ‘global war on terror’ | Another SOA?: A Police Academy in El Salvador Worries Critics | El Salvador: FMLN Mayor Assassinated in Usulután | Funes Still Ahead in Salvadoran Race

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On Monday April 28th, 2008 Indigenous Warriors on Coast Salish Territory blocked a vital intersection used for commercial shipping to the United States. The action was done in solidarity with the Tyendinaga Mohawk community. Five Warriors from Tyendinaga had been arrested and attacked by the OPP days before. SWAT teams and paramilitary units were on Tyendinaga Territory surrounding dozens of other unarmed Warriors who were peacefully occupying a rock quarry claimed to be on their territory.

Solidarity actions also happened in Six Nations and Guelph. With the mounting pressure from coast to coast, and steadfast position of the Tyendinaga Mohawks the SWAT teams and paramilitary units left Tyendinaga Territory without additional attacks.

Since their arrest, three of the five Warriors have been released on strict bail conditions. Two Warriors, Clint Brant and Shawn Brant are still in state custody. Video Entitled "This is Coast Salish Territory" | mostlywater.org | friendsofgrassynarrows.com | ottawa.indymedia.ca | news.infoshop.org

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The 2008 Great Lakes Anarchist Gathering will be taking place in one month, June 7th & 8th, in Toledo, Ohio.

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Eric McDavid was sentenced to 235 months for "conspiracy to damage or destroy government property by means of fire or explosives." He was convicted in February of 2008 for a crime that was never committed, and which was fabricated by "Anna", a young FBI informant who was paid over $65,000 to entrap him. Now that the sentencing is over, Eric will be able to start the appeals process. Two jurors from the trial wrote declarations about their views that Eric was wrongfully convicted.

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Ecuadorian police detained five journalists associated with Ecuador Indymedia late Tuesday night, May 6th. Four of the five were released from custody on Wednesday afternoon. The government says that the four activists were detained because of their relationship with the fifth detainee, Ecuadorian resident and Colombian national Antonio Alcívar.

The government at first refused to issue a statement on the matter or inform the detainees of the reason for their arrests. The Regional Foundation for Assistance in Human Rights (INREDH) noted that this was a violation of the detainees' constitutional right to be clearly informed of the reason for their detention along with the identities of those who ordered and carried out the arrests.

CMI Ecuador: Comunicadores de Indymedia Ecuador víctimas de arresto arbitrario || URGENTE: SOLIDARIDAD CON COMUNICADORES INDEPE || Comunicado detención comunicadores de Indymedia Ecuador víctimas de arresto arbitrario || Periodistas populares fueron liberados (más información) || CMI Brasil: Comunicadores independentes são vítimas de prisão arbitrária || Upside Down World

 

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Kent, OH – Four activists charged with misdemeanors for protesting the war on Iraq by occupying the Main St. bridge will appear in court May 8 at 8:15 a.m.

The Kent State Anti-War Committee is planning a campaign to have the charges dropped. Members plan to pack the courtroom with supporters, as well as hold a demonstration outside to defend the activists' right of expression.

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We have received word of a tentative trail date for Marie in early August. With the possibility of a trial only a few months away please keep in mind that time is of the utmost importance with the following request.

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On the 1st of May 2008, a day of solidarity for all workers and precariats on this planet against capitalism, Japanese police suppressed a small, rightful and peaceful demonstration in Fukuoka City, Japan.

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On Thursday May 1st, Al-Jazeera reporter Sami al-Haj was released after six and a half years at Guantanamo. Al-Hajj, arrived in Sudan early on Friday, was carried off a US air force jet on a stretcher and immediately taken to a hospital. His brother, Asim al-Hajj, said that he did not recognise the cameraman because he looked like a man in his 80s. Al-Hajj told reporters at the hospital that "rats are treated with more humanity", than the inmates at Guantanamo, whose "human dignity [is] violated".

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Hamburg, germany, 1st of may 2008. 1,000 nazis marched in through Barmbek district, protected by the police, while 10,000 antifascists protested and attempted to stop the Nazi demonstration. the police violence against peaceful blockades sparked the heaviest riots Hamburg has seen since the 80's.

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Caracas, May 2 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Waving red flags and pro-revolution banners “against imperialism” and for “socialism and peace” more than 300,000 workers marched in Caracas on Thursday to celebrate May 1, the International Day of Workers Struggle. The rally also celebrated a decree by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez increasing the minimum wage by 30% giving Venezuela the highest minimum wage in Latin America.

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MAY DAY 2008: Tens of thousands marched and held demonstrations across the US yesterday, calling for an end to war and dignity for immigrants and workers. Dockworkers on the west coast defied their union bosses and staged a one day strike against the war, effectively shutting down all port activity (pics). High school and university students staged walkouts in Venice and San Francisco. Protests also called out unjust military recruiting and defended public housing. Photo from NYC.

There have been no reports of police violence on the scale such as that which occurred in Los Angeles last year. Most cities are reporting peaceful events, however there is one report from Olympia, WA of an incidence that resulted in arrests and injuries from police violence. And in New York City, an effort by Truckers and Citizens United to hold a convey protesting the unnecessarily rising cost of fuel was frustrated by city officials at the 11th hour.

Dispatches from selected regions: Boston | | Chicago | | Houston | | Los Angeles | | Monterey Bay Area | | New York: 1, 2 | | Olympia, WA: 1, 2 | | San Diego | | | | San Francisco: 1, 2, 3, 4 | | | Seattle | | Tucson | | Washington, DC

Past May Day Reporting: 2007 | | 2006

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