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Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Demolition in Paco Terrorized Poor Dwellers
, 29.03.2007 23:12
MANILA, Philippines- A violent demolition, this time in Paco, Manila, hurt scores of residents living under the San Andres Bridge 1 along South Super Highway and displaced some 54 urban poor families. Accompanied by armed policemen, the demolition was carried out by a demolition team more than 200-strong from Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
It was already 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday (February 28, 2007) when when a bottle hit 64 year-old Natividad Navarro, and then suddenly she heard the gunfire. At first she was shocked and terrified, she waited for the noise to die down. But after a while, when she realized that the explosions were not going to stop, she ran away with her 2-year old granddaughter, aiming to get out of the demolition team and seek the safety on a nearby tree beside the highway. "Mga hayop sila, di sila makatao," Navarro cried out.
[ Read More on Manila Indymedia || Photos (flickr) ]
Spontaneous Riot at Gare du Nord
29.03.2007 21:52
On Tuesday 27th of March 2007, at nearly 16:30, an "ordinary" ticket inspection at "Gare du Nord" train station turned into a riot that would last until late in the evening. Witnesses said that a 33 year old man ("sans-papier" according to mainstream media reports) and/or a 15 year old boy tried to flee from the ticket inspectors but were violently held. The bullying behavior of the inspectors inspired many travellers to attempt to support those being held. The police reinforcements were called but the people supporting those arrested also called for reinforcements. Contrary to the laissez-faireism and resignation usually seen in suchsituations, many metropolitan users disobeyed calls to "move along" and avoid being involved, instead there was a defiant uprising. The wave of police force that followed "accompanied by teargas and flashball" only emphasized this spontaneous burst of rage. Several hundred people (200 to 400, depending on witnesses) fought the cops in the basement of the train station and in the connected metropolitan station for eight hours into the night. People shouting "Sarkozy, fils de pute !", "Police partout, justice nulle part !" or "A bas, l'Etat, les flics et les patrons !" (TN: "Sarkozy, son of a bitch!", "Police everywhere, justice nowhere!", "Shutdown the State, the cops and the bosses"). The station was wrecked during the battle, with many advertising panels destroyed (in particular an advert for newspaper "L'Express" displaying Sarkozy on the cover). [Note: Sarkozy is the main right-wing candidate for the next presidential election, he was the minister of police and interior security during autumn 2005 riots and during the spring 2006 anti-CPE movement.] Just like for the uprising of autumn 2005, some media and politicians responded yet again with racist speeches, "ethnicising" the riot, but the rioters, though they were young, were of every color! No doubt many were people who suffer continuous inspections and pains of Paris suburbs: it was a popular riot! IMC Paris: 8 heures d'émeutes et affontements (fr) | 23h15 - 00h45 (fr) | witness report (fr) | Emeute (fr) | la police veille au grain (fr) | Witness report by a Native of the Republic (fr) | A ticket check is never ordinary (fr) | Photos: IMC Paris | newspaper "20 minutes" | outside the station around 23:30 | newspaper "Le Monde" | Flash videos - see gnash and gnash-dev: Independent videos (mobile phone): Facing the cops | "Sarko, fils de pute" [Sarko, son of a bitch] | After the teargas... | AFP
Police detain 2 antifascists at neonazi demo
23.03.2007 03:51
On Wednesday 21 March 2007, in the country in which most of the Holocaust took place, about 100 neonazis from Narodowego Odrodzenia Polski (NOP) organised a demonstration in Wroclaw. They yelled out slogans including "White power", "All Poland, only white", "Free Poland without n...ers", "In our country there's a place for black - but only if we're talking about black shirts". About 300 antifascists organised a counterdemonstration. No fights occurred between the two groups: the main conflict was verbal, with shouts of "Antifa" from one side and "White power" from the other. Police made a tight cordon separating the two groups. Despite the fact that NOP is a prohibited organisation according to Article 13 of the Polish Constitution, police did not detain any neonazis. Instead, they detained two human rights activists, one from Torun and one from Warsaw, who were participating in the antifascist counterdemonstration. The two activists have now been detained for over 24 hours. An "instant justice" McDonalds type court is expected to judge both antiracist activists today Friday 23 March 2007 at around 11:00 local time (10:00 UTC). LINKS: cia.bzzz IMC PL IMC Toruń (new-imc) | PHOTOS: WSA g-punkt cia.bzzz archival hitler salute photos, TVP1, 1997 UPDATE: Thank you for your support: the two activists have been freed without any criminal penalties, but will remain on probation for two years: details
Anti-War Protesters Say: Four Years Too Many!
19.03.2007 14:55
Demonstrations occurred in Madrid, across Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Sydney; see also Greenleft report), the UK (Tyneside, Faslane), as well as Aotearoa. There were also over 1000 protests in the United States, including a march on the Pentagon that drew tens of thousands and invoked the memory of the 1967 march to the Pentagon during the Vietnam War -- a turning point in popular consciousness. Protests will continue into the week with a direct action at the Chevron Headquarters on Tuesday, a mass convergence in Chicago on Wednesday, and a Veterans for Peace caravan from North Carolina to New Orleans all week. Read more from IMC-US>> See also: Roundups by Al Jazeera and New Standard News (1, 2)
<<Photo from Los Angeles Indymedia
Bush Get Out: Rejection and Mobilizations in Central and South America
, 12.03.2007 10:27
Mobilizations in Colombia and São Paulo, marked the start of the days of protest in the different countries of Central and South America, that George Bush will "visit."
The visit of Bush, is better termed an invasion, since where he visits there exists a great security apparatus for the North American President, which has been seen already in countries like Mexico and Uruguay, and signifies the virtual taking of the cities where Bush visits, on the part of security agents, as what happened in Uruguay, where agents of the CIA are escalating the repression against people that express their full rejection to the presence of the number 1 terrorist in the in the planet.
(((i))) coverage of the mobilizations against Bush: Brasil | Uruguay | Colombia | Yucatan
Heavy repression in Greece, following the voting of the new legislation for universities
, 09.03.2007 21:36
The new frame law for the functioning of the Universities in Greece was voted on March 8th, 2007, after the decision of the government to start the process in the Parliament despite the public outrage; since students, pupils, teachers and academics have been in an ongoing struggle since May 2006, including occupations of schools and faculties, strikes and demonstrations.
As the state media reported, only the governmental party voted for the new law, while the rest of them decided to leave the room after the preliminary poll. Meanwhile, more than 35,000 students, teachers and academics were demonstrating in the streets of Athens, in order to surround the Parliament.
Demonstrators clashed with the police in front of the Parliament while the air became full of asphyxiating tear gas and rubber bullets were shot for the first time. The march was forced to split into pieces and about 100 demonstrators that happened to be at that place, were segregated and severely walloped by a heavy police force. Several attacks followed, in order to split the rest of the march into smaller pieces, when the school teachers were beaten as well. Individuals had to run away and hide in nearby buildings.
[ Photos | announcment from the occupation at the Univ. Admin. Building | Red Cross medics' announcement | Athens indymedia ]
Ni flores ni bombones, reivindicación y lucha
, 08.03.2007 13:39
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Este día recuerda la lucha de las trabajadoras de la Cotton en Nueva York (1857) que reclamaban jornadas de trabajo de 10 horas y descanso dominical. La importancia del capital sobre la vida de las personas, mostró su cara más aterradora: La patronal decide incendiar del establecimiento para finalizar con la huelga y asesina a 129 mujeres trabajadoras. Un recorrido por las luchas sociales en Argentina y Latinoamérica muestran el rostro de miles de mujeres que resignifican con su accionar y resistencia.
El Día Internacional de la Mujer en Argentina - Genero | Córdoba | Cochabamba | Oaxaca | Chiapas: fotos, video | Barcelona | Santiago | Aotearoa | Manila | EE.UU | Filadelfia
Police Evict Danish Youth Social Center, Sparking International Protests
, 02.03.2007 04:18
(EN) ENGLISH NEWS AND UPDATES: Indymedia UK | new-imc denmark | modkraft.dk | Photos See also:
Yesterday morning (Thursday, 1st of March) at 7 am the police started to attack the Ungdomshuset Youth Center in Copenhagen. The residents of the neighborhood were warned via radio and television because of expected fights in the streets, to keep their distance from the neighborhood of Nørrebro, where the house is located. The media was already talking about violent actions, even before the eviction started.
(DE) GERMAN BLOG: ungeren.wordpress.com
(DK) DANISH: ungdomshuset.dk | danish newspaper (pictures): politiken.dk | Feature Article on New-IMC Denmark
(PL) POLISH: na żywo: cia.bzzz.net | imc pl: eksmisja Ungdomshuset
Previous IMC Feature | Analysis and History
Rural Workers in Uruguay occupy land and call for solidarity
, 01.03.2007 20:01
On January 14 of this year, Mandiyú – a group of small dairy farmers – occupied a 388 hectare section of the Eduardo Acevedo Estate in the area of Bella Unión, in the north of Uruguay. This is the second land occupation in the country, following the group of “peludos” (sugar cane workers) in their occupation one year ago of another 32 hectares that had been abandoned for more than ten years. The area of Bella Union, situated in the state of Artigas, is one of the poorest zones in Uruguay. Bordering Brazil, the region is known for its extensive cattle farming and agriculture. Employment is scarce and what work one can find is generally poorly paid. At the same time, in the past the region used to attract many people who came to make a living working as a “peludo,” as the sugar cane workers are called. Uruguay has not escaped the Latin American reality of terribly unequal land distribution, and the eternal promise of land reform has not been fulfilled. 75% of the land is part of properties pertaining to less than 8,000 people and companies. The National Colonization Institute (the land management wing of the national government with the Spanish acronym “INC”) manages some 500,000 hectares, which is only 3% of the country’s land.
Tens of Thousands Say 'NO to Trident, NO to War'
, 27.02.2007 15:19
Called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, in conjunction with Stop the War Coalition and the British Muslim Initiative, tens of thousands marched in London on 24 February, 2007, to protest against the Trident and against the imperial wars in the Middle East, including Iraq and the looming one on Iran. People were there to express their opposition to militarism, the 'war on terror' and demand justice for Palestine. Scotland for Peace's "Bin the Bomb Roadshow" also ran between 16 and 24 February, culminating in a march and rally on 24 February in Glasgow. There was a small autonomous block on the demo [photos], but was apparently the focus of most of the policing and 'intelligence gathering' (see this Met leaflet). Reports: 1 | 2 | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Audio: 1 | 2 | video
Over a thousand demonstrators mark two years of popular resistance in Bil'in
25.02.2007 19:51
Roughly 1,500 protesters gathered in Bil'in on February 23, 2007, to celebrate the second anniversary to demonstrations against the wall in the village. Neither the large number of attendants nor the bigger than usual participation of Israelis (over 200) deterred the army from using severe violence against the demonstrators. Even the large presence of journalists, who were attacked themselves, did not sway the army to moderation.
As people gathered in the village, before the march began, an exhibition of the creative props from two years of demonstrations was displayed, as well as pictures by photographer's collective activestills. Apart from Israelis and internationals, the residents of Bil'in were joined by Palestinians from all over the West Bank. People showed up from as far as the Bethlehem and Hebron regions, which were represented by a fifty strong delegation. 
video of the demonstration
related links: celebration of two years of Friday demonstrations | AATW - Anarchists Against Walls | Photos of last few months of demonstrations | International Solidarity Movement's Bil'in page | Bil'in Village
Demonstration in Athens Brutally Attacked by Police
24.02.2007 18:33
On February 22nd, 2007, more than 25,000 people, mainly students including pupils and teachers, got into the streets of Athens, as a response to the reform of the higher education, announced by the government, in the biggest student demonstration so far. There were also some thousand participants coming from all over Greece. The demonstration was brutally attacked by the police, in several places, while a lot of demonstrators were walloped, kicked and sprayed with tear gas and ammonia. One student was arrested, after being severely beaten, kicked and punched by some riot policemen, while lying on the ground. [ read more, photos ]
This is the second part of the education reform, that has been pushed by the government. The constitutional reform that would stop the state monopoly on Universities, was apparently not supported by any of the opposition parties on the first round; therefore, an increased majority will be required in the next round, which will take place after the elections.
Just a few days ago, the minister of education announced that the frame law for the function of the Universities will be voted in the Parliament, next week. It is a piece of legislation that since its draft version, last May, led to an outrage by both students and academics, resulting to consequent university occupations, strikes, and militant mobilisations of any sort. This law is gradually abolishing the university asylum (the fact that the police cannot enter the university) and introduces further privatisation and speeding up the processes, while keeping the funding on low levels.
The students have decided to resist in any means. 330 university faculties are under occupation, while high-schools starting being occupied in solidarity. On Tuesday and Wednesday the students organised street parties with concerts right in the centre of Thessaloniki [ photos ] and Athens [ photos ] respectively, in an effort to communicate their struggle. Meanwhile 1 MW radio and 2 webradios are operating from the occupations.
[ Read mode about the demo | greek students on the move, collide with the establishment ]
Anti-Genocide Activists in Guatemala Kidnapped, Threatened
21.02.2007 21:30
An indigenous rights organizer pursuing the national genocide cases in Guatemala was recently kidnapped in Guatemala City while other members of the activist legal team with whom he works have received written threats and incurred other types of intimidation.
According to the Center for Legal Action in Human Rights (CALDH), the threats and kidnapping spring directly from their pursuit of the genocide case. The key figure sought by the the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR) and CALDH in the genocide case, Rìos Montt - who ruled over the killing of some 70,000 predominately Maya people during the 1980s - declared on January 17, 2007 (referring to elections later this year) that, "I will reach the highest rank. It could not be any other way... I will be president of Congress from 2008-2012." Read more >>
more information: To send an e-mail | Kidnapping, Threats and Genocide Case | The Maya Survivors vs. Los Genocidios: Part One and Part Two | Guatemalan Genocide Survivors Clamor for Ríos Montt´s Capture | Case Against Rios Montt | Guatemala Reacts to International Arrest Orders For Ex-Dictators & Military Leaders Responsible for Genocide
11 Israeli Anarchists Convicted for 2004 Blockade
19.02.2007 23:28
In a packed courtroom, full of supporters the verdict was read in the first trial of the group Anarchist Against The Wall. The charges stemmed from arrests at a demonstration in front of the army headquarters on February 3 2004. That day marked the beginning of the proceedings in the international court of justice at the HagueKaplan street, in front of the army headquarters and graffiti-ed its walls. about the legality of the apartheid wall. Earlier in the day the activists were prevented from reaching a demonstration near Tul Karem and in response they blocked.
The trial of 11 activists belonging to the group Anarchists Against The Wall reached its end today after about three years. Seven of the defendants had their convictions for illegal assembly and destruction of public property set aside in exchange for 80 hours of community service. The verdict for three other defendants was postpone to the 18th of March because of a demand for combining these indictments with previous indictments for political activity. Jonathan Pollak received a three month suspended sentence.
Basque convict Iñaki De Juana Chaos battling for his life in a spanish prision
, 11.02.2007 15:33
The ETA militant is on the verge of death after undertaking a hunger strike to condemn his current situation. He was found guilty of the death of 21 people, mostly Spanish army and police members during the 80s, amid a fierce confrontation between ETA and Spain. He served his sentence until two years ago, in 2004, when a reduction to his 18 year prison term was consummated. Before being let out, Spanish Justice Ministry Juan Fernando López Aguilar claimed that it was necessary to "press new charges for belonging to a terrorist organization, coerce or continued engage in terrorist activities", those were his words. He was impeached and sentenced to twelve years in prison for writing two articles in the Gara newspaper [1][2]. Iñaki de Juana began a hunger strike on November the 7th (he previously consummated another hunger strike which lasted 63 days, August-October 2006), which means that he is now 94 days into this second strike, spending the last two months confined to bed in a hospital and being force fed through tubes against his will. The doctors in charge have warned about the possibility of Iñaki De Juama entering a vegetative state, or even giving in to a sudden death.
Japan's Public Broadcaster NHK Found Guilty of Censoring Women's Tribunal
, 06.02.2007 15:27
A Japanese women's group scored a major legal victory against censorship. The Tokyo High Court found NHK had bowed to combined pressure from prominent politicians and right-wing groups and distorted a programme about the Women's International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan's Military Sexual Slavery, held in 2000. In the Tribunal, the late emperor Hirohito had been found guilty of crimes against humanity in authorizing the so-called 'comfort women' system, and consecutive Japanese governments in non-compliance with its international obligations under human rights and women's conventions.
Activist Against Displacement Murdered : Land-Rights Struggles Continue
05.02.2007 23:50
Across the world, grassroots occupations to resist evictions continue as government, military, and business interests conspire to take land from the poor communities that have worked, farmed, lived and created there, and have nowhere else to go.
In Colombia, activists are reeling from the murder on January 31st of Yolanda Izquierdo (es), a campesina leader who was working to reclaim land taken by paramilitaries and fighting for the rights of Colombia's displaced persons.
MI6 Iran Disinfo: The Prelude to War?
, 05.02.2007 21:57
There have been many warnings [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ] about the possible use of US or Israeli nuclear weapons against Iran. Furthermore, Michel Chossudovsky of Global Research has warned that this is just one part of the US "military roadmap" for the Middle East [ text | video | audio ], while Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed wrote last summer that the war had already started. Needless to say, a war on Iran would be illegal, and would only add to the long list of war crimes that Bush, Blair and their conspirators are guilty of. But then, what would legality matter if we became a planet of the nuclear dead? Read: Selected Articles on the Proposed US-Israeli Nuclear War on Iran | Articles on the looming war with Iran | Middle East: Cradle or Graveyard of Empire? | Indybay feature: The US gears up for war with Iran
Campaign Iran has pointed out that the current media spin about Iran, some of which appears to originate from MI6, bears more than a passing resemblance to the WMD hype that preceded the ongoing slaughter of 650,000+ Iraqis. So are we on the verge of a massive escalation of the criminal US-UK imperial war?
Committee discloses serious human rights abuses in 2003
, 04.02.2007 12:57
Read more on Indymedia Portugal (pt) | Read the Original CPT Report
The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) published a report on January 25th that held the Portuguese authorities responsible for several serious violations of human rights. The report was based on the Committee's ad hoc visit to Portugal in 2002, and the 4th periodic visit to Portugal in 2003, to various prison facilities, as well as command districts of the Public Security Police (PSP), and the immigrant detention center in the Lisbon Airport.
Genoa: the trial of 25 activists starts again
, 25.01.2007 22:54
On the 16th of January, the trial against 25 activists charged with "sacking and devastation" during the Group of 8 Summit held in Genoa in July 2001, was opened again after a long continuance, due to the decision to change some judges of the Court. The hearings should go on for one month, until the 16th of February. The first witness was the police officer Zampese, who at the time wrote a chronology of the events surrounding the summit. He had already been heard on the 11th of October, 2005. In his opinion, the G8 was "ravaged" by violent activists, the police did not act against the people, nobody was beaten, and no one hurt by policemen. Supporto Legale is the association that is supporting all of the activists on trial, as well as the legal proceedings against the police officers accused of violence, torture, and abuse of power. Supporto Legale denounces the way the hearings are held, and the use of people like Zampese as witnesses.