On August 31, nearly 1000 people were nabbed by the NYPD during widespread direct actions around New York City. (A number of medics over the past few days have been singled out and arrested).

The mainstream coverage describes these protests and arrests as "confrontational" and "scuffles," etc, but protesters held their composure and kept to their well-organized plans, despite aggressive police tactics that included orange plastic fencing to keep protesters penned in, and "snatch squads" that targetted individuals standing in the middle of otherwise peaceful crowds.

Actions I witnessed included a "shut up-a-thon" in front of fox news headquarters (there were over a thousand chanting "shut the fox up"), a road blockade by comrades from the bay area, a die-in by members of the war-resisters league, a street party near union square, and lots of arrests. It felt like spontaneous eruptions all over the city, the grassroots pushing up through the concrete at every park and major intersection, strategically non-violent and with powerful messages against the war in iraq, the corporate agenda of the bush administration, and the lies propogated by the corporate media.

more updates: [ Are You A Peaceful Police Officer? I Interviews from the RNC ]

see also: [ NYC-IMC I Portland Indymedia Coverage I Puerto Rico Indymedia Corbertura en Espanol ]

So much has been going on that I can only tell of a few things, a tiny window into the enormity of this protest. I am of course here with my street medic collective from the bay area, working in a larger network of street medics from all over the country, so that is often the angle I get on things, the cops vs. protesters play-by-play and all the injuries, not to mention heat exhaustion (it's in the 90's and muggy here, feels like cancun!).

Things started off Thursday with a banner drop from The Plaza Hotel by four activists who rappeled from the roof with a sign with opposing arrows with "Bush" and "truth" in opposite directions.

Friday night was a critical mass ride (truly massive), with 5,000 riders and ultimately about 250 people arrested, lots of angry motorists, and general chaos in midtown and lower manhattan.

Sunday, as you all may know by now, was ENORMOUS, with at least half a million people marching in manhattan ALL DAY LONG, wrapping all the way around from union square up to madison square garden and back down to union square, a constant stream from noon until about 5 pm.

Today a few marches and rallies are planned, including Still we rise (community organizations from NYC) and the poor peoples' march (kensington welfare rights union). Then Tuesday will be a whole slew of direct actions, so keep your eyes and ears open.

(((i))) BREAKING NEWS: Gov't Attempts Subpoena For Indymedia Logs - Service Provider Refuses

see also: [ NYC-IMC I Portland Indymedia Coverage I Puerto Rico Indymedia Corbertura en Espanol ]

An evening of original music, dance, theater and spoken word for peace, democracy and justice. Wednesday • August 25 • 7pm at the Santa Cruz Veterans’ Hall.

A Benefit for Art in Action Camp scholarships. Art in Action camps bring together young visionaries for 10 days to tell their stories, build community and cultivate positive alternatives to the madness of war and oppression. Through learning our histories, celebrating our cultures and linking the issues, we create a collaborative performance with giant puppets, hip-hop, dance, spoken word, and music to share with the community.

On Friday August 6, the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, the Santa Cruz Weapons Inspection Team attempted another inspection of Lockheed-Martin's large facility on Empire-Grade Road. A well-attended rally and press conference on the steps of the County building, where activists spoke about Lockheed-Martin's (L-M) local and global activities and the dangers of nuclear war, preceeded the inspection attempt.

Following the press conference more than 60 community members carpooled up Empire-Grade as far as the sherrif's deptarment would allow. The delegation walked up to the gates of L-M's facility and demanded to inspect the premises for WMDs.

The weapons inspectors were met at the locked gate by several L-M representatives, two of whom answered questions about the facility and its activities. On earlier visits, L-M officials had refused to even speak to the SC WIT; now they've engaged in conversation, if contrived, and PROMISED to continue negotiation and dialogue.

Santa Cruz Weapons Inspection Team

Peace Pilgrimage arrives at Hiroshima I Patriotic Correctness: the Hiroshima cover-up

What's Wrong With the Media? Want More Media Diversity? More Local Programming? Less Commercialism?

1st EVER PUBLIC HEARING ON LOCAL MEDIA, JULY 21st in MONTEREY:
Only opportunity on the West Coast

The FCC is the government body charged with regulating Radio and TV for the good of the public.

Join Media Alliance and friends from across the state to help make the case for greater media diversity, local content, and local ownership. We need your participation and support to ensure that FCC Chairman Powell and the FCC Commissioners get a full sense of Californians’ concerns about the quality of our local media and that they cannot ignore our proposals for fostering a more just and accountable media system.

Download the english/spanish .pdf flyer

¿Cuál es el problema de la prensa, de la radio, de la televisión? ¿Usted desea más diversidad en los medios? ¿Más programas locales? ¿Menos comercialismo?

1era AUDIENCIA PUBLICA SOBRE LOS MEDIOS LOCALES,
21 de JULIO en MONTEREY:
Unica oportunidad en la Costa Oeste

El FCC es la agencia del gobierno encargada de regular la radio y la televisión a favor del bienestar público.

Ride Shares to FCC Hearing

Previous Coverage: FCC Coming to Monterey on July 21

[ Court Rejects FCC Media Ownership Rules I "Revise or Justify" I A Media Activist Guide to the Federal Communications Commission ]

Okay, enough hemming and hawing. It's time you sprung into action. Stop yer waitin' and seein'. The world's gonna pass you by and you'll be bummed.

“Hope in Cynical Times" is the subject of a Friday, Dec. 9th, 7pm presentation by Rajiv Vora, preeminent interpreter of
Mahatma Gandhi’s writings, a trainer and organizer of multi-culture and inter-national peace- making teams in India and Sri Lanka.

With one phone call you can stop the steady flow of Victoria's Secret catalogs made from virgin timber... at least in your mailbox.