Early in September, Mayor Nick Inzunza announced that he intended to proclaim National City a sanctuary from the harassment and collaboration between local officials and federal immigration enforcement that have been springing up in other cities, such as Vista and Escondido. On Saturday, 350 residents and supporters gathered at city hall to celebrate. At an anti-sanctuary protest in National City the previous weekend shut down by 300 sanctuary supporters, minutemen were filmed assaulting and pepper-spraying members of the Boredom Patrol of the Clandestine Rebel Insurgent Clown Army.

From Leslie Radford:
"National City today thumbed its nose at Congress and skipped through the streets. It had declared itself a haven for people of foreign descent, even as the federal government intensifies mass roundups and deportations, and neighboring cities legitimate ethnic profiling. The proclamation, signed by Mayor Nick Inzunza, adds National City to a roster that includes big cities: San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and small: Maywood, Pomona, Huntington Park, Coachella." Read More...

From Miguel:
"As the rally came to an end, pro-Sanctuary supporters provided musical accompaniment while Rebel Clown Army members danced in the street to the lyrics of "Canta y no llores, porque cantando se alegran cielito lindo los corazones" - Sing don't cry, with song our hearts feel happy my darling - reflecting the sunny disposition of the Mexican people in contrast to the bitter hatred racists thrive on." Read More...

Prior National City Story

Washington, DC: Last week, activists took their case for ending the Iraqi War to the party responsible for authorizing it -- the US Congress. On Sept. 26, 2006, 71 protesters were arrested by police for expressing their dissent, and the following day another 20 were silenced. The protests were organized by the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (NCNR) and the Declaration of Peace, and is part of an effort to increase direct action against the war in Iraq.

Coverage of DC Actions: Protester Arrested at U.S. Capitol Asks: What About the First Amendment? | | DC Indymedia Reports: 1 | 2 | 3

CD in other cities: Los Angeles: Hundreds arrested at Civil Disobedience action near LAX | Philadelphia: 14 Arrested Outside Senator Santorum's Office in Defiance of War 1 | 2 | Portland: 9 Arrested at World Trade Center | San Francisco: Protest Against Torture and Indefinite Detention | Santa Cruz: Declaration of Peace Die-in Demonstration

The First Cross-Border Encuentro of La Otra Campaña was held in Tijuana and San Diego September 15-17.

In Tijuana, 250 compañer@s heard from activist panels discussing women in resistance movements; indigenous struggles; autonomy; culture and art; culture and media; resistance against borders; and resistance against climate change and environmental destruction; as well as music, dance and theater from the struggle.

In San Diego, parallel meetings on the 15th and 17th were organized as freeflowing, participatory roundtable discussions that covered diverse topics, including women, patriarchy and machismo; personal connections with La Otra; listening as a tactic; maquiladora workers; struggles and resistance north of the border; and community building vs. armed revolution.

english and spanish reports, photos, audio and ongoing coverage

From September 21-24, over sixty young activists and organizers from across the country gathered in Immokalee, Florida for the 2nd annual Student/Farmworker Alliance Encuentro: three days of reflection, discussion, and strategizing about the struggle for fair food and building a more just world. Youth and student leaders from more than 15 states and representing more than 30 organizations and campuses – a sample of the breadth of support that the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) can count on in the months and years ahead – participated in the Encuentro.

This year's Encuentro took place against the backdrop of an escalating campaign against the multi-billion dollar McDonald's Corporation – the largest fast-food chain on the planet and an enormous buyer of Florida tomatoes. As in the four-year Taco Bell Boycott, student and youth organizing will play a critical role in the campaign's overall success. The weekend in Immokalee inspired and re-energized the SFA network, serving as an important springboard for the work ahead as the SFA turns McDonald's marketing "sweet spot" (18 to 24 year-olds) into a well-organized sore spot. full report || photo gallery

September 27, 2006: In a significant victory for constitutional rights, today, the Eleventh Circuit handed down its ruling denying qualified immunity to several officers who engaged in unlawful arrests at the demonstrations against the meetings of the Free Trade Area of the Americas in Miami, Florida, during November 2003. This ruling clears the way for the demonstrators who suffered constitutional rights deprivations to proceed with their litigation.

The case, Killmon, et al. v. City of Miami, et al., was brought to challenge the widespread assault on the civil rights and civil liberties of protestors during the demonstrations, including challenging the so-called "Miami model," a deliberate and coordinated effort by over 40 local, state and federal authorities to silence dissent and engage in widespread political profiling, and swept the streets of anyone viewed as being an anti-FTAA activist, effectively suspending the Fourth Amendment in the city for ten days using excessive force and unlawfully arresting hundreds of people engaging in lawful political protest.

On Monday, September 25, federal authorities asserted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have arrested 109 people on suspected immigration violations, throughout the Sacramento area, including 12 in Lodi. The raids were part of the government's "Operation Return to Sender" campaign of cracking down on undocumented immigrants. The raids are strikingly similar to the recent roundups in Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Hollister on September 7th and 8th, where 107 were arrested by ICE officials in a move that infuriated the community.
Read More | Immigration Raid Protest in Watsonville

LOS ANGELES, September 25, 2006 – A coalition of faith based groups succeeded in closing the army recruitment center in Hollywood today. Early Monday morning a group of about 50 marched down Hollywood Blvd. to the recruitment center and proceeded to block the entrance. They were prepared to risk arrest but it did not come to that. Police monitored the group but did not interfere. It is believed that the center knew in advance of the action and closed because of the demonstration.

About 25 people set up an all day vigil at the front doors to make sure the recruitment center did not try to reopen. One of the people who took part, Ann Bishop, said of the action “We may have saved a few lives. Somebody didn’t sign up, and maybe having a day to think it over they won’t sign up, and they won’t go some where and be killed or kill any body”. From the Newswire Peace Group Shuts down Army Recruitment Center in Hollywood | | MP3 Audio: Declaration of Peace

Jeff Hogg is currently jailed for refusing to testify in front of a federal grand jury being used illegally to build their case against Green Scare defendants. Originally, his grand jury in Eugene was set to end this month, and Jeff would have been freed. This grand jury has now been extended until March, meaning Jeff could be held till then.

An appeal of the judge's decision to continue to hold Jeff has been filed with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The final brief is due on September 26th.

From the open publishing newswire: Today,near 1000 janitors met in the Hotel Hilton Americas, in where occurred to know that the fight begins by a collective contract for janitors of Houston and they gave their support to the negotiating committee . The people will support this fight even if they go away to the Strike.The meeting will be followed by a march and rally in downtown Houston Everyone is urged to support these hardworking, exploited, mostly Hispanic women. [read fully story with photos and video]

Audio Coverage: A Houston Janitor in the Fight of Her Life | (City Councilman) Adrian Garcia Vows to Work as a Janitor | What Houston Janitors Demand | La Votacion para Autorizar la Huelga (STRIKE!) | SEIU Convention Coverage

The Janitors are now authorized to go on strike and are going to keep the movement in the street with 2 more protests this week:
-Wednesday September 27th- 4:30 pm Mckinney @ Main (Downtown)
and -Thursday September 28th- 4:30 pm Westheimer @ Post Oak Boulevard (Starbucks Coffee-Galleria)
More info: houstonjanitors.org

In a major, sweeping decision last week, a federal judge in California reinstated Clinton-era protections of 58.5 million acres of national forests.

*NOTE* This story is being made a feature on Rogue Indy in recognition of all the hard work done by forest defenders here in Southern Oregon and throughout the region we call the State of Jefferson -- Rogue IMC Volunteer

LOS ANGELES, September 21, 2006 – A demonstration for International Day of Peace and to express solidarity with the Korean farmers of Pyeongtaek was held today. Demonstrators performed a mile long procession of Sam-bo-il-bae (a Buddhist prayer tradition) from the Korean Consulate down Wilshire Blvd. The Korean farmers are currently resisting removal from their land by force and the demolition of their homes for the construction of a US army base. From the Newswire: PHOTOS: Pyeongtaek Solidarity Action | | VIDEO: Pyeongtaek Solidarity Protest

Background: Houses Demolished in Korean Resistance to US || Save the Pyeongtaek Farmers Website

September 22 marks the seventh annual World Carfree Day -- an annual celebration of and demand for public life that is free from the noise, stress and pollution of cars.

Carbusters Magazine first called for a World Carfree Day on September 22, 2000. Today Sept. 22 is celebrated in 1,500 cities in 40 countries with carfree festivals, bicycle demonstrations, street closures and permanent changes to make cities more environmentally and socially sustainable.

This year, the World Carfree Network’s activities will specifically focus on street conversions. The network's member groups all over the world will be working with municipalities to convert streets, intersections and parking areas into spaces for people to use for recreation, commerce, social life and education. Space will be made for children’s games, neighborhood parties, street theater and outdoor cafes -- allowing people to see their cities the way they could be with fewer cars.

US events: Portland || Ashland || Santa Cruz

World Carfree Network

NEW YORK CITY, September 19, 2006 - While President Bush was speaking inside the UN General Assembly building today outside over a thousand people marched to the UN Building to protest Bush’s policy of war on the people of the Middle East and elsewhere. Seventeen protesters were arrested when they engaged in an act of non-violent civil disobedience by blocking 44th Street at 1st Avenue. There are reports that some of those arrested have been brutalized by the police.

Report from the Indypendent

From the NY-IMC newswire: Photos: Civil Disobedience at the United Nations || 16 Arrested at U.N Today || Same Old Nonsense at the U.N., Bush and Annan Offer Empty Gestures || 17 Arrested at UN Rally || Images: March to the UN

Over 10,000 people attended yesterday's African American Day Parade in Harlem. For over 30 years, the parade has been a convergence of Black pride, power and beauty. The Free Mumia Coalition/Jericho Movement, along with the New Black Panther Party received a ovation from the crowd.

Related: Black Panther Party 40th Reunion in Oakland

This is a twelve minute interview with Styve, who has been diligently on the streets of Portland for many months now with signs encouraging the Impeachment of George W. Bush.

I videotaped these interviews on the corner of SE Madison and Grand, where Steve and Kathy were standing with their signs encouraging motorists to stand up for impeachment. Styve, who has "been protesting Bush since before he was elected," gives a brief synopsis of the process which led him to his present stand, and both Styve and Kathy give their reasons why Bush deserves to be impeached. Among them, lying us into war and warrantless wiretapping of American citizens, in any sane society, should give the population and their legislators cause to indict.

"What I started doing this for was to raise some awareness, to try to motivate people to say, DAMN!, if this guy cares this much, that he's doing this to and from work, why aren't I doing this?"

San Francisco, CA - Hundreds of people gathered September 14th in front of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, unified in efforts to save a sacred mountain in Arizona from desecration by a proposed ski resort development. The courts heard arguments against the ski resort's proposed expansion and plan to make snow out of treated sewage effluent. This wastewater has been proven to contain harmful contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, hormones and cancer causing agents.

"Just the thought of making snow with reclaimed sewer water on the San Francisco Peaks should be an affront to all people of conscience," said Howard Shanker of the Shanker Law Firm who represented the Navajo Nation, Havasupai, Yavapai Apache, White Mountain Apache, Sierra Club, and others. "The Peaks are sacred to 13 of the Tribes in the Southwestern United States. We are here because the lower court decision was wrong. We are hopeful that this will be a case where what the court determines to be legal is also right and morally defensible." [Click here for full article, including photo and audio | Indybay Coverage | Save the Peaks Coalition]

In a stunning turn of events, the NYC Police Department has reversed its previous decision to deny us the right to march near the United Nations on Sept. 19th. Read More »

Past Coverage: 9/13: NYPD Impedes Planned Bush Protest | 9/14: UFPJ: We Are Marching -- Permit or No Permit

Related: SDS to march to UN Sept. 19, demanding students voices be heard | Video from UFPJ Press Conference -- Sept. 14, 2006 | UPJ Website

The Massachusetts State Police "Fusion Center" has intercepted an activist court solidarity email and forwarded it to the Lexington police department, who passed it to the Concord district court where it was entered into evidence against a demonstrator on trial today.

The email asked for the activist community to turn out for the trial of Pete L., who was arrested at a protest vigil during a speech by the Israeli consul last October. A prior hearing on the matter revealed that the arresting officer, Sgt. Phil Tarpey SPD/CIB, was on a paid detail by the institution hosting the Israeli official.

More Info

Trenton, NJ: On September 12, the first three SHAC 7 defendants -- Kevin Kjonaas, Lauren Gazzola, and Jacob Conroy -- were sentenced to prison terms of four to six years for their alleged role in campaigning to close down the notorious animal testing lab, Huntingdon Life Sciences. The following morning, Josh Harper was sentenced to three years. Andrew Stepanian and Darius Fullmer will be sentenced next Tuesday, September 19th. [Read Details: 1 | 2]

The SHAC7 are 6 activists and a corporation -- Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA, Inc. -- that have been found guilty of multiple federal felonies under the "Animal Enterprise Terrorism" Act. They are not accused of actually smashing windows, liberating animals or even attending demonstrations, rather reporting on and ecouraging others to engage in legal demonstrations and supporting the ideology of direct action. They will be appealing their convictions from prison.

SHAC 7 Website

Indymedia Journalists Report from Oaxaca, México

In 2004, Ruiz Ortiz came to power through an election viewed by many as illegitimate and corrupt. But, after years of organizing, social movements are poised to take him out. Over the course of four months, a teachers’ strike has morphed into an all-out popular revolt.

Protestors had reclaimed a state-owned television station and numerous state and corporate radio stations. All seats of government have been blockaded, forcing legislators to meet in secret and remote hotels outside Oaxaca City. A parallel and popular governance has formed and is gaining legitimacy as the true authority in the state. Ruiz Ortiz’s exit is whispered through the streets, painted on city walls, and demanded by daily direct actions. Read More

Reports by Jen of Richmond: Video: La Toma de Canal 9 | Aug21: Oaxaca Media under Attack | Aug23: Terror Continues in Oaxaca

Reports by Bradley of Santa Cruz: Oaxaca is Closed in Solidarity with APPO | Photos and SlideShows: Un Pueblo Unido Avanza Sin Partidos | Quinta MegaMarcha: Por un Oaxaca Mejor

Indymedia Oaxaca | El Enemigo Común | Narco News