Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun
The global movement for a ceasefire in Gaza escalated its tactics this week. Not only have the protests grown in size (2 million in Jakarta, Indonesia; 300,000 in DC), but they’re shifting from demonstrations to direct actions. Defense industry companies such as Boeing, Raytheon, Blackrock, and Colt were hit with direct actions. Groups in Oakland, CA, Tacoma, WA, and Barcelona, Spain, prevented weapons from being loaded onto ships. Jewish Voices For Peace took over the Statue of Liberty to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. More actions are planned for this weekend as well as the death toll climbs over 11,000 and politicians double down on their refusal to critique Israel.
In other Nonviolence News, the SAG-AFTRA (actors union) ended their 4-month strike with an “extraordinary” tentative deal with studios. To support the rolling strikes of LA hotel workers, Hollywood writers endorsed a boycott of certain hotels. In Nevada, Las Vegas hotel workers made gains as MGM Resorts sought to avoid a strike. Seoul Metro Workers are on strike in South Korea. In Panama, a US man shot two protesters who were opposing a copper mine. In Bangladesh, tens of thousands of garment workers are facing deadly police repression after some workers broke factory windows and lit fires in the buildings. (Escalating and retaliatory repression is one reason why nonviolent campaigns often urge participants to avoid property destruction, btw.)
A number of interesting actions caught my eye this week: 40 climate protesters arrested during a ‘slow march’ over the Waterloo Bridge in London. Residents in the United Kingdom are holding “Warm Ups” over high fuel bills, in which they go to a public place to warm up and hold a teach-in or speak-out in the library, public offices, or other locations. Ecuador held a month-long “Nonviolent October” and organized hundreds of groups in teach-ins, actions, and events that countered direct, physical, relational, or other types of violence.
With our world in crisis, these kinds of actions – large and small – are needed to turn the tide. Thank you for taking part in them.
In solidarity,
Rivera Sun
Photo Credit: Protesters carry a banner with names of killed Palestinians as they blockade the entrance of a Boeing facility in Missouri, USA.
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Striking Actors Reach “Extraordinary” Tentative Deal With Hollywood Studios: The union representing actors across the television and film industries announced late Wednesday that it reached a tentative contract deal with major studios, bringing to an end a monthslong strike that — combined with a simultaneous writers strike — shut down much of Hollywood’s production. The deal, which includes pay increases and protections against AI, brings to an end a four-monthlong strike. Read more>>
Farmworkers Hold First Union Election After Winning New Law: “Great news: farm workers just won their first election under the new law we marched for last summer! I wanted to share this first with amazing supporters like you, who stood by us the entire way. As I marched 335 miles, I listened to the stories of workers who marched every mile alongside me.” Read more>>
‘The Sweetest Victory’: Exonerated ‘Central Park 5’ Member Wins New York City Council Seat: More than three decades after Yusef Salaam and four other Black and Latino men were wrongfully convicted of brutally assaulting a woman in New York City’s Central Park, Salaam will be joining the council of the largest city in the United States following his victory in Tuesday’s election. “Together, we will rewrite the next chapter of our story ensuring that no one is left behind,” said Yusef Salaam. Read more>>
Leaf Blower Bans Are Growing: This time of year, the sound of leaf blowers is as ubiquitous as pumpkin spice. But across the US, restrictions are going into effect to quiet their roar. Gas-powered blowers have recently been banned in Washington, D.C.; Miami Beach, Florida; and Evanston, Illinois, with other cities, including Seattle and Portland, soon to follow. Not only are the machines noisy, but they pollute the air, too. A recent report found lawn equipment emitted 30 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, more than the whole city of Los Angeles. Read more>>
MGM Resorts Reaches Tentative Deal To Avoid Strike With Las Vegas Hotel Workers: The Las Vegas hotel workers union says it has reached a deal with MGM Resorts International, the largest employer on the Las Vegas Strip, on the heels of its breakthrough agreement with Caesars Entertainment. Read more>>
Over 2 Million Indonesians Rally In Solidarity With Palestinians Amid Gaza Crisis: Over two million protesters gathered at the National Monument in Indonesia to express solidarity with Palestinians and call for an end to Israel’s bombing of the besieged Gaza Strip. This marks Indonesia’s largest public demonstration since 7 October 2023. Watch here>>
‘Only Democracy Can Solve This Problem’ — A Conversation With Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi: In this exclusive interview, Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi discusses how Iranians have no choice but to continue their struggle for democracy. In the months since “Women, Life, Freedom” became the revolutionary cry of Iranians, Dr. Ebadi has been a leading voice in the diaspora in support of the protesters and the pro-democracy movement. Read more>>
Ecuador’s Nonviolent October: More than 100 awareness-raising, violence prevention and training activities took place in the Equity and Justice Centers of the Social Inclusion Secretariat of the Metropolitan Municipality of Quito, in the nine territorial districts, with the participation of 4,000 people. Read more>>
American Lawyer Shoots & Kills Two Copper Mine Protesters In Panama: A retired lawyer allegedly shot and killed two men who were part of a protest blocking a highway in Panama. Protesters were campaigning against the recent deal the Panama government made to restart a copper mine. Read more>>
300,000 People At DC Protest Was Largest Pro-Palestine Mobilization in US History: “We feel that there is a turning point and that the liberation of Palestine is inevitable,” one protester said. Over 300,000 people gathered at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C. on Saturday for the National March on Washington for Palestine. Read more>>
Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Protests Against Low Pay Leave 2 Dead: A Bangladeshi woman was shot dead Wednesday during violent protests by garment workers after they rejected a government wage increase offer, with the victim’s husband blaming the police. Conditions are dire for many of the sector’s four million workers, the vast majority of whom are women whose monthly pay starts at 8,300 taka ($75). Read more>>
Seoul Metro Workers Strike: Unionized Seoul Metro staff went on general strike on Thursday after negotiations to halt layoffs collapsed, saying they will refuse to work from 9 a.m. on Thursday until 6 p.m. on Friday.Labor and management sides sat down for last-minute negotiations on Wednesday but were unable to narrow their differences. Read more>>
Electric Workers Strike: The union representing hundreds of workers of a Jersey Shore utility are on strike as they fight for a new contract. However, the utility is promising customers shouldn’t have their power impacted. IBEW Local Union 210 workers continued to strike against Atlantic City Electric for a fourth day Wednesday as the union and utility remained apart on a new contract. Read more>>
Brits Face Shortage of Famous Christmas Chocolate After Factory Workers Vote To Strike: Brits are at risk of being deprived of Ferrero Rocher this Christmas after unions have voted to strike. Workers at a confectionary plant in Nottinghamshire have chosen to walk out over pay, putting supplies of the hazelnut chocolates at risk. Read more>>
Casinos Were Touted as Detroit’s Saving Grace. Now Union Workers Want Their Fair Share of the Gaming Business. Unionized casino employees say they stuck it out through the pandemic. Now they want gaming companies to make good on their promises to stand by workers. Read more>>
Writers Guild Supports Hotel Workers Calls For Boycotts: The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) has come out in favor of a boycott of hotels in Santa Monica affiliated with the American Film Market (AFM). Hospitalities union Unite Here Local 11 is in the midst of a labor dispute with several hotels, including the Le Meridien Delfina. The union held protests outside multiple AFM-affiliated hotels calling on market attendees to boycott them. The union, which has been holding rolling strikes since the July 4th weekend, is calling for “a living wage” for its members to allow them to afford to live in Los Angeles amid rising inflation and soaring housing costs. Unite Here has also called out the Le Meridien Delfina and other hotels for allegedly using unhoused refugees to replace workers during the strikes. Read more>>
Centering Indigenous Languages In India’s Schools: India is among the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, but its Indigenous languages have been marginalized—along with those who speak them. Read more>>
Stand for Indigenous Land Justice – Stop STAMP: Bulldozers—subsidized by your tax dollars—are revving their engines and spewing stink into the flower-fragrant air to construct a proposed industrial park that could destroy a territory that Chief Kevin Jonathan calls it “one of the most important hunting and gathering areas for the entire Haudenosaunee Confederacy.” Read more>>
A Native-Led Future — ‘Healing Turtle Island’ From Genocide And Colonialism: Reflections from a healing ceremony for Native Americans and allies that aims to visit all corners of North America over a period of 21 years. Read more>>
Mutual Aid Meets The Migrant Moment: A city-wide network of mutual aid collectives is providing resources and support for thousands of newly-arrived migrants. Read more>>
Indigenous Gardens Cultivate Healing: To decolonize college campuses, BIPOC students, allies, alumni, and faculty are reintroducing Indigenous growing practices. The cultural roots of university campus landscapes surround whiteness and a European aesthetic, which can result in Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) feeling a sense of isolation and alienation on college campuses, even if there is no overt racial hostility. Advocates are calling for places of learning to instead be aligned with Indigenous values and aesthetics. The demand for meaningful action has emerged and reverberated throughout institutions of higher education across the country. Read more>>
Protesters Support 4 Women Arrested Trying to Stop Cop City: Protesters gathered outside the DeKalb County Jail to show support for four women who were arrested near the future site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center aka “Cop City”. Atlanta police said Wednesday, around 10:30 a.m., a group of protesters began demonstrating outside the future site of the public safety training site. At some point during the demonstration, police said around two dozen protesters went onto the property and blocked the entrance. Read more>>
Power Up in the Gulf Celebrates Climate Solutions and Frontline Strength: Power Up in the Gulf welcomed people of all ages into the climate movement, celebrating the community power and joy of the US Gulf Coast and declaring that the fossil fuel industry can no longer use it as a sacrifice zone. Read more>>
East Africans Start Criminal Proceedings Over Pipeline Evictions: The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Project-Affected Persons (PAPs) of the Kapapi community have started criminal proceedings at Hoima Chief Magistrates Court against the Hoima Rural District Police Commander, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) General, and Hoima Deputy Resident District Commissioner (D/RDC) and others at large for the criminal and attempted offences committed while illegally evicting over 2500 locals off their land. Read more>>
In London, 40 People Arrested At Waterloo Bridge Slow March: This morning, a mass arrest took place on the Waterloo Bridge, in London, when 55 Just Stop Oil supporters marched across the bridge in a slow march. Just Stop Oil supporters are marching in resistance to the UK government’s plans to license new oil and gas. They are part of the 10 groups in the A22 Network of civil resistance. Read more>>
Four Seniors Arrested After Blocking Entrance of ‘Cop City’ Site: In a statement, the group said the protesters were holding a ceremony to “lament the loss of the forest, the loss of life, and the death of the democratic process in Atlanta.” The site is being built on 85 acres in the South River Forest. Read more>>
How Tiny Wetlands in the Midwest Are Combating the Gulf of Mexico’s ‘Dead Zone’: In a classic case of the Butterfly Effect, a farmer in Illinois fertilizes his field, and months later, an ecological dead zone forms in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the strange story of how Midwestern farmers have decimated marine life some 600 miles away –– and how they’re now helping to bring it back, one cleansing wetland at a time. Read more>>
Palestine Solidarity Activists Block Boeing’s Doors to Stop Delivery of Bombs: “Until Congress blocks the bombs, we will,” said the coalition of activists at the manufacturing plant in Missouri. This morning, over 75 youth activists blocked all entrances to Boeing Building 598, a major weapons manufacturing company located in St. Charles, Missouri. Bringing together members from at least five different local and national grassroots groups, the action aimed to disrupt Boeing’s delivery of more than 1,000 bombs to Israel. Read more>>
Pro-Palestinian Israelis Face Threats, But Vow To Keep Fighting For Peace: Activists in Israel say that as right-wing, pro-war voices dominate the social discourse, their work has never felt more important. Article and video report. Read more>>
Barcelona Dockworkers Vow Not to Load Weapons for Israel or Any Conflict Zone: The move builds on a growing number of direct actions targeting weapons bound for Israel as its bombardment of Gaza has claimed more than 10,000 lives. In their statement, the Organization of Port Stevedores of Barcelona, OEPB in Catalan, called for a cease-fire in Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, and every other global conflict. Read more>>
Tucson Protesters Block Raytheon Entrance Over Genocide In Gaza: A coalition representing “progressive Jewish anti-Zionist” and pro-Palestine organizations on Thursday staged a “die-in,” blocking the entrance of Raytheon’s Tucson office on Aeropark Boulevard. The initial action featured about 60 protesters, clad in black with masks covering their faces and signs with messages decrying “genocide in Gaza.” They chanted “free Palestine” before lying down on the pavement. Read more>>
A Group of Protestors Blocked Entrances At Colt’s Manufacturing Co: Thursday morning to protest what they said is the gun manufacturer’s sale of arms to Israel. They plan to hold protests until Colt ends what they said is its agreement to provide arms to Israel, which is embroiled in a war with Hamas in the Gaza strip. Read more>>
Die-In At Oslo Train Station: Protesters held a die-in at a train station in Oslo, Norway, over Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Read more>>
500 Protesters Disrupt Philadelphia Train Station: The demonstration, which was led by a coalition of interfaith leaders, was attended by around 500 protesters. Around 350 people were arrested or detained, including dozens of faith leaders, according to Jewish Voice for Peace-Philadelphia, which organized the protest along with the Philly Palestine Coalition and IfNotNow-Philadelphia. Read more>>
Pro-Palestine Protestors Break Into Blackrock’s Headquarters in NYC: A group of pro-Palestine activists staged a protest at the global investment management corporation BlackRock’s headquarters in Manhattan on Thursday. Carrying banners reading “Shut down genocide profiteers, free Palestine,” numerous protesters entered the lobby of BlackRock’s offices chanting slogans. Read more>>
Protesters Block US Military Ship Allegedly Carrying Weapons For Israel: The demonstrations in Tacoma, Washington, are the second to greet the supply ship, after similar protests in California. Read more>>
Palestinian Rights Groups File Suit On Israel’s Apartheid & Genocide: Three Palestinian rights groups have filed a lawsuit with the International Criminal Court (ICC), urging the body to investigate Israel for “apartheid” as well as “genocide” and issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday by human rights organisations Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, called for “urgent attention to the continuous barrage of Israeli airstrikes on densely populated civilian areas within the Gaza Strip”, which have killed more than 10,500 Palestinians, almost half of them children, according to Gaza health officials. Read more>>
100+ Congressional Staffers Stage Walkout Demanding Their Bosses Back Gaza Cease-Fire: More than 100 U.S. congressional staffers walked off the job Wednesday afternoon to hold a vigil for the more than 10,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces over the past month and to demand their bosses listen to constituents and support an immediate Gaza cease-fire. “We demand our leaders speak up: Call for a cease-fire, a release of all hostages, and an immediate de-escalation now.” Read more>>
Protest At Maine Space Conference: Calling the bluff on claims that a rocket launch site off of the coast near Acadia National Park would be solely for non-military use, peace activists protested the plan at the Maine Space Conference. Read more>>
Armenia And Azerbaijan Might Have A Peace Deal … Maybe: Armenia says there’s agreement on the outline of a peace deal with Azerbaijan. But the sides continue to prefer different mediators and fears remain in Armenia of an Azerbaijani invasion. Armenia’s prime minister says there’s broad agreement on mutual recognition of territorial integrity, border demarcation, and the opening of transport links. Read more>>
Fuel Poverty Warm-Up & Speak-Out: Warm Ups have been used successfully by Fuel Poverty Action (FPA) to highlight fuel poverty and bring about change. The tactic is based on the principle that if we can’t afford to heat our own homes, we have a right to go into any public space and keep warm there – and talk to passers-by, hold a speak-out, or a discussion, or a party. In the past, FPA and allies have warmed up in public buildings including for example Brixton Library with tenants from a local council estate and Lambeth Pensioners Action Group and in a bank, shopping centers, a concert venue, and even the House of Commons lobby. In winter 2022-23 there were Warm Ups in towns and cities around the UK, organized in collaboration with Don’t Pay and other groups. Read more>>
The Giant Exhibition Giving Art’s Feminist Trailblazers Their Due: Snubbed by the art world, female artists across 20th-century Britain created work on kitchen tables, in community centers, and at wild gigs. Now, a landmark show at Tate Britain is revealing just how revolutionary their work was. Read more>>
Sidewalk Chalk Projects Invites People To “Make A Space For Peace”: Using pavement as a chalkboard, a church group created a space for people to write and see messages of peace. They’re also encouraging groups everywhere to do the same. Read more>>
Jewish Voice for Peace Takes Over Statue of Liberty in Protest for Ceasefire: “As long as the people of Gaza are screaming, we need to yell louder,” artist and activist Nan Goldin said at the event. According to Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionist group that organized the action, around 500 protesters took part in the demonstration. Activists dressed uniformly in black gathered on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal shortly before 1 p.m., dropping enormous banners that read “The Whole World is Watching” and “Never Again for Anyone.” Read more>>
How We Protect LGBTQ+ Youth While Centering Their Stories: Every day, people on the front lines of these battles have to make increasingly difficult decisions about how we tell stories, whose stories we tell, and the risks to personal safety. “It simply is not safe for everyone to come out, to stand before a committee, to have their story published.” Read more>>
There Are Nonmilitary Alternatives To Israel’s War In Gaza: The assumption that war is the only way to create safety is wrong. There’s a range of nonviolent techniques that can still be used right now. Read more>>
Breaking The Cycle In Israel-Palestine: Even sworn enemies can be humanized: Human nature has the capacity for nonviolence even under extreme provocation. Read more>>
The 10 Components of Good Strategy: The components of good strategy are neither hierarchical nor sequential. In my experience, all good strategic processes are deeply iterative, moving through the components in different orders at different times, again and again. Read more>>
Campaigns And Movements: How Are They Connected, How Do They Differ? We know movements and campaigns are interconnected, often in profound ways. But for the moment, let’s look at how they differ. On one hand, the work of campaigns steadily proceeds over weeks, months, and years. On the other hand, movements as elemental risings pass through several phases or tendencies. Read more>>
The 28 Biggest Worker Strikes In US History: U.S. labor history stretches back to 1768 when New York tailors protested a cut in wages; the first union formed in 1794 among shoemakers in Philadelphia. As times changed, work stoppages in larger industries grew, sometimes pitting strikers against law enforcement and even the military. Their efforts weren’t always successful, but they frequently made gains that translated to other industries and influenced laws. The recent strikes by the United Auto Workers are among the most significant in the industry’s history, while Screen Actors Guild members went on strike in July and continue to rally and picket. Read more>>
Hollywood’s Season Of Strikes Has Ended. What Have We Learned? After a work stoppage of record duration, SAG-AFTRA and its largest employers have made peace. Hollywood’s TV and film production machinery is about to be dusted off after a more than six-month furlough that has taxed every sector of the entertainment economy, from union members to local businesses to the largest media conglomerates. So what have we learned after the long march of the hot labor summer that bled into an angry, exhausted autumn? In truth, we’ve learned a ton. Read more>>
Take Action For Palestine: Here’s a calendar of all the events happening this week around the world. Learn more>>
Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal: Following the senseless “industrialized slaughter” of World War I, antiwar protesters vowed to never again tolerate merchants of death dragging them into horrific wars. On Armistice Day we say “war no more” as we call out those who would profit from killing. Over 1,000 people have registered for the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal. Please register if you haven’t already, and encourage others to register. (Nov 12) Learn more>>
Workers For a Ceasefire Organizing Webinar: On November 15, Labor Notes is hosting a Zoom call to hear reports from workers who are organizing to stop an escalating genocide in Palestine. Many are also fighting against the repression of workers who are speaking up for a ceasefire and against Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Please join us for this urgent conversation. (Nov 15) Learn more>>
Hold Insurers Accountable On Climate: Executives of insurance companies have been aware of the risks that climate change poses for the last 50 years. They are in a powerful position to support and accelerate the global transition from fossil fuels to clean technologies, and yet they settle for greenwashing from oil and gas companies. Will you send a message to disrupt business as usual demanding Travelers, Chubb, Liberty Mutual and AIG urgently adopt oil and gas exit policies? Learn more>>
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