Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun
After blockading the roads around Paris with their tractors, French farmers won offers of major concessions from the government, including promises of cash and easing of regulations. Two major farmer unions called off their protests, though other groups may continue to push for more demands. Across Europe, farmer protests continue in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Romania, and Greece.
The international movement for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza has been rounding up the support of unions, particularly in the United States. SIEU is the latest to join, along with the American Federation of Teachers, and the Texas AFL-CIO. 1,000 Black pastors have also called for a ceasefire and Feds United for Peace organized a walkout of federal employees. Israel’s continued assault on Gaza has become a key issue in the electoral politics of the nation, with pro-Palestinian protesters interrupting President Biden’s campaign speech on abortion rights with 14 carefully-planned protests. Muslim and Arab-American voters have also launched an Abandon Biden Campaign.
In this United States, climate activists are warily celebrating President Biden’s pause on all new Liquid Natural Gas Export Terminals (LNG). It’s a major victory – if it lasts – though some argue that its an election-year ploy. In other climate news, Greta Thunberg joined other climate protesters in a direct action against private jets. Climate Defiance is raising a ruckus with disruptive protests at the quiet gatherings of the rich and powerful. Activists who threw soup on glass shield protecting the Mona Lisa have spurred yet another argument over tactics.
In more Nonviolence News, Australia held “Invasion Day” protests in support of the First Nations, the Stop Cop City campaign held actions against the corporations backing the police training facility in Atlanta, Austrians took a page out of Germany’s book and held their own mass rallies against the far-right. Peruvians are outraged over the privatization of Machu Picchu and have organized strikes, blockades and other protests of the private financial conglomerate charging high ticket prices. And they’re not the only ones opposing privatization; Greek students took to the streets in opposition of a private university scheme.
This is definitely a good week to take some time to read the entire 56-story round-up of Nonviolence News. If you’re short on time, even scanning the headlines will give you a sense of how people around the world are rising up against a wide range of injustices. We may be a world in turmoil, but part of the upheaval is the beautiful trouble of people demanding change.
In solidarity,
Rivera Sun
Photo Credit: University of Texas students protest for a ceasefire in Gaza.
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French Farmers Tractor Blockades Win Concessions: Two major French farmers unions called off the road blocks surrounding Paris as the French government made concessions to their demands. The protesters began lifting roadblocks following government promises of cash and eased regulation. (Note: Other farmer protests continue throughout Europe.) Read more>>
President Biden Pauses All New LNG Export Terminals: The climate movement pushed President Biden to stand up to Big Oil and stop the largest fossil fuel buildout in United States history: over 20 new LNG export facilities, including the controversial CP2 project. But a pause can be unpaused, they warn, and and this is just the beginning. Read more>>
Local Governments Are Pledging to Cancel Medical Debt for Residents: New York City is the latest to join the growing initiative, pledging to pay down $2 billion in debt. They are partnering with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit group that uses private donor funds to buy up and forgive patient debt. Read more>>
Washington State University Student Employees Ratify First Union Contract: After a successful strike lasting mere hours, the Academic Student Employees at Washington State University (WSU) have voted to ratify their historic first union contract by an overwhelming margin. The contract enshrines huge wage increases, new rights and protections. Read more>>
Norway Rewilds Old Coal Mine: An Arctic mining site in Norway is being returned to nature in one of the country’s biggest-ever natural restoration projects. Svea has been returned to its natural state at a cost of around 1.6 billion Norwegian kroner (€1.35 million). It is the country’s largest-ever natural restoration project. Read more>>
In Peru, Protesters Say ‘Machu Picchu Is Not For Sale!’ The government has been met with strikes, blockades and other protests after giving the concession to sell tickets to Machu Picchu to a private financial conglomerate. Just the commission on the tickets exceeds the entire budget to maintain Machu Picchu. Read more>>
The Heroes Fighting For Public Education: In the face of far-right extremist groups like Moms for Liberty, “school moms” have become the frontline defenders of education for all. Read more>>
Newton Schools Closed Again As Teachers Strike Stretches Into Another Week: The Newton, MA, teachers strike will cancel classes for a seventh day on Monday. They are entering the second full week on strike after no agreement was reached over the weekend to get students back into classrooms, while tensions are running high as both sides accuse each other of not bargaining in good faith. Read more>>
20+ NGOs Condemn ‘Reckless’ Decision to Cut Off UNRWA Aid: “Countries must reverse these funding suspensions, uphold their duties towards the Palestinian people, and scale up humanitarian assistance for civilians in dire need in Gaza and the region.” Read more>>
Australian Parliament Members Try To Save Julian Assange: An Australian parliamentary group has written to the U.K. home secretary calling for a probe into the risks to Assange’s health should he be extradited. Watch here>>
Meet The Communities Trying To Take Over Their Local Electric Utility: Activists say public power would lower bills and expand clean energy. But they face tough opposition from investor-owned utilities. Read more>>
Romanians Join Europe’s Agricultural & Transportation Protests: In Romania, the European Union country with the highest number of farmers (about 3.5 million, according to the European Commission), members of the agriculture and transportation sectors have been protesting since January 10, often in groups of tractors and trucks in locations around the country. Their 47 demands, which are outlined in a 20-page document submitted to the government, include reducing diesel tax, lowering mandatory civil liability insurance for motor vehicles (RCA) and ending what is seen as unfair competition from Ukraine. Read more>>
Greek Students Hit The Streets To Protest Against Private Universities: For the third consecutive week, Greek student and youth groups and other progressive sections hit the streets, denouncing the conservative New Democracy (ND) government’s bid to open private universities. On Thursday, January 25, massive protest rallies were held in more than 40 cities, including Athens. They say it will be detrimental to the interests of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and downgrade the value of degrees in government institutions. Read more>>
‘Condé Nast Bosses Wear Prada — And the Workers Get Nada!’ “The bosses wear Prada, and the workers get nada!” chanted hundreds of News Guild CWA workers out on a one-day strike against Condé Nast, the publishing juggernaut that owns iconic titles like Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and Bon Appetite. Read more>>
Greta Thunberg Joins Hundreds Marching in England to Protest Airport’s Expansion for Private Planes: Climate activist Greta Thunberg has joined a march in southern England to protest the use of private jets and the expansion of an airport. “We’re not going to let this continue. We’re not going to let the rich few who are responsible for the majority of aviation emissions get away with sacrificing people and the planet,” she added. Read more>>
The Climate Activists Fending Off Cane-Wielding Country Club Members: Climate Defiance is staging viral encounters with politicians and business leaders they say are complicit in global warming — and making change. The tactics of Climate Defiance turn quiet gatherings of the rich and the powerful — fundraisers, roundtables, and fireside chats that otherwise might proceed with little notice — into viral, video confrontations that travel widely on social media, racking up millions of views. The people in the room are often not necessarily the intended audience — clicks and media coverage are top-of-mind — though there’s growing evidence that some officials targeted in Climate Defiance’s actions are listening. Read more>>
Trial of Land Defenders Fighting the Coastal GasLink Pipeline is Put on Hold as Canadian Police Come Under Scrutiny for Excessive Force: The defense for three activists from First Nations argues abuse of process by security forces around the pipeline construction site, as the U.N. and Amnesty International allege excessive force, surveillance and criminalization of land defenders. Read more>>
Climate Change Activists Aim Soup At ‘Mona Lisa’ In Paris Louvre: Climate activists on Sunday threw soup at the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous paintings in the world, shouting slogans advocating for a sustainable food system. Read more>>
Mom Denied Bail After Halting Mountain Valley Pipeline Drilling: Early Monday morning, Appalachian author and mother Madeline ffitch locked herself to a Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) drill on the Virginia side of Peters Mountain in the Jefferson National Forest, preventing MVP from drilling under the Appalachian Trail. Nearby, a rally of supporters gathered on a Forest Service road. Banners at each site read “MOUNTAIN MAMAS SAY NO MVP,” and “MOMS OF THE WORLD UNITE – STOP THE PIPELINE.” Read more>>
Meet The Young Peruvians Fighting In Court For Climate Action: Seven youth plaintiffs, ages ranging from 14 to 16, argue that the state is violating their right to a healthy environment by failing to curb Amazon deforestation and mitigate climate change. Read more>>
Across The United States, Houses of Worship Are Going Solar: Across the country, houses of worship are pursuing solar systems. As of 2021, about 2 percent of houses of worship in the United States have solar systems, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which the University of California manages for the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s disproportionately high; houses of worship make up only 0.6 percent of all non-residential buildings. Read more>>
The Role Of Climate-Smart Agriculture In Guyana’s Push To Reduce Food Imports: As Guyana plays its part in achieving the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) goal of reducing 25 percent of the region’s food imports by 2025, the country is turning to climate-smart agriculture techniques as a means of sustainably increasing food production. Shade houses and hydroponics farms are proving to be efficient agricultural models. Read more>>
Huge Invasion Day Rallies In Australia: Tens of thousands of people at Australia’s many January 26 Invasion Day rallies demonstrated that the movement for First Nations rights has not been demoralised by the “No” vote in last year’s Voice referendum and has grown to recognize the similar plight of the Palestinians. Read more>>
Muslim and Arab-American Voters Show Black People How to Exercise Political Power: Black voters feel trapped in the duopoly but other groups are giving a master class in political courage. The Abandon Biden campaign shows the way. Read more>>
Arab, Muslim Leaders in Michigan Refuse to Meet Biden Campaign: “I will not entertain conversations about elections while we watch a livestreamed genocide backed by our government,” said Dearborn’s mayor. Read more>>
Protesting The Corporations Behind Cop City: Last week, community members in California, Colorado, Georgia, and other states took part in the Stop Cop City week of action. They held actions to pressure corporations like Home Depot and UPS to end their involvement with Cop City—and stay out of policing in our communities. See photos here>>
Countering the DEI Backlash: It’s been less than four years since the police killing of George Floyd sparked a racial justice uprising and prompted a mainstream embrace of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in corporate hiring, government, and the classroom. But the backlash to DEI efforts has been swift. Here’s how groups are counteracting it. Read more>>
Following Germany’s Mass Protests, Tens of Thousands Of Austrians Denounce Right-Wing Extremism: Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Austria on Friday to protest against right-wing extremism and racism, inspired by similar rallies in neighboring Germany. In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands have joined the German protests against the far-right AfD party, after its members were revealed to have discussed a mass deportation plan at a meeting with extremists. Read more>>
Rights Groups Urge Biden to Stop ‘Political Games’ and End Cruelty at the Border: “The idea that 5,000 or even 10,000 people might overwhelm us trivializes both what our government is capable of and our nation’s capacity to welcome. Those of us living at the border know this,” said one El Paso-based advocate. Read more>>
The Pioneering Maasai Women Ending All-Male Leadership Of The Land: In one Kenyan reserve, women are taking up roles that give them a say in community life and protecting the land they depend on – inspiring a new generation to follow in their footsteps. ‘We said, there must be ladies.” Read more>>
A South Korean Woman Adopts Her Best Friend: Refusing the traditional married life, a 43-year old woman in Seoul adopts her 38-year old friend and roommate as her daughter as a way for Korean law to recognize them as family. South Koreans are increasingly pushing the government to accept a broader range of companionships as family, such as unmarried couples or friends living together, and demanding rights and services available to conventional family units. Women are often at the forefront of this push with a growing number of so-called “no-marriage women” choosing to stay single, defying the traditional pressure to marry, and look after a family. Read more>>
French Government Seeks To Guarantee Women’s Right To Abortion Within Constitution: France’s National Assembly is taking up a bill on Tuesday meant to enshrine a woman’s right to an abortion in the French Constitution, the first key step in a legislative process that also requires a vote in the Senate. The measure has been promised by President Emmanuel Macron following a rollback of abortion rights in the United States. Read more>>
Boulder Advocates Rally For Greater Access To Abortion Rights In Colorado: More than 100 reproductive rights supporters gathered signatures for a state ballot initiative and spoke out at a rally on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall Saturday as part of an effort to enshrine and expand abortion access in Colorado. Read more>>
Champion Figure Skater Makes History & Unfurls Pride Flag During Gold Medal Ceremony: Amber Glenn became the first out woman ever to win the U.S. Figure Skating title. She draped herself in the Progress Pride Flag as she posed with the gold medal. Read more>>
US Court Hears Case Alleging Biden Complicit in Israel’s Genocide in Gaza: “We are watching a genocide unfold in Gaza in real time and, despite the government’s view that a U.S. court can do nothing about it, CCR and our clients argue that it certainly can and it absolutely must!” said one advocate. Read more>>
Biden Campaign Speech Disrupted 14 Times By Pro-Palestinian Protesters: The protestors appeared to have been coordinated. The demonstrators stood up and shouted from different sections of the auditorium at different moments. Outside the crowd greeted Biden’s motorcade with shouts of “Shame on you!” Read more>>
Influential Group Of Black Churches Push For Cease-fire In Gaza As Pelosi Calls It ‘Putin’s Message’: An influential group of more than 1,000 black pastors with thousands of congregants are calling on President Joe Biden and his administration to push for a cease-fire in Gaza as the war between Israel and Hamas deepens, but former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the call for a ceasefire is the message of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read more>>
Group of Federal Employees Causes Firestorm After ‘Walking Out’ Over Biden’s Israel Policies: A group of federal employees is facing pushback after organizing a protest against the Biden administration’s policies regarding the Israel-Gaza war, with top Republican lawmakers suggesting their actions should result in their removal. Feds United for Peace, a group that says it represents employees at more than two-dozen agencies, implored federal workers to take leave on Jan. 16 as a form of opposition to the U.S. government’s resolute support of Israel in the face of tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza. Read more>>
Groups Intensify Global Push for Gaza Cease-Fire After ICJ Ruling: “An immediate cease-fire by all parties remains essential and—although not ordered by the court—is the most effective condition to implement the provisional measures and end unprecedented civilian suffering.” Read more>>
SEIU Calls for Cease-Fire, Joins UAW and a Shifting Labor Movement: “SEIU members understand that working people often feel the impact of war most deeply and bear the brunt of its terrible consequences.” “SEIU’s almost 2 million members believe that wherever violence, fear, and hatred thrive, working people cannot,” said Mary Kay Henry, the union’s president, in a statement. Read more>>
American Federation of Teachers Joins Call for Gaza Cease-Fire: The union’s executive council called for a cease-fire after months of pressure from educators across the United States. The result of “significant” input from rank-and-file members of the American Federation of Teachers from across the United States, the 1.72 million-strong union’s executive council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Read more>>
How To Read The ICJ Decision And End Genocide, War And Settler Colonialism: A better understanding of the legalese inherent to international law mandates reveals the tools activists can use to organize more strategically for Palestinian freedom. Read more>>
Texas AFL-CIO Becomes First State Labor Federation To Call For Ceasefire In Gaza: The Texas AFL-CIO passed a resolution on Monday during its Committee on Political Education (COPE) Conference calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of all hostages and non-violent political prisoners. Read more>>
A Decade of World BEYOND War: World BEYOND War has spent 10 years working to abolish ALL war. They are a collective of regional activist chapters who organize local community events all over the planet. They run an online school and a media platform that publishes original research and broadcasts messages for our enthusiastic readers to interact with, share and amplify. They’re a growing movement to achieve the seemingly impossible. Listen here>
Hot? Hungry? Step Inside These Food Forests: In cities like Tucson, Arizona, neighbors are planting trees to provide shade — and food. Volunteers, school teachers, and urban farmers in cities across the country are planting fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and other edible plants in public spaces to create shade, provide access to green space, and supply neighbors with free and healthy food. These food forests, forest gardens, and edible parks have sprouted up at churches, schools, empty lots, and street corners in numerous cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Miami. Read more>>
Biologist Sails Around The World To Get Home After Refusing To Fly Due To Climate Crisis: In a time of craziness, taking a crazy action is the only sane thing to do. He was stranded after his institute told him to fly home. He didn’t. “I’m proud I stood by my principles even if that meant losing my job, my home, lots of money. I gained much more. I learned that in every moment of need someone will come to help in any place I am. Depending on others is my empowerment.” Watch the video here>>
Fed Up With Inaction, Rail Unions Draft And Push Their Own Safety Plan: Fed up with the big Class I freight railroads’ incessant drive to put profits over people, and safety, and with federal regulators’ piecemeal and often pro-corporate responses, a coalition of rail freight unions issued a comprehensive analysis of the problem, with key recommendations to the government to force the carriers to put people first. Read more>>
The Climate Action Almanac: The Climate Action Almanac brings together top science fiction authors with researchers, artists, scientists, and advocates from around the world to share visions of positive climate futures. These works of fiction, nonfiction, and art chart pathways toward a vibrant, decarbonized future. They are grounded in real science and honor local particularities, insisting upon equity and justice and imagining efforts that could be scaled out for coordinated global change. Read more>>
Climate Change Is Still Overlooked in Fashion Schools. It’s Time to Change That. A sustainable fashion industry is not possible until fashion education first embodies sustainability, here’s how students can demand that change. Read more>>
Strategy Is A Craft: By looking at the strengths and weaknesses of each organizing lineage, and challenging practitioners to think about how their own methods connect with a larger web of activity, Bhargava and Luce – authors of Practical Radicals – hope to cultivate “organizers who hold big visions for transforming society and are willing to do what it takes to win in the real world.” Read more>>
Understanding The Pillars of Support To Protect Democracy: Watch this short, 5-min video focused on what pillars of support are, why they matter, and what it means to both engage and pressure key pillars as part of pro-democracy organizing that reaches beyond the base. Read more>>
What Is Cultural Appropriation? Why It’s Problematic and How to Avoid It: Everything you need to know about cultural appropriation, from examples of what it is, to how to be respectful of other cultures. Read more>>
‘Dangerous’: Pelosi Calls for FBI to Investigate Cease-Fire Supporters: “She is calling for effectively more surveillance and potential criminalization of protestors by suggesting (falsely) that they have foreign links,” said one critic. Read more>>
The Powerful Appeal of Violence — And The Need To Counter It: Once the decision is made to use violence, there are immediate consequences: victory at any price becomes the goal. Not justice, liberation, reconciliation, or peace. Read more>>
Join The Feb 5 Transit Equity Day: Barriers to safe and affordable public transit remain, making it harder for people — particularly people of color and the poor — to get to jobs, school, and wherever else they need to go. Inadequate public transit also exacerbates climate change. On this year’s February 5 Transit Equity Day, bus riders, trade unionists, and climate justice organizers will be rallying across the country in cities facing big cuts in transit funding. They’ll also be holding a livestream event at 3 p.m. EST. Learn more about how you can get involved at the link below. Learn more>>
Book Group To Understand & End The War In Ukraine: In March 2024, World BEYOND War will be holding a weekly discussion each of four weeks of War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J.S. Davies with a preface by Katrina Vanden Heuvel. Learn more>>
Pilgrimage for Peace: Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC #CeasefireNow: Join a coalition of faith leaders, artists, and activists on a Pilgrimage for Peace to demand a Ceasefire in Gaza. From February 14 to February 21, 2024, faith leaders, activists, and artists will march from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA to the White House in Washington, DC to urge President Biden call for an end to the war in Palestine. (Feb 14) Learn more>>
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