Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun
Israeli Prime Minister’s visit to US Congress set off a firestorm of protests. Around half of the Democrats skipped his speech to congress. Several came in protest, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib who held up a sign that said “guilty of genocide” on one side and “war criminal” on the other. In the Rotunda, 400 American Jews held a sit-in protest (pictured) while outside thousands more protested in the streets of Washington, DC. While some politicians and news channels painted the protests as ‘anti-semitic and violent’, on-the-ground reports offered a very different picture.
Widespread opposition to US support for Israeli’s assault on Gaza (and now the West Bank) was a contributing factor to the calls that forced President Biden to resign from the presidential race. Pro-Palestinian activists say this is a chance for leading candidates (like Vice President Kamala Harris) to change course on the issue. Meanwhile, the movement for a ceasefire continues to take action, including protests to stop illegal land sales, Israel’s secret campaign to influence US congress members, and weapons shipments, funds, and sales by both governments and military contractors.
In other Nonviolence News, Bangladeshi protesters achieved some of their demands when a top court reigned in the quota program they’ve been opposing. Inspired by Kenyan protests, Ugandans held marches and demonstrations calling for their speaker to resign over corruption and economic conditions. Aid groups and migrants are trying to stop the ‘social cleansing’ happening in Paris amidst the 2024 Olympics. The ‘Oil Kills’ campaign coordinated climate actions at airports in 15 countries. Over 1000 people protested the police killing of a 13-year-old Asian-American child in Utica, New York. And on a holiday island in Germany, young punks have set up a summer-long protest encampment to raise social issues as the super-rich gather to party.
Take a look at all that’s going on. It’s impressive. And there’s much to learn from how our fellow humans are taking action.
For example, I liked the tenants union that is installing free air conditioners amidst record heat temperatures. Or the slogan of a US debtors’ union: You are not a loan. Or the amazing collection of articles from Waging Nonviolence on “Democracy Is A Verb” and how to defend it in these times.
Did you have a favorite story this week? Be sure to share it on social media or with a friend. That doubles its impact and is a gift of inspiration. Thank you.
In solidarity,
Rivera Sun
Photo Credit: 400 members of Jewish Voices For Peace protest Netanyahu’s visit to US Congress.
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First-Ever Ban On Multiple Toxic Chemicals In Menstrual Products: Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed into law the first-ever ban on phthalates, formaldehyde, mercury, and lead, with 13 other harmful chemicals and chemical classes in menstrual products. Vermont’s new law also restricts these same chemicals, including PFAS, in personal care products, which aligns with policies adopted in Washington, Oregon, California, and Maryland. Minnesota, Maine, and Colorado have also banned the entire class of PFAS “forever chemicals” in menstrual products. Read more>>
Uganda’s Generations Divided After Military Police Battle Gen-Z Protests: The divide in how people are receiving news and updates has caused a split between the generations. Gen Z locals have been raising their voices during this event. They’ve rallied on social media to make a change. Read more>>
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Calls Grow For Justice For Victims Of Australian Police Shootings: Australians held a rally to demand an end to police shootings. The rally called for a specific program where health responders are linked to Triple Zero calls. It said the government must fully fund supported accommodation for the mental health sector and called for police to be held accountable. Read more>>
Disability Activist Was Granted Freedom of the City – But Couldn’t Get On Stage To Accept It: ‘It’s illustrative of all the other violations of the Equality Act’. “It’s amazing how ableism can so quickly turn honor and celebration into insult and injury.” Read more>>
Inside The Struggle To Stop The ‘Social Cleansing’ of Paris For The Olympics: Aid groups and migrants are mobilizing to provide social services and block the eviction of the most vulnerable people in Paris ahead of the Olympics. Read more>>
How Animal Rights Are Progressing On the Latin American Continent: Caring for animals and respecting their rights is increasingly becoming a focal point for laws and government decisions, in response to a social trend which appears irreversible. This is especially true in Latin America, where much progress has been mad. Read more>>
A ‘High-Tech, Low-Cost’ Approach to Community Mental Health Care in India: Maanasi’s innovative, women-focused strategy has been so successful that it has already been copied in Kenya, Lithuania and elsewhere. Read more>>
Thousands Of Actions Planned With Campaign Nonviolence: Between September 21 and October 2, 2024, tens of thousands of people will take nonviolent action to protest violence, war, poverty, racism and environmental destruction as part of the 11th annual Campaign Nonviolence Action Days. Learn more>>
Oil Kills Is Taking Action At Airports: Hundreds of activists in 15 countries coordinated actions at airports – a key pillar of the fossil fuel economy – using direct action, paint, blockades, and much more. Read more>>
Just Stop Oil Supporters Arrested As International Uprising Begins: Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested at Heathrow. Just Stop Oil is demanding that the UK government works with other countries to establish a fossil fuel treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. Read more>>
Climate Defiance Blockades Of DNC Were First To Call For Biden To Step Aside: Climate Defiance was one of the first groups to use nonviolent action to demand that Biden withdraw from the presidential race following his disastrous debate with Trump. “We have blockaded the main entrance to the Democratic National Committee to demand the President step aside. Party elites in hiding – sneaking in through back doors or staying home. The old guard is falling. The people are rising. Buckle up.” Read more>>
Land Defenders Shut Down a Toxic Mine. Now Its Corporate Backers Want Damages. A Canadian firm is demanding $200 million in damages from Mexico following the cancellation of its mining concessions. But, having lied and asserted there were no Indigenous communities in the area, the company had its concessions canceled by the Mexican Supreme Court due to the legally required Indigenous consultation process not having occurred. That followed years of resistance by Nahua and Totonaco Indigenous communities in the affected municipality of Ixtacamaxtitlan, in the Sierra Norte mountains, concerned about irrversible environmental damage. Read more>>
After Two Weeks On Strike, Minneapolis Park Workers Stand Strong: Right from the start the attitude was one of feisty resolve from these workers. This is the first time in the Minneapolis Park Board’s 141 year history that the workers went on strike, and the strike was authorized by a 94% majority. Read more>>
America Federation of Teachers Signs On to UAW’s Push for 2028 General Strike: United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain applauded the teachers union for helping to push for a “mass movement” for workers’ rights. At the American Federation of Teachers’ annual convention in Houston on Wednesday, the AFT’s 1.8 million members got a round of applause from one of the country’s top union leaders—United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain, who has called on the U.S. labor movement to join a nationwide strike in 2028. Read more>>
‘Free School Meals For All’ Should Be a No Brainer: On Tuesday 23 July, campaigners, politicians, and trade unions gathered at parliament to call on the new Labour Party government to provide #FreeSchoolMealsForAll. Read more>>
“People’s Cooling Army” Installs Free Air Conditioners: Chicago tenant organizers are installing repaired AC units in low-income renters’ homes. And recruiting them to help form new tenant unions. Read more>>
“You Are Not A Loan!” Introducing the Nation’s First Debtors’ Union: Debtors’ unions, in solidarity with labor unions and tenants unions, are the organizing formations we need to dismantle genocidal racial capitalism. Read more>>
‘Economic and Moral Failing’: It’s Been 15 Years Since Last Federal Minimum Wage Hike: “Voters understand that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do, even if their elected officials in state legislatures and Washington, D.C. remain inactive.” Read more>>
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Introducing The Nation’s First Debtors’ Union: Debtors’ unions, in solidarity with labor unions and tenants unions, are the organizing formations we need to tap into the possibility and promise of debtors’ unions as a new form of collective power. Read more>>
The Future of Housing Organizing – Tenant Unions: The only answer to our housing crises is collective action. A growing movement of tenant unions promises a new front in the struggle for our homes. Read more>>
German Punks Launch ‘Invasion’ of Holiday Island Favored By Elite: Punks from across Germany have set up protest camp on Sylt to demonstrate against far right, economic exclusion and climate crisis. Read more>>
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Family Wants Answers After Medical Neglect of Incarcerated Son: In Atlanta, the family of Christon Collins held a rally and press conference to demand truth and accountability after viewing video footage of the death of their son in DeKalb County jail. Christon Collins fell in the common area of the prison and lay unmoving for 3 hours in the absence of guards, staff, or medical practitioners. There were over 30 deaths in Fulton and Dekalb County jails in the past year due to neglect and deadly conditions. Read more>>
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Photo by @gawanmac.
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Dominican Activists Protest Against a New Criminal Code That Would Maintain Total Abortion Ban: “We continue to fight,” said feminist activist Sergia Galván, who along with fellow protesters have asked for legal abortion when the woman’s life is at risk, when a pregnancy is the product of rape or incest, and in cases of fetal malformation incompatible with life. Read more>>
“Not in Our Name”: 400 Jewish Activists Arrested Protesting Netanyahu Address: Over a dozen rabbis were among the protesters arrested, wearing prayer shawls that said “Never Again for Anyone.” Read more>>
Protests Continue for Palestine as ICJ Rules Israeli Settlements Are Illegal: The 41st weekend of continuous protests across Australia against Israel’s genocidal onslaught against the people of Gaza came on the heels of a July 19 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem are “in violation of international law”. Read more>>
Netanyahu Protested As War Criminal On US Visit: In the US, Netanyahu is facing a number of protests and condemnation, including one from Jewish Voice for Peace in the congress building, and thousands demonstrating in the streets of DC. Over 100+ US legislators also boycotted his speech to Congress. Read more>>
UK Urged to Cut Off Arms Sales to Israel After Restoring UNRWA Funds: “While the U.K. is giving aid with one hand, it continues to send weapons used in the ongoing killing of civilians with the other,” said one advocate. Read more>>
Rights Groups Demand Biden Give Answers About Israel’s Secret Influence Campaign On Congress: Ahead of Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, rights groups decried the secret social media campaign to prop up support for Israel. Read more>>
Protesters Rally Against Sales of Stolen Palestinian Lands In Los Angeles: A rally held on July 22 near the official residence of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass protested sales of Palestinian lands stolen by the Zionist regime. Organizers of the event include Al-Awda, Unmute Humanity, Yalla Indivisible Co., Justice 4 Palestine, Free Democratic Palestine Movement, and Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice among many others. Read more>>
Singapore Files Charges Against Three Women For ‘Illegal’ Pro-Palestine Rally: “The simple act of Singaporeans peacefully delivering a letter to the President’s office must be respected and protected.” Read more>>
Around Half of Congress’ Democrats Skip Netanyahu Speech: Roughly half of House and Senate Democrats skipped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress. A handful of Netanyahu critics also showed up in protest. Read more>>
Anti-War, Pro-Palestine Activists Protest Outside Arms Conference: A vibrant anti-war protest outside the Indian Ocean Defence and Security (IODS) Conference on July 24 attracted more than 100 people. The protest was supported by Stop AUKUS WA, Friends of Palestine WA, Students for Palestine, Unionists for Palestine and Nuclear Free WA. Read more>>
Major Unions Urge Biden to Stop Arming Israel Amid Netanyahu Visit: The letter was signed by some of the largest unions in the U.S., including UAW, NEA and SEIU. They said it is time for the U.S. to use its leverage as Israel’s main weapons supplier, raising concerns that U.S. weapons are being used by Israeli forces to commit serious war crimes against Palestinians that warrant review under U.S. laws. Read more>>
Peace Activists Protest The Korean War That Hasn’t Ended: No peace treaty has been signed to officially end to this horrific war, which cost more than three million lives, displaced millions more, left the country’s major cities destroyed, traumatized generations of Koreans and left a nation divided. Korean peace activists are taking action around the world, including in Seoul, and New York City and Sydney. Read more>>
Kurdish Community Joins Global Protests Against Turkish Military: The Kurdish community joined global protests against the Turkish military’s latest incursion into Iraqi Kurdistan/Başûrê (Kurdish for “South Kurdistan”) with a rally on July 21 in Sydney, Australia. Read more>>
The Transformative Power of Urban Recipe’s Food Co-Op Model: Canveta Burke describes her food co-op experience as “food with dignity.” That phrase gets repeated by food co-op members and Urban Recipe staff over and over again because the alternative—the experience at the average US food pantry—can often be a trade of food for dignity. Read more>>
On July 4th, British Anti-War Activists Call For Independence From US War Machine: On US Independence Day (when they left the British Empire), a group of UK antiwar activists turned the tables around and called for their country to declare independence from the US war machine. 50 to 60 campaigners came together to question the “rationale for the presence of the National Security A and NRO at Menwith Hill in 2024” and to highlight “the lack of accountability of the base and its occupants.” Read more>>
Hollywood Group Pushes Movies Toward Nonviolent Solutions: Hollywood Health and Society (HHS) provides expert guidance for screenwriters, producers and actors about issues from HIV, to immigration, to gun violence. They have projects on the threat of nuclear war and the impact of military expenditures on our lives and wellbeing. In this interview Jamil and Kate discuss how HHS gets Hollywood writers to think differently, as well as shows and movies featuring compelling heroes without guns that you should be watching. Read more>>
How A Tech Professional’s Collective Shut Down Israel’s Extortion Website: An international collective called the Zionism Observer took down an IDF extortion website and reverse-engineered its Evacuation Map website. And it was easier than you might think. Read more>>
A New Guide To Defending Democracy With Nonviolent Action: A unique activist website helped defend the US’ 2020 elections. Now they’re releasing a a collection of resources, divided into sections highlighting: conversations with experienced organizers and movement thinkers, original reporting and analysis from the frontlines of the democracy struggle, a look back at our 2020 coverage and more from their archives. Read more>>
We Need Political Nonviolence Now More Than Ever: After the shooting at former President Trump’s campaign rally, many people rushed to say that “political violence has no place in our democracy.” Let’s go even further and boldly say: political nonviolence is essential for democracy. Read more>>
Bangladesh Protests Can Draw On Rich History of Student Activism To Broaden Movement: If protests in Bangladesh are to become a wider movement, they must draw on a rich history of student activism: The student leaders say the protests will continue until all those detained are freed and the officials who ordered the crackdown resign. The protests reflects deeper issues in the country around political freedom, government accountability and fair access to opportunities. The question now is whether students sustain the movement for broader change in the country. Editor’s Note: There have been uses of violence amidst the Bangladesh Protests. We will follow this closely and provide an update about whether this movement will continue as a nonviolent campaign or not. Read more>>
Arrest Student Protesters, Wait Or Negotiate? Colleges can use ‘ladder of harm’ to determine appropriate response to Gaza protests on campus: University presidents across the U.S. may be forced to make difficult and controversial decisions: Should they tolerate youthful civil disobedience, quash dissent or seek peaceful resolutions? This research on civil disobedience, deliberation and democracy offers a way to parse this important question. Read more>>
Mass Protest & The Missing Revolution of the 2010s: Vincent Bevins is the author of The Jakarta Method and If We Burn, which traces the “missing revolution” that followed years of mass protest in the 2010s. In it, he explores common themes organizers noticed, like the value and shortcomings of decentralized movements. Read more>>
How To Build the Power To Win: The Power to Win report interviewed and surveyed close to 300 organizers about what power is, what it isn’t, and whether we have it. Read more>>
The Ten Components of Good Strategy: Never Again Action’s Serena Adlerstein proposes a framework for understanding strategy that aims to give organizers what they need to build more resilient, and effective, organizations. Read more>>
Something Old, Something New – The Arc of Organizational Resilience: Kim Fellner draws on her experience with the National Organizers Alliance to look at the persistence—and shifts—of the challenges movement organizations face. Read more>>
Extinction Rebellion Announces ‘Mass Occupation’ To Upgrade Democracy: Extinction Rebellion UK has responded to the general election result by inviting people to join Upgrade Democracy. It will be a three-day mass occupation of a high-profile location from Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September. Learn more>>
Global Week of Action for Peace and Climate Justice: The first annual Week of Action for Peace and Climate Justice will address the links between war, militarism and climate injustice, promoting grassroots action and policy making for peace and climate justice. This year’s theme is divest from war – invest in climate justice!(Sep 21-28) Learn more>>
Campaign Nonviolence Action Days: From Sept 21 to Oct 2, 2024, (Int’l Day of Peace to Int’l Day of Nonviolence), join tens of thousands of people in creatively building a culture of peace rooted in active nonviolence. Last year, people held over 5,000 actions, events, and marches across the USA and in 20 countries. Over 60,000 people participated in these events. In 2024, join us in advancing peace and nonviolence, and addressing the entwined issues of violence, war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. (Sep 21 – Oct 2) Learn more>>
How to Support Palestinians? Boycott, Divest from, and Sanction Israel: Sumaya Awad of the Adalah Justice Project explains BDS, its urgency, and why it is essential for ending Israel’s policies of genocide and apartheid. Learn more>>