Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun
It’s been a rough week. Nonviolence News stories got me through it. Why? Because my fellow human beings around the world have shown that tyrants, dictators, and authoritarians don’t get the last word. They’ve lived up to Gandhi’s quote: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall … think of it, always.”
Nonviolence News connected me to stories like the 2020-2021 India Farmer Protests – the largest in human history – and how 250 million people joined a general strike to get the right-wing Modi Government to repeal the Farm Bill. In 2024, Bangladeshi citizens launched mass protests against the militarism and favoritism in the jobs quota system, leading to the fall of the 20-year-long authoritarian regime and the instatement of a Nobel Prize winning exile. In 2019, right-wing protesters destabilized Bolivia in the wake of a contested election, forced the sitting president to flee the country, and took power. Indigenous people set up road blockades across the country, halted the rollout of discriminatory right-wing policies, and successfully demanded a new election. Each time, people like us faced immense odds, mobilized mass movements, and won.
As the United States faces increasingly repressive conditions and an authoritarian state tilted against human rights, migrant justice, environmental action, economic justice, and democracy, these stories provide knowledge, lessons, and inspiration. We may feel like we’re isolated and alone, but we’re not. Around the world, humans throughout history and in current times have been in our shoes. Their stories can help us now.
Just look at this week’s collection. You’ll find inspiration in the Boeing machinists who refused to settle for half-measures and won a historic contract. You’ll discover a wise strategy in the Palestinian solidarity group who pressured a lobbying firm to stop working for weapons makers. You’ll see encouraging change in a report on how the European Union cut greenhouse gas emissions by 8.3%, bringing their total electricity sources to 43% renewables. You’ll learn how to identify discriminatory anti-protest laws from the campaign to protect protests in DC residential neighborhoods (where the politicians live). You’ll find creative tactics to spark your strategic imagination from the Halloween Party protest at the ‘vampire’ Shell Oil Company’s headquarters to the rainforest filing copyrights on a musical collaboration.
Nonviolence News exists to break through the fear, isolation, and hopelessness that tyrants want us to feel. Catch courage from these stories. Then pass it on.
In solidarity,
Rivera Sun
The lobbying company APCO Worldwide ended their business relationship with Israel’s largest weapons makers, Elbit Systems. The decision comes in the face of powerful, relentless direct action by Palestine Action at Elbit’s factory and a recent campaign of disruptive direct actions at APCO’s London offices. It’s a smart move to put the pressure on lobbyist companies – they’re the ones wheeling and dealing with politicians in order to secure funding for weapons companies. Peace activists should make it hard for such agencies to make money in the war machine. Read more>>
Boeing machinists held strong for nearly two months, rejecting inadequate deals to win a contract that sets new standards for both their industry and workers in general. By not buckling and accepting the earlier, less favorable terms, 33,000 machinists achieved a 38% wage increase, a $12,000 signing bonus, improvements to working conditions, and a job security commitment from the company. It’s a lesson many of our movements need to find the moral courage to follow. Don’t flinch in the face of injustice. Hold out for the justice, equality, freedom, and changes we need. Read more>>
Passing a good law is just one step on the road to social justice. People also need to know about it and know how to use it. That’s why a constructive campaign called the Rhode Island Cannabis Coalition was created to help citizens engage with a 2022 law that mandates that half of the cannabis licenses awarded per geographic zone must go to social equity applicants and worker cooperatives. The requirement is meant to create racial and economic justice within the cannabis industry in Rhode Island. Read more>>
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum made some bold moves against privatization of public services and national resources by de-privatizing two major oil and energy companies. Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) is dedicated to the extraction and commercialization of oil and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) provides electricity and internet to Mexicans. Both will now be fully controlled by the federal government. Her government is also working for the Mexican State to regain full rights over passenger railroads. Read more>>
An East Los Angeles community group has wracked up another win against privatization of public schools and gentrification of neighborhoods. With key support from Los Ruco, a group of retired Chicanos who canvassed door-to-door, attended meetings, and spoke out against the project, Centro CSO rallied the neighborhood against a plan for a new charter school. Along with the Los Angeles Teachers Union, they have been resisting incursions from this and other charter school companies for years. Centro CSO began with the historic 1968 LA Blowouts, when thousands of Chicano high school students walked out of class in protest against racial discrimination Read more>>
Boycotts work. In West Asia – Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, parts of Turkey, and other regional nations – people have been boycotting US restaurant chains over US military funding and support for Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, and related attacks. Americana Restaurants, West Asia’s largest fast-food operator, reported a 48.2 percent decline in profits this quarter. They represent brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Baskin Robbins, Costa Coffee, and Krispy Kreme. Could parallel boycotts worldwide and in the United States stand in solidarity with them? Read more>>
The European Union managed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 8.3% this year – one of the largest declines in decades and largely due to a substantial increase in renewable energy production. Renewables now account for 45% of electricity production in the EU. It’s a hopeful sign … but there’s a lot further to go. Read more>>
Washington DC passed a temporary 90-day bill that restricts protests in residential neighborhoods. Specifically targeting things like megaphones after 7pm while not limiting loud parties, the law is viewed as anti-constitutional and repressive of protesters. The group Defending Rights & Dissent has been pushing back on the law – which even has a dystopian name: the Residential Tranquility Act (Orwell would approve) – and plans to continue to mobilize to get it repealed. The passage of the act comes as DC politicians find their homes increasing subject to citizens trying to make their voices heard as the halls of Congress turn deaf ears on them. Read more>>
Just Stop Oil ‘redecorated’ the front of the US embassy in London in protest of the 2024 US presidential election that declared Donald Trump the winner. Stating that politicians will not save us from the climate crisis, Just Stop Oil is demanding an end to the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. Read more>>
The 28 million deaf individuals in China don’t share a common sign language, like ASL (American Sign Language). The government has been working to standardize CSL (Chinese Sign Language), but not everyone agrees that’s the right strategy. Early efforts by the government were difficult to learn and less intuitive than the signs the Deaf community developed on their own. Can the right balance between shared language and community-led creation be found? Read more>>
The US State Department and tech giants banned 2.5 million subscribers from accessing African Sream, a Pan-Africanist, anti-imperialist digital media outlet that had as many as hundreds of millions of people watching, engaging and sharing its journalism. Now, several African-led grassroots organizations and independent media outlets have come together to launch the Coalition to Defend African Stream and demand African Stream’s reinstatement. Read more>>
Thousands rally in the nation of Georgia, refusing to acknowledge the results of the recent parliamentary election. Protesters claim Russian interference brought the billionaire-backed Georgian Dream party into power. Read more>>
Shell Oil is a vampire – and when the London office announced the company’s third quarter profits, climate activists turned out in Halloween costumes to denounce the ‘bloodsucking’ business driving the world toward climate extinction. Read more>>
Greta Thunberg arrived in a post-election, protest-filled Georgia, where she commented on being turned back at the border of Azerbaijan en route to the COP29 climate summit. She also continued to speak about how climate activism and human rights are connected, saying, “In countries like Sweden, many people are surprised when you talk about how climate activism, the LGBTQ movement, and human rights are interconnected. But in countries where people face repression and rights violations every day, activists see a clearer connection. Of course, we can’t talk about the climate until our fundamental human rights are met. ‘We can’t talk about the climate if we can’t go out on the street and hold a sign,’ they say. Unfortunately, the climate crisis is extremely urgent, so it has to happen simultaneously. Climate activism and human rights are united.” Read more>>
Laying salt at the feet of the world’s most famous anti-colonialist, Just Stop Oil recruited a Gandhi statue to their cause of protesting fossil fuels. With speech bubble signs urging people to “Be the Change – Just Stop Oil”, the action called upon the UK government to work with others to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. Read more>>
Greenpeace International commissioned an 8,000-person global survey that revealed that most of the world wants oil and gas companies to pay for climate damage. “As governments debate how to finance climate action, they can be confident that making polluters pay is not only fair, but also far more popular and effective than placing the burden on ordinary citizens.” Read more>>
In Edinburgh, Scotland, a climate activist group called Tyre Extinguishers has been stenciling the message: ‘These cars kill Valencians’ onto SUVs in the wake of Spain’s devastating floods. The effort aims to highlight SUVs gas-guzzling, low efficiency and the connection of fossil fuels to the climate crisis. Read more>>
Want to see governments and politicians taking action on climate? Consider ranked-choice voting. The majority of citizens in the US think political leaders need to act immediately to address the climate crisis. Faced with political gridlock, ranked-choice voting offers a way to break through. What is it? Read on and find out. More than 50 cities and several states across the U.S. have already implemented it (including the state I live in). Read more>>
Organizers with the Poor People’s Army – a nonviolent campaign for economic justice led by poor people – speak about their vacant houses take-over campaigns. Reflecting on their new book, “Takeover: A Human Rights Approach to Housing”, they share tips from their step-by-step guide to occupying empty houses. Listen here>>
Massachusetts’ Millionaire’s Tax, the Fair Share Amendment, has helped fund education and transportation without stifling the economy. It shows a path forward for more equality, opportunity, and social justice for all. Read more>>
In a New Mexico town, a local pot grower handed out 25lbs of free cannabis in protest of Big Weed’s price spiking and unfair practices. Read more>>
Just before the US election, the New York Times Tech Guild – the union that powers the technology behind election coverage at The New York Times – walked off the job in a ULP strike that threatened Election Day. The tech workers had been bargaining with management, and protested that even with the importance of election coverage, the company was not taking their demands seriously. Read more>>
With signs that read “Bread Crumbs Don’t Pay Bills”, bakery workers at Franz Bakery in Springfield, Oregon, went on strike for a better contract that includes more reliable time off, higher wages, and new safety measures. Read more>>
Thousands of Indigenous Brazilians held demonstrations in the capitol and across 5 states to oppose a renewed effort to disenfranchise any tribes not recognized in the 1888 constitution. The amendment is backed by agribusiness interests with their eye on Indigenous-held lands. “We are fighting for life,” said one Indigenous leader. “We do not want our land to be exploited, we want to continue living in harmony with nature.” Read more>>
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe held a spiritual walk in opposition to the aging uranium mill, the last conventional uranium processing plant in operation in the United States. Now 30 years past the end of its lifetime, the Ute, along with other Indigenous tribes and allies are continuing to call for it to be shut down and cleaned up. Read more>>
Cherokee Middle School held an Every Child Matters Walk. “This event serves to raise awareness of the historical and ongoing impacts of residential schools on Indigenous communities. By walking together, our students expressed solidarity with Indigenous families and reinforced the importance of honoring the lives affected, acknowledging their resilience, and promoting healing and understanding within our community.” Watch here>>
From 1951-1997, incarcerated men and women, mostly Black, were horrifically exploited in the Holmesburg Prison experiments for pharmaceutical, dermatological, and biological weapons research. Today, activists and survivors gathered at the University of Pennsylvania explore reparations and the need for public education. Read more>>
On November 2, Iranian Ahou Daryaei took off all her clothing and walked into the streets in her underwear. It was a protest of her assault by members of the Basij paramilitary force, which enforces the country’s stringent dress code. In 2022, the murder of Mahsa Amini in custody of the morality police sparked immense nationwide protests. Daryaei’s defiance, a video of which was shared on social media, decries Iran’s draconian repression and abuse of women, as well as the mandatory hijab laws. Read more>>
Women formerly incarcerated in the Rikers Island Prison urged New York City officials to address sexual abuse by staff. “You hear our stories, you hear our pain, you hear our trauma. We tell it over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again,” said Donna Hylton, who alleges a female captain raped her when she was a teenager at Rikers in the 1980s. “When will we be heard? When will we be believed?” She is one of over 700 women who have sued the city over sexual assaults while in custody. Read more>>
In the face of censorship and repressive climates, educators in Texas, Vermont, and New York have found ways to address LGBTQIA+ justice in their classrooms. Read more>>
The murder of Marielle Francos, a city councillor in Brazil, shocked and enraged the populace. Now, her legacy is helping to motivate renewed campaigns to protect women and racial minorities from political violence. Read more>>
Bristol, UK, residents picked up the protest baton from Palestine Action and held a direct action blockade against Elbit Systems, a key weapons manufacturer for Israel. Palestine Action has been holding a years-long campaign against the factory and now the locals are joining in. Read more>>
Protests break out in Israel over Netanyahu’s firing of defense minister. The two have been at odds over Gaza, with the minister saying its time for strategic ceasefires and hostage returns. Tens of thousands of people, including the families of many hostages, joined the anti-government protests and accused Netanyahu of rejecting ceasefire deals to stay in power. Read more>>
Over 800 people have been detained and jailed for joining protests in Israel calling for the release of hostages and critiquing Netanyahu’s approach to the attacks and war. Read more>>
101 BBC journalists signed a public letter saying the BBC is biased against Palestine and toward Israel and the Israeli narrative. Read more>>
The Sam Adams Associates honored deceased United States Air Force Senior Airman Aaron Bushnell as the recipient of the 2024 Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence. Bushnell self-immolated at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25, 2024, in protest of Israel’s assault on Gaza and Palestinians. Read more>>
Members of the Global Journey for Peace and Non-Violence arrived in Kannur, India. This year-long traveling march will circumnavigate the globe before returning to Costa Rica in 2025. The arrival of the coordinating team became a unifying moment for local activists dedicated to peace and non-violence. Read more>>
After banning a Hispanic professor from the library for a silent solidarity demonstration with students who were suspended for protesting for Palestinians, Harvard University then proceeded to kick the professors (and 23 others) out of their loud and raucous Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. The professor wrote, “Over 40,000 deaths. Dead children. Dead parents. Dead teachers. Dead students. This Day of the Dead, the Harvard Library opened the doors of its West Stacks Reading Room to all those hoping to “gather to celebrate our departed loved ones” — except for those who had gathered there before to remember departed Palestinians.” Read more>>
A forest in Ecuador is petitioning (with its human partners) for copyright recognition on a musical composition. The Los Cedros cloud, a 15,000-acre forest has been recognized as having personhood. So, can it be a cocreator of a piece of music? These creatives intended to find out. Read more>>
In prison, simple things like book clubs can be a profound act of nonviolence, helping people cope with decades-long or lifetime sentences, offering connection to knowledge, wisdom, and healing. They can also offer group members a sense of belonging and purpose. Read more>>
Cape Town, South Africa, hosted a colorful kite festival to raise awareness of mental health issues. Read more>>
A campaign against billionaire agribusiness Cargill has used newspaper ads, visits to headquarters by Indigenous, and most recently, a mural 11 stories tall that was painted with the ashes of burst rainforests and mud from mudslides. The good news? Cargill is starting to pay attention. Read more>>
Here are 7 lessons for organizers from some of the most recent mass protests to bring about remarkable change: Bangladesh’s Quota Reform Protests. Read more>>
If you’ve seen the white poppies in remembrance of all victims of war, then you know the work of the Peace Pledge Union. Marking it’s 90th year in the world, it remains a leading voice in promoting pacifism and nonviolence, and resisting militarism and the causes of war. “War is a crime against humanity. I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war. I am also determined to work for the removal of all causes of war.” Read more>>
With election violence on everyone’s minds, Peace Science Digest released a special issue with reports and analysis on what causes it and how to prevent it or deal with it. Read more>>
Native Americans have faced tyrants before – not only during colonization, but also in ancient times. Here’s how some of them worked for democracy. “As they formed these new and more dispersed societies, the people who had overthrown or fled the great cities and their too powerful leaders sought to avoid mesmerizing leaders who made tempting promises in difficult times. So they designed complex political structures to discourage centralization, hierarchy and inequality and encourage shared decision-making.” Read more>>
Radical therapists speak out: to transform our trauma, they say, we must nurture movements for change. “We really have a big opportunity right now to decide, within traumatic conditions and circumstances, how we are going to show up, again and again, for ourselves and each other,” says Tanuja Jageranauth. Read more>>
Tell The Worlds’ Governments To End The Genocide: The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to cease its genocidal acts. Use this form to write to all government consulates (205 emails will be sent with one click) to the UN to tell them at long last to act in a manner worthy of the crisis at hand. Learn more>>
Stop Arming Israel – Joint Resolution Days of Action: Using a tool called a ‘Congressional Joint Resolution of Disapproval,’ Congress can block some or all deadly weapons from pouring into the war in Gaza. The US Senate has an upcoming vote on the joint resolution. Take action to make sure it passes.(Nov 10-24) Learn more>>
Unarmed Peacekeeping Efforts In Palestine & Western Sahara: Hosted by Sami Awad, Co-Director of Nonviolence International, please join this historic webinar with experts directly involved in unarmed protection in the occupied territories. Are you interested in learning and maybe even being part of the historic and ongoing efforts of unarmed solidarity and civilian protection in Palestine and Western Sahara? (Nov 21) Learn more>>
Integrity: A Retreat on Principled Nonviolence: Principled nonviolence is the heart of change. In this special retreat, join others to reflect, study, and apply the depth of principles that have guided nonviolent change agents throughout history. We will explore the examples of M.K. Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh, Cesar Chavez, Jesus, Buddha, and many more. (Dec 8) Learn more>>
Hold Your Own Teach-In. This Network Will Help You: The Teach-In Network has access to dozens of experts available now by request to speak at your teach-in at absolutely no charge. Two toolboxes with expert speakers are currently available: “Gaza” and “How to Protest.” Use the forms in the toolboxes to request speakers. Additional toolboxes and speakers will be available soon. Learn more>>