Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun It’s a busy week in Nonviolence News. The stories are varied and diverse, though they share a common theme of people getting fed up with constant injustice. Tunisia’s unions took action against the rising cost-of-living. They’re not alone: Moldova erupted with protests against high fuel prices, the United Kingdom’s strikes…
Germans vs. Coal Mine, Handknit Protest, Cutting Rich People’s Power (Literally) & X-Country Skiing To Defend a Forest
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun A picture can capture the impossible odds that nonviolent activists often face. Lützerath was a small German village threatened by a dirty deal that allowed a coal mine to expand, ultimately destroying the whole village. It’s a sobering allegory for the entire climate crisis. At Lützerath, 40,000 people mobilized to…
Britain Shuts Down, France Strikes, First Nations Protest Australia’s Invasion Day
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun A whopping 2.8 million people are on strike in France against proposed raises to the retirement age. That’s over 3.5% of the population – the number identified by civil resistance researchers Erica Chenoweth and Maria J Stephan as the threshold to success. Will the French win their goals? Stay tuned….
Mourning, Outrage, Protests: End Police Terror, Stop Militarized Repression
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun Protesters across the United States are once again in the streets, demanding an end to police terror. The demonstrations have erupted in response to the police’s brutal and fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, TN. They also come on the heels of the murder of Tortuguita, a protester who…
France’s General Strike, Pakistan’s Peace March, Protest At Miss Kyrgyzstan Contest
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun Millions of French citizens are marching, protesting, and participating in a general strike to keep the government from undercutting the pension plan, raising the retirement age from 62 to 65. For those of us watching from the United States, it’s impressive to see people in the streets over something we…
7K Nurses Strike, Brazil Defends Democracy & The Arc of the Universe
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. The United States commemorates his life and legacy with a federal holiday. Over the weekend, people across the nation are holding marches, rallies, teach-ins, talks for racial justice and nonviolence. Dr. King is part of a long lineage of…
Peru In Upheaval, Tunisia’s Transport Strike, Painted Crosswalks Save Lives
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun Protests are rocking Peru again. It’s a tumultuous saga of political corruption, a de-facto coup attempt, and democracy in turmoil. (To be honest, I’m still trying to wrap my head around what’s going on, who’s in the streets this week, and which demands are coming from whom.) One thing I…
84 Wins For Workers – Special Report 2022
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun This has been a tremendous year for worker strikes, union organizing, and wildcat actions (nonviolent actions done without union support). On top of that, protests erupted around the world against high fuel prices and cost-of-living. This surge of activity heralded in an accompanying wave of victories. South Korean truckers won…
52 Wins For Racial Justice – Special Report 2022
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun In some ways, 2022 was a tough year for racial justice. After the staggering protests against the murder of George Floyd in 2020 (the largest in US history), a number of impressive changes occurred in 2021. These included cuts to police budgets, changes to staffing at institution and businesses, increased…
76 Achievements For the Earth & Climate Justice – Special Report 2022
Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun At a time when the climate crisis seems bleak, here is a reminder of the many successes won by the climate justice movement this year. Many of these are the fruition of years-long struggles. Others are swift and effective campaigns that show how we can push for change at high…