500 Rabbis Urge Israel To Stop Demolition Of Palestinian Homes

A Palestinian girl walks past her familys house after it was demolished by Israeli bulldozers in Om Ajaj village, north of the West Bank city of Jericho
A Palestinian girl walks past her family’s house after it was demolished by Israeli bulldozers in Om Ajaj village, north of the West Bank city of Jericho (Reuters / Abed Omar Qusini)

500 rabbis urge Israel to stop demolition of Palestinian homes (RT, Feb 8, 2015):

Over 500 rabbis from Israel, Britain, the US and Canada have called on the Israeli prime minister to stop demolishing Palestinian homes. Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) say Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance is against “international law and Jewish tradition.”

RHR’s open letter came after the Israeli PM announced the destruction of over 400 Palestinian homes in the Israel-controlled part of the West Bank, the territory known as Area C.

Read more500 Rabbis Urge Israel To Stop Demolition Of Palestinian Homes

An Uninvited Guest’s Speech At The UK Arms Industry’s Annual Dinner (Video)


04.02.2015

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The UK arms industry’s Annual Dinner took place on 3rd February 2015 at the London Hilton on Park Lane. The £246-a-head banquet was attended by arms industry executives and more than 40 MPs.

This industry, which profits from selling arms to repressive regimes and conflict zones including Saudi Arabia, Israel and Bahrain, is supported and subsidised by the UK government.

Activists from Campaign Against Arms Trade were there to greet the arriving arms dealers and deliver an impromptu speech asking them to reconsider their choice of career…

‘Awe-inspiring’ FCC internet protections could alter landscape for net neutrality

internet

‘Awe-inspiring’ FCC internet protections could alter landscape for net neutrality (The Guardian, Feb 4, 2015):

Tom Wheeler pens op-ed in Wired magazine to declare support for ‘strongest open internet protections ever’ in what could be titanic shift on hot-button issue

Proposing a titanic legislative shift on net neutrality after a years-long push from internet activists, the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is preparing to push through “the strongest open internet protections ever”.

“The internet must be fast, fair and open. That is the message I’ve heard from consumers and innovators across this nation,” FCC chair Tom Wheeler wrote in an editorial for Wired magazine published on Wednesday. “The proposal I present to the commission will ensure the internet remains open, now and in the future, for all Americans.”

Read more‘Awe-inspiring’ FCC internet protections could alter landscape for net neutrality

Rallies staged in over 30 Spanish cities against tough new anti-protest law (PHOTOS)

Rallies staged in over 30 Spanish cities against tough new anti-protest law

Rallies staged in over 30 Spanish cities against tough new anti-protest law (PHOTOS) (RT, Dec 20, 2014):

More than 30 cities in Spain have expressed their anger over the so-called ‘gag’ legislation that criminalizes social protest and, demonstrators say, curbs the freedom of expression.

The slogan of the movement is “Gag Law, why do they want to shut us up?” and unites several groups of citizens spearheaded by the “We Are Not Criminals” civil platform.

Read moreRallies staged in over 30 Spanish cities against tough new anti-protest law (PHOTOS)

While Brussels Burns In “Anti-Austerity” Riots, Here Is The Real Reason For Europe’s Depression

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–  While Brussels Burns In “Anti-Austerity” Riots, Here Is The Real Reason For Europe’s Depression (ZeroHedge, Nov 6, 2014):

Protest against government plans to reform the country’s welfare system. This comes on the heels of violent French, Italian, and Spanish youth protests in recent weeks as the citizens of the non-Germanic European Union decry the ‘austerity’ they have been crushed by. What is odd, though, is externally, there has been ‘no’ austerity with debt loads rising for all these nations and debt/GDP at record highs for most. So where is the disconnect between a people under increasing financial pressure and a sovereign issuing more and more debt at will? The Telegraph has the stunning answer: an audit, published this morning, found that £109 billion out of a total of £117 billion spent by the EU in 2013 was “affected by material error”. Brussels accounts have not been given the all clear for 19 years running. In other words, Brussels ’embezzles’ billions of euros per year, and blames it on austerity. Is it any wonder, Europe is burning?

This is what happens… More than 100,000 marched through Brussels today…

‘Unprecedented Mobilization’: Over 150,000 People Rise Against Irish Water Tax

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‘Unprecedented mobilization’: Hundred-thousand rise against Irish water tax (Common Dreams, Nov 1, 2014):

Over 100 demonstrations held across Ireland protesting austerity scheme to tax, privatize water supply

Update 2:20 EST:

Protest organizers Right 2 Water estimate that over 150,000 people came out to protest the water charge scheme. In a statement released Saturday afternoon, they wrote: “Despite torrential rain, our expectations have been massively exceeded, with well over 150,000 people coming out in every neighbourhood, town and village to send a clear message to the Government: water is a human right, and we demand the abolition of domestic water charges.”

Earlier:

Read more‘Unprecedented Mobilization’: Over 150,000 People Rise Against Irish Water Tax

Hungarians Revolt Against Internet Tax (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Hungarians revolt against internet tax

Hungarians revolt against internet tax (PHOTOS, VIDEO) (RT, Oct 27, 2014):

Furious with the government plan to impose tax on Internet data traffic, thousands of Hungarians rallied in front of the Economy Ministry in Budapest to protect the freedom of the internet from the ‘anti-democratic’ measure.

Tens of thousands gathered in front of the Economy Ministry building on Sunday, urging the politicians to scrap the plan that will see internet service providers (ISPs) pay 150 forints ($0.62) for every gigabyte of data traffic transferred over their networks.

Although the draft suggests that ISPs would be able to offset corporate income tax against the new levy, the protesters believe that eventually the new tax burden will end up pinned on common users. The Association of IT, Telecommunications and Electronics Companies has already said the tax would force them to raise prices, Reuters reports.

Armed Crowd Marches Through Downtown St. Louis (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Armed crowd marches through downtown St. Louis (PHOTOS, VIDEO) (RT, Oct 26, 2014):

Dozens of armed demonstrators have marched through the downtown St. Louis to confirm their right to carry firearms openly in public. Only some 10 policemen watched the march without much interest, even after the group met counter protesters.

A heavily armed crowd of over 40 people marched on Saturday afternoon from the Citygarden to the Gateway Arch, openly displaying their arsenal. A group of some 10 police officers took a note of the gathering, but did not follow or otherwise intervene with the group armed with pistols and rifles, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Hundreds of thousands rally in Rome in protest over ‘anti-job’ reforms (PHOTOS)

– Hundreds of thousands rally in Rome in protest over ‘anti-job’ reforms (PHOTOS) (RT, Oct 25, 2014):

Protesters from all over Italy have packed the streets of Rome to express their anger at labor market reforms, one of the main building blocks of the government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s policy.

Up to 1 million people flooded the streets of the Italian capital, the organizers of the rally said. Up to 300,000 more participants were set to arrive in Rome throughout the day to take part in the protests, including a boat and two chartered planes from Sardinia.

#NoTTIP: Mass Protests Slam US-EU Trade Deal As ‘Corporate Power Grab’

#NoTTIP: Mass protests slam US-EU trade deal as ‘corporate power grab’ (RT, Oct 11, 2014):

Tens of thousands of people are flooding the streets of cities all over Europe on Saturday in mass rallies against a controversial trade agreement between the US and the EU.

Talks on the pact, called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), started last February and, having been mostly held behind closed doors, have raised widespread concerns in the European Union and beyond.

Social networks have been mobilized for a mass campaign that has been calling on Europeans and Americans to take action against “the biggest corporate power grab in a decade.”

One of the organizers of Berlin’s demonstration, Michael Efler, told RT’s Peter Oliver: “We are protesting here against the free trade deal completely negotiated in secret, because they give corporations more rights they’ve ever had in history.”

Read more#NoTTIP: Mass Protests Slam US-EU Trade Deal As ‘Corporate Power Grab’

Stunning Drone Clip Reveals Massive Size Of Hong Kong Protest

Stunning Drone Clip Reveals Massive Size Of Hong Kong Protest (ZeroHedge, Sep 29, 2014):

Ferguson was for amateurs.

For those curious why the Hong Kong protests over the weekend have sent shivers across the world’s capital markets, pushed the Hang Seng 2% lower, and impacted both European and US futures, not to mention leading to worries that China may get involved any second and result in another Tiananmen square event, the following clip from HK’s Apple Daily, taken by a drone, shows just how massive the demonstrations, which according to some estimates involved just why of 100,000 people, taking place in Hong Kong are.

As Mashable adds, “far from a small protest by a limited number of outspoken citizens, the video shows just how large the movement to preserve Hong Kong’s democratic elections has become. Currently, the protests have grown so large that parts of Hong Kong’s business district have been brought to a standstill, prompting the temporary closure of 17 local banks. In addition to the drone footage, Apple Daily has also posted a live video stream of the protests, allowing the world to watch as events develop in real time.”

Hong Kong Stocks Tumble Erase 2014 Gains, Volatility Soars As Protests Freeze City: Full Summary

Hong Kong Stocks Tumble Erase 2014 Gains, Volatility Soars As Protests Freeze City: Full Summary (ZeroHedge, Sep 29, 2014):

The Hong Kong protests, which we covered over the weekend, and which took a dramatic turn for the worse overnight when thousands of students camped out and demand universal suffrage on the city streets and were in turn tear-gassed and arrested en masse by the local riot police demanding students disperse or else, and where the leader of the student protest, Joshua Wong – who had been previously arrested and was released on Sunday night – has openly called for the resignation of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying in an interview with Hong Kong Cable TV, have done the unthinkable: they have impacted financial markets and the “wealth effect” transmission mechanism of the local billionaires.

Here as a summary of the latest market activity via Bloomberg:

‘Disperse Or We Fire’ – Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesting Students

–  “Disperse Or We Fire”- Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesting Students: Live Webcast (ZeroHedge, Sep 28, 2014):

Yesterday we reported that the biggest riot over the weekend was not in Ferguson (although things there are hardly stable after a local police officer was shot in the violent town overnight) but in Hong Kong, where students and other mostly young people are protesting the recent loss of their democratic vote powers and thus “the loss of their freedom.” Since then things have gotten from bad to worse when late last night Hong Kong declared the start of the Occupy Central disobedience campaign, leading to violent skirmishes with the police, which over the past hour have included the use of tear gas by the police as well as the first outright warning by the cops demanding that the student protesters disperse or risk being fired upon.

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From WSJ:

A standoff between police and pro-democracy protesters intensified near where thousands have converged in the past days to demand free elections.

Read more‘Disperse Or We Fire’ – Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesting Students

‘Remember Fukushima’: Thousands Rally Against Nuclear Restart in Japan

H/t reader M.G.:

“As the greedy corporations start up their nuclear plants in Japan, the people do an unusual thing…….they protest.
Here is the story. Bless all the Japanese with the courage to protest……like the US, their civil rights are long gone.”


Smoke rises from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex in this still image from video footage

‘Remember Fukushima’: Thousands Rally Against Nuclear Restart in Japan (Common Dreams, Sep 23, 2014):

Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe: “Three and a half years have passed since the nuclear accident, but self-examination has yet to be made.”

“Don’t forget Fukushima” was the message Tuesday morning as roughly 16,000 people gathered in downtown Tokyo to protest the restart of Japan’s nuclear power plants.

The demonstration, held outside the official residence of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, came a day after the government outlined plans to restart two reactors at the Sendai nuclear plant in southern Japan at a five-day meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Jiji News reports.

Read more‘Remember Fukushima’: Thousands Rally Against Nuclear Restart in Japan

Brutal charge: Swedish horse police trample anti-Nazi rally

Brutal charge: Swedish horse police trample anti-Nazi rally (RT, Aug 24, 2014):

At least 10 people were injured in the Swedish city of Malmö after local police unleashed a mounted charge at participants of a rally against Sweden’s neo-Nazi party. Clashes with police erupted as anti-fascist activists attempted to block a rival rally.

Oakland activists block Israeli ship for third day

Oakland activists block Israeli ship for third day (Al Jazeera, Aug 18, 2014):

They are considering making the action a weekly event, to coincide with the arrival of new vessels

Pro-Palestinian protesters on Monday continued a campaign to block an Israeli commercial vessel from docking in Oakland, California, for a third day.

About 20 protesters arrived at the port at 5 a.m. local time to block the container ship, owned by Zim Shipping Services Ltd., one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, from entering the Port of Oakland and unloading cargo. Two demonstrators were detained and cited, according to the Oakland Police Department.

Read moreOakland activists block Israeli ship for third day

This is How Russian Activists Wish Obama Happy Birthday (Video)

In other news:

Russians Mock Obama With Racist Laser Projection On Former U.S. Embassy In Moscow (Hufington Post, Aug 6, 2014)


Video of the Day – This is How Russian Activists Wish Obama Happy Birthday (Liberty Blitzkrieg, Aug 7, 2014):

This is what activists created using lasers on the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

No further comment necessary.

*Actually further comment has proved necessary since some people are so politically correct they can’t distinguish between me posting something and me endorsing it.

This laser show certainly seems to have racist undertones. I am not endorsing the video, I’m highlighting the fact that it happened. While this should be clear, apparently this distinction escaped some people.

?London activists arrested after pro-Palestine demo shuts down arms factory

Before:

UK Activists Shut Down Israeli Arms Factory


?London activists arrested after pro-Palestine demo shuts down arms factory (RT, Aug 7, 2014):

Pro-Palestinian protesters who shut down a factory allegedly producing Israeli weapons have been arrested and placed in custody by British police.

Joseph Lee, 29, along with eight other activists from the London Palestine Action Group (LPAG) occupied the premises of UAV engines, a subsidiary of the Israeli defense contractor Elbit, based in Staffordshire.

Lee is the only activist to have been formally charged by police so far.

Read more?London activists arrested after pro-Palestine demo shuts down arms factory

Silicon Valley Artist Strikes At The Heart Of Obama’s Oligarch Infatuation – ‘A Feast In Time Of Plague’

Silicon Valley Artist Strikes at the Heart of Obama’s Oligarch Infatuation – “A Feast in Time of Plague” (Liberty Blitzkrieg, July 29, 2014):

Last week, I highlighted a series of billboards and painted benches that sprung up overnight in Hollywood as Obama prepared to host a $32,000 a plate fundraiser at the home of Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes.  Naturally, this was merely stop number one on Obama’s oligarch groveling circus.  The next stop on the crony train is another $32,000 a plate fundraiser. This time with none other than Nancy Pelosi.

Fortunately for us, California’s ever creative street artists were right there waiting for him. This is what they delivered:

Read moreSilicon Valley Artist Strikes At The Heart Of Obama’s Oligarch Infatuation – ‘A Feast In Time Of Plague’

Free Speech Banned: Student Group Sues 4 US Universities That ‘Stifle Dissent’

Free speech banned: Student group sues 4 US universities that ‘stifle dissent’ (RT, July 2, 2014):

Arguing that free speech is suffering at colleges across the US, an advocacy group filed lawsuits against four universities, seeking to strengthen the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has filed lawsuits against four schools – Iowa State University, Ohio University, Chicago University and Citrus College in Glendora, California – that it says disrupt the flow of free speech in a number of ways, including the banning of particular T-shirts, for example, or by refusing to permit certain speakers address the student body on controversial issues.

According to the group’s estimate, about 60 percent of public universities and colleges have restrictions on rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Read moreFree Speech Banned: Student Group Sues 4 US Universities That ‘Stifle Dissent’

‘Stop War’: Thousands Protest In Japan Over Military Expansion Law Change

And what about Fukushima???


Rally against Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
A protester holding a placard shouts slogans at a rally against Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to expand Japan’s military role as police officers refrain him in front of Abe’s official residence in Tokyo June 30, 2014 (Reuters / Yuya Shino)

‘Stop war’: Thousands protest in Japan over military expansion law change (RT, June 30, 2014):

Thousands gathered outside the Japanese prime minister’s office to protest constitutional changes that would expand Japan’s military role and allow overseas deployment. It comes one day after a man set himself on fire in protest against a proposed law.

Protest organizers have estimated that 10,000 people – including students, pensioners, and women – attended the rally outside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s office in Tokyo. However, police put the number of participants at “several thousand.”

The demonstration comes on the eve of a cabinet meeting, where lawmakers are expected to endorse a resolution that would expand the use of Japan’s military by reforming the constitution.

Read more‘Stop War’: Thousands Protest In Japan Over Military Expansion Law Change

Japanese Man Self-Immolates Over Abe’s Increasingly Militarist Shift (Video)

Japanese Man Self-Immolates Over Abe’s Increasingly Militarist Shift (ZeroHedge, June 30, 2014):

Under Article 9 of its post-war pacifist constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defense; but, as The BBC reports, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants a new interpretation of the constitution to be agreed on. This has brought major protests in Japan, climaxing this weekend when a man set himself on fire in central Tokyo in protest at a proposed law which could allow Japan to deploy its military overseas. With stocks falling, JPY strengthening, an economy collapsing, and a surging disapproval rating, it seems Abe needs a 4th arrow – war?

As The BBC reports,

Read moreJapanese Man Self-Immolates Over Abe’s Increasingly Militarist Shift (Video)