"I am pleased to inform you that the City will now offer a live stream on its website of all meetings and events that are currently broadcast 0n the Government Channel. In addition, archived videos of these meetings and events will be available for viewing 24/7 on the website. The live feed will begin at the Tuesday, January 6, 2009 City Council meeting and all archived meetings will be available for viewing beginning with the City Council meeting of November 18, 2008." Full Announcement (pdf) | Earlier: Worcester Indymedia & WCCA TV 13 Mark One Year Anniversary

There were well over 1,000 people in attendance throughout the entire rally in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza today, which was significantly more than the first emergency protest in support of Gaza on Dec. 29, where approximately 300 people showed up. People came in buses, vans, etc. after Friday congregation prayers from local Mosques. There were even contingents from Buffalo and New York City.

This was really a good turnout considering the time frame in contacting members of the local Arab and Muslim community in Cleveland. Supporters from all walks of life were present and lively as well! Alison Weir, from If Americans Knew (ifamericansknew.com) was guest speaker along with others from the Cleveland area. There was a minister from a church, and an eloquent Muslim speaker from the African-American community.

Channel 3 News Channel | Channel 19 Action News: Cleveland Locals Protest for Gaza | WKYC News Article | The Other Side of the Story Site - Comparing the Damage | YouTube - Cleveland Gaza Protest (1 of 3) | YouTube - Cleveland Gaza Protest (2 of 3) | YouTube - Cleveland Gaza Protest (3 of 3) | YouTube - Gaza protest downtown Cleveland

The Houston Indymedia Radio Show also created a year an review audio story that played on the January 2nd edition of the show [listen here], which is broadcast at 7:30pm every Friday on KPFT 90.1fm.

Last week, 100-200 protesters demonstrated outside Senator Amy Klobuchar's Minneapolis office, despite near blizzard-like conditions, then went inside and occupied her office until Klobuchar returned to meet with them. After 20 minutes, Klobuchar stated she would not speak out to criticize Israel's continued attack, nor call for a cease fire, and left.

On January 2nd, a larger crowd of hundreds gathered at the Islamic Cultural Community Center in Northeast Minneapolis for an afternoon rally. Today, January 5, a Muslim student-organized rally will take place at the State Capitol, at 1pm, followed by a press conference at 3pm and a candlelight vigil beginning around 4:15.

read more

Sunday January 4th saw hundreds gather to protest the invasion of Gaza at the intersection of Postoak and Westheimer. People held banners and signs and chanted, while other continued to drive their vehicles adorned with Palestinian flags though the intersection multiple times while honking and chanting. Houston Indymedia's Street Team made and distributed more than a hundred copies of a flier encouraging people to check out alternative news sources on the conflict, and to Publish to Houston Indymedia. The Houston Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine called for this protest [read press release PDF] and continues to organize events for the coming weeks. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Video

Over 500 Palestinians have been killed and approximately 2,300 wounded, contrasted to four Israelis killed by rocket fire. President-elect Barak Obama remains silent on the issue, the US has blocked even a basic UN statement condemning civilian deaths, and US politicians like NY mayor Bloomberg and Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman have flown to Israel to show their support for Israel's actions.

... On January 3rd, for the second time in less than a week, Denverites of conscience added their voices and their solidarity to the wave of worldwide protest which erupted in response to Israel's recent escalation of aggression. Approximately 70 people assembled in front of the state capital from 2 to 4pm to make their voices heard. The crowd was about 60 percent persons of middle eastern and Palestinian descent, with the rest being made up by members of Denver's progressive and activist community. The political composition of the crowd was quite diverse. It seems every shade of ideological perspective, organization, and non organization was represented, from anarchist vegetarians, to liberals and pacifists holding UN flags, to toddlers barely young enough to walk unassisted and everything in between. Clearly the sign of a healthy and a broad movement, albeit of rather modest size... read more

The nearby Kingston Fossil Plant had been storing coal ash, the solid byproduct of burning coal, since it began operating in 1955. According to the TVA website, the plant burns 14,000 tons of coal a day. That's a total of 271 millions tons of coal. All of the ash from all of that coal is mixed with water and stored in an above ground reservoir. On the Monday before Christmas, one of the 20ft earthen retaining walls encasing the dump site failed sending forth a gray tidal wave removing houses from their foundations and covering over 400 acres in a toxic quagmire. Volume estimates range from 350 to over 500 million gallons. But that is just the beginning.

There are roughly 600 coal fired power plants in the US alone. Clean Energy Rally in Salem Tuesday Jan 13th

A group of Austin activists today released their conclusions from reviewing over 70 pages of FBI documents obtained through a legal case regarding alleged actions to protest the Republican National Convention (RNC). From reading the documents, and from their own experience with him, these activists have concluded that the FBI informant Brandon Darby did not heroically intervene to stop violence. Rather it appears that he actively sought out people that he could manipulate and entrap. The two Texas men that Darby was most closely associated with during the convention, Bradley Crowder and David McKay, are accused of making Molotov cocktails and have been in jail since early September. Their trial is set for January 26. The disclosure of Brandon Darby as the informant casts further doubt on the charges against these two men.

According to the FBI's documents, Darby, posing as an activist, had been covertly gathering information for the FBI since at least February 2007, twelve months before he ever met Crowder or McKay or knew of any plans for the RNC. "As an older seasoned activist, Darby had a lot of sway over Crowder and McKay, making them susceptible to his often militant rhetoric," said Gabby Hicks, who was in St. Paul with Darby during the Convention. "He was always the one to suggest violence, when the rest of us clearly disagreed with those strategies." [read full article]

New York Times: Activist Unmasks Himself as Federal Informant in G.O.P. Convention Case | Democracy Now! Prominent Austin Activist Admits He Infiltrated RNC Protest Groups as FBI Informant | Twincities.com: Social activist, organizer ... and RNC informant | Michelle Gross of Communities United Against Police Brutality: Brandon Darby is Delusional, Self Serving and Vicious

RELATED: Kiilu Nyasha's newly released 2008 audio interview and 2004 essay about Hugo Pinell II 2006 KBOO Radio Show II Yogi's Time by Mumia Abu-Jamal. II Featured video: Interview with Philadelphia activist/author Dan Berger II HugoPinell.org

The "Texas 2" trial of Bradley Crowder and David McKay on weapons charges is set to begin at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis on Monday, January 26th. Many who have spoken with the accused - both still imprisoned in the Sherburne County facility where federal arrestees are held - believe McKay is cooperating with the government while Crowder is not. Both are inexperienced activists whom FBI documents show were pressured by Darby to escalate their actions, according to the Austin working group. Also on the 26th, the RNC 8 will be in court for a motion hearing and the trial of Darryl Robinson, beaten unconscious by police while copwatching last July and later charged with assault himself, is set to begin.

Writes Michelle Gross of CUAPB, "In a statement written to justify his activities as an FBI informant Brandon Darby opined, "It is very dangerous when a few individuals engage in or act on a belief system in which they feel they know the real truth and that all others are ignorant and therefore have no right to meet and express their political views." Yet this is the exact activity in which Darby engaged. Through his actions, Darby helped to create a narrative by police that activists/protesters are dangerous. That narrative allowed police to justify obscene expenditures on weaponry, touched off pre-emptive raids and detentions of people who had committed no crimes, and unleashed vicious assaults on people attempting to exercise our First Amendment rights during the RNC." (commentary continued below)

Support Info for Jan 26 TX2 trial | Darby is Provocateur, Not Hero (2nd statement from Austin) | Democracy Now! Interview | New York Times article | Sometimes You Wake Up and It's Different (1st statement from Austin) | BrandonDarby.com (anti-snitch website cataloging Darby | Letter from Darby | Snitch culture: historical examples and current proposals [ read more ]

Autonomous solidarity action for Oscar Grant and the Greek rioters
author: Some Autonomous Individuals
Solidarity action in the San Francisco Bay Area. Solidarity action for Oscar Grant and the Greek rioters. Today, a BART police car received damage via superglued locks. Two BART ticket machines were also superglued. Read More | View pictures of last nights events here For Oscar Grant and the Greek rioters.

Democracy Now! is finally airing in Oklahoma, though many residents will not be in a area where they can pick up the signal on a radio. For them, there is a live stream on KCCU's site.

KCCU is a non-profit station run out of Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, and is broadcast in/at:
Lawton-Ft. Sill 89.3 & 102.9
Wichita Falls 88.7
Ardmore 90.3
Altus 90.1
Duncan 89.3
Weatherford-Clinton-Elk City 89.1
Chickasha 100.1

Oklahoma progressive activists have been seeking to have the program picked up by stations in the state, but have been rejected by stations who deem the show, which features news of events and interviews of people on the progressive end of the political spectrum. The show comes out of New York City and is hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.

From the station's announcement:

KCCU is excited to announce new programs for the new year!

Sunday afternoon, a spirited crowd of demonstrators led by Jewish and Palestinian-American voices lined the only street leading to the Sabes Jewish Community Center in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park. Following a 2:30 press conference, the crowd swelled to some 200 people demanding an end to Israel's war in Gaza and urging U.S. media and pro-Zionist organizations to take note of the movement of Jews standing in solidarity with Palestine. Inside the building, a pro-Israel event was taking place.

Organizers announced that the next rally in support of Gaza will take place at Loring Park in downtown Minneapolis at 2pm on Saturday, January 17. | read more

It took us a while to find the protest, as the 100 or so protesters had begun to march, we caught up with the protest and marched from around Woodhead to Shepherd, where protesters set up showing signs to traffic stretching from Shepherd to the River Oaks theater. Many folks honked, and I only noticed one negative response, a yuppie white dude who while walking from his car to a store gave us a thumbs down and a frown. [full report and photos]

Impact Houston | HIMC Feature: Houstonians Protest California's Proposition 8 and Demand Marriage Rights for all

Texas peace and justice activist Bill Holloway has passed away. He was originally from Oklahoma, and lived in Austin.

Bill was active in the Green Party of Texas, and served as co-chair of the Travis County Green Party. He was a long time peace and justice activist. The picture at left was taken in in August 2006 when he set up a Green Party presence at Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas, with Cindy Sheehan.

He also was the Texas Director for the Northern Flyer Alliance, a group working on expanding passenger rail travel from Texas to Kansas.

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Rochester SDS meets every Wednesday night (7pm) at the antiwar storefront at 658 Monroe Ave.
The U of R SDS meets every Thursday (9pm) at the Ruth Merrill Center, Wilson Commons, U of R Campus.
More info at: www.studentsforademocraticsociety.org

WHEN: January 21st - 7 pm

WHERE: Café Allegro - 4214 University Way NE

On Friday January 9th the Houston Indymedia Radio Show devoted our whole program to the conflict in Gaza [online here]. The show featured audio from local protests and an interview with 2 Palestinian American activists Hadeel of the Houston Palestine Film Festival and Sousan, who recently wrote Phoning Home to Gaza for Counterpunch:

My family was in Denver for the holidays when we awoke to peddling images of bombardment. Gaza was on fire. 250 people dead. From our television set we quickly tuned into the perversions of war, watching reports from both American and Arab media. We are safe. We do not smell burned flesh, hear cries of agony or see before us military planes. We view from a distance, but feel none of the anxiety and melancholy that the rest of our family feels in the besieged coastal strip. Scattered throughout the refugee camps of Khan Younis, Beit Lahya and Jabalya, my relatives are living through another war. We try to call each and every relative to ascertain their safety, but mostly to see whether or not they are still living. The telephone networks were either busy or not working at all. We forgot that Gaza only gets electricity for six hours a day. [Full article]

Supervisor Pribilski was not stating that any law was being broken, but spoke on behalf of the "Public" Library, that they would like us to go away. This type of NIMBY oppression of the rights of the homeless has been a constant theme for FNB, causing us to move several times over the years, until reaching our current location at the Downtown "Public" Library.

Several people there to eat were very supportive, thanking us for risking such confrontations to feed them. One said he hadn't eaten in three days. [full story]

Houston Food Not Bombs shares vegan food every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at Herman Square @ Smith and McKinney

Please remember Jonathan, Josh and Jake and show them you care.

greenscare.org | Constitutional Legal Defense Center | midwestgreenscare.org

We are here to let the public know about how cruel and inhumane the fur industry is. we are also here to let Ungar Fur's know that we will never back down, until they stop the killing.

EVERY FUCKING FRIDAY. 1 pm. SW 12th & Yamhill.

3 people were arrested, 10 detained. One of the arrested was stopped with a loaded handgun pointing at his face. The 3 were later released on bail and had received misdemeanor charges. As for the people who ditched their bikes to get away, the police took them for "evidence" and they will most likely not be returned.

Commission report: The Heffelfinger/Luger commission released its nonbinding report before the St. Paul City Council last Wednesday to jeers, derision and laughter from the audience. The commission consisted mostly of ex-police and politicians, all of whom had to agree on including an item in the report, thus silencing dissenting opinions even within the commission itself. The report, available here, claimed "violent anarchists" made police attacks justifiable, but also raised concerns about the September 4 mass arrest. Read: Top 9 Myths of the RNC by Friends of the RNC 8 | Intial Reactions by Nigel Parry

In the courts: Susan Gaertner's office levied three more felony charges last Friday; funds are urgently needed for two Milwaukee-area activists now jailed. | The trial of seven northeast activists arrested at 7th and Wall is expected to begin this Tuesday, January 20, and they've requested strong court solidarity. | Earlier this month, Judge Salvador Rosas recused himself from the RNC 8 case, leaving their January 26th court date canceled. | However, several other activists are in court on the 26th, including David McKay of the "Texas 2"; reportedly, FBI informant Brandon Darby is being flown to Minneapolis to testify.

Upcoming Events: Wed. Jan. 21: RNC 8 benefit w/ Junkyard Empire at Black Dog Cafe, Lowertown | Sun. Jan. 25: Defend the RNC 8 Town Hall at Walker Church, MPLS

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- Dead Bald Man

Corporate media has transformed the event from an inauguration into a coronation. The pre-inaugural hype now resembles that of the Rose Parade or a Super Bowl game. The voices of alternative viewpoints lost in the spectacle of the parade and tournament. With the news that KPFK, a major local outlet of alternative news, has been denied access to broadcast facilities at the inauguration non-corporate representation of the event will be very limited.

Fortunately Indymedia activists are gearing up to cover counter-inaugural events. The DC-Indymedia web site has a redesigned homepage for special coverage. There are reporters from Urbana-Champaign IMC in DC now and filing reports. Also there is a live webcast at Radio Portland IMC. Locally here in Los Angeles there is a counter-inaugural event downtown planned for Tuesday.

Latest from the newswire: Commentary - Some Thoughts on Obama and the US Empire by Chris Burnett

From the newswire: ANTI WAR PEACE ADVOCATES MARCH AT MLK DAY in LA by Echo Park Communtiy Coalition | | Peace Activists At the MLK Jr. parade by Cliff Olin

Related Story: Oscar Grant! No Isolated Incident! A Photo Journey of Unarmed Folks Killed by Cops Worldwide by T. Love

The event was composed largely of reading of scripture and prayers by clergy men and women about the Christian commandments to love our neighbor and take care of the foreigner. There were also speeches given by community organization composed of and advocating for immigrants , including the Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center, the Central American Resource Center, and FIEL (Immigrant Families and Students in Struggle). [Read full story with photos]

TCIMC update 11:15am: The action is over; the activists inside the trade office building chose to go outside rather than be arrested after officials called the St. Paul Police Department.

from a statement released this morning:

At 10am this morning, January 23rd, 2009, approximately 20 local residents entered and sought to occupy the Minnesota Trade Office in downtown Saint Paul demanding an immediate end to all trade between Minnesotan companies and the State of Israel. They have issued the following statement signed by some of the participants and their supporters:

"We are here at the Minnesota Trade Office today, as we should be every day, demanding an end to all business between Minnesota and the State of Israel. While the recent devastation of the Gaza strip weighs heavy on our conscience, the violent occupation of Palestine and the systematic killing of Palestinians is unfortunately nothing new. Although Palestinians, and all people, deserve sovereignty, justice, and peace, we are here today as residents of Minnesota, many of us Jewish, because state-sanctioned genocide in the occupied territories continues without relent.

read more

The workshop began with presentations by Hadeel and Ala aimed at presenting the context of the conflict and dispelling some common myths. The workshop then became a discussion and question and answer session with many folks sharing their knowledge and questions, working towards a better understanding of the situation right now and brainstorming about building a Palestine Solidarity Movement in Houston and elsewhere. Listen up to a recording on radio indymedia | | | Related from the newswire photos from Gaza Candlelight Vigil: 1 | 2

Darryl Robinson's case in Hennepin County Court was dismissed on Monday afternoon! Robinson was charged with obstruction of legal process, disorderly conduct, and obstructing a sidewalk after being beaten unconscious by Minneapolis Police while copwatching outside a shelter last July.

Check back to TCIMC later for more information on the case. Below is the report of the police assault on Robinson from July. read more

In an interview with IndyTV, Aunali Khaku, of Physicians for Human Rights, and Imran Rafi, of the Islamic Medical Association explain the roots of the middle east conflict. Judith Bello discusses how the anti-war movement has struggled to come to grips with the situation in Palestine.

The trial began on Monday with opening statements from U.S. Attorney Jeff Paulsen and McKay's lawyer, Jeffrey McGree. Tuesday morning, the prosecution began presenting their witnesses. McKay's previous co-defendant Bradley Crowder took a plea agreement earlier this month and faces 30 to 46 months. Each of the three firearms charges still faced by McKay carry a maximum of ten years in prison. Activist-turned informant Brandon Darby will likely testify later this week, and FBI informant Andrew Darst may also testify for the prosecution. On Monday, the prosecutor stated that informant Darby received over $6,000 for his services, and the he has assisted in prosecution of other cases before meeting McKay and Crowder in February of 2008.

Detailed day-by-day updates from the trial will be posted to TC Indymedia throughout the week--check back soon.

See also: Free the Texas 2

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If you would like to remember Rafael with a gift, please contribute to the South Central Farm, where Rafael served as a council member with all the passion that we remember him for. You can make a gift to The South Central Farmers here or to 1702 E. 41st St., Los Angeles, CA 90058.

Rafael gave us all many wise and brilliant writings. If you have kind words to share about him, please leave a comment at his blog, The Fourth World, and enjoy his wordgifts to us while you're visiting there.

David McKay’s trial began Monday, January 26, and is expected to last about a week. It is at the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis (300 S. 4th Street), and is expected to last about a week. Reports from the RNC Felony Working Group: Day 1 (Opening Statements) | Day 2 (Brandon Darby begins testimony)

From the Newswire: Austin Chronicle: Revolutionary to rat: The uneasy journey of Brandon Darby | Darby not inormant in NOLA [Other Articles call this into question: Did Darby play a role in repression of Angola 3? | Brandon Darby- FBI Informant & Common Ground co-founder A cofounder of the Katrina relief organization Common Ground is revealed as an FBI informant, leaving members angry — and wary.]
Corporate Press: Star Tribune | Pioneer Press
Past HIMC Coverage: Brandon Darby Acknowledges working with FBI as informant in Texas 2 Case | Austin RNC Informant Brandon Darby is Provocateur Not Hero | Police Continue Harassment of Texas Activists in Wake of RNC

Participants on the October 17 call--including at least one representative from another bailout recipient, AIG--were urged to persuade their clients to send "large contributions" to groups working against the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), as well as to vulnerable Senate Republicans, who could help block passage of the bill. Bernie Marcus, the charismatic co-founder of Home Depot, led the call along with Rick Berman, an aggressive EFCA opponent and founder of the Center for Union Facts.

• 12:30 - Doors Open
• 1:00 - 2:30 - Understanding the crisis - Marty Hart-Landsberg, Professor of Economics, Lewis and Clark College Making a new vision a reality - Veronica Dujon, Associate Professor of Sociology, Portland State University
• 2:45 - 4:00 - Breakout sessions (see below)
• 4:15 - 5:00 - Working together - Building a movement
  Barbara Dudley - Assistant Professor of Political Science, Portland State University
  Tom Leedham - Secretary Treasurer, Teamsters Local 206
  David Bacon - Labor Journalist
  JoAnn Bowman - Executive Director Oregon Action
• 5:00 - 6:00 - Food and Reception

After seven prosecution witnesses and three witnesses for the defense, including McKay himself, closing arguments in the dramatic trial concluded Thursday. Since then, members of McKay's family, supporters, media and interested observers waited anxiously for a result in the lobby of the courthouse. Now they'll have to continue waiting at least until the jury resumes deliberations at 8:30 on Monday. (More details in story below.)

Day 1 | Day 2 reports from Felony Working Group - Day 3 and 4 reports to be posted this weekend | read more