Calendar
Bay Area Stands for No Dakota Access Pipeline
Host: Idle No More SF Bay, Diablo Rising Tide, 350.org
National Day of Action called by Indigenous Environmental Network and 350.org
Sunrise Ceremony at San Francisco Civic Center Plaza followed by solidarity action and rally at the Army Corps of Engineers office, demanding they revoke the permits to bore under the Missouri River and complete a full Environmental Impact Statement.
March to 455 Market St. @ 11th St. (just south of Van Ness), San Francisco
“I am Jess Jakus, an artist and Oakland resident since 2005. I am asking you to help free a transsexual mixed-race war veteran who is being held in San Francisco County Jail.
Athena Cadence is not a threat to herself or others and is in compliance with all of Judge Jeffrey Ross’ court orders. However, she is being housed in the male unit of the jail, along with other transsexual, transgender, and intersex individuals. This is in direct violation of the Sheriff’s policy to house transgender inmates in the units appropriate to their genders. Athena has been on hunger strike since November 15th to protest this unsafe violation of trans rights. Every day, Athena and other trans inmates are under threat of sexual assault, violence, and degradation.
Friends of Athena are asking your help in demanding that transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates be housed appropriately and safely. To that end we are asking that you call Judge Ross and Sheriff Vicki Hennessy on Monday, November 21–we are going to flood their offices with phone calls. In your call:
-Demand that Athena and all transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates immediately be housed in units appropriate to their gender
-Demand that Athena be freed from custody
Below is an example transcript, but feel free to say what is on your mind when you call:
“Hello, this is _________. I am calling regarding Athena Cadence, who is a transsexual inmate at San Francisco County Jail. As you know, the sheriff’s office has made a commitment to house transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates in units appropriate to their gender. Athena is a woman and it is unsafe to jail her in the men’s unit. It is a violation of the Sheriff’s department policy to house her in the men’s unit. We ask that you immediately house Athena and all transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates in the units appropriate to their genders. Furthermore, Ms. Cadence is in compliance with all court orders, and is not a threat to herself or others. Given this, we ask that you release her from custody.”
Here are the phone numbers to call:
Judge Jeffrey Ross: (415) 551-0321
Sheriff Vicki Hennessy: (415) 554-7225
Additionally, if you can make it to Athena’s next court date, your presence would be very helpful. Athena’s next court date is Tuesday, November 22, 9:00 AM in dept 21 (third floor) of the San Francisco Hall of Justice (850 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103). Please be quiet and respectful in the courtroom; no signs are allowed in the courtroom.
I and all of Athena’s friends appreciate your help. Please forward this message to any interested parties. Together we can hold our (in)justice system accountable and prevent the ongoing abuse of transsexual, transgender, and intersex people and all inmates.
We need to keep the momentum going! We cannot normalize this! We refuse to accept a Trump presidency and the indoctrination of hate and discrimination that comes with it.
We will meet at 555 California Street (Trump owns 30% of this building) and have an hour-long sit in. We will then march through the city.
Because we want to make our presence felt and we want to address concerns of speed, we will be stopping in many intersections during the march.
At each stop we will hear from a speaker or performer or poet or singer etc. If you would like to have your voice highlighted, please message Fuck Trump SF (the org hosting this event) and let us know how you would like to contribute. We will be prioritizing marginalized voices.
Urban Shield is a regional, national and global weapons exposition and SWAT training. It is funded by the Department of Homeland Security via the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Every year, local police, fire and health departments from cities all over the Bay Area (and a few foreign countries) come together to perform drills and practices throughout the region, all mandated to have a nexus to terrorism.
By focusing the majority of the training given to local departments on extremely violent responses, Urban Shield immerses local SWAT teams in war-like practices and encourages disproportionately violent responses. Urban Shield events are filled with disturbing themes including macho t-shirts disparaging social justice movements (the best-selling one a few years ago was called “Black Rifles Matter”), glorification of hi-tech military-style equipment flowing into local police departments including tanks and drones, and scenarios triggered almost inevitably by people of color as the villains.
For a video of an Urban Shield SWAT training – click here.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the 2017 funding request to Homeland Security on December 20 on January 10th.
Send an email to them now saying that you want them NOT TO APPROVE funding for a 2017 Urban Shield exposition in the Bay Area.
On 12/20, the fight to #StopUrbanShield continues. Use our easy two-click alert to send an email saying no more. https://t.co/R2friNCzm5 pic.twitter.com/vTPoGggXc4
— Media Alliance (@twrling) November 26, 2016
Urban Shield is a regional, national and global weapons exposition and SWAT training. It is funded by the Department of Homeland Security via the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Every year, local police, fire and health departments from cities all over the Bay Area (and a few foreign countries) come together to perform drills and practices throughout the region, all mandated to have a nexus to terrorism.
By focusing the majority of the training given to local departments on extremely violent responses, Urban Shield immerses local SWAT teams in war-like practices and encourages disproportionately violent responses. Urban Shield events are filled with disturbing themes including macho t-shirts disparaging social justice movements (the best-selling one a few years ago was called “Black Rifles Matter”), glorification of hi-tech military-style equipment flowing into local police departments including tanks and drones, and scenarios triggered almost inevitably by people of color as the villains.
For a video of an Urban Shield SWAT training – click here.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the 2017 funding request to Homeland Security on December 20 on January 10th.
Send an email to them now saying that you want them NOT TO APPROVE funding for a 2017 Urban Shield exposition in the Bay Area.
On 12/20, the fight to #StopUrbanShield continues. Use our easy two-click alert to send an email saying no more. https://t.co/R2friNCzm5 pic.twitter.com/vTPoGggXc4
— Media Alliance (@twrling) November 26, 2016
Urban Shield is a regional, national and global weapons exposition and SWAT training. It is funded by the Department of Homeland Security via the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Every year, local police, fire and health departments from cities all over the Bay Area (and a few foreign countries) come together to perform drills and practices throughout the region, all mandated to have a nexus to terrorism.
By focusing the majority of the training given to local departments on extremely violent responses, Urban Shield immerses local SWAT teams in war-like practices and encourages disproportionately violent responses. Urban Shield events are filled with disturbing themes including macho t-shirts disparaging social justice movements (the best-selling one a few years ago was called “Black Rifles Matter”), glorification of hi-tech military-style equipment flowing into local police departments including tanks and drones, and scenarios triggered almost inevitably by people of color as the villains.
For a video of an Urban Shield SWAT training – click here.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the 2017 funding request to Homeland Security on December 20 on January 10th.
Send an email to them now saying that you want them NOT TO APPROVE funding for a 2017 Urban Shield exposition in the Bay Area.
On 12/20, the fight to #StopUrbanShield continues. Use our easy two-click alert to send an email saying no more. https://t.co/R2friNCzm5 pic.twitter.com/vTPoGggXc4
— Media Alliance (@twrling) November 26, 2016
NO! In the name of humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America! Donald Trump, the President-elect, is assembling a regime of grave danger.
New Year’s Eve must be marked by outdoor protests and candlelight vigils, gatherings of defiance.
No Fascist New Year! We Say NO to Trump and Pence!”
From there, waves of decentralized protests must spread across the country, different organizations and communities acting in their own ways but with the unified theme of “No!
The word must appear on walls, on shirts, on social media, on television, in artistic ways and ways that inspire others to act.
https://www.facebook.com/HuffPostPolitics/…
Join AROC in Taking Action to Stop Urban Shield!
On Tuesday, January 10th, the Stop Urban Shield Coalition will be rallying to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting, where the Sheriff is set to present on the militarized policing program and weapons expo Urban Shield. At the last meeting, the Sheriff’s department flat out lied to both the Supervisors and the general public, claiming that they were not applying for the federal funding that they use to hold Urban Shield. We knew otherwise, and a public records request proved us right.
With a Trump presidency right around the corner, stopping Urban Shield in Alameda County is a key local step to resisting the threats posed by him and his administration. Alameda County must stop sponsoring the racist, xenophobic, and lethal strategies, tactics, and technologies being spread by Urban Shield. We hope that you will join us in this fight, as it is now more important than ever.
- Come out on Tuesday, January 10th for our rally and press conference at the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Meeting. We want to pack the room to show that our communities reject Urban Shield and everything it represents. 10am, Alameda County Administration Building, 1221 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94612. [Facebook]
-
Call the Board of Supervisors on Monday, January 9th. Click here for contact info and a script that you can use.
- Are you an Alameda County Resident? Sign our petition, and share it with your networks.
NO WORK! NO SCHOOL!
#oaklandJ20 #GeneralStrike #DumpTrump #InaugurationDay
http://www.carlsjr.com/locations
On #J20 shut down Carl’s Jr, Hardee’s, Green Burrito stores wherever you are. Let Trump and Puzder know we won’t go back! The fight is on! Respond on Facebook with locations you will be holding down on #J20
Demonstrators at #SFO are requesting that thousands of people show up to the airport later today (Sunday, January 29) at noon.#NoBanNoWall
— Indybay (@Indybay) January 29, 2017
Come To the All-Day SFO #MuslimBan Protest Today! https://t.co/TG6qcdNa9J
— GlenThePlumber (@GlenThePlumber) January 29, 2017
Coming to @flySFO at 12PM? Print some beautiful #NoBanNoWall/#SanctuaryForAll art from @designaction https://t.co/7SUQPlgECm #NoMuslimBanSFO pic.twitter.com/5Kindmh76O
— San Francisco Rising (@SF_Rising) January 29, 2017
We won’t stand idly by as Donald Trump and Republicans try to push through a shocking cabinet of billionaires and bigots – and we must speak out against Trump’s unconstitutional executive orders targeting Muslims, refugees, and immigrants.
Last week and this past weekend, tens of thousands of us rallied peacefully at senate offices, airports, and other community locations. Members of Congress, other elected officials, and the media are taking notice. If we keep up the public protest, we can change the course of history.
Will you join us again tomorrow to say NO to Trump’s #SwampCabinet, #NoBanNoWall, and to shut down this president’s unconstitutional agenda?
YES, I’LL BE THERE!
I can’t make it, but show me other events near me.
If this talk isn’t already cancelled, meet us on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 4pm outside of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center on the campus of UC Berkeley (on Bancroft Ave., just west of Telegraph).
Bring your allies and friends!
The Berkeley College Republicans have invited far-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos to speak at UC Berkeley on February 1st.
Given the recent increase in fascist activity both on and around the UC Berkeley campus, we feel that the university’s willingness to provide a platform to Milo Yiannopoulos and his views is unacceptable, and we intend to shut this event down. We are inviting all allies and the Berkeley community to join us in making UC Berkeley a fascist-free zone.
Yiannopoulos is one of the many online trolls who successfully capitalized on the Trump campaign to bring fascist and racist ideas into the mainstream. While his presence on the web can be traced back to the GamerGate controversy, Yiannopoulos rose to cult fame through his work at Breitbart News Network, where he used his identity as a gay man to express overtly islamophobic views under the facade of queer interests. Similar to Trump, the core of Yiannopoulos’ support has come from places like 4Chan, Reddit, and other online bastions of the “Alt-Right”. However, since being banned from Twitter for his anti-black harassment of actor Leslie Jones, Milo has been searching for a new platform off the web for his hateful ideology. In fact, on his current book tour Yiannopoulos has used the frame of “anti-political correctness” to push dangerous narratives about a wide array of marginalized groups. Some examples of his hatred on tour so far includes such spectacles as dressing in drag to mock a sexual assault survivor; calling to keep trans folks out of the LGBT movement and encouraging their harassment; and calling BlackLivesMatter a terrorist group. Additionally, Yiannopoulos is connected to Roosh V, a well-known “men’s rights activist” that has advocated for legalizing rape, and Richard Spencer of the National Policy Institute (NPI), intellectual head of the “Alt-Right” that seeks to make America an exclusively white ethno-state, who came to the UC Berkeley campus in May 2016 with UCPD protection to recruit Berkeley students to his white supremacist cause.
In this context, Yiannopoulos’s college speaking tour should be recognized as an effort to embolden “Alt-Right” internet trolls into real world political organizing on college campuses. In light of the success of the Trump campaign, the “Alt-Right” is looking for opportunities to turn their momentum into an organized political front. This event is particularly important as an opportunity for Yiannopoulos to connect with a large audience, and for a large number of far right supporters to connect with him and others at the event. This is an opportunity that we cannot give them.
As the last year has demonstrated, this kind of free speech and discussion has meant near impunity for racists and sexists to target marginalized students on campus with little recourse for those who are harassed. We believe that an educational community should not accommodate fascist ideologies. We believe it is the responsibility of communities both on and off campus to shut down this kind of organizing in order to ensure that there is no platform for fascists in Berkeley!
This is a call to action to stand against fascism and the militarization of campuses. This is a call to stand in solidarity with those communities who are most at risk from this kind of neo-fascist “free speech,” especially in the wake of Trump’s election win. We encourage those interested in taking a stand now to use the letter template below to demand that UC Berkeley not host Yiannopoulos.
Feel free to draft your own message or use the letter script provided below however you choose to contact the University. For those interested in delivering their message over the phone or via mail we have provided that info below:
I am writing to express my anger and frustration at UC Berkeley’s decision to host notorious racist, sexist, and transphobic speaker Milo Yiannopoulos on February 1, 2017. I am also notifying you of a growing inter-community coalition to keep Milo off campus and of my support for them. In light of the increasing hostility towards marginalized groups on campus, including the hate crime committed on campus on election night and the increasing racist harassment around campus that has followed, it is disgraceful that UC Berkeley would welcome Mr. Yiannopoulos and his hateful, bigoted rhetoric on campus. Mr. Yiannopoulos was slated to speak at Portland State University and NYU, however both campuses cancelled the events stating that his viewpoints compromised student safety. He has also been permanently banned from DePaul University as the school claimed he created a “hostile environment.”
The permission of this speaking event is yet another example of the continued inaction by the university to protect the interests of many of its students. At this point it is well within the university’s ability to stop this event from happening. I urge the university to issue an apology to the community at large for permitting such a dangerous figure to come to campus and threaten the safety of its students. If the university chooses not to take action, students and community members will take the initiative to keep their campus safe.
Contacts:
UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks’ office
Phone: 510-642-7464
Email: chancellor@berkeley.edu
Dan Mogulof, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Public Affairs
Phone: 510-642-3715
Mobile: 510-919-6954
Email: dmogulof@berkeley.edu
The election of Donald Trump has emboldened the far right – racists, Islamophobes and misogynists are attempting to come out into the light and gain a foothold across the country. We have to show them that we won’t tolerate any rise in far right activity. We will come together to fight oppression and prevent them from having a platform in our universities. They aim to recruit mainly young, alienated white men to their politics of white supremacy, xenophobia, and misogyny. Join us and unite against oppression and against a corporate political system that relies on this right-wing, divide-and-conquer rhetoric.
Milo Yiannopoulos is a spokesperson for the newly activated far right, an Islamophobic writer for Breitbart, a leader of the Gamergate sexual harassment campaign, and a figurehead for some of the most hateful right-wing elements in Trump’s camp. We should allow no space for his message at UC Berkeley.
We also have to do more than stop one event to prevent these far right elements from recruiting and growing their forces. We have to shut them down and drown out their events in every community they pop up, and we have to undermine them politically as well. We need a vibrant Left force in this country that will serve as a progressive outlet for the anger and frustration caused by capitalism in this moment of crisis. Socialist Alternative calls for a new party of the 99%, free of corporate money, with a political program that can offer real solutions to working people and oppressed communities.
The first step in this campaign is to build mass public pressure so that Yiannopoulos cancels his tour, or so the UC cancels it for him. This will mean building this Facebook event, inviting everyone you know, and also hitting the streets to organize and to gather signatures for a petition to the UC administration. Please SHARE this event and INVITE your friends!
If the UC fails to do close Yiannopoulos down, or if he moves to an off-campus venue, we will gather the community for a mass counter-protest and shut down that event.