August 2014

Ferguson Solidarity march shuts down H st on Saturday night

On Saturday night, the 30th of August, Ferguson solidarity marchers assembled at Union Station, then marched on H Streen NE, shutting it down for over two hours. Cops were blocked from hassling stragglers and many bystanders joined the march. Eventually the march grew to a length of about two blocks of people taking the whole street.

1 min 20 sec video, clips cut from "DC Solidarity by Stream" coverage posted by "Gen Knox"

Full HD Video of the Shut Down H Street march for Ferguson

Photo cropped from Ben Norton Twitter feed, original credit given to Omar Alzayat

Critical Mass rides to National Police memorial, King Memorial for Ferguson Solidarity

On the 29th of August, Critical Mass bikes rides around the US were transformed in part or in whole to Ferguson solidarity events. Here in DC, the ride made a pit stop at the National Police Memorial, where "hand up don't shoot" photos were taken and the NWA song "Fuck Tha Police" was at one point played by a rider from a portable sound system. A second and more somber stop was at the Martin Luther King memorial.

Video of the ride

hands up-don't shoot!

Banks and Investors Challenge Predatory Funds Solutions Fall Short of Comprehensive Protection for Poor Countries

The International Capital Market Association (ICMA), a group of banks and investors, released a new debt framework this morning aimed at reducing the ability of predatory funds and holdout investors to undermine debt restructuring.

Banks and Investors Call for New Debt Relief Rules In Wake of Argentina Hedge Fund Case

The International Capital Market Association (ICMA), a group of banks and investors, will call Friday for reforms aimed at preventing repeats of the Argentina/NML Capital debt dispute. The ICMA's plan would reduce the ability of hold-out creditors to litigate and undermine debt restructuring, in part by using contract clauses to bind all bond-holders to debt restructuring that 75% of all holders agree on.

Banks and Investors Call for New Debt Rules In Wake of Argentina Hedge Fund Case

The International Capital Market Association (ICMA), a group of banks and investors, will call Friday for reforms aimed at preventing repeats of the Argentina/NML Capital debt dispute. The ICMA's plan would reduce the ability of hold-out creditors to litigate and undermine debt restructuring, in part by using contract clauses to bind all bond-holders to debt restructuring that 75% of all holders agree on.

Great Zine On Collective Housing Strategies and Tactics

Hey Folks! We have just finished writing a zine on living in an activist collective intentional community. It was written as a practical guide with tools and references to assist in achieving a more sustainable approach to strategies and tactics for reaching goals. We approach this work from the experience in our shared collective narrative in an effort to ground much of the theory in our practice.

Hundreds arrested in immigrant civil disobediance at White House

On the 28th of August hundreds of immigrants and supporters organized by CASA de Maryland were arrested in front of the White House after marching there from the national headquarters of ICE, demanding that Obama end deportation of undocumented migrants by executive order.

Video of the march from ICE and the civil disobediance at the White House

In front of the White House (photo by SOA Watch)

Texas landowner speaks on TransCanada's bullying at Tar Sands Blockade film screening

On the 27th of August, the film Above All Else, about the Texas tree sitting blockade against the southern leg of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline was shown for the first time in DC at the E St Cinema. The film showing was followed by a panel discussion about the pipeline and the tar sands blockade, featuring landowner Julia Trigg Crawford who recounted in person the bullying tactics TransCanada and their lawyers used to deter landowners from refusing to sell them easements to build the pipeline

Trailer on Vimeo for Above All Else

Landowner Julia Trigg Crawford speaks about TransCanada's brutal bullying tactics

Ferguson protesters at Dept of Justice demand arrest of Ofc Darren Wilson for murder

On the 27th of August, protesters gathered in front of the Dept of Justice to demand the arrest of Ofc Darren Wilson in Ferguson for murdering Michael Brown. They also demanded accountability for all other killer cops, removing all military hardware from police possession, and body cameras on all cops, all the time. The rally effectively blocked the Constitution Ave doors of the Dept of Justice. The rally was followed by a march through Chinatown to a related event at Busboys and Poets.

Video-reading of demands at DOJ followed by quick march clip

Breaking: Ceasefire in Gaza, Israel agrees to main Palestinian demands

On the 26th of August, reports emerged that a long-term ceasefire has been reached in the Gaza War of Summer 2014. Israel has agreed to open it's borders to "humanitarian aid" to Gaza, and to allow Gaza fisherman to fish from a larger area in the Mediterranian Sea. Israeli demands for Palestinian disarmnament have been put off for later talks. If this ceasefire holds, the people of Gaza will not only have suceeded in forcing Israel to the table but may have won their demands in this war. There are a lot of #VictoryForGaza tagged posts on Twitter right now, and it appears Gaza may have won this war. though at a huge price.

Code Pink protests at SecState Kerry's house for release of American journalist held by Egypt

On the 25th of August, Code Pink and area Egyptians showed up outside the Georgetown home of US Secretary of State John Kerry. They were demanding that the US Embassy in Egypt take steps to demand that the illegal coup government of Egypt to release journalist Mohommed Soltan, who is a US citizen with family ties to Egypt. He has been effectively held hostage for a year, denied medical treatment for a bullet wound suffered while covering a protest, and has been on hunger strike. The government of Egypt receives nearly as much US aid as Israel, even though US aid to coup governments is illegal.

Video of the protest
Downloadable audio-Omar Soltan speaks on what the Egyptian coup regime did and is doing to his brother

DC Ferguson march takes Chinatown streets for second night in a row

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