May 2017

On the 29th of May, the CISPES Solidarity Ride returned to DC from 180 miles on the road by bike in three days. The ride raised over $17, 500 for the CISPES Education Fund, which supports community-based organizing in El Salvador. The Washington Peace Center reports some of this organizing will be efforts to resist border militarization in both Central America and in Mexico as being pushed by the US.

Video including interview with a participant and scenes from the last 10 miles of the ride

As G7 leaders continue to meet in Taormina, Italy, relief groups like Oxfam International are intensifying calls for aid monies to address famine. Twenty million people are suffering the affects of famine and ‎the UN calls for $6.3 billion in aid.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and the IMF's Christine Lagarde join world leaders for the Financing for Development (FfD) Forum at UN Headquarters. The meetings come almost two years after the Addis Ababa FfD Summit to implement the global SDGs or Sustainable Development Goals"Two years ago, world leaders made promises through the Addis Ababa Action Agenda to build a more responsible global financial system," notes Eric LeCompte who helped negotiate the outcomes and gave remarks during the closing sessions.

On the 20th of May, the annual March on Monsanto marched from the White House to Monsanto's DC corporate lobbying office on I st by the south side of Franklin Square. This time around, protesters were demanding not only an end to Monsanto's genetically modified crops and seed patents but also to their production of white phosphorus, sold to the US military and used in places like Gaza.

On the 16th of May, Turkish dictator Erdogan's security forces beat and kicked peaceful pro-YPG and Armenian protesters near the Turkish Embassy.On the 19th of May, protesters returned to the Turkish ambassador's home near the embassy. They denounced both Erdogan's security squad's brutality in DC and routine similar behavior in Turkey. Kurdish activists and DC area antifascists were both present at this protest.

Breaking-Video emerges on Youtube with evidence Erdogen personally ordered the May 16th attack

Video of the brutal beating and kicking of peaceful protesters by Erdogan's security detail on May 16, 2017