By War Resisters Support Campaign - August 5, 2010

A new Operational Bulletin published on Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website is singling out Iraq War resisters seeking refuge in Canada.

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SANTA CRUZ - A group of about 40 people stood behind the County Jail for more than an hour Friday night banging on large drums, empty water jugs and other noise makers in a demonstration to show support for prisoners in jail "with or without papers."

Around 6:30 p.m., the group of self-proclaimed anarchists and their supporters marched from San Lorenzo Park to the County Jail in protest of ICE's presence in Santa Cruz and the controversial federal program that checks the immigration status of anyone booked on criminal charges set to launch at the County Jail on Tuesday.

As many as eight sheriff's deputies stood on the jail roof to monitor and film the protesters, but did not interfere with the protest.

The event had a personal connection for Watsonville resident Nayeli Gil, who said she watched a cooperative effort between police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest and deport her undocumented brother seven days ago.

Gil, who was born in Tijuana, said living in the U.S. has delivered an opportunity for a higher education for her. She said her brother was trying better himself as well.

"What they are doing is disrespecting people's rights; it's rude and unfair," Gil said. "It's frustrating. He was trying to work for his family. They're making our lives miserable."

The noise drew neighbors outside to the street to investigate. Many stood on the sidewalk and watched.

"I'm over it, I think immigration should be here; this is getting outrageous," said Blaine Street resident Frankie Daly. "There is too much gang violence in Santa Cruz. This is a beach town, not a gang town."

Visiting Santa Cruz from Florida, Paula Lalinde said the demonstration was impressive.

"It's a creative way to deliver their message," Lalinde said. "There is something very basic about it and natural, using [noise] to stand up for basic human rights. It breaks through the walls."

Neighbors who had questions about the noise were handed a pamphlet put together by "some local anarchists."

"Despite our racial, cultural and class divides, all who are persecuted and marginalized by the law have some common cause," the flier read. "Those of us who aren't directly affected by ICE should do whatever is in our power to resist and show solidarity with affected individuals and communities. But what we need isn't immigration reform, it's the destruction of all borders and detention centers.

"The first step is kicking ICE out of Santa Cruz, but this isn't the end."

The flier also points the finger at the media and neighborhood organizations for an increased awareness of crime in the city and efforts aimed at increased police presence.

Around 8 p.m., protestors marched down the street and dispersed quietly.

Jail Commander Lt. Bob Pursley said there is always a concern when the focus of a protest is the jail and internal security measures were put in place, although he would not say what those were.

"We're happy it ended the way it did," Pursley said. "They were able to get their point out and did it in a peaceful manner, which is always a good thing.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_15697532

Glen Grunberger and Daniela Ugaz from UA Against SB1070 addressed the Arizona Board of Regents today during the call to the public.

The grad students both urged the board to take a stand against SB1070.

Ugaz said the regents should publicly decry SB1070 to promise to students that they stand for diversity.

Grunberger said that fear, hatred and devisiveness are at the root of the law, and said those are contrary to university ideals of free expression, free thought and diversity.

If that didn't get a rise out of them, he added: "This state has become a net importer of Nazis."

Update at 5pm:

Regents chairwoman Anne Mariucci said she thinks SB1070 is worthy of discussion and public comment by the regents, and she said the topic could be on a future regents agenda.

http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/campus-correspondent/article_dc34a69e-a0d2-11df-96bb-001cc4c002e0.html

August 4th marked the 31st day and 32nd night of Peace Camp 2010, taking place at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse to protest the Santa Cruz Sleeping Ban, officially known as M.C. 6.36.010, and provide a safer spot for people to sleep at night. At about 11:15pm, five sheriff's deputies individually approached, awakened, interrogated, warned, and photographed homeless people sleeping at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse.

By Andrew Fleming - August 4, 2010

A Burnaby man is upset that the activist group No One Is Illegal got away with holding an illegal protest in Central Park last week...David Friedman said the RCMP are guilty of "dereliction of duty" for allowing the July 24 afternoon protest against Conservative Immigration Minister Jason Kenney...["]They're professional protesters, (and) I don't like what they stand for."

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The Federal court decision on California's Prop 8 was announced on August 4th. Judge Vaughn Walker ruled for the plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court that challenged the constitutional validity of California's Proposition 8. The plaintiffs sought to have the federal court strike down the proposition, saying it is contrary to the 14th Amendment's guarantee to equal protection. Rallies were held in response throughout the the Bay Area and elsewhere in California.

Responding to weeks of protests and direct action by the grassroots group Fix Fell, as well as lobbying efforts by other community groups, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency on August 3rd painted the bike lane on Fell Street between Scott and Baker Streets green. This is just one more small improvement that is being made to this stretch of Fell Street to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and improve clarity for motorists.

Zwei Plakatsujets, die im August 2010 auch in den Schaufenstern der IG BILDENDE KUNST in Wien gezeigt werden, setzen sich mit rassistischer (Staats-)Gewalt auseinander.

Nach einer Blockade gegen die Abschiebung des Trainers des FC Sans Papiers am 29. April 2010 in Wien wurden drei Verfahren eingeleitet. In erster Instanz gab es einen Freispruch und eine Verurteilung. Das dritte Verfahren wurde vertagt.

By Joshua Kahn Russell - July 29, 2010

There is one unlikely group that has joined in protest against the anti-immigrant law: Environmentalists...I’m proud to be a part of the new generation of eco-activists who see the forests for the trees (and the people). We believe the fate of our planet intimately depends on how we treat our brothers and sisters, and that standing up for Immigrant Rights is a central element of our task.

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PHOENIX - Arizona's border battle is leaving its mark on downtown Phoenix, but not in a good way.

"Usually people, when they see graffiti, they think of crime or a run down area," said Manager of Alta Phoenix Lofts Chiara Elie.

Within the last week, downtown Phoenix has become a spot for anti SB 1070 tagging, which has residents in Alta Phoenix Lofts upset.

"What's terrible is that we're really trying to bring up this community, not just this property but the neighboring businesses and the last thing we need is graffiti," said Elie.

The messages are showing up on everything from stop signs to a mural on the side of a building.

Within a few blocks there are eight different anti-SB1070 messages.

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/tagging-an-anti-sb-1070-message-in-phoenix

Protests took place on July 29th throughout Arizona, and around the U.S. and Mexico, against attacks on immigrants. These protests happened the day that Arizona's anti-immigrant law, SB1070, went into effect. There were actions in San Francisco, Oakland, and other cities throughout the Bay Area and beyond. The day before, federal judge Bolton blocked several of the most controversial aspects of Arizona's immigration law from taking effect.

Sieben Tage Aktionen, Informationen, Kino, Diskussionen... zu Migration & Migrations- politiken. Ein Aufruf zum Mitmachen.

Der britische Minister für Einwanderung, Damien Green, verkündete bei der Eröffnung des größten Abschiebe- zentrums Europas, dass mit illegalisierten Migrant_innen nicht länger "sanft" umgegangen werde.

Flüchtlingsrat Niedersachsen reagierte enttäuscht auf die Stellung- nahme des nieder- sächsischen Innenministeriums, das "keine Hinweise auf Versäumnisse, die zu fehlerhaften Entscheidungen gegenüber Slawik K. geführt haben", erkennen konnte.

Der High Court Irlands ruft den EuGH zur EU-weiten Klärung an: Dürfen Asylsuchende trotz menschen- rechtswidriger Lebensumstände nach Griechenland zurückgeschickt werden?

<em>Ma de pr'oda, savi hinmanuces morci, ale dikh, savo les hin jilo. [Don't look at the skin of a man; look at his heart.]</em> - Romani proverb

Harmonds- worth IRC, managed by GEO Group UK, is now back to full capacity after being partially made uninhabitable by frustrated detainees in November 2006.

by Scott Campbell

On Saturday, July 31, around 50 individuals from various collectives and organizations in the city of Oaxaca blockaded Calle Benito Juárez in front of the federal courthouse for two hours to protest the escalating aggression against the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan Copala. Initial reports from the region indicated that 400 paramilitaries from the state-backed Union for the Well-Being of the Triqui Region (UBISORT) have entered the autonomous municipality accompanied by 300 Oaxaca state police in an effort to crush the autonomous project underway in San Juan Copala, a municipality of 70 families who have been under siege by UBISORT and the Movement for Triqui Unification and Struggle (MULT) paramilitaries for seven months.

Protesters demanded an end to the siege, an end to state-backed paramilitary aggression, the immediate exit of paramilitary, police and military forces from San Juan Copala, implicated Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz as the one responsible for the violence, and expressed their support for the autonomous municipality. After two hours the blockade was lifted and a march made its way through town to the city’s central plaza.

Breaking: San Juan Copala, Oaxaca, Under Paramilitary Control Following Police Raid

Twelve protesters were arrested Friday afternoon after allegedly blocking access to the Lower Buckeye Jail near 35th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix, authorities said.

The protesters, who have been vocal in their opposition to Arizona's immigration law, were reportedly trying to stop a crime-suppression sweep run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.

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The road was cleared as of 4:45 p.m., officials said.

Salvador Reza, the leader of a group called Puente, was among those arrested, according to Puente spokeswoman Opal Tometi.

On Thursday, at least 50 protesters were arrested after allegedly blocking a public thoroughfare at Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix. Reza was arrested at Thursday's protest as well.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/30/20100730phoenix-arpaio-sweep-protesters-arrested-abrk.html