2020-06-24: News Headlines

Clare Garvie (2020-06-24). The Untold Number of People Implicated in Crimes They Didn't Commit Because of Face Recognition. aclu.org In January, Michigan resident Robert Williams was arrested for shoplifting from a watch store in downtown Detroit a year ago—a

Susie Day (2020-06-24). America liberated! Trump found in bunker! mronline.org An ad-hoc alliance of radical armies demanding justice for Black lives broke through federal barricades today to storm Capitol Hill.

Victoria Burton-Harris (2020-06-24). Wrongfully Arrested Because Face Recognition Can't Tell Black People Apart. aclu.org Early this year, Detroit police arrested Robert Williams — a Black man living in a Detroit suburb — on his front lawn in front of his wife and two little daughters (ages 2 and 5). Robert was hauled off and locked up for nearly 30 hours. His crime? Face recognition software owned by Michigan State Police told the cops that Robert Williams was the watch thief they were on the hunt for., , There was just one problem: Face recognition technology can't tell Black people apart. That includes Robert Williams, whose only thing in common with the suspect caught by the watch shop's surveillance feed is that…

Eds. (2020-06-24). 'Act with necessary force': Greta Thunberg says BLM protests & 'corona crisis' give blueprint for climate change fight. mronline.org The Black Lives Matter protests across the world show the 'necessary force' people need to use when fighting global warming, teen activist turned climate change icon Greta Thunberg believes.

_____ (2020-06-24). Reparations And The Palestinian Right Of Return. popularresistance.org The calls "Black Lives Matter" and "Free, Free Palestine," serve to remind us that Palestine is not free and that if the lives of Black people mattered, there would be no need for the call. In both cases, people are in the grips of a cruel, racist system that refuses to let go. In both cases, people are being hunted down, caged, strangled, and shot to death, and the root cause of their suffering is rarely addressed. | In Palestine, the return of refugees is the issue that has the capacity to completely alter the conversation and ultimately bring justice to Palestinians. However few are willing to bring it up, muc…

sputniknews (2020-06-24). Why Black Lives Matter Global Network's Fundraising Bonanza Rings the Scam Alarm. sputniknews.com Though the Black Lives Matter Global Network positions itself as a charity, its funding and spending are not transparent, while its activities appear partisan and less than peaceful, say Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel and Robert Bishop, retired corporate CPA, suspecting the entity may be involved in potential fraud and money laundering schemes.

Peaceful Protest for Black Lives Matter (2020-06-24). Saturday 6/27: Peaceful Protest for Black Lives Matter. indybay.org Santa Cruz Clock Tower | Pacific Ave. and Water St., Santa Cruz…

Sit.Walk.Listen. (2020-06-24). Sunday 6/28: Sit. Walk. Listen. Because Black Lives Matter. indybay.org Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park (19th st. and Telegraph ave), Oakland, CA | Dear siblings, these times are a great call for change. | As mindfulness practitioners, we can breathe for others who cannot. Let's bring the practice of peaceful compassionate nonviolence to the streets; to listen, to follow, and support black people. | As Thich Nhat Hanh once said: "Nonviolent action, born of the awareness of suffering and nurtured by love, is the most effective way to confront adversity." | Together we can walk in peace, love, compassion and awareness.

Defund the Police State (2020-06-24). Ferry Building to City Hall and Beyond: March for Freedom and Justice in San Francisco. indybay.org Black Lives Matter supporters marched from the Ferry Building to City Hall to 555 Franklin, headquarters of the San Francisco Unified School District, with rallies at each stop on June 19.

Martha Grevatt (2020-06-24). Coast to coast, marchers declare: 'Black trans lives matter!'. workers.org "Say his name! Tony McDade!" These words rang out on June 20 as hundreds of Clevelanders, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and allies, marched to the theme, "All Black Lives Matter." They took to the streets to raise the name of Tony McDade, a Black trans man killed by police . . . |

Staff (2020-06-24). Popularity of Bail Funds Continue Protests' Momentum. therealnews.com ATLANTA—On June 1, police officers had 20-year-old William Lefforge, and about 50 other protesters, boxed in on the sidewalk near Atlanta City Hall. The officers warned the protesters they had three minutes to leave, but according to Lefforge, the group could not get by the police. The police arrested them and transported Lefforge and his group to the Atlanta Detention Center. Lefforge estimated his arrest happened around 4 p.m., well before the 9 p.m. curfew that Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has since lifted. | Lefforge called his mother, Jen, who in turn reached out to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. Thanks to…

Zero Hedge (2020-06-24). Bayer Pays $10 Billion to Settle Thousands of Monsanto Glyphosate Lawsuits. globalresearch.ca After decades of widespread use as company scientists played down research showing a definitive link between the product and growing rates of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Monsanto parent company Bayer has agreed to pay up to $10 billion to settle claims that …

Staff (2020-06-24). Outbreak at San Quentin: COVID Is Skyrocketing in CA Prisons. Why Haven't More People Been Released? democracynow.org As coronavirus rapidly spreads through California's overcrowded prisons, 400 people have tested positive for the virus at San Quentin State Prison. Advocates and incarcerated people warn conditions behind bars make it nearly impossible to stop the virus once it enters. We speak with Adnan Khan, executive director of Re: Store Justice, an organization that advocates for policy and alternative responses to violence and life sentences. He links inhumane prison conditions to the mass uprising in the streets against systemic racism and state violence. "There are literally millions of people in prison based on the 'cred…

Raul Diego (2020-06-24). The High-Tech Profiling of Native Americans Under COVID-19 Could Be Headed Your Way. mintpressnews.com As a racial profiling scandal unfolds in a New Mexico hospital targeting Native American mothers, the same principles of racial discrimination dominate the emerging technological surveillance landscape.

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-06-24). U.S. must return political prisoner Simón Trinidad to Colombia. peoplesworld.org Murderous violence and oligarchy were at the center of Colombian political life during the 20th century. Colombians by the millions were marginalized, impoverished, and/or displaced from small land holdings. Violence and the failings of liberal democracy turned Simón Trinidad into a revolutionary. Few in the United States and Europe know about him. Colombia's allies in …

Kym Smith (2020-06-24). The prison system is slavery in another form. liberationnews.org The following is based on a talk given by Kym Smith, a leading member of PSL in Columbia, South Carolina, on a national PSL webinar on June 18. I would love to scream Happy Juneteenth, but slavery isn't over, it has only been reformed into what is now the prison system. Every president, every member …

Andrew Butler (2020-06-24). Here's why you might not be seeing the systems of oppression that surround us. thecanary.co Sometimes it's hard to see the systems of oppression we're living in. This is especially true when you're not directly subjected to that oppression yourself. I say this as a caution, not as an excuse. Here's why. | I was born in South Africa in 1974. That year John Vorster, a staunch proponent of apartheid, was re-elected president in a ballot in which only white people could vote. Nelson Mandela was in prison and the

Osman Kavala (2020-06-24). Osman Kavala and the Snails: watch, enjoy, share. zcomm.org The world's first lockdown opera, ten minutes of delight against oppression…

sputniknews (2020-06-24). Charges Dropped Against Alberta First Nations Chief Who Resisted Police Arrest – Report. sputniknews.com The case of Chief Allan Adam has drawn harsh criticism from both the public and officials, including Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and has been used to highlight racial discrimination by law enforcement against ethnic minorities.

NAACP (2020-06-24). Wednesday 6/24: NAACP Town Hall: A Legal Perspective on Disparities & Systemic Racism in America (online). indybay.org

Z3K3 (2020-06-23). Whistleblowing, the Pandemic and a 'Law and Order' System of Injustice. zcomm.org America, my country deemed an African American fighting for his civil rights as a threat to national security…

Patrisse Cullors (2020-06-23). 'Black Lives Matter' is About More than the Police. aclu.org Every time another Black person is murdered by the police, it's easy to point to a single officer as the culprit. George Floyd was killed under the knee of officer Derek Chauvin — we saw it ourselves. But Chauvin is just one officer in a culture of police violence, and policing is just one of the systems responsible for taking Black lives. COVID-19 exposed a number of the others. , , It's no coincidence that Black people, who are more likely to be killed by the police, are also dying at disproportionate rates of COVID-19. While some say it's due to the prevalence of underlying health issues like diabetes…

_____ (2020-06-23). Black Activists Expose The FBI Targeting Their Movements. popularresistance.org In 2017, a leak from the FBI revealed they were targeting black activists organizing to end racist policies and practices calling them "Black Identity Extremists." This is consistent with the FBI's long history of investigating and harassing black and brown activists. Organizations like Media Justice and the ACLU have been working to get information from the FBI about what they are doing and who they are targeting but the FBI has been putting barriers in their way. We speak with Myaisha Hayes of Media Justice about what they have learned so far and its impact on activists. Hayes also discusses their efforts to ur…

Mathew González (2020-06-23). Students Not Suspects: the movement to defund and remove school police. liberationnews.org On June 16, during a closed-door Los Angeles Unified School District board meeting, members from Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, Students Deserve, and other members of the Students Not Suspects Coalition gathered on the corner of Lucas Avenue and Third street, near downtown Los Angeles, before marching toward the LAUSD building. Surrounded by a crowd …

RT (2020-06-23). WATCH: White BLM activists incur wrath of black protesters for dramatic history-flipping 'whipped slaves' demonstration. rt.com There were furious scenes at a Black Lives Matter protest in Charleston, South Carolina, when a group of liberal white activists enraged their black counterparts with a demonstration that featured white slaves and a black owner. | The ill-judged display took place in Charleston's Marion Square where a group of monument defenders gathered to show their support for a statue of John C. Calhoun, a pro-slavery American vice president. | Unsurprisingly, that gathering attracted a counter-protest in which dozens of Black Lives Matter activists chanted slogans including "George Floyd" and "take it down." | But things…

R. Robertson (2020-06-23). BLM Demonstrators Calling for Racial Justice March on Facebook HQ. indybay.org On June 12, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters demanded Facebook stop funding local police by marching on the social media giant's headquarters in Menlo Park.

Sit.Walk.Listen. (2020-06-23). Sit. Walk. Listen. Because Black Lives Matter. indybay.org Dear siblings, these times are a great call for change. | As mindfulness practitioners, we can breathe for others who cannot. Let's bring the practice of peaceful compassionate nonviolence to the streets; to listen, to follow, and support black people. | As Thich Nhat Hanh once said: "Nonviolent action, born of the awareness of suffering and nurtured by love, is the most effective way to confront adversity." | Together we can walk in peace, love, compassion and awareness.

FRHKS (2020-06-23). WATCH: Heroes: A Conversation with Albert Woodfox and Robert King (of the Angola 3). indybay.org Heroes: A Conversation with Albert Woodfox and Robert King (of the Angola 3) is a short video being released at this time to highlight another dimension of the protests taking place around the world supporting Black Lives Matter and to draw attention to racism in criminal justice systems around the world.

Staff (2020-06-23). Meet Brandon Saenz: Dallas Protester Who Lost Eye After Police Shot Him with "Less Lethal" Projectile. democracynow.org As a new Amnesty International report documents at least 125 instances of police violence against Black Lives Matters protesters in 40 states from May 26 to June 5, we speak with Brandon Saenz, a 26-year-old Black man shot in the face by Dallas police with so-called less-lethal ammunition that shattered his left eye and fractured his face. We also speak with his lawyer, Daryl Washington, about how he has since helped to win a 90-day preliminary injunction against the police use of chemical agents and rubber bullets in Dallas.

WSWS (2020-06-23). Australian High Court rules tear-gassed youth detainees entitled to damages. wsws.org Little has changed at the infamous Don Dale Youth Detention Centre since the high-profile 2014 incident.

Staff (2020-06-23). Headlines for June 23, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 on the Rise in 29 States; Immigrant and Communities of Color Carry Brunt of Devastation, Coronavirus Continues to Devastate Latin America; South Korea in Midst of Second Wave, Trump Issues Ban on H-1B Visas and Green Cards Through 2020, KY Slashes Primary Polling Sites as Key Races Pit Progressives and Establishment Dems in KY, NY, VA, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan Shutting Down CHOP, Says Police Will Return, Bridgeport Council Agrees to Shift Police Funding After Mass Protests, NYPD Says Officers Who Plowed SUVs into Protesters Were Not at Fault, Funeral for Rayshard Brooks Held in Atlanta, NAACP Lawsuit:…

Staff (2020-06-23). A New Voting Crisis: Kentucky Closes 95% of Polling Places, Leaving Louisville with Just One. democracynow.org As primary voters head to the polls in New York, Kentucky and Virginia, they face long lines, even as President Trump continues to attack mail-in voting, falsely claiming it leads to fraud. Kentucky has reduced the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 — a 95% reduction. "There's the potential for record turnout," notes Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, despite such suppression tactics.

Farhang Jahanpour (2020-06-23). The International Repercussions from George Floyd's Killing. dissidentvoice.org Pulling down statues may make us feel good but will not eliminate the root causes of racism and discrimination. Part Two — Part 1 here. The protests to the cruel killing of George Floyd and many others before him and even some after him have not remained confined to the United States or among black …

RT (2020-06-23). #JusticeforSteve: List of victims of police brutality worldwide gets longer but endless number of hashtags falls on deaf ears. rt.com As the world grapples with questions concerning police brutality, racism, and discrimination, it's worth taking a look back at a case that sparked outrage and calls for police reform in France a year ago. | The case of Steve Maia Caniço put a long record of excessive use of force by police under the microscope. | But, one year later, what has changed, if anything? Not a whole lot. Anti-police protests in the US have sparked renewed anger at the French police system. Steve represents just one of many cases of police brutality which resulted in the death of an innocent person. Time has passed but #Justice…

Kathleen Wallace (2020-06-23). To Make Crime, Create Laws. zcomm.org Research indicates that 70% of US adults have committed a crime that could lead to their imprisonment. In reality, there's a law on the books that could put you away if needed…

_____ (2020-06-23). Assange Extradition: '60 Minutes' Gives Assange Fair Shake. popularresistance.org Australia's 60 Minutes newsmagazine Sunday night aired an extensive interview with Stella Morris, Julian Assange's partner, and featured the two boys the couple have had together. While the promos for the segment during the week indicated it would focus on salacious questions such as, "How does one get pregnant in an embassy?" and "Did Pamela Anderson give your relationship cover?," the 24-minute spot ditched the usual smears against the imprisoned WikiLeaks publisher and instead humanized him to a large national audience. | The segment made clear Assange was never charged with rape in Sweden, was only wanted for…

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Indonesian Muslim scholars worried by Europe Islamophobia. yenisafak.com Indonesian Muslim intellectuals have voiced their concerns following a recent report on mounting Islamophobia in western countries.A report published Sunday by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), a think tank based int eh Turkish capital Ankara, outlined the discrimination and xenophobia that many Muslims face in European countries. The European Islamophobia Report 2019 recounted many Islamophobic developments that occurred last year in both Europe and across the world."The elections to the European parliament and to several national parliaments saw a further rise in popularity of…

Staff (2020-06-23). Kentucky Closes 95 Percent of Polling Places, Leaving Louisville With Just One. truthout.org As primary voters head to the polls in New York, Kentucky and Virginia, they face long lines, even as President Trump continues to attack mail-in voting, falsely claiming it leads to fraud. Kentucky has reduced the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 — a 95% reduction. "There's the potential for record turnout," notes Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, despite such suppression tactics. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Co…

Staff (2020-06-23). Trump Threatens Prison for Those Trying to Remove Slaveholder Monuments. truthout.org President Donald Trump threatened this week to imprison any protesters who dared to deface or tear down the statue of former President Andrew Jackson, which sits just outside the White House in nearby Lafayette Park. |

Defund the Police State (2020-06-23). Protesters Rally, March to Redwood City Jail to Tell Prisoners "We Are Here for You" indybay.org On June 21, San Mateo County residents cried out in support of diverting funds from police back to the community.

Fight Back (2020-06-22). Opponents of police crimes say no to the Minneapolis Foundation. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of police accountability and civil rights organizations held a press conference to denounce plans by Mayor Jacob Frey to turn over police accountability efforts to the Minneapolis Foundation and an unnamed group of advisors. This comes on the heels of nine city council members declaring they will disband the Minneapolis Police Department. | The Minneapolis Foundation is headed by former Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak. During his tenure as mayor, 38 people lost their lives at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, including Abu Kassim Jeilani, Fong Lee and Terrance Franklin. Rybak fa…

Jill Richardson (2020-06-22). A Ridiculous Debate on Sexual Orientation, But a Welcome Ruling. counterpunch.org The Supreme Court just affirmed a right I thought I always had: not to be fired for my sexual orientation. The 6-3 ruling found that, under existing civil rights legislation against sex-based discrimination, it's illegal for employers to discriminate against their employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It feels ridiculous that this needed

Gillian Ganesan (2020-06-22). Black Communities Can Not Wait Any Longer. The Time to Divest Is Now. aclu.org In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, we are seeing a massive popular political realignment around the role and scope of policing in the United States, led by Black organizers and Black-led movement groups. More than ever before, this movement is calling for divestment from police departments and reinvestment into the life-affirming services that help communities thrive. Further still, these protests are not confined to cities and towns across America — they have crossed our borders and are taking place globally., , These calls are being heard, and the power of the people has already led to momentu…

Fight Back (2020-06-22). Fort Lauderdale community commemorates Juneteenth with rally and march. fightbacknews.org Fort Lauderdale, FL – About 400 members of the surrounding communities gathered in downtown Fort Lauderdale to commemorate Juneteenth and demand an end to police violence. The event was sponsored by several local organizations, including SEIU Local 32BJ, Black Lives Matter Alliance of Broward, Broward Dream Defenders, and the New Florida Majority. The event began at 3 p.m. at Bubier Park, where those in attendance listened to speeches, chanted, and even danced. | The atmosphere was both festive and somber, joyful yet ripe with anger. As the protesters marked the holiday meant to celebrate the ending of slavery i…

Fight Back (2020-06-22). Tampa Bay community honors life of murdered Tallahassee activist Oluwatoyin Salau. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On June 20, Tampa Bay community members gathered at the Joe Chillura Courthouse Square to honor the life of Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau, who was sexually assaulted, abducted and murdered. Salau was a known Black Lives Matter activist in Tallahassee, Florida. Her death follows a recent wave of violence against, and murder of, Black people in the United States committed by the police, white vigilantes and others. | The vigil began at 7 p.m. and was co-hosted by the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the Intersections of Tampa Advocates (ITA…

Cathy Rojas (2020-06-22). Building multinational unity for Black lives. liberationnews.org On June 14, a Black Lives Matter protest began in Jackson Heights, the most diverse urban area in the world, ending in the immigrant neighborhood of Corona, the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in New York City. The protest had an explicitly theme of "Multinational Unity for Black Lives," and united the multinational, largely immigrant …

Mesha Jefferson (2020-06-22). Protesting for Black Lives in Trump Country. counterpunch.org I grew up biracial in a small, conservative town. Still, after living for years in Austin, moving back to one was a culture shock — it felt like going back in time. For the last three years I've lived in Volusia County, Florida — home to Daytona Beach, many small towns and suburbs, and a

Dave Leshtz (2020-06-22). Do Black Lives Matter in Iowa? thenation.com Do Black Lives Matter in Iowa?

Fiore Longo (2020-06-22). Do Black Lives Matter to Big Conservation Groups? counterpunch.org You are walking through the rainforest with your best friend. Sunlight sparkles through the leaves and the two of you are chatting and laughing. Birds tweet, monkeys hoot, and perhaps that was the sound of a forest elephant you heard in the distance. Suddenly you hear the crack of a rifle: your best friend collapses, crumpled, and you fall to your knees to catch them as their blood pours over your hands and stains your clothes.

Liberation Staff (2020-06-22). ILWU shuts down 29 ports for Juneteenth, Movement for Black Lives. liberationnews.org The International Longshore and Warehouse Union made a significant intervention into the national uprising against racism by organizing the Juneteenth West Coast Port Shutdown on June 19, closing down 29 ports in the U.S. and Canada. This act of solidarity is in keeping with the union's long tradition of fighting racism and for working-class unity. …