LOS ANGELES, UCLA Campus - November 19, 2009 – An estimated 2,000+ students and union workers took part in various actions campus-wide this week. Covel Commons where the UC Regents held their last day of meetings was completely surrounded by students and workers with arms locked together. They formed a human chain of solidarity against the regents complicity in the ongoing privatization of the UC system. Latest from the Newswire: Students and Workers Resist Privatization at UCLA Regents Meeting

more: Students Occupy Campbell Hall | Reports of Arrests | Eye Witness Reportback

Photos: UC Strike - UCLA Nov.19th by Tae | | UC Students Fight Tuition Hike, Occupy Campus by A
Audio: MP3 AUDIO – Interview with UCLA Student on Protesting the Regents By A
Video: Students Pepper Sprayed | Whose University? Our University! (Via vozmob.net) | UC Police break up UCLA protest by Richard Bamattre

Coverage from other independent media sites: Indybay coverage of actions across the CA education system | Protest at UCLA against the theft of our education | Estudiantes se unen y marchan | Video :Maria's Dilemna (en español)

Background & More info: UCSolidarity.org | UCStrike.com

Fred Phelps, founder and pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas and a man so far on the fringes of the radical religious Right even the late Rev. Jerry Falwell called him “a certified nut,” brought his nationwide road show of hate to San Diego the weekend of October 16-18. Along with a number of synagogues and Jewish community groups, one of his picketing targets was San Diego High School for its alleged tolerance and acceptance of Queer students. A counter-protest drew 500 people as opposed to the 10 or so Westboro Baptist Church members on the opposite side of Park Boulevard from the school. Full article: Fred Phelps Brings Road Show of Hate to San Diego; 500 Protest Against Him by Mark Gabrish Conlan

LOS ANGELES, October 28, 2009 - At a little after twelve noon on Wednesday, Dr. Matt Hendrickson; an emergency room physician and six other protesters were arrested for trespassing and blocking the entrance to the CIGNA offices in Glendale, California. The action was part of a nationwide effort by Mobilize For Healthcare, which advocates a single payer medicare plan for all, with no denials to anyone.

Nonviolent actions were held in other US cities resulting in a total of 37 arrests nationwide. Seventy three people actually sat in nationally, but due to various police tactics in San Francisco, Columbus and Warwick 40 demonstrators were not arrested.

The police presence in Glendale was large with at least two policemen for each protester and at this time all of the protesters have been released. Full Story: Physician and Six Activists Arrested at CIGNA’s Glendale Office, (part 1) | | (part2) by Robert Stuart Lowden

On October 24th, thousands of rallies and actions were planned around the world to draw attention to the environmental crises caused by humans. The global action was organized by 350.org, and the actions, which will be presented at the UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen in December of 2009. Several events took place in Southern California, many of them pictured at 350.0rg.

Also, in Los Angeles, a large banner was seen being held up over the 134 Freeway near the San Rafael exit, and on Tuesday October 27 a banner was still hanging over the Ventura Freeway in the San Fernando Valley.

In Eagle Rock, the 350 demonstration and public outreach had a turnout of at least 40 people. Some were from the community, many belonged to the Converging Storms Action Network, and others were with the Northeast LA Radical Neighbors (NELA-RAD), which hosted the event.

Story and photos: International Day of Climate Action in Eagle Rock (part 1) | (Photo set 2) by R of the Northeast LA Radical Neighbors ("bad-asses who care")

October 24, 2009 RIVERSIDE, California - In Southern California's largest antifascist action in recent memory, a diverse group of between 400 and 500 protesters held a demonstration against a group of 16 neo-Nazis from the National Socialist Movement in the Casa Blanca barrio of Riverside. The NSM sought to target the day laborers who congregate outside the Home Depot at the corner of Indiana and Madison to exercise their right to free speech and look for work, but the community denied them any opportunity to put their genocidal ideology into practice.

Depite efforts to contain the throng to sidewalks behind metal barriers, thrice the activists pushed forth their demands by taking over the street--in outright defiance not only of the police, who numbered well over 50, but also of protest organizers' pre-established rules of conduct. The day saw two arrests of anti-Nazi demonstrators criminalized for defending their community, and several activists reported being pushed and struck by police batons.

From the Newswire: Immigrants Are Welcome Here. Nazis Are Not., Part 1 | (Photo set 2) | (Photo set 3) By Rockero | | NAZIS GO HOME! Spit and Swastikas Clash in Riverside by Kendra Atleework | |Report from the action: 500 Outnumber & Surround Nazis in Riverside.

VIDEO: Nazis in Riverside by Nauiocelotl | | Video footage of the Anti-Nazi protest and More footage of the Anti-Nazi protest by Jammer CC | | Inland Empire Against Racial Hate (1-13) by Musicamante

On August 31, 2009 an appeals judge lifted an existing ban on Navy sonar, and ruled against a lawsuit that would have prevented the U.S. Navy from resuming sonar training exercises off Southern California. The training exercises thus commenced on September 11, 2009 off San Diego. Within two weeks at least three great blue whales were reported floating dead off the Southern California coast. On October 12, another great blue whale was found dead off Big Sur. On Monday, October 19 yet another blue whale washed ashore, this time at Fort Bragg in Northern California. The latest incident has raised serious questions of whether or not the sonar used by the survey vessel confirmed to have hit the whale might have been responsible.

Full report: Blue Whale Deaths Off the California Coast by David Gurney

October 22, the national day of resistance against police brutality, is becoming a tradition dear to the Los Angeles community, especially to the families of those whose lives were stolen and to the youth who face police repression every day. This year, the police didn't let up, as the high-profile cases of Dontaze Storey, Annette Garcia, and of course, Oscar Grant, whose New Year's Eve shooting was caught on film and stoked uprisings in the Bay Area, show. The Orange County community converged in Orange, and Los Angeles centered its actions in South Central, where marchers took Leimert park to demand justice for the fallen.

Calls to Action: October 22 Coalition | | No More Police Murders! No More Stolen Lives! by Carl Dix

Report from the action: 5:00 pm, O-22 – 100+ Rally at Anti Police State Protest in Leimert Park by LA-IMC newsroom | | Photos: protest: Stop Police Brutality by Marcus | No More Stolen Lives L.A. Protest Photos by Robert Stuart Lowden | | VIDEO: October 22nd '09 Day against police brutality video by GamepitDee

US Judge Manuel Real denied Father Gregory Boyle, nationally-known for his gang prevention work, the opportunity to testify as an expert defense witness for Alex Sanchez on Monday, then promptly denied Sanchez bail while reading from prepared notes.

The prosecution’s fear was that the widely-respected Jesuit priest would dismantle the state’s gang conspiracy case based on his long experience with street gangs in Los Angeles and El Salvador. They received immediate relief from Judge Real who dismissed Boyle’s right to testify on the confusing grounds that Boyle thinks Sanchez is innocent. Read Full Report by Tom Hayden | | | Photos by Anna | | | Videos Vigil Before the Hearing | Rally & Prayer After

Related: Alex Sanchez Denied Bail by wearealex.org

LOS ANGELES, October 15, 2009 - Wednesday morning saw the organization, Mobilization for Health Care, stage a protest and sit-in at the Anthem Blue Cross offices in downtown Los Angeles. The actions were part of a national campaign of civil disobedience targeting insurance company offices. Twelve people were arrested at Wednesdays’ Los Angeles action, a total of 54 have been reported arrested nationwide

The event in Los Angeles was organized by Sam Pullman whose mother had passed away from Multiple Myeloma (a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow). She had been treated at The Mayo Clinic and was refused a bone marrow transplant by Blue Cross on the grounds that it was an experimental procedure. She passed away at age 45.
Full Story: Mobilization for Health Care Provokes Arrests at L.A. Insurance Giant, Part 1 | | Part 2, with Video by Robert Lowden
Photos: 12 Arrested in LA for Health Care for All by Mobilization for Health Care for All

Statement by arrestee, Sam Pullman: "I'm staying in police custody until we have health care for all" by Lacy MacAuley

+ UPDATE - Sam Pullman Released: In His Mother’s Footsteps: LA Man Jailed for 5 Days After Sit-In at Blue Cross Office by Democracy Now!

In Southern California, there were at least two protests of Columbus Day this year. One took place in San Juan Capistrano, the other in Santa Barbara. The latter had an impressive turnout with head counts varying from 35 to 70. Whatever the exact number, our presence was strong, and reactions were positive. Vehicles honked, and pedestrians stopped to watch and listen. Some of them expressed support for the cause.

The many signs included "We discovered a lost Columbus," "Make Columbus your mascot," and "Is there a Hitler Day?"

There was also music, dance, and several good speakers. Many of the horrors committed by Columbus were mentioned, including his forcing Indian children into prostitution. To describe all of the atrocities would have taken the entire evening (at least). However, the radio show American Indian Airwaves on KPFK had a fairly comprehensive discussion of this on October 14 at 3pm. It can be downloaded from the Audio Archives at KPFK.org for the next 90 days. Apparently, part 2 of this installment will air next week.

Story and photos: Christopher Columbus Protest in Santa Barbara by RP

LOS ANGELES, October 3, 2009 - Crowds from both sides of the abortion rights debate met and exchanged words (and an elbow or two) outside the Family Planning Clinic on N. Westmoreland in Los Angeles on Saturday. Pro-Choice volunteers made a line around the entrance, creating what organizer, Katie, called a “safe zone” for would-be patients at the clinic. “The goal is to protect the clinic,” one Pro-Choice volunteer said, “we’re trying to keep it open, and the other side is trying to shut it down.”

The conflict comes from a new push by a group called 40 Days For Life Los Angeles (FDFL), who are a religious group that has called for a presence at family planning clinics around the country. They have been met in Los Angeles by Pro-Choice activists, and both sides of the conflict admit it hasn’t been easy.

Full Story: Pro-choice and Pro-Life Groups Clash at Family Planning Clinic; Police Intervene by Brian Elerding, photos by Robert Stuart Lowden

RELATED: Defending Abortion Rights by Katie | | MP3 AUDIO: Interview with Katie Miller, Abortion Clinic Defender by A

Photos from Saturday, October 10th: FAMILY CLINIC HARRASMENT AND COUNTER PROTEST CONTINUES.

RIVERSIDE, California, Saturday, September 26, 2009 - In response to a planned neo-Nazi demonstration at a day labor site in Casa Blanca, Riverside's historically Latino community, numerous community groups united to oppose racism in their city. Over 30 organizations endorsed a rally at City Hall, which saw the participation of over 150 people who listened to and gave speeches, shared fruit and water, and enjoyed music and a strong sense of solidarity.

Meanwhile about a four miles away in front of a Home Depot store (a place where day laborers seek work) a group of no more than 10 Nazis tried to stage a rally. An alliance of close to 35 activists, including MEChA, Brown Berets, anarchists and local day laborers moved in to counter the Nazi rally and were able break it up. Activists surrounded the Nazis and seized two of their Nazi flags and burned them. The Nazis were forced to retreat under the protection of a police escort. Reports from the newswire: "Riverside Rejects Racism" Rally in Response to Neo-Nazi Demonstration, Part 1 & Part 2 by Rockero | | Nazis in Riverside by Cliff Olin | | ANTIFA VICTORY! Nazi Rally in Riverside Broken Up by Seeds Under Snow Collective | | 12:30 pm – Breaking News - Community Shuts Down Nazi Rally in Riverside.

VIDEO: Mexican and anti-racist vs National Socialist Movement by Naui Ocelotl | | Nazis in Riverside | | Nazis go home! by thepitzermaya

On Tuesday evening, Sept 22, a lively group of approximately 70 activists brought a Pro-Healthcare Reform rally to the sidewalk in front of FOX TV Center at 1999 Bundy in West Los Angeles.

To be repeated next Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 5pm-7pm. From the calendar: Protest FOX Lies About Health Care

Full report: LA Health Reform Rally Sticks it to Fox by Rodger Caldwell

In the aftermath of the Parole Board Commission's announcement that Leonard Peltier would not be granted parole, supporters of Peltier have been focusing their energy on President Barack Obama in the hopes of attaining a presidential pardon. September 12 was Peltier's 65th birthday, and vigils were held around the world. Also, Ben Carnes and Robert Fife concluded an eight-day fast for his release, while Peltier's sister, Betty Peltier-Solano, had chained herself to a fence in Washington, D.C.

Here in Los Angeles, a vigil and rally took place at Nahui Ohlin in Echo Park (see: www.myspace.com/nahuiohlin and www.facebook.com/nahuiohlin). There was drumming and singing, and messages could be sent to Peltier vis-a-vis his family.

Full report: Rally for Leonard Peltier by RP

Thousands of UC students walked out of the first day of classes throughout the state in protest of the proposed 30% increase in tuition. Solidarity actions were also held at several CSU and community college campuses. Many unions representing employees of the UC authorized single-day strike actions to protest furloughs, layoffs, and bad-faith negotiating on the part of the UC leadership. Other local unions supported their brothers and sisters by attending the rallies, speaking out against the injustices, and providing food and water to the participants. The Los Angeles Independent Media Center has received reports from the actions at UC Riverside and UC Los Angeles.

From the newswire: Furlough? Hell No! Cutback? Fight back! UCR Walkout by Rockero, photos by A.M. | | California-wide Walkout, Thousands Joined Protests Against Cutbacks and Higher Tuition Fees by Echo Park Community Coalition

Reports from Northern California: Strikes and Walkouts Against Budget Cuts, Fee Hikes, Layoffs, Furloughs at UC | | UC Santa Cruz Students Occupy Graduate Student Commons