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Jul 24, 18

This Is America #20: Oakland Explodes for #NiaWilson

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Welcome, to This Is America, July 24th, 2018.

We’re going to cover a lot of ground in this episode. First, we’re briefly going to go over upcoming mass antifascist mobilizations, the slew of racist attacks that happened the past few days, and the fierce resistance we saw in Oakland yesterday. Then, we’re going to catch up on #OccupyICE actions, as well as ongoing pipeline battles and more. We also have a special interview with #OccupyICE in San Antonio, Texas.

All this and more, but first, let’s to the news!

#AllOutAugust

The past few days saw fascist, white nationalist, and neo-Nazi attacks take place across the US. In Kansas City, a long time white supremacist murdered an African-American woman, the latest in a long line of racially motivated attacks. In Pennsylvania, a white man, Chad Merrill, was murdered in a restaurant when he stuck up for his friend, and African-American man, in the face of racial abuse. Lastly, 17 year old Nia Wilson, an African-American woman had her throat slit open by a 27 year old white man, John Cowell, when then went on to stab her sister.

In response, on Monday, a crowd of over 1,000 gathered around 5:30 PM at the MacArthur BART station in Oakland where Nia Wilson was tragically murdered, and then proceeded to march on Make Westings, a bar where a group of white nationalists were supposed to meet up. About a thousand people then rallied outside of the bar, and ended up chasing down and “exchanging words” with several Alt-Right supporters, before police moved in, who shoot flash bang grenades and attempted to make arrests. Clashes with police then broke out, with the crowd holding its own and carrying out de-arrests.

Throughout August, there are several upcoming large antifascist mobilizations, which we detail in our #AllOutAugust article here. On August 4th, people will mobilize to take on Patriot Prayer again in Portland, as will they in Berkeley on August 5th. On August 11th, there is a rally organized by students in Charlottesville, and on August 12th in DC, there is a mass mobilization against Unite the Right #2.

#OccupyICE Continues

  • In Portland, OR, the “progressive” Mayor Ted Wheeler who claimed he would not allow Portland police to work with DHS and ICE agents, has issued an order to sweep away the encampment, which has now last over 5 weeks. Those at the encampment, which has continued to resist ongoing police and State repression, are calling for solidarity. Over the weekend, Joey Gibson also showed up, leading to a scuffle and several arrests.

https://twitter.com/jung_sisyphus_/status/1020821356366028800

  • In Tacoma, WA, actions continue outside of the Northwest Detention facility where people are still on hunger strike. Noise demos and other actions continue daily. Occupation has now continued for over a month.

https://twitter.com/Occupy_NWDC/status/1021611549071273986

https://twitter.com/Occupy_NWDC/status/1021449851949572096

  • In Los Angeles, CA, the encampment continues, and yesterday Trump supporters showed up to harass the occupation and were protected by the police.

https://twitter.com/occupyicela/status/1021547957395501056

  • In Philadelphia, PA, the occupation outisde of city hall continues. Protesters also blocked streets in protest of ICE.

  • Mass anti-ICE protests in St. Louis took place, with sit-ins inside a building, and mass street protests outside.

  • In Tampa, FL, the new occupation continues strong.

  • In San Antonio, TX, the encampment outside of the local ICE facility continues, as does attempts by occupiers to carry out work stoppages.

  • In New York, NY, actions continue, however, it seems that police harassment has increased.

Living and Fighting

  • In Atlanta people held a counter-demonstration during a police photo opt at a local skate park.

  • According to various reports, an attempt by neo-Nazi Patrick Little to organize a speaking tour in public while filming himself was soon met by antifascist opposition.

  • In Hamilton, Ontario, anarchists put up anti-Robert Peterson posters which are worth checking out.
  • In LA and Long Beach, rent strikes continued.

  • In Atlanta, people rallied in solidarity with striking Amazon workers and to reject plans to build a possible Amazon HQ in the city.

  • In Louisiana, resistance continues to the Bayou Bridge pipeline, as the L’eau Est La Vie camp marks over a year of a tree sit which is directly in the path of construction.

  • In San Diego, California, antifascists made quick work of Identity Evropa trash.

https://www.facebook.com/SanDiegoAntifascists/videos/1068010033324322/

  • In so-called British Columbia, indigenous militants with the Tiny House Warriors faced arrest and repression in their fight to blockade a pipeline from coming across their territory. As one statement wrote:

On-the-ground resistance promised by the Tiny House Warriors almost a year ago has been launched, as Indigenous Land Defenders from the group reclaim an ancestral village and block the planned route of the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline.

Three tiny houses, built over the past 10 months, have now been placed in the proposed pipeline’s path…Additional tiny houses will be constructed on the site, beginning today.

“Justin Trudeau has left us no choice. This pipeline violates our rights and endangers our lands and waters. To stop it, we’re reclaiming our ancestral village and bringing our traditions back to life. If Trudeau wants to build this pipeline, he will need to empty this village a second time; in doing so, he would make continued colonization and cultural genocide part of his legacy of so-called reconciliation. Trudeau may have agreed to purchase this pipeline to make sure it gets built, but we’re here to make sure that it doesn’t. This pipeline is unfundable and unbuildable. It’s time Trudeau and all potential financial backers of this pipeline realized that we will never allow it to destroy our home.”

That’s gonna do it for us today! We’ll see you in the streets and see you soon!

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In search of new forms of life. It's Going Down is a digital community center and media platform featuring news, opinion, podcasts, and reporting on autonomous social movements and revolt across so-called North America from an anarchist perspective.

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