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Feb 26, 19

This Is America #61: Oakland Strike, SLC Antifa

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Welcome, to This Is America, February 26th, 2019.

In this episode, we hit resistance headlines and news. We then feature a special interview with anti-racist and anti-fascist organizers in Salt Lake City, Utah, were we talk about attempts by neo-Nazis and Alt-Right groups to make inroads on local campuses by carrying out various actions. We discuss the response from the wider community, and how their group is mobilizing.

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

Living and Fighting

The strike by Oakland teachers continues into its fourth day. In solidarity, bus drivers have vowed not to cross picket lines, as teachers and supporters are also blocking other vehicles from coming onto various campus sites.

Workers from other unions have also joined the picket lines, although their union leaders have stated they face possible retribution for doing so. For an in-depth interview on the subject and why people should defend public education, an eye level view on the evolving strike in Oakland, and the recuperative role of union bureaucrats, check out this podcast report from Classroom Struggle.

In some funny Alt-Right implosion news, Chris Cantwell, who even your friends at work probably know as the “Crying Nazi,” reached out to journalist Jared Holt at Right Wing Watch, asking if he could funnel him information in order to get various other Alt-Right movement luminaries on YouTube removed. Many antifascist researchers believe that Cantwell was in fact referring to Richard Spencer.

In New York, members of the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement or RAM were out in the streets as part of a wider mobilization against the US’s ongoing attempts to launch a coup in Venezuela. Recently, Vice President Mike Pence has met with the far-Right opposition to the Madoro government as tensions build.

Neo-Confederates attempted to come back to Chapel Hill in North Carolina Saturday, but were largely shut down. People on the ground report that they were outnumbered 10 to 1 and were quickly driven off campus and drowned out by chants. This attempted rally marks only the latest attempts by white nationalist, militia, and neo-Confederate groups to rally in the area.

In Brooklyn, Out Live Them NYC mobilized a solidarity event in response to a local synagogue having it’s windows broken out.

In LA, a group calling themselves “Soldiers of the Pole” launched a wildcat strike at the popular Crazy Girls strip club, demanding better wages and an end to sexual harassment. Workers say they will also push for a unionization campaign. The strike comes after workers at the club were moved from independent contractors to actual workers, a move which dancers say was retaliated against by bosses, who began taking the majority of their tips.

Appalachians Against Pipelines in so-called Virginia is now celebrating a record 175 days in the trees blocking the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Check out their Facebook page for more information, daily updates, and a link to buy brand new support shirts.

Clashes and the burning of police cars broke out in Mohawk territory after police raided cannabis dispensaries in Akwesasne.

Protests continued outside of Corcoran prison in Central California against staged fights by guards and in solidarity with a hunger strike. IWOC reports that more demonstrations outside of other prisons are also planned. See here for more info.

Anti-Colonial Land Defense continues to fight Line 3 pipeline. According to social media reports, blockades have recently gone up against logging trucks and be sure to check out this awesome video from a protest against the Army Corp. of Engineers. The group wrote:

Folks from multiple affinity groups gathered tonight to act up against the Army Corps of Engineers, a colonial institution that serves the purpose of building genocidal infrastructure on stolen land. The Army Corps of Engineers has the ability to stop the pipeline, so we went out and told them and passers by that Line 3 is genocide, and it needs to be stopped.

Amerikkka out of Turtle Island! No Line 3,ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

由 Anti-colonial Land Defense 发布于 2019年2月23日周六

In Mexico, miners and Wal-Mart workers have now joined the growing Matamoros strike, which began with maquiladora workers. This weekend, strikes also broke out at a Coca-Cola plant. The strike calls for a 20% raise and has disrupted supply chains across North America. Matamoros workers have also called on workers in the US and Canada to strike in solidarity against common class enemies.

Lastly, workers with the Burgerville Workers Union are calling on supporters to participate in a call-in campaign after one of their co-workers was fired for organizing activity. According to BWU, one worker spoke at a labor event about corporate surveillance and repression against labor organizing, which was followed by faith leaders organizing a protest at a Burgerville store in solidarity. In response, one worker was fired. To read more about the call in campaign, see the photo above.

Until next time, enjoy the interview, and we will 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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