Pro-Palestinian protest leader sues Trump for $20 million

from PressTV

A prominent pro-Palestine Columbia University graduate has sued US President Donald Trump's administration for $20 million over his arrest and detention by immigration agents.

Mahmoud Khalil, one of the leaders of pro-Palestinian protests on American campuses, was in custody following his arrest in March.

Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and a Palestinian activist who helped organize campus protests against Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza across the US last year, was arrested on March 8 in New York. He had since been held at an immigration detention center in Louisiana.

Khalil is also a legal permanent US resident and previously served as a lead negotiator for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, CUAD.

He was freed from a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana last month, hours after a judge ordered his release on bail.

The legal group backing Khalil said in a statement that the Trump administration carried out its illegal plan to arrest, detain, and deport Khalil in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family.

"The administration carried out its illegal plan to arrest, detain, and deport Mr. Khalil 'in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family,' the claim says," according to the Center for Constitutional Rights which is backing Khalil...

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Huge Win for BDS is a Massive Blow to Netanyahu!

(Bit of good news from the UK. The BDS movement finally convinced the company which made the motors for Israel's quad-copter killer drones to stop filling the orders. These drones are driven hard and brought home to roost wet so the IDF killed drone pilots need a constant stream of new motors to replace the worn out ones. Well, they wont be getting em from this UK manufacturer anymore and that is good news.) 

from KernowDamo

 

‘Welfare, not warfare’: Thousands protest in London against austerity cuts

from PressTV

Thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday to protest government spending cuts and welfare reforms, voicing outrage over rising military budgets amid deepening social inequality. 

The demonstration—organized by the People’s Assembly—began at Portland Place and made its way to Whitehall, with crowds chanting and holding placards reading “Tax the Rich,” “Nurses Not Nukes,” and “Welfare Not Warfare.”

Trade unionists, campaigners, and activists from across the UK joined the protest under the slogan “No to Austerity 2.0,” calling on the Labour government to abandon austerity policies and invest in public services instead of warfare.

Campaigners condemned Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s economic agenda, accusing his cabinet of hiding behind so-called fiscal rules while enacting cuts that deepen poverty, erode social protections, and widen inequality...

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Thousands march in Rome to protest ‘complicity’ on Gaza war

from PressTV

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the Italian capital, Rome, to demand an end to the Israeli war on Gaza, while accusing the government of being complicit in the ongoing genocide.  

According to the organizers, up to 300,000 people marched through the streets of the capital city on Saturday, as they waved Palestinian flags and held a wide banner reading, “Stop the massacre, stop complicity!” as well as “Free Palestine” signs.

The rally made its way from Rome’s central Piazza Vittorio to San Giovanni, where opposition parties’ leaders urged an end to the aggression and denounced “the silence” of the far-right Italian government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni...

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Aid flotilla nears Gaza after reaching Egypt, organizers say

(Here is an interesting take... I think they might let em come ashore in Gaza and deliver the aid. How much can that little yacht carry anyway? As much as one aid truck? They might be swamped by starving people and that would make for good PR for the Zionists if Greta gets stampeded for some rice. And if not they can step back and say 'see? we let the flotilla in'. It becomes PR for the Zionists either way. The only drawback is when others see them land they will load up a real flotilla and set sail and Israel can't allow for that. But they can deal with that then with a few well placed drones. I think they might let em land. We will see.) 

from Daily Sabah

An aid flotilla with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, has reached the coast of Egypt and is nearing the besieged Gaza Strip, organizers said Saturday.

The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Sicily last week with a cargo of relief supplies "to break Israel's blockade on Gaza".

"We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast," German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told AFP. "We are all good," she added.

In a statement from London on Saturday, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza, a member organization of the flotilla coalition, said the ship had entered Egyptian waters.

The group said it remains in contact with international legal and human rights bodies to ensure the safety of those on board, warning that any interception would constitute "a blatant violation of international humanitarian law"...

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In America We Don't Do Kings

by Scott Creighton

I know Curtis Yarvin and Peter Thiel and all their brown-shirt acolytes would have you believe otherwise, but here in the states we don't grovel at the feet of royalty anymore. 

Not even for the Duke of Orange.

On June 14th his lordship, the Double Fisted Weenie Dancer, is spending up to 90 million bucks to throw himself a Big Beautiful Bash for Flag Day...his birthday. 

He intends to have the military all polished and looking impressive to march by his fatness and impress the world with his mighty might or some shit like that.

Tanks. helicopters, 7500 soldiers all marching up and down the square to appease him on his birthday.

What a tribute he is throwing... for himself.

The Madness of King George. 

So the rest of us, those of us who can still think for ourselves and aren't AFRAID to let Palantir know we still can and do... are going to mark the occasion with No Kings Day. 

That's right folks, there are going to be, at this time, over 1600 demonstrations across the country with one single goal in mind... remind those fascists pricks who think they can remake our nation in the image of 1930s Germany that they cannot and will not... on our watch.

You can go to the website for the demonstration and see if there is a rally planned somewhere near you. I hope there is. 

Meanwhile Palantir is still garnering even MORE data on us all, this time from the C.D.C.

Looks like they are putting the final touches on their Social Credit Score system, you know, the part that ultimately decides if you are a Maker or a Taker. 

Can't have those sick people holding us back, don't you know.

So if you are OK with what The Trumpening looks like so far, by all means, enjoy as TrumpyBear giggles and drools watching all those manly men in uniform march up and down the square for his amusement.

However, if you are of a more discerning temperament, perhaps you might think of attending a No Kings Day demonstration with the rest of us.

Don't be afraid. The only real loss is not even trying. 

(thank you Coach Stansberry for teaching me that so long long ago) 

Divided Israel faces internal unrest amid escalating Gaza conflict

from al Jazeera

As Israel’s devastating war on Gaza grinds on, pushed forward by a prime minister insistent that a goal of total military victory be met, the divisions within Israeli society are growing increasingly deeper.

In the last few weeks, as Israeli peace activists and antiwar groups have stepped up their campaign against the conflict, supporters of the war have also increased their pressure to continue, whatever its humanitarian, political or diplomatic cost. 

Members of the military have published open letters protesting the political motivations for continuing the war on Gaza, or claiming that the latest offensive, which is systematically razing Gaza, risks the remaining Israeli captives held in the Palestinian territory.

Another open letter has come from within Israel’s universities and colleges, with its signatories doing a rare thing within Israel since the war began in October 2023: focusing on Palestinian suffering...

read more here 

Trump confronted by diverse, robust pushback on 'a million' different fronts: Rachel Maddow

from MSNBC

 

FBI, local police raid homes of pro-Palestine activists in Michigan

from PressTV

US law enforcement officials, including the FBI and local agencies, have executed a series of search warrants at multiple homes of pro-Palestine activists linked to the University of Michigan.

According to a union group, agents detained and questioned several individuals and confiscated electronic devices and personal belongings during the raids on Wednesday.

The raids were reportedly carried out in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Canton, at the request of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

"We strongly condemn the actions taken today and all past and present repression of political activism," the Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO) said in a statement.

It demanded accountability from university officials and the attorney general...

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#FTAidf2025: Are We Witnessing Israel's Foxtrot Tango Alpha Moment?

F%ck The Army they called it. U.S. soldiers fighting an endless war in Vietnam had had enough. They didn't believe it in anymore and were refusing to fight. It wasn't all of em but it was enough to make a difference and give war planners reason to pause and rethink the future of the conflict. Is that what we see happening in Israel right now with Air Force, Intel, elite fighting units and reservists refusing to fight for Bibi's political future? #FTAidf2025

Protesters Nationwide Rally Again to Condemn Trump Policies

from the NYT

Thousands of protesters across the country once again took to the streets on Saturday to rally against President Trump and his policies, a sign of sustained resistance to his leadership just two weeks after cities and towns nationwide saw mass demonstrations.

Although the turnouts in cities like New York, Washington and Chicago appeared to be smaller than the protests on April 5 — several thousands marched in the nation’s capital on Saturday, compared with tens of thousands earlier this month — more than 700 events were planned from Jacksonville, Fla., to Los Angeles, according to one of the organizers, the group 50501.

The participants raged against the president, who they say is trampling on civil liberties and the rule of law, and overreaching in immigration, federal job cuts, the economy and other areas...

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Breaking through the stalemate in the student movement for Palestine

from Mondoweiss

Five days after the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P) occupied a “landmark Oxford library,” renaming it “The Khalida Jarrar Library.” Occupiers reiterated the demands for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions and for divestment from all arms companies while also reinvesting in the urgent Palestinian-led rebuilding of higher education in Gaza. This action forced much-needed attention on Palestine after the ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza placated the efforts of many—as if Israeli machinations of genocide had ceased, even as manufactured starvation and the targeted destruction of the healthcare system continued unabated. Against the backdrop of almost 1000 violations of the ceasefire by Israel and the ramping up of invasions and settler pogroms in the West Bank, the urgency of keeping eyes on Palestine was paramount. Israel proved this by unilaterally shattering the ceasefire on March 18th with hundreds of simultaneous strikes on Gaza, killing 1,263 Palestinians in 17 days.

OA4P’s seven-hour occupation encapsulated the current state of pro-Palestine student organizing globally. Pockets of students are escalating their actions, such as protestors at Bowdoin and Columbia, though in many other cases, the efforts have dwindled. Amid increased repression of protest and free speech by police and state actors worldwide, and declining media coverage of Palestine, the acceleration and intensification of actions that disrupt the status quo and reject the normalization of Zionist violence are imperative...

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Protests grow inside Microsoft over Gaza war links

from al Mayadeen English

Internal unrest is mounting at Microsoft as employees protest the company’s reported involvement in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, The Guardian reported on Friday.

For the second time in a month, staff interrupted a high-profile event—this time during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebration on April 4—accusing the company of complicity in what they described as war crimes in Gaza.

During the celebration, AI executive Mustafa Suleyman was interrupted by employees Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal, both of whom were fired days later. The incident follows a March 20 protest at Seattle’s Great Hall, where Microsoft President Brad Smith and former CEO Steve Ballmer were shouted down by a current and a former employee...

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Call from the General Federation of Trade Unions in Gaza to Labor Unions in the United States on the Eve of International Workers’ Day

from Mondoweiss

To the Free Trade Unions in the United States of America and to every free worker and trade unionist fighting for justice, freedom, and human dignity,

We salute you on the eve of International Workers’ Day, a day that embodies the unity and solidarity of workers in confronting oppression and exploitation. We raise to you the voice of Gaza’s workers, who today stand at the forefront of confronting the most heinous forms of genocide, siege, and starvation, imposed on our people for decades and continuing to this day with direct support from the U.S. administration under Donald Trump, and previous administrations, in blatant violation of all humanitarian and international laws.

Dear members of American trade unions,

For over 16 months, Gaza has been subjected to a brutal assault that has resulted in the martyrdom of tens of thousands of innocent civilians, including thousands of workers, along with the systematic destruction of infrastructure, homes, hospitals, schools, and factories. The occupation has stripped Gaza of all means of life, sparing no service or productive sector from systematic devastation, leading to the collapse of healthcare, public services, education, and the economy. Millions of Palestinians now find themselves displaced, without food, water, shelter, electricity, or medicine.

The genocide is in a dangerous escalation.  The occupation continues its policy of collective starvation by closing crossings and preventing the entry of humanitarian aid, placing our people at risk of mass famine while the international community remains powerless, silent, or even complicit in this crime against humanity. These policies are not merely intended to subjugate our people but are part of a settler-colonial regime aimed at completely erasing Palestinian existence.

Tampa Bay area protesters join national rallies saying “Hands Off” to Trump and Musk

from WUSF Tampa

Crowds of people angry about the way President Donald Trump is running the country marched and rallied in several Tampa Bay region communities and scores of other American cities Saturday. It was the biggest day of demonstrations yet by an opposition movement trying to regain its momentum after the shock of the Republican's first weeks in office.

The “Hands Off!” demonstrations were organized for more than 1,200 locations in all 50 states by more than 150 groups including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The rallies appeared peaceful, with no immediate reports of arrests.

From the National Mall and Midtown Manhattan to Boston Common and towns like Brooksville, Gulfport and Tampa, thousands of protesters assailed Trump and billionaire Elon Musk 's actions on government downsizing, the economy, immigration and human rights...

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Local Hands OFF Protest info Tampa Florida

About this event

Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. Tampa is fighting back!

They're taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our services—and daring the world to stop them. This is a crisis, and the time to act is now.

🚨 On Saturday, April 5th, we're taking to the streets to fight back with a clear message: Hands off! 🚨

📍 Where: Tampa City Hall - 315 E Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33602

📅 When: 3-6pm April 5, 2025

This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.

A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.

Check out handsoff2025.com for more information.

Here’s what to know about Saturday’s ‘Hands Off!’ anti-Trump protests

from The Hill

Nationwide protests are set to take place Saturday in opposition to the Trump administration and its allies, with leaders vowing to stand up to push back against the “most brazen power grab in modern history.” 

The “Hands Off!” rallies are taking place in more than 1,000 cities across all 50 states, and nearly 400,000 people have signed up to attend them, according to the progressive organization Indivisible, which is one of the almost 200 groups partnering to organize the movement. 

Other partner organizations include the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and various advocacy groups focusing on issues like climate change and voting rights. 

“Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them,” the movement’s website states. “They’re taking everything they can get their hands on, and daring the world to stop them. On Saturday, April 5th, we’re taking to the streets nationwide to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!” ...

read more here

Zionists HARASS Pro-Palestinian Protesters: "SHUT UP OSAMA, F*CK YOUR INTIFADA!"

 

Cory Booker Condemns Trump’s Policies in Longest Senate Speech on Record

from the New York Times

The New Jersey senator spent much of his speech, which ended after more than 25 hours, assailing the Trump administration. He eclipsed Strom Thurmond’s filibuster of a civil rights bill in 1957.

Senator Cory Booker, his voice still booming after more than a day spent on the Senate floor railing against the Trump administration, on Tuesday night surpassed Strom Thurmond for the longest Senate speech on record, in an act of astonishing stamina that he framed as a call to action.

Mr. Booker, a New Jersey Democrat and one-time presidential candidate, began his speech at 7 p.m. on Monday, vowing to speak as long as he was “physically able.” In a show of physical and oratorical endurance, he lasted past sunset on Tuesday, assailing President Trump’s cuts to government agencies and crackdown on immigration.

He ended his speech at 8:05 p.m., 46 minutes after eclipsing Mr. Thurmond’s 24-hour 18-minute filibuster of a civil rights bill in 1957. He finished by quoting John Lewis, the civil rights hero and congressman. Mr. Booker said of Lewis: “He said for us to go out and cause some good trouble, necessary trouble, to redeem the soul of our nation. I want you to redeem the dream. Let’s be bold in America.”...

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Call to resist repression: Universities must refuse cooperation with the Trump regime

from Mondoweiss

Universities are serving as staging grounds for the Trump regime’s escalation of attacks on immigrants, people of color, trans and queer people, and critics of Zionism, ranging from armed attacks including the ICE abduction of Mahmoud Khalil to institutional attacks that withdraw, cancel, and criminalize funding and infrastructure. The demand from the Department of Education to place into receivership Columbia’s Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies is another escalation of these attacks. These are accompanied by the vast widening of ICE arrests and detentions.Without organized resistance and refusal to comply, history shows us that these assaults will undoubtedly expand in reach, in violence, and in the destruction of scholarly communities.

The Trump regime’s attacks on universities have been fueled by baseless smears against students, faculty, and staff propagated by Zionist groups who agitate specifically on college campuses. These include vigilante groups who have issued mass calls to their followers to report student protesters to ICE, claimed credit for inciting the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, and produced names of further students and scholars to be criminalized and targeted. Their perverse and dangerous rationale for identifying scholars and students as threats is rooted in the disingenuous conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism. As evident with the arrest of Leqaa Kordia and visa revocation of Ranjani Srinivasan, students and faculty continue to be targeted in vastly concerning and escalating ways, for their (presumed) association with community-based and political organizing groups including Students for Justice in Palestine, Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and local student and community organizations...

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