2020-07-25: News Headlines

_____ (2020-07-25). Louisville: Black Lives Matter Protesters Arrested After Blocking Street. popularresistance.org Louisville, KY – More than 100 Black Lives Matter protesters were confronted by police after blocking off Market Street in Louisville's Nulu neighborhood on Friday afternoon and setting up an impromptu block party. | Police started arresting dozens of protesters shortly before 5 p.m. after declaring that the gathering was an unlawful assembly. In total, 76 were arrested, according to Louisville Metro Police Department spokesman Lamont Washington. The group arrived around 4 p.m., and in less than a half-hour, protesters put up long tables with meal settings, connect four games, a trampoline, artwork and shade tent…

_____ (2020-07-25). Federal Prisons Locked Down To Quash Black Lives Matter Protests. popularresistance.org On June 2, for the first time in 25 years, the Bureau of Prisons directed all federal jails and prisons to implement a full lockdown, confining nearly 160,000 people to their cells and severely limiting contact with the outside world. The following day, on the orders of Attorney General William Barr, the Bureau pulled some of its most militarized units out of BOP facilities and deployed them to confront protesters on the streets of Washington, D.C. | Typically, a lockdown occurs in a single facility at the discretion of the warden, usually in response to temporary incidents like fights or, more rarely, longer-ter…

_____ (2020-07-25). Protesters Use 'Midnight Yoga' To Cope With Police Violence. popularresistance.org Saturday night marked another session of "Midnight Yoga" on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. | The protesters, who have been out in the streets over 50 days after being initially sparked by the failure to arrest the officers who had murdered George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (still), have turned to the peace that yoga provides to manage their pain, both physical and emotional. | Around the same time federal police were turning Portland into a war zone while violently beating and pepper-spraying citizens, D.C. protesters were stretching out their limbs after giving a touching 100 candle-light tribute to l…

The Canary (2020-07-25). Portland protests continue after judge rejects bid to restrict federal agents. thecanary.co Thousands of people joined another night of Black Lives Matter protests on the streets of Portland, hours after a US judge denied the state of Oregon's request to restrict federal police in the city.Demonstrators, most wearing masks and many donning helmets, stood near the fountain on Salmon Street Springs. They then marched to the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and the federal agents there.They chanted and clapped along to the sound of thunderous drums, pausing to listen to speakers. Various organised groups took part, including Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives and the '

ACLU (2020-07-25). The Portland Police Attack: ACLU Files Lawsuit. Sues Trump and City of Portland. globalresearch.ca PORTLAND, Ore. — Multiple volunteer street medics are suing the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, and the City of Portland for targeting and attacking them at Portland protests against police brutality. The lawsuit was filed in federal court …

Revolutionary United Front (2020-07-25). Tuesday 8/4: Community Meeting on Police Brutality and the George Floyd Protests Pt. 5. indybay.org Willow Park | Oakland, CA 94607…

Eds. (2020-07-25). Trump orders federal police to more cities. mronline.org The Trump administration is stepping up its unconstitutional moves toward dictatorial rule, tear gassing antipolice violence protesters in Portland, Oregon and announcing the deployment of federal police to three more cities—Detroit, Cleveland and Milwaukee—in addition to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Joyce Chediac (2020-07-25). Trump's federal repression election ploy spurs greater resistance. liberationnews.org Far from being intimidated, Portland residents were outraged when unannounced paramilitary units started grabbing protesters off the street.

Georgina Ferry (2020-07-25). [Perspectives] Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo: anti-apartheid campaigner. thelancet.com Few have done as much to forge an individual identity as "Dr Goonam", the name Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo (1906—98) adopted as the first woman of colour to practise medicine in South Africa during the 1930s. She demanded women's inclusion in political organisations representing her Indian community, and joined others in passionate opposition to the apartheid policies that oppressed them.

Lawrence Tribe (2020-07-25). Why Trump's Paramilitary Force Is Unconstitutional. 'A Profoundly Un-American Attack On Civil Society'. globalresearch.ca We are being confronted in city after city with a nationwide paramilitary force, its troops unidentifiable and its vehicles unmarked, directed in deliberately vague terms to protect property and preserve domestic order. | It began in Portland, Oregon where

WSWS (2020-07-25). Illinois Democrats embrace Trump's law enforcement "surge" wsws.org Illinois Democratic lawmakers have made public statements aimed at assuaging public fears that the federal forces will crack down on anti-police violence protesters in Chicago, just as they have in Portland.

William rivers Pitt (2020-07-25). Trump's Reelection Strategy Involves Terrorizing Us With Secret Stormtroopers. zcomm.org Trump's actions in Portland are terrifying by any standard.

_____ (2020-07-25). Homeland Security Claims Shields And Gas Masks Are Weapons. popularresistance.org Far from restoring order, the arrival of federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Border Patrol in Portland, Oregon has only heightened tensions, with agents attacking and arresting protesters nightly. DHS' Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli took to social media yesterday to share images of items confiscated from demonstrators. | "Here is a shield and a couple of gas masks from a rioter arrested in Portland. Not a sign with a slogan that someone expressing their first amendment rights might carry, but preparations for violence. Peaceful protester? I don't think so," he wrote.

Animal Liberation Press Office (2020-07-25). Animal Liberation Front Retaliates for the Murder of Activist Regan Russell. indybay.org On the morning of Friday, June 19, Canadian animal rights activist Regan Russell was hit by a truck and murdered whilst peacefully protesting against a slaughterhouse. The truck which killed her was carrying the very pigs whose plight she was attempting to draw attention to. Despite being clearly visible to the driver, who accelerated towards her, and continued to drive even as her body was torn in half, no one has been arrested for the crime.

yenisafak (2020-07-25). Thousands protest against Kremlin in Russian far east for third weekend. yenisafak.com Thousands of people marched in the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday for the third weekend in a row, protesting at President Vladimir Putin's handling of a regional political crisis that has sparked demonstrations.Residents of Khabarovsk, around 3,800 miles (6,110 km) and seven time zones east of Moscow, are unhappy about the July 9 detention of the wider region's popular regional governor, Sergei Furgal, who was arrested on murder charges he denies.His detention, which his supporters say was politically motivated, has triggered more than two weeks of street protests, creating a headache for the…

_____ (2020-07-25). Federal Agents Use Tear Gas To Clear Portland Protest. popularresistance.org Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, into the early hours of Saturday shooting fireworks at the building as plumes of tear gas, dispensed by U.S. agents, lingered above. | The demonstration went on for hours until federal agents entered the crowd around 2: 30 a.m. and marched in a line down the street, clearing remaining protesters with tear gas at close range. They also extinguished a large fire in the street outside the courthouse. | The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering as "an unlawful assembly" and cited that officers had been injured.

_____ (2020-07-25). Judge Rejects Oregon's Motion For A Restraining Order Against Federal Police. popularresistance.org A federal judge on Friday afternoon denied a request by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to issue a temporary restraining order against federal officers making arrests of Portland protesters without probable cause. | In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman said Rosenblum had failed to provide sufficient evidence that such arrests were occurring widely in the streets of Portland or were part of a federal policy. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to the co-owner of WW's parent company.) | He ruled that because the state of Oregon couldn't establish a pattern or policy, it lacked the legal standi…

Workers World Party (2020-07-24). Portland's movement is fighting back! Defend Portland, Ore.! Defend People's Resistance! No Police State! workers.org Workers World Party Statement Despite the brutal attempt of the White House to crush the heroic Black Lives Matter movement by sending camouflaged federal agents — secret police — to Portland, Ore., Chicago and other U.S. cities, the movement and all who support it have been fighting back. The initial . . . |

Mark Gruenberg (2020-07-24). Whole Foods workers sue: Amazon fired us for supporting Black Lives Matter. peoplesworld.org BOSTON—An old Republican politician said 50 years ago, "Watch what we do, not what we say." Well, 14 workers at the Amazon-owned Whole Foods grocery chain watched what their employer did—fired them for wearing Black Lives Matter apparel on the job—and marched into federal court in Boston to try to reverse that illegal action. In …

WBBPKFBLFTFP (2020-07-24). Welcome back baseball! Players kneel for Black Lives; Fauci tosses first pitch. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (AP)—In a joint demonstration of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, players, managers and coaches of the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals knelt in unison before the opening game of the 2020 baseball season, then stood for the national anthem Thursday night. "We wanted to do something united, something together," Yankees slugger …

Gene Glickman (2020-07-24). "There'll Be Some Changes Made": Current and Future American Policing. counterpunch.org Introduction Let's establish some First Principles. 1) The slogan "Black Lives Matter" arose after repeated, unpunished killings of unarmed Black people by police. If the standards are "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," life comes first. Without life, a person cannot achieve liberty or pursue happiness. As a pure expression, "Black Lives Matter" is

Judy Greenspan (2020-07-24). Berkeley City Council refuses to counter cops. workers.org Berkeley, Calif. "Don't Believe the Hype," released in 1988 by Public Enemy, still rings true today in Berkeley. Local media call the July 14 City Council decision to study and curtail police actions a victory. Black students, led by Youth Protect the Bay and a community coalition to defund the . . . |

RT (2020-07-24). Appeasing the crowds? Chicago pulls down embattled Columbus statue days after mayor agrees to let feds in. rt.com Shortly after Mayor Lori Lightfoot conceded to allow the federal government to deploy their agents to Chicago, the city has removed the bronze Columbus statue which has been vandalized amid massive Black Lives Matter rallies. | The removal operation started at Chicago's Grant Park in the middle of the night on Friday. Workers used two heavy-duty cranes to attach metal ropes to the Christopher Columbus monument, which was wrapped tight in white tarpaulin. | The statue of the Italian explorer, erected in the 1930s with funding and blessing from Chicago's Italian-American community, was then brought down in front…

RT (2020-07-24). 'Black people can't be racist': UK rapper Wiley accused of anti-Semitism after branding Jews 'the real enemy' & comparing to KKK. rt.com British rapper Wiley has been accused of anti-Semitism after a lengthy series of Twitter posts in which he likened Jews to the Ku Klux Klan, declared them "the real enemy," and "the ones who rob us blind." | British rapper Wiley has been accused of anti-Semitism after a lengthy series of Twitter posts in which he likened Jews to the Ku Klux Klan, declared them "the real enemy," and "the ones who rob us blind." | The hours-long stream of tweets on Friday kick-started with the grime artist

RT (2020-07-24). Black protester ATTACKED while trying to stop mob taking down Portland courthouse fence (VIDEO). rt.com Protesters returned to the Justice Center in Portland for another night of orchestrated chaos on Thursday. Eyewitness footage from the scene captured the moment apparent Antifa members attacked a black protester calling for calm. | After repeated criticism of heavy-handed tactics, reportedly no police or federal agents were posted on the streets at the beginning of Thursday evening, instead remaining inside the courthouse and issuing repeated orders that protesters not target the exterior fence. | Despite this, several agitators in the crowd threw trash over and set it on fire at the fence, which quickly desce…

Sit. Walk. Listen organizing team (2020-07-24). Sunday 8/2: Sit. Walk. Listen. Because Black Lives Matter. indybay.org "The Pergola at Lake Merritt" (599 El Embarcadero) | Oakland, California…

Staff (2020-07-24). Leaked FBI Documents Reveal Secret Program To Criminalize Social Media. therealnews.com Simply posting about your presence at a police brutality protest can be used to incriminate you and lead to your arrest. We speak to Portland residents on the ground about the influx of unmarked federal agents.

Tim Whitehouse — Erik Molvar (2020-07-24). Unfit to Lead and Unqualified to Serve: Why William Perry Pendley Cannot be the Head of the Bureau of Land Management. counterpunch.org Amid the COVID-19 crisis and the uprisings against police brutality and systemic racism, it is understandable if many Americans overlooked the Trump administration's continued attacks on the management of public lands and the Constitution's mandates about how our leaders are appointed. The most recent attack of this type came with President Trump's June 30, 2020,

Alan Macleod (2020-07-24). Homeland Security Justifies Invasion of Portland by Claiming Shields and Gas Masks are Weapons. mintpressnews.com DHS' Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli claimed that defensive tools like Shields and Gas Masks were evidence that protesters were making "preparations for violence."

CounterSpin (2020-07-24). Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police. fair.org Media…

Eds. (2020-07-24). From Portland to the World. mronline.org Since the end of May, demonstrators opposing police violence and white supremacy have thronged the streets of Portland, Oregon, clashing with law enforcement officers. Last week, aspiring autocrat Donald Trump escalated the situation by announcing that he would be sending federal agents around the country to assert his authority through acts of violence against protesters.

David Rosen (2020-07-24). Uprising: Mass Protests Rock the Nation. counterpunch.org In an act of political desperation, President Donald Trump ordered a contingent of federal law-enforcement officers to impose order in Portland, OR. Under the direction of Attorney General Bill Barr, agents from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bureau of Prisons were deployed to protect

RT (2020-07-24). Federal forces 'on standby' to enter Seattle, if protests turn violent & local cops need support. rt.com A tactical unit of federal agents has been placed on standby in Seattle to aid police should protests there spiral into unrest or rioting, the New York Times reported, a move that comes amid heated objections from local officials. | A Special Response Team operating under the authority of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was reportedly dispatched to Seattle on Thursday, as a 'precautionary' measure. | "The CBP team will be on standby in the area, should they be required," the Federal Protective Service said in a statement about the operation. An agency spokesman who declined to be named, told the NYT that t…

RT (2020-07-24). Oregon judge bans feds from arresting or using force against 'journalists & legal observers' at Portland protests. rt.com A judge has issued a temporary restraining order on federal agents deployed in Portland, ruling that they may not arrest, disperse or otherwise use force against reporters and legal observers covering ongoing protests there. | US District Court Judge Michael Simon

RT (2020-07-24). WATCH Portland protesters battling federal police to sound of Star Wars' Imperial March. rt.com Chaotic scenes outside Portland's federal courthouse were given a snarky soundtrack by a demonstrator who showed up to the fracas armed with a stereo. The city has seen nightly clashes between police and protesters. | Footage taken by New York Times correspondent Mike Baker shows activists and federal agents fighting over control of a fence guarding the building in downtown Portland, which has been under siege by demonstrators for nearly two months. | Protesters used projectiles and laser pointers against federal law enforcement tasked with protecting the courthouse, who in turn deployed tear gas to keep the m…

Raul Diego (2020-07-24). Friends of the IDF Lobby Group Secures Forgivable US COVID Loans for Israeli Soldiers. mintpressnews.com A non-profit organization that supports IDF soldiers received a $2.5 million PPP loan under the guise of a "religious organization," but adds up to a mere pittance of the continued bonanza of American tax-payer dollars flowing to the apartheid state.

Derek Royden (2020-07-24). The COIN doctrine comes to Portland? nationofchange.org The president has also promised to deploy similar militarized police to other cities, claiming that those run by Democrats are somehow in the thrall of the 'radical left', despite the latter being among the most strident critics of the former.

James Goodman (2020-07-24). Trump Uses Border Patrol to Implement Police State. progressive.org The same agents arresting protesters in Portland routinely terrorize immigrant communities.

Kathleen Wallace (2020-07-24). 2020 Vision Will Show You What is True, if You Can Keep Your Sanity. counterpunch.org We've all been making jokes about how terrible 2020 has played out, but I think even those of us with a bit of an imagination for the absurd and ominous missed the mark as far as this ultimate level of governmental degeneracy we've been able to achieve. Dads backing up moms in Portland with leaf

Chris Walker (2020-07-24). Philadelphia DA Says Trump's Police Will Be Arrested If They Assault Protesters. zcomm.org "Anyone, including federal law enforcement, who unlawfully assaults and kidnaps people will face criminal charges from my office."

sputniknews (2020-07-24). 18 Arrested for Vandalising Courthouse, Attacking Police in Portland. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The authorities have arrested 18 participants in nightly and often violent anti-police protests in Portland, Oregon, on charges ranging from assaulting federal officers to participating in attacks on a federal courthouse, the US Justice Department said in a press release.

_____ (2020-07-24). Justice Department Report Finds Systemic Excessive Use Of Force By Prison Guards. popularresistance.org The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday released a report that details why the federal government believes systemic use of excessive force within Alabama's prisons for men violates the Eighth Amendment. | The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama found systemic problems of unreported or underreported excessive use of force incidents, a failure to properly investigate them and attempts by correctional officers and their supervisors to cover them up.

_____ (2020-07-24). Border Patrol Violently Assaults Civil Rights And Liberties. popularresistance.org In the past week, unidentified federal officers in camouflage fatigues, labeled only "police," abducted people off the streets of Portland in unmarked vehicles and threatened the "Wall of Moms" standing up for our Constitution. The administration later confirmed the unidentified officers were Border Patrol agents. | This blatant demonstration of unconstitutional authoritarianism is demonstrating to the entire country the cruel capabilities of the U.S. Border Patrol. For communities that have historically borne the brunt of Border Patrol's abuses — and still do — seeing these agents pose as a "secret f…

sputniknews (2020-07-24). Three Federal Agents Could Be 'Permanently Blinded' By Laser Attacks From Portland Protestors. sputniknews.com Demonstrations outside the courthouse in Portland have grown increasingly violent as the Trump administration sends in federal officers to crack down on the continuous nightly protests in the city.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-07-24). Polling Shows Trump's Secret Police in Portland—and GOP Lawmaker Complicity—Could Have 2020 Consequences. commondreams.org MoveOn says voters are "fed up" with GOP senators from the battleground states of Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina "carrying water for him as he trundles toward authoritarianism." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Editor (2020-07-23). Defend Portland! Defend People's Resistance! No Police State! workers.org Despite the brutal attempt of the White House to crush the heroic Black Lives Matter movement by sending camouflaged federal agents ‚àí secret police ‚àí to Portland, Chicago and other U.S. cities, the movement and all who support it have been fighting back. The initial response to the threat of . . . |

Marlee Kokotovic (2020-07-23). U.S. Navy veteran speaks out about being attacked by Trump's secret police in Portland this past weekend. nationofchange.org It isn't about me getting beat up. It's about focusing back on the original intention of all of these protests, which is Black Lives Matter.

Karen Conner (2020-07-23). The Black-White Disability Gap Increases with Age. cepr.net With the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) happening this weekend as Black Lives Matter protests continue, it's a good time to look at the intersection between race and disability in the United States. The figure below compares disability rates by age, sex, and race for non-Latinx adults. The data in the …

Black Alliance for Peace (2020-07-23). Trump Administration Deploys Federal Forces into Major U.S. Cities. globalresearch.ca The repressive U.S. state's chickens have come home to roost with President Donald Trump announcing federal troops will be deployed to several U.S. cities. This comes after federal agents reportedly disappeared protesters last week off the streets of Portland, Oregon….

RT (2020-07-23). Oakland mayor slams 'terror tactics' & votes down further police budget cuts after protesters vandalize her home with BLM graffiti. rt.com Protesters have vandalized the home of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, splattering it with red paint and graffiti while pelting the house with fireworks. The mayor's office said the attack was meant to "terrorize" and "intimidate." | Along with large splotches of paint thrown across Schaaf's garage door and a nearby retaining wall, the vandals left countless graffiti messages condemning the mayor and apparently voicing support for the Black Lives Matter movement. According to police, fireworks were also set off in the street during the incident — some fired at the mayor's house — which is believed to hav…

RT (2020-07-23). Inoperable pistol seized from St. Louis couple was fixed to make sure it was 'ready for lethal use' to charge McCloskeys — report. rt.com The gun Patricia McCloskey aimed at BLM protesters on a private street was inoperable when seized by police, but a St. Louis prosecutor reportedly had it fixed, deeming it ready for "lethal use," before charging the couple. | Patricia McCloskey and her husband Mark were charged on felony firearms offenses earlier this week after appearing in a controversial video in June pointing weapons at Black Lives Matter protesters who stormed their gated community. After the couple's weapons arrived in police custody, however, it was determined one of the guns — the pistol held by Patricia in the video — was in…

RT (2020-07-23). Rapper Ice Cube wants Hollywood studios to pay reparations for 'stealing our history and giving it to white people'. rt.com As reparations become a more and more popular topic while anti-police and anti-racism protests rage across the US, rapper Ice Cube wants to see Hollywood studios take part and give yearly payments to black-owned companies. | "I think these studios that we know and love should kick in to a studio that's ran by black people with no outside influences, and whose movies and projects are owned by those black people," the musician and actor told radio show 'The Breakfast Club'. | These studios, he claims, have "contributed in our narrative, in our pain, in our misrepresentation." | First making waves as a rapper as…

Staff (2020-07-23). Confronting White Supremacy Can't Come Through Top-Down "Justice" truthout.org We bear witness to an extraordinary historical moment, one convulsing with both immense pain and opportunity. We're finally looking in the mirror, facing the truth that we are a nation born not in liberty but in terror — of white supremacy, slavery, genocide, land theft and racial capitalism. At last we are disrupting centuries of denial. | We're seeing that, throughout U.S. history, police have served as frontline enforcers of white supremacy, brutally subjugating Black people. Slave patrollers tort…

Sit. Walk. Listen organizing team (2020-07-23). Sunday 8/2: Sunday August 2, Sit. Walk. Listen. Because Black Lives Matter. indybay.org "The Pergola at Lake Merritt" (599 El Embarcadero) | Oakland, California…

Robert C. Koehler (2020-07-23). Standing Up to the Armed and Inarticulate. commondreams.org Guns are the speech of the inarticulate. (Photo: Apu GOMES / AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Staff (2020-07-23). Federal Prisons Went on Lockdown and Deployed Staff to Quash BLM Protests. truthout.org On June 2, for the first time in 25 years, the Bureau of Prisons directed all federal jails and prisons to implement a full lockdown, confining nearly 160,000 people to their cells and severely limiting contact with the outside world. The following day, on the orders of Attorney General William Barr, the Bureau pulled some of its most militarized units out of BOP facilities and deployed them to confront protesters on the streets of Washington, D.C. | Typically, a lockdown occurs in a single faci…

_____ (2020-07-23). What Are Trump And His Goons Up To? popularresistance.org First and foremost, it is a political stunt to capture the law and order crowd and press on divides between the coastal cities and inland voters. But it's also more sinister than that. The use of federal forces is designed to weaken local accountability by freezing out local government that constituents can reach. Portland's mayor might not even have opposed some "help" from the feds, but he wasn't asked. In other words, this wasn't mutual aid. This was indeed an invasion. An alphabet soup of federal agencies have been employed to crack down on police brutality protests, including the National Guard, the US Marsh…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). In another night of unrest in Portland, tear gas hits mayor. yenisafak.com The mayor of the U.S. city of Portland, Ted Wheeler, was stung by tear gas early on Thursday morning after he joined demonstrators protesting against racial injustice and police brutality.Protests have rocked Portland every night for weeks, with security forces often tear-gassing and clubbing demonstrators.Visiting the protest site, Wheeler was jeered at by some demonstrators who called on him to resign and chanted "Shame on You". They said he should have done more to protect Portland's citizens.However, as he stood amongst the crowd outside Portland's Justice Center, Wheeler, who was wearing a face mask, was him…

Fight Back (2020-07-23). Stand with the resistance in Portland! fightbacknews.org Protesters grabbed off the streets by federal agents who refuse to identify themselves, placed unmarked vehicles, and taken to undisclosed locations. These same agents nearly killed a young man holding part of a sound system at a demonstration. This is the outrageous reality in Portland today, were Trump has deployed a paramilitary police force to carry out a wave of repression. The good news is that the resistance in Portland has been nothing short of heroic, as thousands have taken to the streets in a powerful display of opposition. | The Trump administration has repeatedly stated that it is deploying federal a…

Staff (2020-07-23). Paramilitary-Style Tactics in Portland Mirror Decades of U.S. Violence on the Border & Abroad. democracynow.org The harrowing scenes of paramilitary-style units in the streets of American cities like Portland has shocked mainstream America, but award-winning independent journalist Todd Miller, who has reported on border security and immigration for over a decade, says it's a reflection of how the U.S. has operated around the world. We also speak with Cecilia Menjívar, UCLA sociology professor, who says the image of unmarked vans snatching people from the streets "brings back memories to Latin Americans who lived through disappearances of families and friends and co-workers."

Eds. (2020-07-23). As Trump threatens secret police deployment nationwide, Democrats debate expanding surveillance powers and new money for DHS. mronline.org The rogue deployment of secret federal police forces in Portland, Oregon, has added a new complication to negotiations over reauthorizing the Trump administration's vast surveillance powers and appropriating new money for the Department of Homeland Security.

Marilyn Bechtel (2020-07-23). Cities challenge Trump's dispatch of federal law enforcement officers. peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif. — Outrage is growing throughout the country over Donald Trump's use of federal law enforcement against protesters in Portland, Oregon, and his threats to dispatch federal officers to other U.S. cities. On July 20, Trump told reporters he might send federal "law enforcement" to cities he claimed were experiencing heightened violence, naming cities …

RT (2020-07-23). Chicago mayor urges citizens to call cops on feds, so she can sue Trump for 'abuses' in crackdown on gun crime. rt.com Mayor Lori Lightfoot has urged Chicagoans to literally call the police over any "unconstitutional" actions by federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to help with a crackdown on skyrocketing violent crime. | Residents should call the police or social services if they "see something that doesn't look right," Lightfoot said at a press conference on Wednesday. | "If we see any steps out of line," she said, "we are not going to hesitate to take the president to court and stop any unconstitutional actions." The Democrat mayor singled out the Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for scrutiny…

RT (2020-07-23). Portland mayor cheers protesters & joins them to face tear gas, gets calls to resign anyway (VIDEOS). rt.com Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler failed to win over a crowd of angry anti-police protesters despite rooting for their cause. But rather than seeing him as an ally against federal agents, some said he's part of the problem and has to go.

RT (2020-07-23). MSNBC's Joe Scarborough calls Portland protests 'peaceful'… despite footage of escalating violence. rt.com Joe Scarborough has called protests in Portland "peaceful for the most part," less than a day after the mayor was tear-gassed in the face amid escalating violence following more than two months of demonstrations. | On his Morning Joe show Thursday, Scarborough railed against the deployment of federal agents to the city of Portland, saying they have launched "deeply disturbing attacks" against "peaceful protests, for the most part." | The MSNBC host has no doubt seen footage of federal agents arresting protesters and proceeding to throw them into unmarked vans — but perhaps he missed the videos of demonstr…

Ken Klippenstein (2020-07-23). The Federal Response to Protests Extends Far Beyond Portland. thenation.com The Federal Response to Protests Extends Far Beyond Portland…

Max Elbaum (2020-07-23). Guns? Yes. Masks? No. And Gestapo in Portland. zcomm.org The toxic mix of valuing gun ownership over protecting public health, conspiracism, and reactionary movements glued together by white supremacy and national chauvinism are too deeply rooted to be ended any time soon…

William Boardman (2020-07-23). Defund the Police State, Before It's Too Late. globalresearch.ca The American police state is currently making its boldest test run to date in Portland, Oregon, escalating violence and lawlessness against the peaceful population of an American city. The people of Portland have responded with increased resistance, but support from …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-23). Israeli forces raid Palestinian cultural institutes, arrest directors. peoplesdispatch.org The directors of three prominent Palestinian cultural centers have been arrested by the Israeli forces for an indefinite period on charges of funding terrorism, fraud and tax evasion…

Unicorn Riot (2020-07-23). Minneapolis Park Police Displace Sanctuary Encampment, Arrest 24. unicornriot.ninja Minneapolis, MN — On Monday, July 20, dozens of houseless people were displaced and 24 people were arrested as law enforcement executed an eviction of the eastern portion of a sanctuary tent encampment in Powderhorn Park. | After the raid, Unicorn Riot spoke to community members,…

Unicorn Riot (2020-07-23). Minneapolis Park Police Displace Sanctuary Encampment. unicornriot.ninja Minneapolis, MN — On Monday, July 20, dozens of houseless people were displaced and 24 people were arrested as law enforcement executed an eviction of the eastern portion of a sanctuary tent encampment in Powderhorn Park. | After the raid, Unicorn Riot spoke to community members,…

_____ (2020-07-23). After Cutting Ties With Police, Minneapolis Schools Quietly Hire Private Police. popularresistance.org On Sunday, more than 100 Minneapolis teachers and families rallied in the parking lot outside the Davis Center, the district headquarters, to protest the hiring — without prior warning — of what they suspect will be "rent-a-cops" with even less accountability than licensed police officers. | "When we said we didn't want any more SROs, any more police officers in our buildings, we did not mean, 'hire a bunch of private security officers and put them in our buildings,'" said MFT president Greta Callahan, a teacher at Bethune Community School in Near North. "Let me ask you a question. If I order a sandwi…

_____ (2020-07-23). Federal Agents Retreat To Portland Base As Protesters Control Streets. popularresistance.org The DHS officers dispatched by the president to put down the demonstrations have instead become prisoners of the building they are ostensibly there to defend. | "The feds don't have control of the streets," said a woman holding a sign "100% not a terrorist", who gave her name only as Shannon. "I think they're more scared than us. They're hiding in there. They don't know what they're doing." If the intent was to intimidate the protesters into abandoning the few square blocks of downtown Portland under their control, it backfired spectacularly. | Residents of a city with a long history of radical street protest wer…

_____ (2020-07-23). Portland's Mayor Tear-Gassed By Militarized US Police. popularresistance.org The mayor of Portland, Oregon was tear-gassed by U.S. government agents as he stood outside a federal courthouse during another night of protests against the presence of federal police sent by President Donald Trump to quell the city's ongoing unrest. | Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, appeared slightly dazed and coughed and said Wednesday night it was the first time he'd been tear-gassed. | He put on a pair of goggles someone handed him and drank water but did not leave his spot at the front of the protest and continued to take tear gas as the demonstration raged — with protesters lighting a large fire betwe…

_____ (2020-07-23). New Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed Against Federal Law Enforcement. popularresistance.org The Western States Center, the First Unitarian Church of Portland, two state representatives and an ACLU legal observer are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which alleges the federal government has violated protesters' 10th Amendment rights. It was filed Tuesday in federal court. | The 10th Amendment delineates the separation of powers between federal and state governments. | "The power to engage in ordinary law enforcement is one of the long-recognized powers that belong to the states and to their municipalities," said Cliff Davidson, an attorney with Snell & Wilmer, the firm filing the lawsuit. | The W…

sputniknews (2020-07-23). Trump Sends Border Patrol Tactical Units to Seattle 'On Standby' to Help Federal Police. sputniknews.com Agents from the Special Response Team of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have been deployed to Seattle, Washington, under orders from US President Donald Trump's administration.

Staff (2020-07-23). Paramilitary-Style Tactics in Portland Mirror Decades of Global US Violence. truthout.org The harrowing scenes of paramilitary-style units in the streets of American cities like Portland has shocked mainstream America, but award-winning independent journalist Todd Miller, who has reported on border security and immigration for over a decade, says it's a reflection of how the U.S. has operated around the world. We also speak with Cecilia Menjívar, UCLA sociology professor, who says the image of unmarked vans snatching people from the streets "brings back memories to Latin Americans wh…

DLI (2020-07-23). Secret police in Portland violated human rights of peaceful protesters. indybay.org Videos showing U.S. Federal secret police(with no badges and riding in unmarked vehicles)inflicting massive violence on mostly peaceful protesters are running viral across the Globe. Yet the Federal governing regime brazenly avows that this will be the "new normal" in major cities from now on…

WSWS (2020-07-22). The "Strike for Black Lives" protest stunt. wsws.org The "strike" was a union-organized stunt endorsed by business, the corporate media and the Democratic Party to divert anger over police violence and unsafe working conditions along racial lines.

Kent Wong and Rev. James Lawson, Jr (2020-07-22). Strike for Black Lives Aligns Worker Justice and Racial Justice. zcomm.org The strike for Black Lives highlights the fundamental link between worker rights and racial justice. This growing alliance also addresses the dual role of police in repressing both worker organizing and black and other communities of color…

Monica Moorehead (2020-07-22). NBA players support reporter vs. right-wing senator. workers.org The intersection between sports culture and politics can happen at any given time. And at this particular juncture, the Black Lives Matter struggle is leaving its imprint on many issues, even international ones. For instance, on July 10 the ultra-right-wing Sen. Josh Hawley, R.-Mo., released a press release on Twitter . . . |

WWNYCDB (2020-07-22). ADA not enough: Disabled people need socialism. workers.org The pandemic is teaching able-bodied people what it's like to be disabled. Not being able to get around like you used to, facing endless unemployment, being stuck in the house, finding ways to get food delivered, and speaking to family and friends only on the phone — not in person. . . . |

Jane Cutter (2020-07-22). Shoreline, WA: 13-yr old Black organizer threatened with lynching, community to march in support. liberationnews.org Liberation News speaks with Shoreline BLM organizers Darnesha and Mikayla Weary.

Fight Back (2020-07-22). The Wisconsin District of FRSO condemns the deployment of federal agents to Milwaukee. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – Last week, unmarked federal agents in military uniforms grabbed protesters off the streets of Portland, Oregon, and threw them into unmarked black vans. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed responsibility for the shadowy operation, citing "graffiti" as their justification for snatching activists off the street and interrogating them. | Now, Milwaukee has been named by the Trump administration as one of the cities that would likely be targeted for deployment of Homeland Security Investigation agents. Some Milwaukee activists have reported spotting unidentified agents in military gear n…

_____ (2020-07-22). SEIU Should Actually Strike For Black Lives. popularresistance.org We want to fight. Workers throughout the country have been involved in the movements on the streets for weeks. In our unions, we have marched as contingents from coast to coast and in pretty much every city. There's been heroism with transit workers refusing to transport political prisoners and even some strikes. And now, there's a growing movement to drop the cops from our unions, from whole labor federations like in the King County Labor Council, to the Writers Guild, to even the efforts in the SEIU. | We rank and filers have not been sitting on the sidelines. But, for the most part, our union leaderships have.

_____ (2020-07-22). Portland's Wall Of Moms Joined By Dads With Leaf Blowers. popularresistance.org In response to the use of tear gas being utilized by federal officers against demonstrators, including a group of moms, in an uprising in Portland, Oregon, this week, a like-minded dads' group encouraged others to show up to the event with leaf blowers in order to dissipate the chemical agents. | Uprisings in Portland have happened nightly since the end of May, in response to police violence against Black Americans, including renewed attention to Jason Washington, a Black resident of the city who was shot and killed by police in 2018. | Tensions have escalated in recent weeks as federal officers began appearing a…

Fight Back (2020-07-22). Trump deploying 150 federal agents in Chicago to repress our movement. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | What we have watched in Portland is the dress rehearsal for what Trump is preparing for Chicago: an effort to squash the Black Lives Matter protests flowing from this uprising by violent military means. He claims he is targeting the cities controlled by Democrats because of the chaos caused by the largest rebellion in U.S. history. | In truth, broad democratic forces have come together to exercise their right to protest against police murder and violence. We've had signals this was…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-07-22). Strike for Black Lives and Working People at McDonald's. indybay.org Oakland demonstration part of National Day of Reckoning…

Renee Parsons (2020-07-22). There Is No Science to Support Mandatory Face Masks. A Symbol of Social Submission? globalresearch.ca As the distraction of BLM/Antifa riots and the coronavirus have consumed much attention and energy, the social engineering agenda of the World Economic Forum's

RT (2020-07-22). Police investigate photo of CHILD crying under man's knee in copy of George Floyd arrest after online outrage — reports. rt.com A disturbing photo showing a supposed BLM supporter putting his knee on the neck of a small child, mimicking the arrest of George Floyd, has triggered outrage online and apparently prompted a police investigation in Ohio. | The Clark County Sheriff's Office reportedly launched an investigation into the alarming image, which was captioned "Blm now mf." According to local news channel WHO TV7, law enforcement and medics visited two addresses connected with the case on Tuesday, but no arrests were made. | In the photo, a tattooed man wearing only shorts is shown putting his right knee on top of the neck of a todd…

RT (2020-07-22). 'Example of white supremacy': Activists blame 'MAGA 2020' mural request for destruction of BLM mural in California. rt.com An online petition states that the removal of a BLM mural in a California city is "white supremacy" in action. They say officials destroyed it after a local woman applied for a permit to paint a pro-Trump message. | The 17-foot (5m) mural in downtown Redwood City was scrubbed in order to avoid "driver confusion and traffic accidents," city spokesperson Jennifer Yamaguma told local media, adding that the authorities will no longer permit "art" installations to appear on the streets. | The mural was painted earlier this month by a local resident named Dan Pease. Local media reported that the city had not only au…

Jason M. Thornberry (2020-07-22). Junior Murvin's Vision of Police Brutality. dissidentvoice.org Despite the sustained protests and pleas for justice and peace, demonstrations, and riots, George Floyd's murder continues to resonate because it accompanies an interminable chronicle of shame connecting it to other recent events. It becomes another tragic entry in the Book of Disgrace. In this sense, Floyd becomes other victims of the police. He becomes …

Fight Back (2020-07-22). Federal officers seen dragging protesters into unmarked vans in Portland. fightbacknews.org Portland, OR – For weeks now, officers under the oversight of the Department of Homeland Security have been terrorizing the residents of Portland Oregon in new attempts to stamp out the protest movement that has been ongoing since the killing of George Floyd. These officers can be seen in various videos wearing nondescript camo fatigues with no markings indicating who they are or, or what agency they are working for. These same federal officers nearly killed a protester in Portland last week after shooting him in the head with a 'less-lethal' impact device. | In an intensification of an already overzeal…

Alan MacLeod (2020-07-22). Portland: "Wall of Moms" mobilizes to protect protests from police violence. mronline.org Chanting, "Feds stay clear! Moms are here!," groups of women congregated at the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other locations in Central Portland. They were met with tear gas, flashbangs, and pepper round bullets, injuring many.

Staff (2020-07-22). COVID-19 Lays Bare South Africa's Rampant Inequality & Fault Lines of Post-Apartheid Society. democracynow.org COVID-19 infections are skyrocketing in South Africa, now fifth in the world for coronavirus cases, with an already fragile hospital system. "I really think it's our inequality reckoning moment," says Fatima Hassan, a human rights lawyer with the Health Justice Initiative. "All of the fault lines of South Africa's post-apartheid democracy, and its inequality and its violence, is actually coming to the fore."

Mike Hastie (2020-07-22). Tear Gas, Beatings and Projectiles in Portland. counterpunch.org The last couple of nights I have been heavily involved in demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. ( July 18-19, 2020.) As most of you probably know these demonstrations have been going on in front of the Federal Justice Center for over 50 straight nights. Since Trump called in the Feds, the turmoil and violence has escalated. We

Ron Jacobs (2020-07-22). Trumpfen Sturmabteilung (Trump's Stormtroopers). counterpunch.org It is not hard to see the forces kidnapping individuals and teargassing Portland's streets as the Trump administration's private stormtroopers. Although they are operating under the aegis of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the truth is it is the Executive Branch that issued their orders.

Joan Walsh (2020-07-22). Another Long Day of GOP Disrespect for Women. thenation.com Attacks on AOC, Liz Cheney, and Portland's "Wall of Moms" make it seem like Republicans don't care about women. Except Ghislaine Maxwell.

RT (2020-07-22). 'Nothing lawful in those barracks': 7 Italian police officers arrested over drug trafficking & torture. rt.com Italy has been shocked by a massive scandal in the wake of the arrest of seven Carabinieri officers suspected of being involved in a series of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to unlawful arrests and torture. | In an unprecedented move, prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Piacenza closed down and sequestered the local Carabinieri barracks as part of an investigation against officers operating from it. Six local officers were taken into custody and one put under house arrest. | "Nothing that was going on in those barracks was legal," Piacenza Chief Prosecutor Grazia Pradella told journalists. Only o…

Joshua Hanks (2020-07-22). Outrage over Trump attack: Portland movement fights back. workers.org Federal officers were deployed to "quell" Portland's protests beginning the weekend of July 10 and continuing the following week. Camouflaged unidentified agents arrested and detained demonstrators without even a pretext. The Trump administration has escalated the confrontation between the people and the state apparatus, bringing a whiff of fascism to . . . |

RT (2020-07-22). WATCH: NYPD clears out 'Occupy City Hall' camp after weeks-long standoff. rt.com NYPD officers in riot gear, armed with shields and helmets, cleared out the weeks-long 'Occupy City Hall' encampment in Manhattan's City Hall Park overnight. According to the police, it was a planned operation. | Footage from the scene shows the moment officers descended on the camp and warned protesters to leave or be arrested. | NYPD is now attacking the City Hall occupancy protest. Tearing down the community service tents.

RT (2020-07-22). Ohio House Speaker arrested after FBI raid in $60mn 'racketeering conspiracy' probe. rt.com The speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Larry Householder (R), was arrested in an FBI raid on his farm, part of a bribery and racketeering probe into an alleged $60 million in illicit transactions with energy lobbyists. | Householder and four associates were taken into custody on Tuesday following FBI raids, the Department of Justice

RT (2020-07-22). 'Pure evil': Trio arrested over murder of fishing group in Florida. rt.com Three people have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of three friends who were attacked while fishing on a Florida lake. One of the victims managed to call his father in his final moments, raising the alarm. | The victims — Kevin Springfield, Brandon Rollins, and Damion Tillman — had met up for some night fishing in Frostproof, Florida on Friday when they were apparently set upon. The trio were severely beaten and shot, but Rollins managed to call his father and tell him of the attack before he too succumbed to his injuries. | On Wednesday, suspects Tony Wiggins, his girlfriend Mary W…

The Canary (2020-07-22). Israelis block entrance to parliament amid intense protests. thecanary.co A night of intense protests against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government has seen dozens of Israeli demonstrators chain themselves together and briefly block the entrance to parliament.Police arrested four and broke up the gathering, which was called to protest against an upcoming vote to grant the government sweeping authority to bypass parliament in enacting measures to combat coronavirus.It came against the backdrop of a fresh outpouring of discontent with Netanyahu. Protests outside his residence have become a weekly occurrence, with police increasingly taking harsher measures against…

RT (2020-07-22). 'We won't retreat': DHS chief defends 'proactive arrests' amid Portland riots, stokes Minority Report dystopia outcry (VIDEOS). rt.com The head of the Department of Homeland Security set off alarms after saying that federal agents were making 'proactive' arrests in Portland amid heated protests, drawing comparisons to the dystopian "pre-crime" of Minority Report. | Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf appeared on a Fox News segment on Tuesday night, discussing the ongoing protests and rioting across Portland, which he says have continued for "52 nights in a row" as federal officers there are stretched to the limit. | "Because we don't have that local law enforcement support, we are having to go out and proactively arrest individuals, and we need…

teleSUR (2020-07-22). South Africa: Andrew Mlangeni, Last Anti-Apartheid Icon Dies. telesurenglish.net The icon of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa Andrew Mlangeni died at 95 in the capital Pretoria, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday. | RELATED: | Andrew Mlangeni fought alongside Nelson Mandela in the liberation struggle against the white minority government that, from 1948, legalized racism unleashing the South African racial segregation system known as apartheid. | "The passing of Andrew Mekete Mlangeni signifies the end of gener…

Zoà´ Carpenter (2020-07-22). Why Portland Became the Test Case for Trump's Secret Police. thenation.com Why Portland Became the Test Case for Trump's Secret Police…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Zimbabwe: Capital's mayor arrested in corruption probe. yenisafak.com The mayor of Zimbabwe's capital Harare has been arrested over corruption charges, local media reported on Wednesday.Herbert Gomba was taken into custody by the Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday night and will be presented in court on Wednesday, according to news website Zim Morning Post.The mayor is facing charges of criminal abuse of office in connection with a massive land scam that has led to the arrest of several public officials over recent weeks, including city council officials, police officers, and a prosecutor.Gomba is accused of facilitating the illegal sale of land by approving fraudulent layout pl…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Indian journalist shot at in front of daughters dies. yenisafak.com A journalist in India, who was shot at in front of his two daughters late on Monday night, succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, police said.The local police confirmed suspending an officer and arresting nine suspects related to the incident that occurred in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of Delhi."Action by SSP [Senior Superintendent of Police] Ghaziabad – 9 accused arrested […] for the murderous attack on Vikram Joshi, and outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Raghavendra has been suspended immediately," the police said on Twitter.A footage from the crime scene showed Joshi lying on the road with bullet injuries, wh…

sputniknews (2020-07-22). Over 100 US Lawmakers Ask Barr to Explain Unidentified Federal Officers in Portland. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US law enforcement chiefs need to explain the activities of unidentified federal personnel in Portland, Oregon, during the protests there, 114 members of the House of Representatives wrote in a letter to Attorney General William Barr and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Wednesday.

Staff (2020-07-22). We Must Not Exchange One Cage for Another — Let's Abolish All Forms of Prisons. truthout.org As millions of people ponder a future without police and prisons, and as authorities try to dream up ways of derailing the momentum of popular insurrection, Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law's new book,

Robert Norse (2020-07-22). Direct Action to Defund the Out-of-Control Cops Tonight 9 PM Town Clock. indybay.org Marty M, also known as Pirate, brutally seized by police, jailed, and charged with felonies for defending a friend's vehiclehome, has reportedly been released after friends paid the ransom ($2500 for a $25,000 bail). To discourage future such anti-homeless abuses and restore real security in our community, come to the Direct Action protest tonight 7-20 Monday at 9 PM at the Town Clock.

ACLU Foundation of Oregon (2020-07-22). ACLU Sues Federal Agents Over "Unconstitutional Nightmare" in Portland. indybay.org Organization Seeks to Block Federal Law Enforcement Attacks on Journalists, Legal Observers in Portland…