2021-02-01: News Headlines

Staff (2021-02-01). The Assassination of Fred Hampton: New Documents Reveal Involvement of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. democracynow.org Newly unearthed documents have shed new light on the FBI's role in the murder of the 21-year-old Black Panther leader Fred Hampton on December 4, 1969, when Chicago police raided Hampton's apartment and shot and killed him in his bed, along with fellow Black Panther leader Mark Clark. Authorities initially claimed the Panthers had opened fire on the police who were there to serve a search warrant for weapons, but evidence later emerged that told a very different story: The FBI, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and the Chicago police had conspired to assassinate Fred Hampton. FBI memos and reports obtaine…

Staff (2021-02-01). "Judas and the Black Messiah" Director Shaka King on Fred Hampton, the Black Panthers & COINTELPRO. democracynow.org A highly anticipated new feature film, "Judas and the Black Messiah," tells the story of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton and William O'Neal, the FBI informant who infiltrated the Illinois Black Panther Party to collect information that ultimately led to Hampton's killing in 1969 by law enforcement officers. The film is premiering at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and stars Daniel Kaluuya as Hampton, LaKeith Stanfield as O'Neal and Martin Sheen as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Shaka King, the film's director and co-writer, says focusing on Hampton and O'Neal was a way "to make 'The Departed' inside the world of…

Franziska Kleiner (2021-02-01). For the German left, this is a moment of reckoning. peoplesdispatch.org An annual socialist demonstration in Berlin was the target of police brutality. The left must unite against this unwarranted suppression and the practice of banning socialist organizations behind it…

Byul Ryanim (2021-02-01). The Weekly Round-up: Employment Rights, 'Spy Cops', and Abandoned Rape Prosecutions. ukhumanrightsblog.com In the news: The week began with the first Opposition Day of 2021, with Labour choosing to put council tax and employment rights centre of the Parliamentary stage. This followed an admission last week by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng that the government was reviewing certain workers' rights which had been saved post-Brexit as retained EU employment law. Responding to allegations …

Igor Derysh (2021-02-01). Did "defund the police" lead to an increase in murder? Almost certainly not. salon.com In fact, hardly any cities have "defunded" cops — the troubling spike in homicide is probably pandemic-related…

RT (2021-02-01). 12 arrested in SWAT operation after activists armed with KNIVES & AXES briefly occupy hotel in Olympia, WA (VIDEOS). rt.com A dozen people were arrested after armed protesters attempted to forcibly take over the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia, Washington. A SWAT team cleared out the hotel and escorted guests and employees out of the building. | Demonstrators armed with hatchets, batons, and knives stormed the Red Lion Hotel in downtown Olympia on Sunday, reportedly assaulting an employee who tried to lock the establishment's doors. The rest of the staff barricaded themselves in the hotel's basement,

RT (2021-02-01). WATCH Thai police clash with opponents of military coup outside Myanmar's embassy in Bangkok. rt.com Thai police have broken up a protest rally staged by the opponents of a military coup in neighboring Myanmar. The activists gathered outside the country's embassy in Bangkok. | Some 200 Myanmarese expats and local Thai activists gathered for a spontaneous protest outside Myanmar's embassy, the Bangkok Post reported, citing police. They held flags of Myanmar's National League for Democracy (NLD), whose leader Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested by the military on Monday, as well as photos of Suu Kyi. | Students were seen distributing leaflets denouncing the coup. The Myanmarese constitute the largest migrant group in…

RT (2021-02-01). 'Appalled': Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sends personal message to players vowing support after racist abuse. rt.com Roman Abramovich has vowed to direct more funds to efforts to stamp out racism in football as the billionaire Chelsea owner offered his support following racist abuse directed at Blues defender Reece James. | James, 21, recently shared the vile abuse he has been subjected to online, demanding that "something needs to change." | Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford also spoke out over the weekend against abuse he has received, while teammates Anthony Martial and Axel Tuanzebe were targeted in recent days. | Elsewhere, a man was arrested after a racist message was sent to West Bromwich Albion midfielder…

sputniknews (2021-02-01). Myanmar's Military Shows NDL, Local Armed Groups That It Harnesses Full Power, Scholars Say. sputniknews.com On 1 February, Myanmar's Tatmadaw declared a year-long state of emergency and arrested National League for Democracy Party (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other top government officials over alleged voter fraud. International observers have discussed potential scenarios in the wake of the military's takeover.

sputniknews (2021-02-01). Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Over War-Free Presidential Tenure. sputniknews.com The Nobel Peace Prize committee is set to convene in October to vote on the laureates for the prestigious award. Among this year's nominees, applications for which had to be submitted by 1 February, is the Black Lives Matter movement which rocked the world with protests throughout 2020.

sputniknews (2021-02-01). India's Support for 'Democratic Forces' in Myanmar Turmoil May Affect Naga Deal, Says Army Veteran. sputniknews.com The Burmese Army on Monday launched a political coup in the country, as it arrested the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and seized power for a year. India says it supports the "democratic forces", throwing its weight behind Suu Kyi. However, New Delhi taking sides in the coup could have implications for the Naga Deal.

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-01). Lebanese army arrests 18 ISIL terrorists in Beqaa province. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — The Lebanese army has arrested 18 ISIL terrorist elements in the eastern province of Beqaa on Monday.

Fight Back (2021-02-01). Philippines: Mark the 50th anniversary of the Diliman Commune. fightbacknews.org Fight Back New Service is circulating the following February 1 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines. | Today we mark the 50th anniversary of the Diliman Commune, a 9-day uprising of the students of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. The Diliman Commune was part of the widespread strikes and protest actions against oil price increases, imperialist control of the economy and police brutality under the Marcos regime. | The student uprising was part of the continuum of the surging national democratic mass movement of students and workers from the previous decade. It broke out…

commondreams (2021-02-01). Aung San Suu Kyi, Others Arrested in Myanmar as Military Coup Underway. commondreams.org ______________________________…

SJUECP (2021-02-01). Wednesday 2/3: Black Lives Matter At School: California Schools Edition. indybay.org Online event…

ProPublica (2021-02-01). "This Is War": Inside the Secret Chat Where Far-Right Extremists Devised Their Post-Capitol Plans. juancole.com by Logan Jaffe and Jack Gillum | — ( ProPublica ) — When the FBI arrested Edward "Jake" Lang on Jan. 16 for his alleged role in the U.S. Capitol attack, court documents show agents had followed a seemingly straightforward trail from his public social media to collect evidence. "THIS IS ME," Lang wrote over …

MEE and agencies (2021-01-31). Israel to give few Covid-19 vaccines to Palestinians amid 'apartheid' accusations. middleeasteye.net Israel to give few Covid-19 vaccines to Palestinians amid 'apartheid' accusations | Israel's defence ministry says it agreed to transfer 5,000 vaccines to Palestinian medical workers | Sun, 01/31/2021 – 11: 46 | A Maccabi Health vaccination centre worker administers the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine in the Givatayim mall parking lot, Tel Aviv, on 26 January 2021 (AFP) | Israel said on S…

Liberation Staff (2021-01-31). Tacoma activists clean encampments, dump trash at city manager's doorstep. liberationnews.org The message: Provide services like trash pickup and housing to our houseless community. Pay for it by firing her and killer cops!

WSWS repost (2021-01-31). Nine arrested in San Jose, California anti-eviction protest. indybay.org In the heart of Silicon Valley, there are 25-30 eviction hearings a week despite the ongoing pandemic and an extended federal moratorium on evictions.

_____ (2021-01-31). Students Continue To Pressure Northwestern University To Abolish The Police. popularresistance.org After several months of continuous pressure on Northwestern administration to abolish University Police and divest from policing and other militarized entities, NUCNC is continuing their work into the new quarter. | Since their campaign of more than 30 days of consecutive actions, the group has not held any mass protests or demonstrations, but they continue to pressure the University and practice mutual aid — a core tenet of prison-industrial complex abolition. | "Prisons are the biggest social service we have," NUCNC member Eliza Gonring said. "So poor people, homeless people, Black people are just getting…

_____ (2021-01-31). Policing And Punishment In Minneapolis' 'SafeZone'. popularresistance.org The criminal "justice" apparatus faces increasing criticism for emphasizing punishment, violent abuse and incarceration of criminals rather than rehabilitation. However, few observers recognize the active role community "justice" programs and businesses play in this displacement. The public/private SafeZone initiative launched in downtown Minneapolis in 2004 serves as an instructive example of how programs lauded as reforms can still impose punitive "law and order" tactics onto targeted populations. | "A month ago I was driving down Nicollet going to pick up my girl, somebody shot at me, twice!" Demetri (whose re…

RT (2021-01-30). 'You must do more': Chelsea captain pleads with social media giants for protection after English FA condemns yet more racist abuse. rt.com Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has urged Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to "do more" against trolls who have sent racist abuse to youngster Reece James, adding that he cannot fathom how bullies "have such hate in their heart". | The worsening crisis of online abuse against footballers took another grim turn on Saturday when Chelsea defender James revealed messages calling him a "monkey", "trash" and telling the England prospect he had "dirty black skin". | Shortly afterwards, West Midlands Police announced that they had arrested a 49-year-old man near Birmingham on suspicion of sending racial abuse to Roma…

Online News Editor (2021-01-30). French police arrest 35 at protests against proposed security law. laprensalatina.com Paris, Jan 30 (efe-epa).- Thirty-five people were arrested Saturday amid sporadic clashes between police and some 33,000 people who took to the streets of this capital and other French cities to protest against a proposed new security law, authorities said. All but seven of the arrests took place in Paris, where the number of protesters …

Allan Boesak, Wendell Griffen, Raouf Halaby, Lauri Umansky (2021-01-29). Will the U.S. End its Support for the Apartheid Israeli Regime? counterpunch.org The world is exhaling following the end of the vicious incompetence and corruption of Donald Trump's presidency. Journalists and political commentators applauded the inaugural address delivered by President Joe Biden, and expressed varying levels of hope about what is called a "return to normalcy" in US public policy. Meanwhile, we wonder whether the Biden administration