Category Archives: Activism

Millions March in Berlin & London, PLUS: Only 6% of C0ViD Deaths actually from C0ViD?

We take a look at the millions of protesters marching in Berlin and London over the weekend and we break down the numbers from CDC that appear to show that only 6% of C0VlD deaths are actually not from C0VlD– it turns out that is not quite true. I’ll explain.

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Massive C0VID Protests in Ireland- and Will These Lockdowns Last Until End of 2021?

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Dublin, Ireland over the weekend, demanding an end to lockdowns, social distancing and mask wearing. Plus, we take a look at the staggering jump in wealth for the world’s billionaires and take a look at why this “new normal” is working only for them.

Check out our interview with this episode’s sponsor, Create Tailwind, by clicking here.

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Learn about our new media platform project, ISE Media: https://ISE.Media

Learn how to invest in our project: https://wefunder.com/ise.media

 

Rice Report Interview: Truth, Free Speech and ISE Media

I had the pleasure of joining the Rice Report to talk about current events, persistent censorship that is obstructing discussion of these events, and how my recently-launched ISE Media platform can help protect this discussion that is vital in a free society. I was thankful to be able to discuss these issues as well as our plans to expand this platform through our WeFunder equity crowdfund.

Our announcement video explains the ISE Media platform launch in detail and how crowdfund investors can own part of ISE Media, setting us apart from other traditional fundraisers. Click to watch here.

You can also register your ISE Media account now by clicking here.

Learn more and invest in ISE Media by clicking here.

As big tech platforms aim to censor quality content creators challenging certain narratives, we will not let these entities stop us.

Thank you to Rice Crypto and Rice Report for hosting this in-depth discussion!

 

 

Watch: Ben Swann on Media, Politics, and ISE Media on The Ripple Effect Podcast

In my recent interview with Ricky Varandas on The Ripple Effect podcast, I enjoyed a great discussion on current and past events impacting the world and talked about the launch of my new platform, ISE Media. In this interview I was able to share some of my background in my 20 years of journalism and explained how 2012 in particular was an awakening to the way that mainstream media operates.

As we covered a number of topics ranging from issues stemming from the pandemic to widespread corruption in the media, I appreciated the opportunity to talk about the censorship sweeping across every tech platform and how ISE is poised to allow a space where facts and ideas can be freely discussed.

Ricky and I also talked about the equity crowdfund for ISE Media going on now. With the support of investors in this crowdfund our goal is to expand the platform; we launched this crowdfund to not only help our team continue development and building out the platform, but to allow our investors to actually own a part of ISE Media.

Our announcement video explains the platform launch and how crowdfund investors can own part of ISE Media. Click to watch here.

You can also register your ISE Media account right now by clicking here.

Learn more and invest in ISE Media by clicking here.

Content creators like Ricky, myself and many others are publishing and sharing important, quality content. While big tech platforms are determined to stamp out these voices that challenge mainstream narratives, we are fighting back with the ISE Media platform.

Thank you to Ricky and The Ripple Effect Podcast for hosting this in-depth discussion.

 

ISE Media Is Now Live

In 2018, investigative journalist and Truth In Media founder Ben Swann announced plans for a platform providing a space for independent journalism, entertainment and other media to produce content without fear of censorship that has been spreading across existing mainstream platforms. Ever since this announcement, the Isegoria team has been working diligently to make this project a reality. We have been honored to receive support and encouragement from our audience while in early stages of development.

Watch the announcement video here.

 

ISE.MEDIA HAS LAUNCHED!

 

The Isegoria team is thrilled to announce that we have launched the beta version of ISE Media, the media platform of Isegoria. In our first phase, ISE Media will be streaming original content produced by Ben as well as other exciting content partners that we will be announcing soon. This content will be exclusive or semi-exclusive to ISE Media and will not be available anywhere else.

Register your ISE Media account by clicking here.

 

OWN A PIECE OF ISE.MEDIA

 

ISE Media is not simply for the people; it is also powered by the people. We are excited to share that you can own part of ISE Media by participating in our equity crowdfund campaign. When you contribute to this campaign, you are not just making a donation- you actually own a part of ISE Media and have a say in the content and direction on the platform. Owning a part of ISE Media also means that you are ensuring accountability and keeping Isegoria in check, unlike mainstream media conglomerates.

With your participation, you will also be helping Isegoria launch the next phases of the ISE Media platform:

  • ISE Quality: a section tailored for independent channels producing content that has been purged from other platforms. Isegoria may pay content creators to make content exclusive to their platform. Voting rights for ISE consumers may move content from the Quality channels to the ISE streaming lineup.
  • ISE Indie: this section is for independent journalists and content creators who are not large enough to have enough ongoing content to populate a channel.These creators may present project proposals to the ISE treasury subject to a vote from the ISE community. This vertical in particular will help combat the issue of independent media being unable to find a funding mechanism and will help to combat corporate entities attempting to cut off advertisers to independent journalists.

 

Click here to own your piece of ISE Media.

 

START CREATING YOUR PROFILE

Right now, ISE Media is open for user registrations. After registration and signing in, you will also be able to follow the available content creators currently on the platform and add other users to your network, comment on content, and send private messages. In the next phase, ISE Media will offer users their own profile feed.

As you already know, the tech world continues to censor and ban quality content every single day simply because it dissents from mainstream narratives. By participating in this crowdfund and joining the platform, you will be directly supporting free speech that big tech keeps trying to silence. Come join us and build a platform for the people, by the people.

Visit https://wefunder.com/ise.media/ to learn more and participate in the ISE Media crowdfund campaign.

Truth In Media with Ben Swann, Episode 27: Who Is Placing Piles Of Bricks At Protests?

Why violence is robbing true activists of their moment for change. The violence is not an accident- it is meant to distract and prevent actual change from taking place. Both police and protesters are guilty.

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Episode 20: Exclusive Interview w/ Dr. Dan Erickson Under Attack for Questioning Coronavirus Mortality Rate

Just one day after YouTube removed video from his new conference, Dr. Dan Erickson speaks one on one with Ben Swann about the news conference in which he shared data about the actual mortality rate of the coronavirus. Since then, a number of baseless attacks have come against Erickson, including the claim that he incorrectly gathered data.

Reality Check: Rep. Omar’s Comments On Israel Were Not Anti-Semitic

Leading House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi plan to offer a resolution Wednesday condemning anti-Semitism in response to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s latest remarks on Israel.

House Republicans and others want Pelosi to go even further and for Omar to be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee all because she questioned the lobbying efforts of a foreign nation.

What did she say? How are those comments being twisted?

Let’s give it a reality check you won’t see anywhere else.

City Forces Group to Remove Anarchy Symbol, Labeling It “Hate Material”

Ontario, Canada – An anarchist group in Hamilton, a city in the Canadian province of Ontario, has been ordered by officials to remove an anarchy symbol from its headquarters. The officials have declared that the symbol is “hate material similar to the swastika” despite police distancing themselves from the city’s position.

“The anarchist symbol is considered hate material by the City of Hamilton and Hamilton Police Services and as such, must be removed,” city spokesperson Marie Fitzpatrick wrote in an email to CBC News.

However, despite the claim by city officials that the anarchy symbol represents “hate material,” local police disputed that label. The symbol “does not meet the threshold of a hate crime,” Const. Jerome Stewart of the Hamilton police said according to CBC News.

“To the best of our knowledge, it is classified as an extreme left sign,” Stewart further stated. “So I don’t know where the direction came that Hamilton police have identified it as a hate crime sign, because as per our hate crime co-ordinator, that is not the case.”

According to a CBC News report, the mandate to remove the symbol from The Tower, an anarchist meeting area, was initiated after the group’s headquarters were vandalized:

The issue arose back in early March, after a masked mob that dubbed itself “The Ungovernables” caused $100,000 in damage during a vandalism spree on Locke Street.

Days later, The Tower — the city’s local anarchist social centre at Cannon Street East near Victoria Avenue North — was also vandalized.

The building’s front window was smashed, and afterward, The Tower covered it up with plywood that was painted with the circle A anarchy symbol.

City spokesperson Marie Fitzpatrick told CBC News that on March 16, the city started a bylaw investigation into the symbol being displayed on the wood covering the windows.

The city then issued a property standards order to remove it. Fitzpatrick said the building’s tenant confirmed they got the order, which was “complied with” on March 26.

Margaret Kohn, a political science professor and urban social justice specialist at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus, described the city’s move a “very controversial interpretation of hate speech.”

“This seems like a constitutional lawsuit waiting to happen,” she noted. Kohn explained that for a symbol to be considered hate speech, it has to target an identifiable group. “That seems to not be the case with the anarchist symbol,” she said.

Princewill Ogban, the head of an anti-racism center in Hamilton, told CBC News that “most anarchy groups in the past have been seen as anti-racist or anti-hate” and added that “they are pro-people and anti-government.”

In spite of the city potentially becoming vulnerable to lawsuits, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger on Wednesday defended the order according to a report from the Hamilton Spectator.

“Certainly the anarchists that have locally presented themselves have done things that would be considered to be inappropriate, so if you tie the two of them together, I would say that’s a symbol of destruction and mayhem and causing a crisis to a particular area. Is that hateful? I think it is,” Eisenberger said.

Editor’s note, Tuesday, May 22nd, 2:21 p.m.: Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger clarified his original comment to the Hamilton Spectator and provided an updated statement which reads:

Hamilton’s Municipal Law Enforcement Division issued the order in March 2018 to have the graffiti removed from the outside of a building on Cannon Street E. The officer who issued the order was acting in accordance with their training. The order was directed at removal of a symbol painted on the exterior and was complied with in the requested timeframe. After reviewing the order, Municipal Law Enforcement has determined the order was improper in terms of exceeding the scope of its by-law, which is intended primarily to address property damage and maintenance and not content of signage.

Stemming from the senseless acts of violence and vandalism in our City, my comments were a reaction that hate speech, and the acts of violence, have no place in the City of Hamilton. Based on actions and initial statements provided by municipal staff,  my earlier comments were based on the belief that City Municipal By-Laws had been applied appropriately. With additional information, it is clear the anarchy symbol is not a hate symbol and efforts are being undertaken to immediately update staff training. Further communication with Hamilton Police Service will also be necessary, in instances where concerns related to potential criminal activity are identified to ensure by-laws are applied properly. Municipal Law Enforcement is committed to ensuring that staff are appropriately trained, and by-laws applied fairly.

Illinois Moves to Legalize Police Drone Surveillance of Public Gatherings

Chicago, IL – Although Illinois passed legislation in 2013 requiring police to attain a warrant before using drones for most surveillance purposes, legislation reportedly backed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel would eliminate that restriction and allow the government to monitor large gatherings, rallies and protests using drones.

The proposal— SB 2562— by state Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) would allow Illinois police departments to use drones for any “legitimate law enforcement purpose.”

“I don’t want Chicago to be the next Las Vegas-style outdoor terrorist attack. But I also don’t want drones to be surveilling everyone’s every move,” Sandoval said Thursday. “This legislation clearly is limited to drone usage for providing safety.”

Sandoval claimed the proposal would limit police drone use to large public gatherings.

“An individual’s private event, on their own property, would not fall under the exception for law enforcement for the use of a drone,” Sandoval said. “The bill states that large scale events are events that take place at a sports or entertainment area, a stadium, a convention hall, a special event center, an amusement facility, or an event open to the public on government property.”

Despite Sandoval’s assertions, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois has come out against the legislation, claiming that the change in law could allow for police to take pictures, record video, and even use facial recognition technology against peaceful protesters.

“Given Chicago’s history of surveillance against protestors and social justice advocates … the Chicago police should not be able to use this new, powerful tool to monitor protestors near silently and from above,” said Karen Sheley, the director of the ACLU Police Practices Project. “The legislation also ignores sweeping surveillance tools currently available to the police.”

Chicago police have a long history of surveillance of activists. Gizmodo reported that Mayor Emanual’s office objected to several additions suggested by the ACLU, including banning face recognition and banning weaponized drones. Additionally, Gizmodo noted that “the amendment includes no language barring drones from biometric data collection, nor does it include guidelines on how long such data is stored or who it’s shared with. Most troublingly, Sheley says the amendment opens a loophole that weakens the restrictions on drones equipped with weapons like tear gas or rubber bullets.”

“If this bill is passed, as drafted, during the next large scale political rally, drones could identify and list people protesting the Trump administration,” Sheley said. “The sight of drones overhead, collecting information, may deter people from protesting in a time when so many want to exercise their First Amendment rights….This is too much unchecked power to give to the police—in Chicago or anywhere.”

Reason reported that “the bill requires regular reporting of when police use drones and says any data collected must be deleted after 30 days unless it’s connected to a ‘criminal matter.’ It also forbids arming the drones with any sort of weapon, but only for this particular addition to the surveillance rules. Sheley worries that this new bill therefore creates a loophole that would allow police to arm drones for use in other circumstances.”

While drones can be an invaluable resource for law enforcement, critics are wary of agencies using them to monitor political activism. “The way it stands under this bill, if it’s passed, there’s a cheap tool to monitor First Amendment activity,” Sheley said, “and to collect information about who’s in the crowd and make lists of the people [attending].”

The Illinois Senate approved Sandoval’s drone rules, 36-2; the measure will now move to the House for a vote.

Lawyers and 9/11 Family Members File Petition for Grand Jury Investigation into 9/11 Attacks

New York City – On Tuesday, the Lawyers’ Committee for 9-11 Inquiry filed a petition with the U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York demanding a grand jury investigation into what they call “unprosecuted federal crimes” committed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The non-profit public interest group filed the 52-page petition along with 57 exhibits which they say conclusively prove that explosives and/or incendiary devices caused the collapse of World Trade Center towers 1, 2, and 7. The lawyers state that the evidence shows these pre-placed explosives were the true cause of the collapse of the buildings.

After delivering the petition, the non-profit public interest group held a press conference outside of New York City Hall with activists, family members of 9/11 victims, and lawyers representing the families. LC board members Dave Meiswinkle, Esq. and Julio Gomez, Esq. spoke about the 9/11 family members and the activists who support them in their efforts to reveal the truth about the attacks. 9/11 family member Robert McIlvaine also spoke about the loss of his son Bobby and his search for truth.

“Given that our government has chosen not to look at the evidence of the use of explosives in the World Trade Center buildings for 17 years we have decided to exercise our rights under the federal statute to force the issue through this petition which will trigger the U.S. attorneys’ mandatory duty to relay the evidence to a grand jury,” Mick Harrison, Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee, told Truth In Media in a phone call. “It’s a late step but it’s an important one to hopefully get us more of the truth of what happened.”

The petition states, “The Lawyers’ Committee has reviewed the relevant available evidence . . . and has reached a consensus that there is not just substantial or persuasive evidence of yet-to-be-prosecuted crimes related to the use of pre-planted explosives and/or incendiaries . . . on 9/11, but there is actually conclusive evidence that such federal crimes were committed.”

The Lawyers’ Committee claimed they have evidence of explosives in the buildings, including the following:

  • Independent scientific laboratory analysis of WTC dust samples showing the presence of high-tech explosives and/or incendiaries in the form of thermite or thermate.
  • Expert analysis of seismic evidence and multiple witness testimonies that explosions occurred at the WTC Towers on 9/11 prior to the plane impacts on the Towers, and prior to the building collapses.
  • Technical analysis of video evidence of the WTC building collapses.
  • Firefighter reports of explosions, and of seeing “molten iron like in a foundry”. The Petition notes that the presence of molten iron would require temperatures higher than jet fuel and building contents could create when burned (the official explanation), but consistent with the use of the high-tech explosive and incendiary thermite or thermate.
  • The presence of previously molten iron-rich microspheres in the WTC dust, which has been established by electron microscope analysis of WTC dust samples by both government and independent scientists, is another phenomenon that would be scientifically impossible based on the burning of jet fuel and office contents alone (the official explanation of the buildings’ collapse).
  • Video and eyewitness testimony of the ejection during the collapse of WTC 1 and 2 of heavy steel elements laterally from the buildings, which would not be possible from a gravity collapse (the official explanation).
  • Scientific analysis, eyewitness testimony and government reports confirming sulfidation and high-temperature corrosion of the steel found in the rubble after the collapse of the WTC Towers and WTC 7, a phenomenon not expected in a jet fuel fire and gravity collapse (the official explanation) but consistent with the use of thermate.  

Hundreds of Teachers Sign Up for Ohio Sheriff’s Concealed Carry Training

Hamilton, OH— Butler County, Ohio Sheriff Richard K. Jones, in response to the school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, has reportedly begun offering free concealed carry classes and additional training for school teachers.

On February 18th he tweeted:

Based on a Facebook post on the Butler County Sheriff’s Office page, within 20 minutes posting his offer of free concealed carry classes, Jones received 50 emails.

https://www.facebook.com/ButlerCountySO/posts/1421060414683988

By February 20, the number of requests for concealed carry training had reached a staggering 300, forcing Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones to announce that the limit for the class had been reached, according to NBC 5. Class dates and times have not yet been made public.

“People in the schools need to be trained with firearms, period,” the outspoken Sheriff Jones said. “Even if you hate guns, you need to know about guns if you’re in the schools.”

NBC 5 reports that currently in Butler County, the Edgewood School District is the only one that allows certain administrators to be armed. Jones said he will use the eight-hour concealed carry class to educate teachers about firearms and school shootings.

“We’re going to talk about school shootings. We’re going to talk about the different types of guns, and we’re going to make it a very interesting and very thoughtful class,” Jones said.

Additionally, Jones said he plans on discussing the benefits of allowing teachers to carry with other school districts, but stressed that that decision ultimately lies with the school board.

“If the school boards want to give the authority to teachers to be armed…[they] can do that, they have the authority to do it, but I’m going to do my part, and I assume I’m probably the only one in the state of Ohio that’s doing that – but something has to happen,” Jones noted.

While Jones acknowledged that he does not have the authority to allow teachers to be armed, it’s reported that wants to do his part in helping teachers be prepared if their school board makes the decision to allow armed teachers.

While certainly in the minority, there are numerous public schools in the U.S. that allow teachers and administrators to carry concealed firearms, with the idea that a warning of armed staff would provide a stronger deterrent than a “gun-free” zone sign.

UK Judge Refuses to Revoke Assange Arrest Warrant

London, United Kingdom— Despite a United Nations panel finding that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is “arbitrarily being detained” and Swedish prosecutors dropping their criminal investigation and request for extradition, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will continue to face arrest if he attempts to leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London, after a UK judge upheld a warrant for breaching his formal bail conditions in the UK. Assange maintains that he was forced to seek political asylum in the embassy to avoid political persecution.

A report by The Guardian noted that Senior district judge Emma Arbuthnot was not swayed by the legal argument put forth by Assange’s legal team that his prosecution was not in the public interest to arrest him for bail jumping. It is worth noting that if there is a secret indictment in the U.S., the pretense of arresting Assange for bail jumping could be used to extradite him to the U.S. to face charges.

“I find arrest is a proportionate response even though Mr. Assange has restricted his own freedom for a number of years,” Arbuthnot stated. “Defendants on bail up and down the country, and requested persons facing extradition, come to court to face the consequences of their own choices. He should have the courage to do the same. It is certainly not against the public interest to proceed.”

The warrant upheld by the judge was due to Assange’s seeking of political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012, to avoid Sweden’s attempts to extradite him over the investigation into allegations of sexual assault; the allegations were steadfastly denied by Assange and the investigation of the allegations was dropped in May 2017.

It has been suggested in earlier reports that there is a sealed secret grand jury indictment for Assange in the U.S., indicating the posibility that the attempted extradition to Sweden over rape charges, which he had steadfastly denied, were a strategic means of extraditing him to the U.S. by proxy.

Before Tuesday’s hearing, Jennifer Robinson, Assange’s lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, said that U.S. government had clear intentions of prosecuting WikiLeaks.

“The UK FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] refuses to confirm or deny whether there is an extradition request for Mr Assange,” she said. “In our recent FoI challenge against the CPS […] the CPS refused to disclose certain material because it would ‘tip off’ Mr Assange about a possible US extradition request. It is time to acknowledge what the real issue is and has always been in this case: the risk of extradition to the US.”

[RELATED: Julian Assange Calls on British and Swedish Governments to Drop Investigations]

Further revealing the deeply politicized nature of Assange’s detainment, just last month, after being granted citizenship by the Ecuadorian government, Ecuador applied for diplomatic status for the WikiLeaks founder. If awarded diplomat status, Assange could claim diplomatic immunity— which would theoretically grant him legal immunity— thus allowing him to leave the embassy without being arrested. The British Foreign Office turned down the request by Ecuador.

Assange’s lawyers had argued that the warrant should be withdrawn for numerous reasons, including the fact that Sweden was no longer seeking extradition and that arresting him would not be in the public interest or proportionate— noting his six years in the embassy were “adequate, if note severe” enough punishment— citing the UN panel ruling that his detention was “arbitrary.”

The Guardian reports that Assange attorney Mark Summers QC noted attempts by the UK government to maintain Assange’s detention— despite evidence that Sweden requested a withdrawal of the European arrest warrant for Assange— referring specifically to the fact that Sweden in October of 2013 advised Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers that it was necessary to withdraw the Swedish arrest warrant on grounds of proportionality. It wasn’t until 2017, four years later, that CPS chose to do abide by the request.

Additionally, Summers argued that Assange was justified in seeking refuge in the embassy, as he had a valid fear that US authorities were seeking to arrest him for WikiLeaks’ publication of secret documents.

Libertarian Student Sues USC Following ‘Free Speech Zone’ Demonstration

As previously reported by Truth In Media’s Rachel Blevins, universities in the United States are designating “Free Speech Zonesthat restrict the 1st Amendment rights of students.

In 2014, Blevins described these “Free Speech Zones” as a “designated space on campus where students can set up booths, hand out pamphlets, and host speeches concerning the things they are passionate about.”

Universities across the nation are apparently continuing to infringe on students’ 1st Amendment rights.

According to the The State newspaper, libertarian activist and University of South Carolina (USC) student Ross Abbott sued the university, claiming that the college threatened to discipline him for displaying posters on campus.

Last fall, Abbott’s student organization held a campus event which reportedly highlighted examples of censorship at various campuses. The event displayed posters that exposed 1st Amendment restrictions occurring on campuses across the United States. Despite holding the event in a designated “free speech zone,” some people complained that the posters were “offensive” and “triggering,” according to TheFire.org.

The complaints triggered a response from USC and Abbott was served with a “Notice of Charge,” an investigation was launched, and he was allegedly threatened with expulsion.

Abbot filed the lawsuit on Tuesday to preserve the rights of students to engage in freedom of expression.

Abbott told Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook, “Last I checked, the entire United States was supposed to be a ‘free speech zone.’ Trying to limit student speech to a small area of campus, especially at a public school such as ours, is not only impractical but immoral.”

“The University of South Carolina is so intolerant of free speech that students can’t even talk about free speech,” said Catherine Sevcenko, FIRE’s litigation director. “Ironically, the university’s current marketing campaign features the slogan ‘No Limits.’ But as Ross and his fellow students learned, that does not extend to their free speech rights.”

Cook asked Abbott about the reaction he’s received since he filed the lawsuit. “So far I’ve heard nothing but positive things from my peers. Even some friends from High School who I haven’t heard from in years have reached out to express their support,” said Abbott.

Abbott joins many other students who are fighting to have their voices heard on university campuses. For more information please visit the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education here to see other cases.

The lawsuit can be seen below:

Follow Joshua Cook on Facebook and Twitter.

Beyonce’s Dancers Emphasize Black Panthers, Mario Woods, Black Lives Matter at Super Bowl 50

Beyonce’s politically-charged performance on Sunday, which heavily referenced the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panthers at Super Bowl 50, assisted in showcasing the growing activist movements among the black community.

Her “Formation” performance, voicing racial inequality and police brutality towards the black community while also embracing black femininity, put black America center stage in front of 114.4 million viewers at the Super Bowl. During the performance, dancers made an “X” formation in reference to Malcom X while raising their fists in a black pride salute.

After the performance, some of the dancers— dressed in Black Panther-style berets and in black leather— were pictured raising their fists again, yet this time holding a piece of paper that read “Justice 4 Mario Woods.”

This move followed about 200 protesters who had demonstrated in San Francisco on Jan. 30 for Woods. Protesters were out demanding justice and for San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr to be fired.

Mario Woods was a black man shot dead by by five San Francisco police officers during a confrontation in San Francisco last December.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Woods was shot about fifteen times by five officers. Cell phone footage shows him walking away from the police refusing to drop a knife. Activists have argued that he was mentally ill and that the force used by the officers was unnecessary.

Woods supporters have said the cell phone footage showed that Woods was not an imminent danger and was executed by police in a “firing-squad” style. The SFC reported that “Woods’ mother, Gwendolyn Woods, said he was working on getting his life on track after his stint in prison. He had just gotten his uniform for his new UPS job, she said.”

Last Friday, prominent artist and activist Alicia Keys spoke out in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters ahead of the Super Bowl while performing at San Francisco’s free Super Bowl City concert.

“I want you to know that I salute everyone who has the courage and conviction to stand for what’s right. I want to thank you for your commitment to making sure justice is done for Mario Woods. As the mother of two black sons it breaks my heart to see what we’ve been seeing, the trouble’s we’ve been seeing on camera, and all the people that we’ll never see.”

This isn’t the first time Alicia Keys or Beyonce have spoken out in solidarity with the black community and Black Lives Matter. Last year, Beyonce and her husband Jay Z reportedly wired “tens of thousands” of dollars to bail protesters out in Baltimore and Ferguson. Jay Z, along with Roc Nation, also recently donated $1.5 million from Tidal Black Lives Matter and other social justice organizations. This donation was made on February 5th in honor of Trayvon Martin’s birthday, who would have turned 21 had he not been shot by George Zimmerman.

[RELATED: Civil Unrest Breaks out in MO After Cop Kills Unarmed Teen]

Beyonce went on to end her performance with announcing her world tour and a new fund to help the children of Flint, Michigan, during the city’s current water crisis.

Trade Ministers Sign TPP Trade Agreement in New Zealand Amid Massive Protests

Auckland, New Zealand – Trade ministers from the twelve nations involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) met in New Zealand on Thursday to sign the final agreement.

The participating nations now have up to two years to ratify the agreement. The 12 nations include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. Before becoming law in the United States, both the House and the Senate will need to vote to approve the TPP.

In late June 2015, President Obama signed into law the so-called “fast-track” bill that set the stage for approval of the TPP. “Fast track” limits Congress’ ability to alter the provisions of the trade deal and only allows a vote of yes or no. The final terms of the deal were agreed upon in October, and the full text of the agreement was released in November.

The TPP has been the subject of much controversy for the last few years, largely due to the fact that the trade ministers have negotiated the deal in secret with overwhelming influence from multinational corporations.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation writes:

“These officials have not been accountable to the public. They have remained steadfast in excluding public participation and ignoring all calls for transparency over the more than five years of TPP negotiations. Because of this opaque process, trade negotiators were able to fill the agreement with Hollywood and Big Tech’s wish lists of regulatory policies without having to worry about how they would impact the Internet or people’s rights over their digital devices.”

The EFF says that it is “critical that people in the U.S. demand congressional accountability over this deal and urge their lawmakers to vote no when the TPP comes before them for approval.”

While the trade ministers signed the TPP, thousands of protesters gathered in the streets of Auckland to protest the trade deal. TVNZ reports that no arrests were made. Detective Superintendent Richard Chambers stated that his officers were abused, had their clothing and hats pulled, but displayed “outstanding professionalism.”

auckland tpp protest
Protesters in Auckland, NZ

In the U.S. on Thursday, there was a wave of “Flush the TPP” protests as critics of the deal took to the streets of Washington D.C., Los Angeles and other American cities.

In October 2015, journalist Ben Swann released a Reality Check on the TPP, stating that it was worse than previously believed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K0k361pQoQ

In 2015, both the Anglican and Catholic churches of New Zealand demanded the government be more transparent about the negotiations. Radio NZ reports that bishops from the churches are concerned about the lack of openness and that corporate interests are influencing the agreement while the people are being excluded. The churches also called on the New Zealand government to make the draft text of the agreement public.

In early February 2015, doctors and health professional representing seven countries released a letter warning that the TPP will lead to higher medical costs for all nations. The letter, published in The Lancet medical journal, states that, “Rising medicine costs would disproportionately affect already vulnerable populations.” The doctors called on the governments involved in the trade deal to publicly release the full text of the agreement. They also demanded an independent analysis of the impacts on health and human rights for each nation involved in the deal.

Also in February 2015, an analysis by The Washington Post revealed the US government’s numbers on expected job increases from TPP are not factually correct. The Fact Checker examined several quotes from government officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Both Kerry and Vilsack claimed the international trade agreement would create 650,000 new jobs. However, these numbers do not take into account income gains and changing wages. According to the government own sources imports and exports would increase by the same amount resulting in a net number of zero new jobs.

A more recent analysis concluded that the TPP will lead to the loss of 448,000 jobs in the United States.

A look at the finally revealed text of the TPP reveals the most egregious portions relate to the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Mechanism, intellectual property, and food safety standards. ISDS will give corporations loopholes to escape accountability and empower international bodies, overriding national sovereignty of the signing nations. Under ISDS, foreign corporations would be allowed to appeal legal decisions to international tribunals, rather than face domestic courts. Critics fear this could lead to a loss of sovereignty and the enrichment of transnational corporations.

Recently, the Electronic Frontier Foundation also released a report on the dangers of the TPP. The EFF writes:

“Everything in the TPP that increases corporate rights and interests is binding, whereas every provision that is meant to protect the public interest is non-binding and is susceptible to get bulldozed by efforts to protect corporations.”

Delayed until 2017?

It was recently reported that the TPP might not be voted on until after the 2016 presidential elections, or possibly into the next presidential term.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he does not support the idea of voting on the TPP before the election. “It certainly shouldn’t come before the election. I don’t think so, and I have some serious problems with what I think it is,” he said. “But I think the president would be making a big mistake to try to have that voted on during the election. There’s significant pushback all over the place.”

“We will continue working with Congressional leaders to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership as soon as possible next year,” Brandi Hoffine, a White House spokeswoman, told the Post.

On Friday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters, “Our view is that it is possible for Congress to carefully consider the details of this agreement and to review all the benefits associated with this agreement … without kicking the vote all the way to the lame-duck period.”

Death Toll Reaches 140 as Ethiopia Halts City’s Master Plan Following Oromo Protests

The Ethiopian government has reportedly ceased its plan to expand its capital, Addis Ababa, after protesters from Oromia demonstrated against the expansion plans over concerns that they would lose their homes.

According to BBC, “Oromia is Ethiopia’s largest region, surrounding the capital, Addis Ababa.” The Oromos are an ethnic group that make up over 40% of the population of Ethiopia. Human Rights Watch reported that the Master Plan’s objective is to expand the city of Addis Ababa. Oromo students and farmers have been demonstrating for months against the government’s Addis Ababa Master Plan.

Human Rights Watch also reported that since November, at least 140 activists have been killed by police and military forces in Ethiopia’s Oromia region and hundreds more have been injured or arrested.

Feliz Horne of Human Rights Watch wrote that “The generally peaceful protests were sparked by fears the expansion will displace ethnic Oromo farmers from their land, the latest in a long list of Oromo grievances against the government.”

Al-Jazeera reported that, to date, 150,000 Oromo farmers have already been exiled by military forces from their homes, with no rearrangements or reparations, to make room for Addis Ababa, “one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.”

This isn’t the first time activists have accused the Ethiopian government of ethnic cleansing in pursuit of its development agenda. OPride.com reported in 2013 on forest fires occurring in a region of Oromia, with many believing they were deforestation schemes to make way for development projects:

“Several diaspora-based activists have accused the government for setting the forest ablaze to make a way for its development projects. The state-run media ignored the fire, and instead reported on a new fertilizer factory being built near the area. Citing several ‘journalists working for the government TV and radio stations,’ New York-based political analyst Jawar Mohammed said, Ethiopian authorities have once again imposed a media blackout warning local reporters, including those working for state-run media houses, not to cover the story.

EPRDF, Ethiopia’s ruling party, now in power for 22 years, has been accused of setting forest reserves on fire in the past. For example, in 1999 and early 2000, a similar forest fire in Bale and Borana, also in the Oromia region, led to Oromia-wide student protests and the government’s slow response caused a strong public outcry. At the time, instead of putting out the fire, the government resorted to cracking down on students.”

The government reportedly took no action in stopping the fire in 2013 and barred journalists from reporting on it.

The surge of individuals joining the protest throughout the region led to arrests and reports of people being tortured for speaking out. Radio France Internationale reported that the government has repeated a push for a media blackout by seizing satellite dishes. RFI also reported that pictures have been spread on social media showing activists dead in ditches, hung from trees and brutally beaten.

The White House posted a statement from United States National Security Council Spokesperson Ned Price regarding the arrest of journalists in Ethiopia, calling for “the Ethiopian Government to release journalists and all others imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression, to refrain from using its Anti-Terrorism Proclamation as a mechanism to silence dissent, and to protect the rights of journalists, bloggers, and dissidents to write and speak freely as voices of a diverse nation.”

This statement comes after government officials justified the arrests by calling the protesters terrorists. Al-Jazeera reported that “over the last decade, the government in Addis Ababa used the ‘war on terrorism’ and the rhetoric of development to silence independent voices and curtail democratic debate.”

Many activists believe that there are even deeper political issues that no one is addressing. Kulani Jalata, a vocal activist for Oromo and a third year law student at Harvard Law School, believes that mainstream coverage of the protests is missing two key points. She stated those points in an interview with Truth In Media:

“The first point regards the Ethiopian government’s illegitimacy. The Ethiopian government is entirely controlled by Tigrayan elites. The Tigrayan population is 4 million—Ethiopia’s population is 94 million. The Tigrayan-led government and its party won 100% of the parliamentary seats this year— if that doesn’t scream illegitimacy, I don’t know what does. Furthermore, the Tigrayan-led government is very much in the business of holding on to state power by terrorizing and killing the political opposition members and supporters, students, farmers, artists, etc. and enriching Tigrayan state elites and their domestic and international supporters by extracting resources and land from the Oromo and other groups. The Oromo, the largest ethno-national group, has been particularly targeted because of their rich economic resources, particularly their land, the size of their population and their determination to resist land grabbing policies–for example, the recent #OromoProtests movement. The Oromo Protests are against this government’s new “Master Plan.” The “Master Plan” is touted as a development plan, but as we know it essentially will evict millions of poor Oromo farmers and deprive them of their livelihoods. This plan is a simply a continuation of the Tigrayan-led Ethiopia government’s legacy of land grabbing, and thus, the grievances that the protesters are expressing have deep roots.

The second point regards the implications of the Tigrayan-led regime’s practices on national and regional stability and security. It is key to point out that the state apparatus is very much focused on terrorizing the largest ethnonational group in all of the Horn of Africa, the Oromo. This focus on oppressing such a large proportion of the population makes the state very unstable, illegitimate, and bound for self-destruction. Although Ethiopia is seen as an ally on the ‘War on Terror’, it is perpetuating a form of state-terrorism on the Oromo as well as other ethnic groups such as the Amhara, Gambella, Sidama, etc. The Tigrayan-led Ethiopian government’s mask of legitimacy has entirely worn out.”

So were these cases of corruption as the activists say, or an economic strategy? The U.S. State Department released a statement from United States State Deputy Spokesperson Mark C. Toner’s about the situation which said, “We urge the government of Ethiopia to permit peaceful protest and commit to a constructive dialogue to address legitimate grievances. We also urge those protesting to refrain from violence and to be open to dialogue. The government of Ethiopia has stated publicly that the disputed development plans will not be implemented without further public consultation. We support the government of Ethiopia’s stated commitment to those consultations and urge it to convene stakeholders to engage in dialogue as soon as possible.”

Exclusive Interview: Sheriff Mack on the Oregon Standoff and What the Media Isn’t Reporting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBgPgjYqe0g

 

Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook spoke with Sheriff Richard Mack Wednesday about the Hammond family of Oregon, whose conflicts with the federal government led to the widely-reported occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Burns, Oregon.

[Read more: Armed Protesters Occupy Oregon Wildlife Refuge Headquarters]

While the standoff— in which Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy, joined with other individuals to occupy the refuge headquarters to protest the re-sentencing of 73-year-old Dwight Hammond and his son, 46-year-old Steven Hammond— has been covered by news outlets nationwide, Mack provided details about the conflict between the federal government and the Hammonds that the mainstream media has largely avoided discussing, and also condemned the fact that the Hammonds were charged with arson in the first place.

[RELATED: DONEGAN: Ore. Protest Reaction Shows War on Terror Is Tearing America Apart]

While Mack said he does not agree with Ammon Bundy’s actions, he told Cook that the media is wrong to “brand and label Ammon Bundy as a nut extremist.” Mack said that he worries the current standoff may escalate into another Waco or Ruby Ridge because of the federal government’s desire to save face, adding that government orders were given to kill protesters during the standoff between the Bureau of Land Management and Cliven Bundy in Bunkerville, Nevada in 2014.

Listen to Cook’s interview with Sheriff Mack to learn more about what is really happening in Oregon.

 

Annabelle Bamforth contributed to this report.

Yurok Tribe of California Passes Ordinance Banning Genetically Engineered Foods

Klamath, CA. — In early December, the Yurok Tribal Council unanimously voted to enact the Yurok Tribe Genetically Engineered Organism (“GEO”) Ordinance, according to a press release from the tribe. The Tribal GEO Ordinance prohibits the propagation, raising, growing, spawning, incubating, or releasing genetically engineered organisms within the Tribe’s territory and declares the Yurok Reservation to be a GMO-free zone.

In their monthly newsletter the Yurok wrote, “The Tribe’s position is to support of the protection of Klamath River Wild Salmon and indigenous plants and berries. The Tribe has taken a firm stand against the use of Genetically Modified salmon for any purpose, as it is a threat to the health and wellbeing of our community. An ordinance about GEOs would further the Tribe’s interest in protecting Wild Salmon and against any genetic alteration to Klamath River Salmon.”

Violations of the ordinance will be enforced through the Yurok Tribal Court.

“It is the inherent sovereign right of the Yurok People to grow plants from natural traditional seeds and to sustainably harvest plants, salmon and other fish, animals, and other life-giving foods and medicines, in order to sustain our families and communities as we have successfully done since time immemorial; our Court will enforce any violations of these inherent, and now codified, rights,” Yurok Chief Judge Abby Abinanti stated.

The Yurok People live on the Klamath River in northern California. The tribe has relied upon the salmon for generations and are dependent upon the health of the wild, native Klamath River salmon species and other traditional food resources which could be threatened by the introduction of genetically engineered species.

James Dunlap, Chairman of the Yurok Tribe, said his people “have the responsibility to care for our natural world, including the plants and animals we use for our foods and medicines. This Ordinance is a necessary step to protect our food sovereignty and to ensure the spiritual, cultural and physical health of the Yurok People.” Dunlap said the Yurok are taking a stand against GE food production systems because they are “inherently dependent on the overuse of herbicides, pesticides and antibiotics, are not our best interest.”

In April 2013, the Yurok Tribe also passed a resolution opposing genetically engineered salmon. In November 2015, after years of controversy surrounding the safety of GE salmon, the FDA announced that the AquAdvantage salmon is as safe and nutritious to eat as the non-genetically engineered variety.

The FDA stated, “The FDA scientists rigorously evaluated extensive data submitted by the manufacturer, AquaBounty Technologies, and other peer-reviewed data, to assess whether AquAdvantage salmon met the criteria for approval established by law.”

The FDA says the data shows “that the inserted genes remained stable over several generations of fish, that food from the GE salmon is safe to eat by humans and animals, that the genetic engineering is safe for the fish, and the salmon meets the sponsor’s claim about faster growth.”

Despite the FDA’s decision, AquaBounty has faced criticism and lawsuits for their products. After the decision, The Guardian reported that several environmental groups are suing the Canadian government in an attempt to end the production of GE salmon eggs. The lawsuit claims AquaBounty is operating a “huge live experiment” with the genes of the wild Atlantic salmon. The Canadian government previously gave AquaBounty permission to create GE salmon eggs in Canada and ship them to Panama to be grown before selling them on the market in the U.S. and Canada.

In addition to the GE ban from the Yurok Tribe, Kroger and Safeway, the nation’s two largest grocery chains, announced they would not sell the genetically engineered salmon. The two chains joined Target, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s in their opposition to the GE salmon.