Nonviolence News: 45K Dockworkers Win Strike, Street Photography Exhibit For Political Prisoners & Legal Victories For Activists

45K Dockworkers Win Strike, Street Photography Exhibit For Political Prisoners & Legal Victories For Activists

Editor's Note From Rivera Sun

There are some issues that all nonviolent activists and social movements should work together on to defend the right to organize for change: freeing political prisoners is one of them. (Protecting and expanding the right to protest, assemble, unionize, and free speech are a few others, in case you were wondering.) In the United Kingdom, a coalition of groups including Defend Our Juries, Just Stop Oil, Palestine Action, Extinction Rebellion, Animal Rising and Greenpeace brought together 320 people for a 90-minute sit-in that transformed the road into a photographic exhibition of political prisoners past and present in the UK and around the world. Over 100 prisoners were displayed in this powerful action. It comes at a time when climate and pro-Palestinian activists are facing increasing arrests and longer prison sentences. Standing up for political prisoners, together, is a strategic move for the movements.

In other Nonviolence News, Georgia state prosecutors dropped all 15 counts of money laundering leveled against Stop Cop City organizers in the United States. (This should send a sigh of relief through all US-based activists worried about coordinating bail funds and activist support funds.) And the UK courts delivered a major win to climate activists when it ruled that two Just Stop Oil protesters were ‘not guilty’, and found that gluing themselves to the floor of an art museum was warranted due to the severity of the climate crisis. Domestic workers in California won a piece of historic legislation, gaining safety and occupational hazard protections (OSHA) within private homes. We can also cheer for the flight attendants at American Airlines who threatened to strike and won a 20% raise effective immediately and retroactive pay.

After a rapid strike, 45,000 dockworkers from Maine to Texas won a tentative agreement and returned to work. Thousands of Portuguese residents protested across 24 cities for their constitutional right to affordable housing. Spain launched a general strike against the genocide in Gaza. Thousands of US citizens demonstrated against Netanyahu’s visit to the United Nations in New York. Many diplomats walked out on his speech in a public condemnation of his government’s assault on Gaza and more recently Lebanon.

Find these stories and more in Nonviolence News>>

One story I especially appreciated was the 90-city day of action held by the American Postal Workers Union. What do they want? Not higher wages (though I’m sure they’d appreciate those). They want reliable and prompt vote-by-mail systems to be protected for ballots and elections mail. Given the high stakes of the US’ 2024 election – and the critical role that mail-in ballots play in verifiable elections – the postal workers’ protests are an act of public service for the nation. I commend them.

In solidarity,
Rivera Sun