Argentine Teachers’ Strike, Nigerians Power Outage & Teen Migrants Lead Paris Housing Protest

Editor's Note From Rivera Sun

Has President Milei had a week in office without a major strike, march or protest happening in Argentina? This week, university teachers went on strike after the government failed to reach a wage agreement with their union. Milei’s broad cuts to social spending have ignited mass outcry from many sectors of the populace, including soup kitchens, students, workers, and families.

In other Nonviolence News, Nigerians plunged into darkness as workers shut down the national grid over minimum wage disputes. Samsung workers in South Korea took industrial action for the first time, choosing to all use their paid leave entitlements simultaneously. The ‘Summer of Heat’ on Wall Street is trying to stop fossil fuel financing. Veterans For Peace and 350.org teamed up to protest military air shows that spew pollution. On TikTok, a ‘microfeminist revolution’ is taking place as women counter sexism online.

There are also a number of interesting articles on recent actions for a ceasefire in Gaza. Bogota, Colombia, banned exports of coal to Israel after a campaign pressured the nation’s president to take action. Thousands of people surrounded the White House to draw a ‘people’s red line’ after President Biden ignored his promise that bombing Rafah would constitute a red line that should not be crossed. Palestinians in Israel are demonstrating despite repression. New reports show that the Israeli government funded a covert effort to influence US politicians. (Surprise, surprise.) And a Jewish US Army Major has resigned over the US’ continued inaction in the face of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The most interesting story this week? In Paris, a housing justice encampment led by over a hundred teenage migrants is withstanding police repression to say: “No Housing, No Olympics”. They refuse to be swept under the rug – or out of the city – so Paris can build fancy infrastructure instead of homes.

Find this week's Nonviolence News here>>

We also mourn the passing of Rev. James Lawson, who died at age 95 having devoted his life to civil rights, labor justice, anti-war actions, and much more. Considered the strategic architect of the nonviolence movement, he was a passionate organizer and educator his entire life. I am grateful to have trained with him (and later taught) at the James Lawson Institute.

In solidarity,
Rivera Sun