On June 9, 2012, Bratislava celebrated its third annual Dúhový (Rainbow) Pride parade. Members of the international community expressed their moral and practical support for the parade organizers and participants. The event aimed to raise awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the Slovak Republic and promote their human rights. As citizens of the European Union, the LGBT community in Slovakia enjoys legal guarantees under the Charter of Fundamental Rights...
On June 2nd, 2012, Warsaw was the site of the annual Queer Parade, also known as the Equality Parade, for the rights of the LGBTQ community. The event attracted thousands of participants, including members of the LGBTQ community, allies, and supporters. The Queer Parade is an important event in Poland, where LGBTQ individuals often face discrimination and hostility. The organizers of the parade believe that every individual has the right to express their sexuality and gender identity without...
On May 1st, Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood became the scene of traditional leftist May Day demonstrations, with thousands of people taking to the streets to protest against social inequality, low wages, and further social cuts. Despite the peaceful nature of the earlier rallies, the situation escalated later in the day, with clashes between protesters and police officers. The police responded with pepper spray, water cannons, and arrests, and more than 7,000 police officers were deployed...
Berlin Wedding, Germany, 30th April 2012 7,000 police officers were deployed on Monday and Tuesday to keep the demonstrations under control. Traditionally, the violent “anticapitalist Walpurgis Night demo” has passed through Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. This time, it was unexpectedly relocated to the Sprengelkiez and Brüsseler Kiez in Wedding, an area between the Wedding S-Bahn station, the northern shore of the Berlin-Spandauer Shipping Canal, and See- and Müllerstraße. This...
New York, USA, 9.2.2012This Thursday, the Department of Education’s Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) will convene again to determine the fate of 25 schools the city is trying to close down.Since the majority of the panel is appointed by Mayor Bloomberg – and has never voted against his will – this decision will be easy for them. The Panel has never heard or been responsive to voices of real students, parents, teachers, and community members who have already spoken out against their failed...
New York, USA, 11.2.2012. On February 11th Occupy Town Square at the West Park Presbyterian Church on west 86th St brought together activists young and old, seasoned veterans and newcomers, Marxists, anarchists, socialists, bloggers, screen-printers, dreamers, and me. Walking in I found myself unexpectedly incredibly moved by the atmosphere of camaraderie and, dare I say it, family. It felt so good to be together again in solidarity, occupying the same space, with my brothers and sisters in...
Bronx, New York, USA, 4.2.2012. New yorkers rallied and marched in the Bronx to protest the beating of Jatiek Reed by four NYPD police officers and the murder of Rahmarley Graham by another NYPD police officer. Today was also the 13th anniversary of the NYPD murder of Amadou Diallo. On Thursday, January 26th, Jatiek Reed, 19, was beaten by Sgt. Mervin Montalban and Officers Alfonsina Delacruz, Jodi Brown and Robert Jaquez and arrested on false charges. Jatiek is now being held at Rikers Island...
NEW YORK, USA, 29.02.2012. A few dozen Occupy Wall Street protestors marched on the world headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on Wednesday, a lukewarm kick off to a nationwide day of revival for the movement loosely organized around denouncing economic inequality. Police on motorcycles escorted the peaceful but loud group of about 50 protestors marching from the park outside the New York Public Library to nearby Pfizer, close to Grand Central Terminal.“Shame on Pfizer...
Prague, Czech republic, 15.3.2012 In a wave of public discontent, citizens across Czech cities, including Prague and Brno, have taken to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the current government. The demonstrations, organized by grassroots movements, spotlight concerns about corruption, economic inequality, and environmental policies. These diverse protesters, united by their shared frustration, demand a more responsive and accountable political system. While government officials...
The police intervention at the Gorilla Protest in Bratislava on March 9, one day before the general election, is set to be investigated by the Office of the General Prosecutor after 172 citizens submitted complaints over the matter, the Gorilla Protest Civil Movement announced on Tuesday, April 10. The civil movement claims that the police “were misused against defenceless people” in what it says was an “unlawful and brutal intervention”. The incident took place when...
Zürich (Switzerland), 15.9.2011.Nach den Ausschreitungen in der Nacht kam es am Samstagnachmittag wieder zu Ausschreitungen in Zürich. Linksautonome versuchten eine Kundgebung von Abtreibungsgegnern zu verhindern. Die Polizei setzte Tränengas ein. Linksautonome hatten dazu aufgerufen, eine Kundgebung christlicher und rechtskonservativer Abtreibungsgegnerinnen und – gegner vom Samstagnachmittag in der Zürcher Innenstadt zu stören.Verletzt wurde niemand, wie ein Polizeisprecher auf Anfrage...
Mühleberg (Switzerland), 4.9.2011. Sie führte 12 Männer und 14 Frauen weg, die beim Wasserkraftwerk die Strasse Richtung AKW versperrt hatten. Die Teilnehmenden leisteten beim Polizei-Einsatz nach übereinstimmenden Berichten von Aktivisten und Polizei keinen Widerstand. Die Aktivisten wurden nach einer Befragung wieder auf freien Fuss gesetzt. Sie werden verzeigt wegen Störung des öffentlichen Verkehrs, Ungehorsams gegen eine amtliche Verfügung und wegen Störung von Betrieben, die der...