<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"><channel><title><![CDATA[activism - SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports]]></title><description><![CDATA[SFist is San Francisco's source for fun, witty, & serious news. With updates about restaurants, events, sports, politics & more, SFist reaches millions of users in California.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/</link><image><url>https://sfist.com/favicon.png</url><title>activism - SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, &amp; Sports</title><link>https://sfist.com/</link></image><generator>Ghost 2.12</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 03:04:44 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://sfist.com/activism/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[East Bay Human Rights Activist, 18 Others, Fatally Shot By Military In Philippines]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hayward activist Lyle Prijoles, who spent two decades fighting for farmworkers in the Philippines, was fatally shot by the Philippine armed forces in Negros, along with 18 others. There will be vigils honoring Prijoles Tuesday at SF State and Friday in SoMa.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2026/05/05/east-bay-human-rights-activist-19-others-fatally-shot-by-military-in-philippines/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fa18032a682d4969c6d17d</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Philippines]]></category><category><![CDATA[fatal shooting]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Leanne Maxwell]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 17:15:32 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/2026/05/Lyle-Prijoles.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/2026/05/Lyle-Prijoles.jpg" alt="East Bay Human Rights Activist, 18 Others, Fatally Shot By Military In Philippines"><p>Hayward activist Lyle Prijoles, who spent two decades fighting for farmworkers in the Philippines, was fatally shot by the Philippine armed forces in Negros, along with 18 others. There will be vigils honoring Prijoles Tuesday at SF State and Friday in SoMa.</p><p>Lyle Prijoles, a 40-year-old human rights activist from Hayward, was among 19 people fatally shot by the Philippine armed forces on the island of Negros, located south of Manila, on April 19, <a href="https://www.ktvu.com/news/hayward-human-rights-activist-among-19-shot-killed-philippines#">as KTVU reports</a>. The military action, which many are calling a massacre, also displaced 653 residents and caused 200 more to flee the area, <a href="https://www.bayanusa.org/blog/justice-for-lyle-prijoles">according to the site Bayan USA</a>.</p><div align="center" style="width:100%; max-width:100%">
<div style="position: relative;width: 100%;height: 0;padding-bottom: 56.25%;"> <iframe style="position: absolute;top: 0;left: 0;width: 100%;height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IBjxfLViMLk?si=s2Vbz6HibUP1W8M0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Prijoles dedicated the past two decades to advocating for exploited farmworkers in the Philippines, beginning when he was a student at San Francisco State University, and he visited the country several times over the years.</p><p>Per KTVU, students and faculty at SF State plan to hold a vigil remembering Prijoles Tuesday at 6 pm, and the East Oakland community held a vigil Monday night. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BindlestiffStudio/photos/the-bindlestiff-family-is-heartbroken-and-aches-for-the-loss-of-our-dear-friend-/1611001560878243/">Bindlestiff Studio in SoMa</a> will also be holding a vigil Friday evening, as Prijoles was also a talented writer and performer. </p><p>The Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights has launched an investigation into the April 19 massacre. The military claims it was targeting armed rebels, which Prijoles’s family and friends deny. They’re demanding the US cease sending aid there, as the Philippines is <a href="https://sfist.com/2026/05/05/east-bay-human-rights-activist-19-others-fatally-shot-by-military-in-philippines/The Philippines has been one of the largest recipients of U.S. military assistance in the East Asia-Pacific region">one of the largest recipients of US military assistance</a> in the region, and fellow activists are reportedly proposing legislation on the matter.</p><p>"We want the U.S. to stop sending our tax dollars," said activist Sadie Stone, a friend of Prijoles, speaking to KTVU. "We see a direct tie to what's happening here — our Congress supporting their military."</p><p>Marienne Cuison, Prijoles’ wife, said she hopes her husband’s heroism inspires others to fight for the people of Negros.</p><p>Per Bayan USA, sugarcane workers in Negros have been enduring violence and exploitation for over a century. In 2018, former President Rodrigo Duterte passed a memorandum designating the city as being in a “state of lawless violence.” This prompted increased military presence in the area, culminating in the massacre of nine members of the National Federation of Sugar Workers and dozens of illegal arrests in 2021. </p><p>Of the 135 extrajudicial killings that occurred in the Philippines between 2022 and 2025, 52 reportedly took place in Negros. </p><p>Prijoles's friends and colleagues are <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-bring-lyle-prijoles-home?attribution_id=sl:8bde6bec-911c-4b99-88bf-3313b22477cd&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1777953247&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp17_te-amp20_t1&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link">raising funds</a> to have his body flown back to the US, per KTVU. They’ve also <a href="https://linktr.ee/livelikelyle">compiled links</a> for the community to share photos and messages remembering Prijoles, as well as information on his work and staying up to date with investigations into the shootings.</p><p><em>Image: Bindlestiff Studios</em></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Doctor Says UCSF Fired Her Due to Pressure From Wiener, Dillers Over Pro-Palestinian Speech]]></title><description><![CDATA[CA State Senator Scott Wiener and UCSF’s largest donor, the Diller Foundation, are named in new allegations by Dr. Rupa Marya, prominent physician, activist, and musician, who is suing UCSF over her recent termination stemming from public criticism of Israel.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2025/06/08/doctor-says-ucsf-fired-her-due-to-pressure-from-wiener-and-diller-foundation-over-pro-palestine-speech/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6846305b8eb7fe124a8ad3ef</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[gaza]]></category><category><![CDATA[gaza strip]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[UCSF]]></category><category><![CDATA[scott wiener]]></category><category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category><category><![CDATA[Democracy Now]]></category><category><![CDATA[Amy Goodman]]></category><category><![CDATA[palestine]]></category><category><![CDATA[anti-israel]]></category><category><![CDATA[israel]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Leanne Maxwell]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:10:24 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/2025/06/Rupa_And_The_Aprilfishes_-34_von_55-.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/2025/06/Rupa_And_The_Aprilfishes_-34_von_55-.jpg" alt="Doctor Says UCSF Fired Her Due to Pressure From Wiener, Dillers Over Pro-Palestinian Speech"><p>California State Senator Scott Wiener and UCSF’s largest donor, the Diller Foundation, are named in new allegations by Dr. Rupa Marya, prominent physician, activist, and musician, who is suing UCSF over her recent termination stemming from public criticism of Israel.</p><p><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/ucsf-professor-gaza-comments-lawsuit-20363298.php">According to the Chronicle,</a> in two lawsuits filed last week, Marya accused the university of colluding with political allies and donor networks to smear her reputation, destroy her career, and silence her advocacy for Palestinian rights. </p><p>In an <a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/6/university_california_san_francisco_gaza">interview with Amy Goodman</a> on Democracy Now! last week, Marya said her termination at UCSF is tied to a coordinated network that includes Senator Scott Wiener—who has been outspoken against pro-Palestinian speech—and the billionaire Diller family. The Diller’s foundation has made major donations to UCSF, supported Wiener’s political campaigns, and funded Canary Mission, a controversial website known for doxxing pro-Palestinian activists, <a href="https://theintercept.com/2025/06/05/gaza-israel-san-francisco-ucsf-doctor-professor/">as reported by The Intercept</a>. She adds that Canary Mission has reportedly been used by the Trump administration to justify student deportations.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKmNbRERyKs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKmNbRERyKs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKmNbRERyKs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Rupa Marya (@rupa.marya)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>“When UCSF, in coordination with Scott Wiener, started publishing defamatory statements about me across multiple social media sites, I received horrific threats—death threats, rape threats,” Marya told Democracy Now!. “Faculty members told me they were being asked to submit false reports of my clinical behavior, which, in 23 years of practice, I’ve had no incidents of patient safety issues.”</p><p>While her termination was made official in May, the tension surrounding Marya’s pro-Palestinian stance traces back to last year. <a href="https://sfist.com/2024/06/24/doctors-at-ucsf-battle-over-opinions-of-the-gaza-war-question-whether-protest-should-happen-at-a-hospital/">As reported by SFist</a>, UCSF had become a flashpoint for controversy over protest and free speech surrounding Gaza—despite being a medical campus with no undergraduate body. A public conflict erupted after Marya called a colleague’s internal UCSF email—one that questioned a ceasefire and suggested it could embolden Hamas—“an expression of anti-Arab hate.” That colleague, Dr. Avromi Kanal, filed a complaint with the university, which was ultimately dismissed on First Amendment grounds. Kanal said he felt unsafe and unsupported by UCSF leadership, while others, like longtime Palestinian American faculty member Dr. Jess Ghannam, defended the right to protest and criticized the conflation of discomfort with harm.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When we say demonizing “Zionists” easily tips into antisemitism, this is what we mean: This UCSF MD is saying “Zionist doctors” harm patients.<br><br>“Zionist” means supporting Israel’s existence as Jewish homeland. ~90% of Jews support this.<br><br>Criticize Israel but stop attacking Jews🧵 <a href="https://t.co/yEkKnQTgMy">pic.twitter.com/yEkKnQTgMy</a></p>&mdash; Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1742966467484868909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>Marya was suspended and subjected to a months-long faculty conduct process before being officially fired on May 20 of this year, which she says was retaliatory. She alleges that UCSF administrators attacked her medical license and suspended her without cause, while ignoring her earlier reports of racist, Islamophobic remarks made by colleagues in internal communications. Those complaints, according to her lawsuit, were quietly closed without serious inquiry.</p><p>Before her recent outspoken support for Palestinian rights, Marya had long been a respected figure in the medical community. Named one of <em>Nature</em>’s 20 most influential women in biomedicine, she served on multiple national advisory boards and co-authored the book <em>Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice</em>, a study of how colonialism and structural racism affect health outcomes. Her research often focused on care disparities among Black, Indigenous, and unhoused patients—work she says also drew backlash inside the university.</p><p>“UCSF leadership repeatedly characterized Dr. Marya’s advocacy for marginalized patients as ‘unprofessional,’ ‘aggressive,’ and ‘harmful,’” the complaints read. As a woman of Indian descent raised in a Sikh household, Marya says she was targeted with “racist tropes” meant to discredit her both personally and professionally.</p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tXF0KYWTeYQ?si=BzCeXQIEvK-4MmYd" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><p>Her lawsuits—one filed in federal court for First Amendment violations, the other a state civil rights complaint—seek damages for loss of income and psychological distress. They name UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood and other university officials, and come at a time when the UC system has faced criticism for disciplining faculty and staff who have spoken out against Israel’s military campaign.</p><p>Marya says her comments—most notably “stop bombing hospitals”—should never have put her career at risk. “It is our moral and professional obligation to speak out about children being harmed in the ways that they are in Gaza, about hospitals and the whole healthcare structure being destroyed in Gaza,” she told <em>Democracy Now!</em> “and about our healthcare colleagues who have been abducted, tortured and killed in Gaza.”</p><p>Her firing has since galvanized a growing coalition. More than 1,000 healthcare workers and students have signed open letters demanding her reinstatement and denouncing UCSF’s crackdown on political expression. Meanwhile, the university has continued to promote speakers with close ties to Israeli lobbying groups, including Elan Carr of the Israeli American Council—despite vocal objections from Jewish, Arab, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and Palestinian members of the campus community.</p><p>Marya hopes the lawsuits will spark public awareness and systemic change. “Solidarity is the only thing we have. It’s our superpower to fight authoritarianism, fascism and this kind of racist repression,” she said. “So, I ask for all healthcare workers around the world to stand in solidarity with me, because my fight is our fight, and our fight is for the liberation of Palestine and our collective liberation.”</p><p><em>Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rupa_And_The_Aprilfishes_(34_von_55).jpg">© pitpony photography</a> / Wikimedia</em></p><p><strong>Previously:</strong> <a href="https://sfist.com/2024/06/24/doctors-at-ucsf-battle-over-opinions-of-the-gaza-war-question-whether-protest-should-happen-at-a-hospital/">Doctors at UCSF Battle Over Opinions of the Gaza War, Question Whether Protest Should Happen at a Hospital</a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Activists Move to Reclaim Compton’s Cafeteria Site From Private Prison Operator]]></title><description><![CDATA[San Francisco’s Board of Appeals has granted LGBTQ advocates the right to challenge the continued operation of a for-profit reentry facility run by private prison giant GEO Group at 111 Taylor Street—the site of the historic 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2025/05/10/activists-move-to-reclaim-comptons-cafeteria-site-from-private-prison-operator/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">681ec4c6fc0e796a79e24b81</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[compton's cafeteria riot]]></category><category><![CDATA[compton's historic district]]></category><category><![CDATA[lgbtq]]></category><category><![CDATA[prison reform]]></category><category><![CDATA[divestment]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[activists]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Leanne Maxwell]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2025 22:02:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/2025/05/Turk-Taylor.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/2025/05/Turk-Taylor.jpg" alt="Activists Move to Reclaim Compton’s Cafeteria Site From Private Prison Operator"><p>San Francisco’s Board of Appeals has granted LGBTQ advocates the right to challenge the continued operation of a for-profit reentry facility run by private prison giant GEO Group at 111 Taylor Street—the site of the historic 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJckzBihgGb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; 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<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p><a href="https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/erasure-san-francisco-celebrated-site-crossroads-20318006.php">According to SFGate</a>, the current use for 111 Taylor Street, the site of the historic <a href="https://sfist.com/2025/02/08/comptons-cafeteria-site-receives-two-official-designations/">1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot</a>, as a halfway house has drawn fierce criticism from a group of local activists called <a href="https://www.comptonsxcoalition.net/">Compton’s x Coalition</a> who argue it <a href="https://www.ebar.com/story/154556/Body%20allows%20zoning%20appeal%20over%20prisoner%20reentry%20facility%20in%20historic%20SF%20transgender%20site%20">desecrates the site’s legacy</a>. The site is currently owned by GEO Group, which also operates <a href="https://theintercept.com/2025/05/08/ice-private-prison-profits-corecivic-geo-group/">ICE detention centers</a> nationwide, including the facility where <a href="http://disq.us/p/32uzvrh">Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested</a> on Friday. GEO Group has faced civil rights complaints over its Taylor Street facility, including during the COVID-19 lockdown when the center was accused of overcrowding and unsafe conditions.</p><p>A zoning determination issued in January classified the site as “group housing,” shielding GEO’s operations from further scrutiny. Architect and organizer Chandra Laborde missed the window to appeal but successfully convinced the Board that the city’s opaque and inadequate notification process had effectively shut the public out. Commissioners unanimously ruled to allow her a late appeal, calling the situation “extraordinary.”</p><p>Public commenters testified about the facility’s inadequacies and the distress caused by having incarcerated family members there. “My father was incarcerated in 111 Taylor in 2024,” said Cherry Javier, a local city worker. “I can personally attest to this not being a group home.”</p><p>If local advocates' appeal is successful, it could compel GEO to undergo a public permitting process involving hearings, community input, and the possibility of permit denial, potentially setting a precedent for greater community oversight of carceral facilities. Advocates hope this opens a path for community-led efforts to reclaim and repurpose the building as a space honoring queer resistance.</p><p>“This is just the beginning,” said activist Ezra Reaves at a celebratory press conference after the vote. “We’re going to continue to fight for the preservation of this legacy.”</p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="https://sfist.com/2025/02/08/comptons-cafeteria-site-receives-two-official-designations/">Compton's Cafeteria Site Receives Two Official Historic Landmark Designations</a></p><p><em>Image via Google Maps</em></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sunday Links: Protesters Rally Outside Tesla Showrooms Discouraging Buyers]]></title><description><![CDATA[Protestors gathered outside of Tesla showrooms across the Bay Area calling for a boycott yesterday; a group of activists in Kentucky recently purchased land that was being considered for a new federal prison; and Canadian sports fans are booing the American anthem at international games.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2025/02/16/sunday-links-flu-deaths-have-surpassed-covid-deaths-for-the-first-time/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67b23334c7870a68a7600108</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[tesla]]></category><category><![CDATA[flu]]></category><category><![CDATA[flu shots]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Leanne Maxwell]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 16 Feb 2025 19:00:39 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/2025/02/Francisco-Park-Leanne-Maxwell2.JPEG" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<ul><li><strong><strong>Protesters throughout the Bay Area rallied outside Tesla showrooms yesterday denouncing Musk and calling for a boycott of Tesla’s products.</strong></strong> The protests were part of a nationwide effort by members of the groups Together We Will and Indivisible. [<a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/02/15/tesla-owners-anti-musk-protests-ripple-across-the-bay-area/" rel="noreferrer">Mercury News</a>]</li><li><strong><strong>The probability of <a href="https://sfist.com/2025/02/02/sunday-links-small-planes-drifts-off-runway-at-palo-alto-airport/">that asteroid</a> hitting the Earth in 2032 has crept up to 2%</strong></strong>.<strong><strong> </strong></strong>Scientists have mapped out a “risk corridor,” which illustrates that countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador have a higher risk of being hit, but it’s still <em>extremely unlikely</em>. [<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/asteroid-2024-yr4/" rel="noreferrer">Wired</a>]</li><li><strong><strong>It’s not too late to get your flu shot if you haven’t already.</strong></strong> At the end of January, the percentage of influenza deaths surpassed those for COVID-19 for the first time and have continued to increase throughout the season. [<a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/12027283/forgot-your-flu-vaccine-with-historic-infections-its-not-too-late-for-a-shot" rel="noreferrer">KQED</a>]</li><li><strong><strong>A group of activists recently purchased a parcel of land in Eastern Kentucky — a former strip mine, which feds had been considering using as the site for a new prison. </strong></strong>The group’s mission, called<strong><strong> </strong></strong>The Appalachian Rekindling Project, is to reclaim the land by reintroducing native species. [<a href="https://www.lpm.org/investigate/2025-01-22/eastern-ky-activists-bought-land-where-feds-wanted-to-build-a-prison" rel="noreferrer">Louisville Public Media</a>]</li><li>Canadian NHL and NBA fans have taken to booing during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” at international games against the U.S., most recently in Montreal last night. [<a href="https://abc7.com/post/fans-montreal-loudly-boo-us-anthem-prior-americans-4-nations-face-off-game-canada/15913627/#" rel="noreferrer">ABC7</a>]</li><li>Another high-speed police chase resulted in a crash in San Francisco on Friday after cops tracked down suspects in Daly City who allegedly robbed a Pep Boys auto store employee in Rohnert Park earlier in the day. [<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/rohnert-park-robbery-police-chase-san-francisco-daly-city/#" rel="noreferrer">CBS News</a>]</li></ul><img src="https://img.sfist.com/2025/02/Francisco-Park-Leanne-Maxwell2.JPEG" alt="Sunday Links: Protesters Rally Outside Tesla Showrooms Discouraging Buyers"><p><em>Image: Francisco Park, 2022; Leanne Maxwell/SFist</em></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Saturday Afternoon Rally at the Embarcadero Urges Ceasefire in Gaza]]></title><description><![CDATA[Activists planned a demonstration in support of Palestinians near the Harry Bridges Plaza and San Francisco Ferry Building starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2023/10/28/saturday-afternoon-rally-at-the-embarcadero-urges-ceasefire-in-gaza/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">653d7016c2185d4efa8e7001</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[protest]]></category><category><![CDATA[gaza strip]]></category><category><![CDATA[gaza]]></category><category><![CDATA[israel]]></category><category><![CDATA[palestine]]></category><category><![CDATA[demonstration]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[ferry building]]></category><category><![CDATA[embarcardero]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Holly Secon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 28 Oct 2023 20:46:50 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/2023/10/IMG_0328.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/2023/10/IMG_0328.png" alt="Saturday Afternoon Rally at the Embarcadero Urges Ceasefire in Gaza"><p>Activists planned a demonstration advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and in support of Palestinians near the Harry Bridges Plaza and San Francisco Ferry Building on Saturday, scheduled to start at 1 p.m.</p><p>The protest, which drew a crowd of thousands of people, marched along Market Street towards the freeway. A group of protesters continued to shut down traffic on the Central Freeway in downtown San Francisco for about 90 minutes around 4 p.m., as KNTV <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/demonstrators-block-highway-101-san-francisco/3355147/">reported</a></p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://img.sfist.com/2023/10/IMG_0331.png" class="kg-image" alt="Saturday Afternoon Rally at the Embarcadero Urges Ceasefire in Gaza"><figcaption>Image by Holly Secon.</figcaption></figure><p>The rally follows concerns about the recent developments in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli attacks have intensified amid a widespread communications disruption, as <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/rally-urging-gaza-ceasefire-planned-at-embarcadero/">KRON4</a> reports. On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on a 120-14 vote calling for a "humanitarian truce," but the U.S. and Israel voted against it, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-resolution-vote-israel-hamas-gaza-truce-7eec00b0e28ef2036636b166b48ca030">AP</a>.</p><p>Israel has said that it’s approaching “the next stage of its war with Hamas” as it has expanded its ground operations in Gaza this week, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-10-28-23/index.html">CNN</a>. The toll of the conflict is staggering, with over 7,000 Gazans reported killed, including more than 3,000 children, and over 1.4 million displaced. International human rights groups have raised the alarm about the potential of even more mass atrocities.</p><p>This new action follows several protests (and counter-protests) in the Bay Area this month. On Tuesday night, Richmond City Council <a href="https://sfist.com/2023/10/25/richmond-city-council-spends-seven-hours-debating-passing-resolution-supporting-gaza-and-palestine/">passed a resolution</a> “affirming Richmond's support and solidarity” for Gaza and Palestine, after a charged public comment session lasted almost five hours. More than a thousand UC Berkeley students demonstrated on campus on Wednesday to show support for Gaza as well, per <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/uc-berkeley-students-hold-demonstration-to-support-people-of-gaza/">KPIX</a>. Last week, protesters blocked entrances to the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in San Francisco in a move to raise attention and convince Pelosi to back a congressional resolution for a ceasefire, per <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/protesters-call-out-pelosi-urge-cease-fire-sf-18436730.php">SFGATE</a>. High school students across the Bay organized several walkouts earlier this month to also demand a ceasefire and to protest against Israeli military action against Gazan civilians, per <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/10/19/israel-hamas-war-student-walkout-bay-area">Axios Local</a>. And one <a href="https://sfist.com/2023/10/09/large-pro-palestinian-protest-outside-israeli/">rally earlier this month </a>outside the Israeli consulate in SF drew hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators and a smaller group of pro-Israel counter-protestors who allegedly threw eggs at the crowd.</p><p>Polls show that more than 65% of voters across all political affiliations are urging a ceasefire in Gaza, according to KRON, and the public outcry is continuing to grow as President Biden's approval rating dropped this month. </p><p><strong>RELATED</strong>: <a href="https://sfist.com/2023/10/25/richmond-city-council-spends-seven-hours-debating-passing-resolution-supporting-gaza-and-palestine/">Richmond City Council Spends Seven Hours Debating, Passing Resolution Supporting Gaza and Palestine</a></p><p><em>Feature image via Holly Secon.</em></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[White Activist Discusses Getting Beaten Up During Oakland Protest]]></title><description><![CDATA[A small mob of vandals turned on him, despite all his good intentions, and punched him about a dozen times in the head and mouth after he tried to extinguish a dumpster fire that they set during a pro...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2014/12/18/white_activist_discusses_getting_be/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c24251f44ad066cdcf33893</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[ferguson protest]]></category><category><![CDATA[Oakland]]></category><category><![CDATA[protests]]></category><category><![CDATA[videos]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Barmann]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:45:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2014/12/activist-beaten-up-thumb-640xauto-873040.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2014/12/activist-beaten-up-thumb-640xauto-873040.jpg" alt="White Activist Discusses Getting Beaten Up During Oakland Protest"><p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GVbVu0hPEJg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>

<p>You may have heard that there's some tension among <a href="http://sfist.com/tags/fergusonprotest">Bay Area protesters</a> of racial injustice over the fact that there are not enough black voices, and too many white ones, being heard in the streets. As <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/White-voices-dominate-Bay-Area-protests-of-racial-5953977.php">this Chronicle piece noted</a> last weekend, some have even suggested that "some African Americans are afraid to participate in protests in which small fringe mobs turn violent  putting black people in danger of the very thing they’re protesting, attacks by police." Well, in the case of this white Berkeley activist whom <a href="http://news.kron4.com/news/assault-victim-speaks-out-about-attack-during-oakland-protests/">KRON4</a> does not identify by name, it was just such a small mob of vandals who turned on him, despite all his good intentions, and punched him about a dozen times in the head and mouth after he tried to extinguish a dumpster fire that they set during a protest in Oakland.</p>

<p>It's unclear which night of <a href="http://sfist.com/tags/fergusonprotest">protests</a> this was, but the man says he was marching along Telegraph Avenue in Oakland when he "saw some men light a dumpster on fire." He went to remove a couple of cardboard boxes that had been set ablaze, and he says the "men then essentially returned... and it very quickly escalated where they started punching me in the head and face."</p>

<p>He says that some bystanders gathered but did nothing to help him, and eventually the assaulters faded back into the crowd and disappeared.</p>

<p>It's a terrible scenario, and all the more terrible because of how earnest and stalwart the guy sounds despite the ugliness of this. He went back out and joined more marches after the incident, after getting his teeth fixed, he says, "because I think it's very very important that citizens remain engaged with social change in this country." As for what he thinks of the looters, anarchists, and vandals who join every march just for shits and giggles, he kind of glosses over that completely and says, "I really defer the message of this movement to black leaders... but I implore my fellow white Americans to listen to these black mothers and fathers as they would want to be listened to if their children were killed."</p>

<p>Also, he adds, black women have been the most effective people in shaming the bullies and vandals when they show up to muddy the message of these marches.</p>

<p><a href="http://sfist.com/tags/fergusonprotest"><strong>All previous coverage of the Michael Brown and Eric Garner protest marches on SFist.</strong></a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Exclusive: Protesters From Prison-Themed Party At Armory Released Pending Further Investigation]]></title><description><![CDATA[Three Armory party protestors were released from Sheriff's Department custody early today, after being held since Saturday night on charges including assault with a deadly weapon.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2014/07/02/protesters_from_prison-themed_party/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c242ffb44ad066cdcf8cd36</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[armory]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay pride]]></category><category><![CDATA[kink.com]]></category><category><![CDATA[lgbt pride]]></category><category><![CDATA[pride]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Barmann]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2014 11:15:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2014/06/kink-armory-police-state-protest-2-thumb-640xauto-849210.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2014/06/kink-armory-police-state-protest-2-thumb-640xauto-849210.jpg" alt="Exclusive: Protesters From Prison-Themed Party At Armory Released Pending Further Investigation"><p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;">  </span></p>

<p>Three protesters from the <a href="http://sfist.com/2014/06/30/protest_at_prison-themed_pride_part.php">demonstration that turned reportedly violent</a> outside the Armory on Saturday night, stemming from <a href="http://sfist.com/2014/05/30/prison-themed_pride_party_at_kink_c.php">a controversial Pride weekend circuit party</a> with a prison-fetish theme, were released from Sheriff's Department custody early today.</p>

<p>SFist confirmed with the Sheriff's Department that the three were released shortly after 1 a.m. this morning. The District Attorney's Office has decided to dismiss charges against them pending further investigation.</p>

<p>The three arrested were Sarai Robles-Medez, 21, of Oakland, Rebecca Luisa Ruizlichter, 24, of San Francisco, and Prisca Carpenter, 32, of Oakland, as SFPD spokesman Albie Esparza confirmed. Robles-Mendez and Ruizlichter were booked on charges of lynching a prisoner, while Prisca was booked on charges of criminal threats against a life, resisting arrest, and assault with a deadly weapon.</p>

<p>As we earlier reported via anecdotal reports from the scene, the deadly weapon was at the very least a "metal object" that was thrown in the direction of security guards who were working the door of the party near 14th and Julian Streets around 10 p.m. on Saturday. At least one person mentioned seeing a slingshot, but that was not in the police report. A statement from Kink.com said that one of the guards had been punched in the stomach, and they said that rogue protesters had also targeted partygoers nearby, assaulting them and breaking one of their cell phones.</p>

<p>Protesters from Gay Shame, one of the organizers of the demonstration, deny that it was anything but a peaceful protest until cops arrived. Member Lacy Johnson told <a href="http://missionlocal.org/2014/06/268484/">Mission Local</a>, "There was nothing being thrown, we didn’t even have metal objects." Protesters and a few partygoers have been arguing on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1455291514716995/?notif_t=plan_user_invited#">this Facebook page</a> both about their objections to the party itself  most citing issues with the prison-industrial complex and incarceration rates among LGBT people, and the misunderstanding that this Pride weekend event was endorsed or in any way sponsored by the SF Pride organization, which it was not  and to the kind of BDSM and fetish porn that Kink.com produces. </p>

<p>In <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=679582628761920&amp;set=a.115272311859624.19140.100001305675521&amp;type=1&amp;theater">a release sent out on Sunday</a>, Gay Shame claimed that Kink.com (which was a co-sponsor of the party along with European circuit producers WE and local promoter Audrey Joseph) "order[ed the] brutal police attack against trans and queer activists" on Saturday night, and said "a Kink.com security guard followed the protestors back to 16th street and approximately 30 minutes after the protest ended began targeting people who were casually standing on the sidewalk getting ready to return home." </p>

<p>Another protest supporter makes a spurious claim that "the big dudes who started screaming, throwing barricades around, acting violent, and pretending to be crazy protesters were actually ID'd by a neighbor as Kink employees." Kink obviously denies this, and we should note that the three protesters arrested are all female.</p>

<p>According to Esparza, a couple of the guards, who were employed by the party and not Kink itself, led police from the Armory to 16th and Mission around 11 p.m. in order to identify specific protesters who had assaulted them. Three other protesters who were arrested Saturday night were released early Sunday morning.</p>

<p>Meanwhile the party itself was a very typical circuit party, with large projections, expensive drinks, shirtless men, and loud house music, with a couple of platforms surrounded by fake prison bars that attendees could get inside and dance, or be photographed in. There was in fact no access to the Kink.com Armory or its fetish-themed porn sets unless you had purchased a VIP ticket, and Kink was only a one-third partner in the event. It was the first time that a big Pride Weekend event had taken place in the Armory's vast Drill Court space.</p>

<p>Protesters, many of whom remain highly engaged about the gross inappropriateness of the party's theme, and about faults with the criminal justice system in general, were planning another demonstration tonight, July 2, at 6 p.m. at the 16th Street BART Station, though it's unclear via Facebook whether that will still be taking place. It would likely have lead to a march over to the Armory as well, since Kink is bearing the brunt of the blame for all of this. As you can see from the flyer below, there was already a call to "Free the Gay Shame Three." </p>

<p>Meanwhile, as a Facebook fan was quick to point out, there's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/637601202992414/">a prison- / <em>Orange Is The New Black</em>-themed party for lesbians</a> now happening at Beatbox later this month. Cue the next protest.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"> <div class="image-none"> <img alt="Exclusive: Protesters From Prison-Themed Party At Armory Released Pending Further Investigation" src="http://img.sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Jay/free-gay-shame-three.jpg" width="640" height="284"> <br> </div> </span></p>

<p><em><strong>Previously:</strong></em> <a href="http://sfist.com/2014/06/30/protest_at_prison-themed_pride_part.php">Protest At Prison-Themed Pride Party Turns Violent, Six Arrested </a></p><i> Flyer via Gay Shame</i>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Go Do This Tonight: Attack Of The Typewriters]]></title><description><![CDATA[Vent your political angst with others at Attack of the Typewriters, a monthly letter-writing party that provides free typewriters, stamps, envelopes, and paper &#8212; everything you need to get your ...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2013/03/12/go_do_this_tonight_attack_of_the_ty/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c2423c244ad066cdcf280a7</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[go do this tonight]]></category><category><![CDATA[Mission District]]></category><category><![CDATA[SF Politics]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brock Keeling]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:25:40 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2013/03/misery-thumb-640xauto-778778.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2013/03/misery-thumb-640xauto-778778.png" alt="Go Do This Tonight: Attack Of The Typewriters"><p>While we here at SFist typically (and nobly) shun many forms of print publishing, we champion those who take to ye ole fashion typewriter to make change. Writing a letter to your elected official represents a similar view of at least 100 constituents. Did you know that? Now you do. And with that, tonight at the Make-Out Room, you can pen a letter (or two or four) to any elected official Hey, it's better than venting in the comments, right? (False! Nothing is as good as blowing up in the comments over the slightest bit of pedantry!)</p>

<p>Vent your political angst with others at Attack of the Typewriters, a monthly letter-writing party that provides free typewriters, stamps, envelopes, and paper — everything you need to get your voice heard in the halls of power. </p>

<p>You can also get ripped to the tits while making a difference!</p>

<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/454603054608160/">Attack of the Typewriters</a> happens tonight at the Make-Out Room (3225 22nd Street, S.F.)</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[PFLAG Founder Jeanne Manford Dies at 92]]></title><description><![CDATA[Jeanne Manford, who in 1973 decided to march beside her gay son in the Christopher Street Liberation Day March (later known as the New York Gay Pride parade) and went on to found <a href="http://commu...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2013/01/11/pflag_founder_dies/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c24278544ad066cdcf47844</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[dads]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay people]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay rights]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay stuff]]></category><category><![CDATA[moms]]></category><category><![CDATA[obituaries]]></category><category><![CDATA[parenting]]></category><category><![CDATA[parents]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Barmann]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:15:36 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2013/01/jeanne-manford-pflag-obit-thumb-640xauto-767185.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2013/01/jeanne-manford-pflag-obit-thumb-640xauto-767185.jpg" alt="PFLAG Founder Jeanne Manford Dies at 92"><p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;">  </span></p>

<p>Jeanne Manford, who in 1973 decided to march beside her gay son in the Christopher Street Liberation Day March (later known as the New York Gay Pride parade) and went on to found <a href="http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=194&amp;srcid=-2">PFLAG</a> (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), died this week at her Daly City home. She was 92. Manford, who was a New York City schoolteacher back in the 70s, carried a sign in that early Pride parade that said "Parents of Gays: Unite in Support for Our Children." </p>

<p>Manford became an activist by accident after her gay son Morty was beaten up in April 1972 and New York police failed to respond to the incident. She wrote a letter that was published in the <em>New York Post</em> (it used to be a liberal paper, not a conservative tabloid) in which she declared, "I have a homosexual son, and I love him." The letter caused a stir, and in the oral history "Making Gay History" (2002) Manford said, "I didn’t think anything of it, but I guess it was the first time a mother ever sat down and very publicly said, ‘Yes, I have a homosexual son.’ " </p>

<p>She was equally surprised at the response she got for marching in that parade beside Morty. As State Senator Mark Leno tells the <em>Chron</em>, you need to think about this in the perspective of the time, while homosexuality was still listed as a mental illness. "For her to step into the street to declare support for her mentally ill, outlaw son  that was no small act," he said. "But it was what a mother's love does."</p>

<p>Other marchers in the parade embraced her and started asking her if she could please talk to their parents, and that was how PFLAG was born. The first meeting took place in 1973, at the Metropolitan Community Church in Manhattan, and today PFLAG has more than 350 chapters and 200,000 supporters nationwide.</p>

<p>A private burial is being arranged, and PFLAG's National organization is organizing a public memorial in Manford's honor, the details about which will be announced later. Donations in Manford's name can be made to the <a href="https://community.pflag.org/manfordlegacyfund">Manford Legacy Fund</a>. </p>

<p>[<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/obituaries/jeanne-manford-founder-of-pflag-dies-at-92.html?ref=us&amp;_r=0">NYT</a>]<br>
[<a href="http://www.queerty.com/photos-remembering-pflag-founder-jeanne-manford-20130111/">Queerty</a>]<br>
[<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Jeanne-Manford-PFLAG-founder-dies-4184570.php">Chron</a>]<br>
[<a href="http://sfappeal.com/news/2013/01/founder-of-iconic-gay-rights-org-dies.php">BCN/Appeal</a>]</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Behold The First ACT UP Flyer That Started A Revolution ]]></title><description><![CDATA[ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) did more than just unleash a cutoff jeans, t-shirt, and black leather jacket with boots fad. It started a revolution. In March, the organization turns 25. Loca...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2012/02/22/behold_the_first_act_up_flyer_that/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c2422b444ad066cdcf1f002</guid><category><![CDATA[Arts & Entertainment]]></category><category><![CDATA[act up]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[AIDS]]></category><category><![CDATA[larry kramer]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brock Keeling]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:30:35 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/02/krameradd-onstoactupsfirstflyer1-thumb-640xauto-695815.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/02/krameradd-onstoactupsfirstflyer1-thumb-640xauto-695815.png" alt="Behold The First ACT UP Flyer That Started A Revolution "><p>ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) did more than just unleash a cutoff jeans, t-shirt, and black leather jacket with boots fad. It started a revolution. In March, the organization turns 25. Local activist <a href="http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/">Michael Petrelis</a>, who was/is a part of the action, notes: "It was on that date in 1987 that my old friend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kramer">Larry Kramer</a> gave a speech at the gay community center in New York City, and that meeting is recognized as the first meeting of what was to become ACT UP."</p>

<p>And here's the flyer that announced the very first ACT UP demonstration, complete with amends by Kramer.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;">  </span></p>

<p><br>
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"> <a href="http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Brock/krameraddonstoactupsfirstflyer2.png"> <img alt="Behold The First ACT UP Flyer That Started A Revolution " src="http://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/02/krameraddonstoactupsfirstflyer2-thumb-800x1046-695816.png" width="640" height="836" class="image-none"> </a> </span></p>

<p><a href="http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2012/02/1987-larry-kramer-amends-act-ups-first.html">Petrelis</a> goes on to report more about the group's demands and why the word "gay" was intentionally omitted:</p>

<blockquote>The flyer otherwise lists what were at the time considered very radical demands - quicker drug approval, revamping clinical trials, affordable treatments, massive public eduction, political leadership, an end to discrimination against people with AIDS - and many of the things we wanted came about, through targeted anger and activism.

<p>Quite interesting that the word "gay" is omitted from the flyer, I imagine, because AIDS was seen by many average folks and the mainstream media as a "gay disease" and part of our agenda was to define AIDS as an infection that struck gay and straight people. A virus knows no morals or sexual orientations.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In 2000, ACT UP/Golden Gate changed its name to <a href="http://www.actupny.org/indexfolder/actupgg.html">Survive AIDS</a> in an effort to avoid confusion with <a href="http://www.actupsf.com">ACT UP/San Francisco</a> (ACT UP/SF). "The two had previously split apart in 1990, but continued to share the same essential philosophy," notes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS_Coalition_to_Unleash_Power#Factionalism_in_San_Francisco">Wikipedia</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ron Paul Glitter Bombed In Minneapolis]]></title><description><![CDATA[As the only GOP presidential candidate without a glitter bombing to his name, Ron Paul probably should have seen the sparkling shower coming by now. As <a href="http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2012...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2012/02/07/ron_paul_glitterbombed_in_minneapol/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c24303b44ad066cdcf8eccf</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[election]]></category><category><![CDATA[election 2012]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay rights]]></category><category><![CDATA[glitter bomb]]></category><category><![CDATA[GOP]]></category><category><![CDATA[Ron Paul]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Dalton]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:58:40 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/02/ronpaul_glitterbomb-thumb-640xauto-692370.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/02/ronpaul_glitterbomb-thumb-640xauto-692370.jpg" alt="Ron Paul Glitter Bombed In Minneapolis"><p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;">  </span>As the only GOP presidential candidate without a glitter bombing to his name, Ron Paul probably should have seen the sparkling shower coming by now. As <a href="http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2012/02/ron_paul_glitterbombed_at_minneapolis_convention_center_video.php">CityPages reports this morning</a>, the Texas Congressman was caught off-guard Monday night when an activist by the name of "Charlie McAwesome" launched a colorful flurry upon the Texas Congressman after a campaign rally in downtown Minneapolis.</p>

<p>Unlike classic glitter bombings which carry a pro-gay right message, Mr. McAwesome apparently yelled, "Housing and healthcare are human rights not privileges!" before unleashing the full fury of a kindergarten art project on Dr. Paul. Later, Mr. McAwesome <a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150635256381014&amp;id=514461013">took to Facebook to celebrate</a>, stating simply: "I just glitter bombed ron paul at the mpls convention center! ...Ron Paul is now as fabulous as the rest of us." Naturally, the smartphone cameras were there to capture all the action:</p>

<p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tY9roZwIogQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>

<p>Meanwhile, elsewhere in the land of one thousand lakes, Newt Gingrich was also attacked by the glitterati, although with words rather than sparkles (Newt did receive a glitter bombing at <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/05/lgbt-activist-douses-newt-gingrich-with-rainbow-glitter/">an anti-gay rally last May</a>). At a campaign event held <strike>within our country's great cathedral of consumerism, the Mall of America</strike>, the Minneapolis Ramada two high school teens <a href="http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2012/02/ron_paul_glitterbombed_at_minneapolis_convention_center_video.php">called out Gingrich</a> for "discrimination against gays and lesbians." Unsurprisingly, the crowd at the <strike>Mall of America</strike> Ramada wasn't exactly receptive to the message and booed the teens right out the door. Again, cameras were on hand, because this is 2012 and the whole world is watching, etc:</p>

<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QwcjaSPBiOw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>

<p>With last night's glitter ambush on Congressman Paul and the joyous shower of color <a href="http://sfist.com/2012/02/01/mitt_romney_glitter_bombed_by_gay_a.php">Mitt Romney received last week</a>, every serious GOP candidate has now received their gay rights baptism. <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/06/latest-glitter-bomb-victim-michele-bachmann/">Crazy-eyes Bachmann</a> <strike>and <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/01/man-throws-glitter-at-santorum-for-his-anti-lgbt-views/">Rick "Santorum" Santorum</a></strike> has even pulled out of the race, following her rainbow anointment.</p>

<p><strong>Update:</strong> Although the CityPages originally reported that the Gingrich event happened at the Mall of America, the Mall sends word that it, in fact, went down at the Ramada down the street.</p>

<p>[<a href="http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2012/02/ron_paul_glitterbombed_at_minneapolis_convention_center_video.php">CityPages</a>]<br>
[<a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/07/charlie-mcawesome-glitter-bombs-ron-paul/">RawStory</a>]</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Activists Turn Bank Of America ATMs Into 'Truth Machines' Overnight]]></title><description><![CDATA[Local rapscallions from the <a href="http://understory.ran.org/2012/01/13/bank-of-america-atms-in-san-francisco-turned-into-truth-machines/">Rainforest Action Network</a> (RAN) turned Bank of America ...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2012/01/13/activists_turn_bank_of_america_atms/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c2424df44ad066cdcf3175a</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[ATMs]]></category><category><![CDATA[bank of america]]></category><category><![CDATA[banking]]></category><category><![CDATA[banks]]></category><category><![CDATA[money]]></category><category><![CDATA[occupy]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brock Keeling]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:10:34 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/01/boa_prank_3-thumb-640xauto-687317.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2012/01/boa_prank_3-thumb-640xauto-687317.jpg" alt="Activists Turn Bank Of America ATMs Into 'Truth Machines' Overnight"><p>Local rapscallions from the <a href="http://understory.ran.org/2012/01/13/bank-of-america-atms-in-san-francisco-turned-into-truth-machines/">Rainforest Action Network</a> (RAN) turned Bank of America ATMs into temporary political machines of activism overnight. Using non-adhesive stickers designed to look like BoA's ATM screens. In lieu of offering customers checking, savings, deposit, or withdraw options, the new menus "offered a list of everything BoA customers' money is being used for, including investment in coal-fired power plants, foreclosure on Americans' homes, bankrolling of climate change, and paying for fat executive bonuses."</p>

<p>Pretty sneaky, sis. RAN managed to hit 85 Bank of America ATMs in San Francisco last night. Here's a <a href="http://understory.ran.org/2012/01/13/bank-of-america-atms-in-san-francisco-turned-into-truth-machines/">map of all the ATMs</a>.</p>

<p>It's all part of RAN's new Tumblr, <a href="http://bankruptingamerica.tumblr.com/">BankruptingAmerica.tumblr.com</a>, which, it seems, will "track all the ways BoA is bankrupting America, hence the name." If you want to leave Bank of America — which is your call; we don't bank with them, so we don't care one way or another — SFist <a href="http://sfist.com/2011/11/04/poll_follow-up_sf_fire_credit_union.php">conducted a poll</a> in November 2011 to see which credit union readers preferred. Interested in switching? <a href="http://sfist.com/2011/11/04/poll_follow-up_sf_fire_credit_union.php">Take a look</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Oakland Activist Injured in West Bank]]></title><description><![CDATA[<strong>by Lisa Hix</strong>]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2009/03/16/oakland_activist_injured_in_west_ba/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c24300d44ad066cdcf8d69d</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[israel]]></category><category><![CDATA[Oakland]]></category><category><![CDATA[protest]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brock Keeling]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:38:20 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2009/03/tree-sitter tristan-thumb-640xauto-70970.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2009/03/tree-sitter tristan-thumb-640xauto-70970.jpg" alt="Oakland Activist Injured in West Bank"><p></p>

<p><strong>by Lisa Hix</strong></p>

<p>Tristan Anderson, a 38-year-old Oakland resident, is in stable condition today after he was <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/13/BAQ316F0PT.DTL&amp;tsp=1">critically injured</a> in the aftermath of a protest in Israel's West Bank on Friday when he was shot in the head with a high-velocity tear gas canister launched by Israel Defense Forces. He had to undergo brain surgery and have part of his frontal lobe removed, and is now in the ICU at the Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv, with his girlfriend Gabrielle Silverman, of Oakland, who was with him we he was shot.</p>

<p>Unarmed demonstrators had gathered in the village of Ni'lin to protest the construction of a barrier designed to separate the West Bank from the rest of Israel, which was  <a href="http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?pr=71&amp;p1=3&amp;p2=1&amp;case=131&amp;p3=6">deemed illegal in 2004 by the International Court of Justice</a> and will cost the village valuable agricultural land. According to the <a href="http://palsolidarity.org/2009/03/5324">International Solidarity Movement Palestine</a>, during Friday's protest, a Ni'lin resident was shot in the leg and three others suffered minor injuries. Already in the past year four village residents have died in demonstrations against this wall, ages 10, 17, 20 and 22.<br>
</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Courage Campaign Working on Something Big to Fix This Prop 8 Situation]]></title><description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/applycampcourage"></a>]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2009/03/04/courage_campaign_working_on_somethi/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c242e6c44ad066cdcf80bd5</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[courage campaign]]></category><category><![CDATA[fresno]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay]]></category><category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category><category><![CDATA[prop 8]]></category><category><![CDATA[proposition 8]]></category><category><![CDATA[volunteers]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Baume]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:00:54 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2009/03/EqualityTeamKickoff-thumb-640xauto-67938.gif" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://img.sfist.com/assets_c/2009/03/EqualityTeamKickoff-thumb-640xauto-67938.gif" alt="Courage Campaign Working on Something Big to Fix This Prop 8 Situation"><p><a href="http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/applycampcourage"></a></p>

<p>One of the big criticisms (and there are many) of the No On Prop 8 campaign was that there wasn't enough person-to-person canvassing. According to the folks managing the campaign, they had to use phone banks because the swing voters were too widely dispersed to reach on foot. Well, we've seen how that worked out.</p>

<p>So what's next? Ah, the Courage Campaign is glad you asked. They've got a bunch of nifty tools and tactics lined up to reach out and grab swing voters -- much of it recently learned or developed for other, more successful campaigns -- and they're about to roll it out. There's going to be a ballot battle again soon, no matter which way the Supreme Court rules; and the Courage Campaign is planning to unleash an extremely clever, very targeted outreach to exactly the voters who need it. And they need your help.</p>

<p>They've just put out a call for volunteers to form regional campaign teams (hey, sound familiar? Like, Obama-familiar?) to contact local voters, provide a local public face, and organize local events. Here in The Gay City, it might seem a little superfluous, but it's not; and out in the suburbs and valleys, it's crucial. (And in fact, Courage Campaign is holding <a href="http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/applycampcourage">a boot camp in Fresno on March 7th and 8th</a> for just that reason.)</p>

<p><a href="http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/EqualityTeamHost">So if you're interested in volunteering, let them know.</a> We've seen a sneak peak of the amazing new techniques they're using, and it's stuff that neither side of the Prop 8 battle even dreamed of. </p>

<p></p><i>Disclosure: SFist_Matt is the creator of <a href="http://stop8.org">Stop8.org</a>, a site that monitors the media for reporting on California marriage equality.</i>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Branching out on Behalf of Gay Marriage: A Good Thing, Bad Thing, or Somewhere in Between?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Just about everyone agrees: gays can win more support for civil equality by partering with ally-communities. This is a nice-sounding idea, particularly in the San Francisco bubble. But what does it me...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2009/01/31/branching_out_on_behalf_of_gay_marr/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c2427ec44ad066cdcf4aaf7</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[abortion]]></category><category><![CDATA[activism]]></category><category><![CDATA[civil rights]]></category><category><![CDATA[gay]]></category><category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category><category><![CDATA[prop 8]]></category><category><![CDATA[proposition 8]]></category><category><![CDATA[protests]]></category><category><![CDATA[strategy]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Baume]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:31:16 GMT</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br>
Just about everyone agrees: gays can win more support for civil equality by partering with ally-communities. This is a nice-sounding idea, particularly in the San Francisco bubble. But what does it mean -- and is there a point at which collaborating stops being beneficial?</p>

<p>The reason we bring this up is because there was a CHARMING little skirmish on <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/protest8sf?hl=en">the local Protest8sf Google Group</a> this week. The group was doing some coordination for last weekend's pro-life protests when one member expressed some skepticism: the connection between gays and abortion is a little murky, rhetorically speaking, he argued. (We're paraphrasing.) Isn't this just confusing our message? Doesn't it look totally baffling to have a protest sign that veers fro abortions to gay marriage to immigrant rights?</p>

<p>Lively admonishments ensued. The people behind the pro-life protests are the same people behind prop 8 (we're paraphrasing again); so it doesn't matter if we're talking about abortion or gay marriage, we just have to demonstrate against them, no matter what they're doing.</p>

<p>The problem here is that everyone's arguing over two different points. Point one is, "should the cause of gay equality take advantage of its inherent overlap with many other causes and communities, and if so, which ones?" And point two is, "when communicating with the public, should we limit ourselves to one message at a time?" (There's a third point raised here that's too fraught for us even to address right now, despite our strong feelings on the subject: "can protesting be counterproductive?")</p>

<p>The answer to point two is easy: yes. Don't hurt the public's brains with a hodgepodge of conditions and connections. By all means, try different tactics; but don't try them all at once or you'll never be able to figure out which one is successful. </p>

<p>But point one is more elusive. Yes, obviously activists should share resources. But with whom, and how? Obviously gays need to work on cooperating with religious folks, old folks, <a href="http://www.republicansagainst8.com/">Republicans</a>, and minorities. Those are the people who were misinformed, whose partnership must be won. But what about causes like abortion, or labor, or affirmative action, or gun control, or the Campus Socialists -- is there a real benefit to joining those similarly liberal causes? Do these causes have anything to contribute to each other, aside from sharing mailing lists? Do they even  mailing lists?</p>

<p>By defending Planned Parenthood, are we getting closer to gay marriage? If we donate to Greenpeace, will they help us fight discrimination? By protesting on behalf of Palestinians, are we working to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell? Or should we be protesting on behalf of Israel? Uh oh, murky murky murky.</p>

<p>What do you think?</p><i>have</i>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>