Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

BORON, CA - February 24th - A caravan of four big rig trucks and around 150 cars carried over 200 people and $30,000 in food to support lock out miners in the town of Boron last week. The miners have been locked out since January 31st by the Rio Tinto Corporation, a giant foreign-owned mining firm that operates one of the world’s largest borax mines near the town of Boron in California’s Mojave Desert.

Miners were lockout and scabs bused in from out of state after new contact negotiations with Rio Tinto broke down. The situation, although barely mentioned in local corporate media, has drawn international attention in what many see as a clear case of illegal union busting. At stake is the livelihood of nearly 600 families. Full Report: Caravan to Rio Tinto to support miners locked out | | Also: UFCW Delivers Food to Locked Out Miners in Desert | Boron, CA Miners Lockout

The latest in the ongoing trial of Johannes Mehserle, accused of shooting Oscar Grant in the back early New Year's Day 2009. Mehserle is the first police officer in California history to be tried for murder committed while on-duty. The Grant-Mehserle saga has sparked unrest and rebellion in the Bay Area, leading to the transfer of the trial to Los Angeles, where social justice advocates have placed immense pressure to ensure that the truth comes out and that the structures permitting this type of injustice are challenged.

The preliminary hearing on February 19, 2010 dealt with four main things: the reduction of bail, the removal of the Alameda DA, a ruling made by Judge Espinoa, and the schedule of the case. Full report: The People vs. Johannes Mehserle Second Los Angeles Hearing by Traci and Erinn

RELATED: Lessons from the Oscar Grant Tragedy – We Need to Get to Work by Kokayi Kwa Jitahidi

February 6, 2010
RIVERSIDE - Between 30 and 50 people, most of them young, attended a series of presentations on feminism, local struggles, and worker's cooperatives held at a local coffee shop. They strategized about where to take the movement, and ended the day with a concert--after the requisite police harassment.

From the newswire: Reportback & Analysis of 'Anarchy in Riverside' & Some Thoughts on 'Building the Party' by Los Angeles Anarchists | | Anarchy in Riverside by Rockero

See also: Dana Ward Pulled My Prole Card by Crudo from the Vengeance blog

Related Story: The Sierra Madre Anarchist Picnic

After indicating that the Southwest Museum would fully reopen, the Autry, which owns the facility, recently closed the museum store and discontinued the monthly NELA Art Gallery Walk. Also, various community events, which had been free, are now $10 for non-Autry members. Autry closed the exhibit space in 2006 to allow for some earthquake retrofitting (which was completed last summer).

The demonstration on Wednesday afternoon was well-attended and occurred on Marmion Way, just outside the museum grounds and adjacent to the Gold Line's Southwest Museum Station. Thus, many rush hour commuters, whether they were in cars or trains, could see the event.

Story and pictures Protest at the Southwest Museum, its Future More Uncertain by Ross Plesset

COSTA MESA - La Unión de Libertades Civiles Americanas (ACLU), el Fondo Educacional de Defensa Legal Mexico-Americano (MALDEF) y la Red Nacional Organizadora de Jornaleros (NDLON), interpusieron el martes pasado una demanda ante la corte federal del distrito central de California contra la ciudad de Costa Mesa, por aplicar una ordenanza que viola los derechos civiles de las personas que buscan trabajo en las calles.

Informe: ORGANIZACIONES COMUNITARIAS DEMANDAN A LA CIUDAD DE COSTA MESA POR VIOLAR DERECHOS DE TRABAJO por Siete Filos