Sociological Changes

[Gerard Zwaan]

Protesters rally nationwide against Trump at ‘No Kings’ events

Thousands of “No Kings” rallies kicked off nationwide on Saturday against President Trump and his policies. 

Defiant Democrats have embraced this weekend’s protests, while GOP lawmakers bash the protests as “hate America” demonstrations.  “Showing up to express dissent against an out-of-control administration, that’s as American as motherhood, baseball and apple pie,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Friday.

Saturday’s protests follow a series of June marches that coincided with the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary military parade in Washington, D.C., which also happened to be Trump’s 79th birthday. 

The rallies are taking place amidst the government shutdown as well federal troop deployments across the country.

Insurrection 2025

The Insurrection Act of 1807 has suddenly popped into the news again. It is a quick way to get into Martial Law, and has been in the news a number of times in the past few years. Let’s revisit the issues and see if this time, in 2025, will be different. The Insurrection Act or 1807 was frequently mentioned then the 2020 election was stolen from President Trump, and again in 2021 when the National Guard was called up for January 6 unrest in Washington DC. Now we have the National Guard in a number of cities. Are we poised for Martial Law again?

https://www.zetatalk.com/newsletr/issue997.htm

[lonne rey]

Anti-austerity protests: Spain, Germany, Portugal

MADRID — Anti-austerity protesters on Saturday took to the streets of dozens of European cities, including Madrid, Frankfurt and Lisbon, to express their anger at government cuts they say are making the financial crisis worse by stifling growth and increasing unemployment.

Thousands marched peacefully toward Madrid's central Neptuno fountain near Parliament, chanting "Government, resign."

Around 15,000 people gathered outside the International Monetary Fund's headquarters in Lisbon shouting "IMF, out of here."

Many protesters were carrying banners saying, "No more cuts" and "Screw the Troika," a reference to the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the three-member group that bailed out the governments of Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Cyprus.

The bailout loans were given on the understanding that governments enact stringent austerity measures to rein in their heavily indebted finances.

Spain came perilously close to needing a sovereign bailout last year and was forced to negotiate a 40 billion euro ($52 billion) loan for its stricken banking system when its borrowing costs soared.

The country has been in recession for most of the past four years and has a record 27.2 percent unemployment rate. The percentage is twice that high for Spaniards under 25 years old.

Spain has since seen almost daily protests by people angry over money-saving cuts and reforms in the education and health sectors while failing banks received billions.

"It's obvious that the intention of those governing us is not to take a single step back," said Madrid fireman Eduardo Oliva, 43. "So, it's in our hands, in all European citizens' hands, to demand change. Otherwise life's going to become impossible for us."

Portugal pledged to cut its debt in return for a 78 billion euro ($101 billion) bailout two years ago, but tax hikes and pay cuts have contributed to a sharp economic downturn. The country is forecast to post a third straight year of recession in 2013 while unemployment has climbed to 17.7 percent and is forecast to keep on rising.

Also Saturday, German police and thousands of anti-capitalist protesters engaged in a standoff near the headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

Other protests Saturday took place in European cities including Barcelona, Brussels, Bilbao and Valencia.

"Like so many people, I'm really upset at the behavior of our governments because they have totally caved in just to prop up the banks," said Jesus Alonso, 63, in Madrid.

Source

[Sevan Makaracı]

The situation in Turkey is really.... violence. Police using gas bomb bullets for head shot,  torturing their own people, police vehicle run over a girl..... and looks like people will not quit until government resigns.

[Kris H]

Unrest, state of emergency in Kyrgyzstan.

http://m.aljazeera.com/story/20136102814129580

[Kris H]

An overview of the situation in Turkey: http://m.guardiannews.com/commentisfree/2013/may/31/istanbul-park-p...

Some calling it a Turkish Spring, like the Arab Spring previously.

[Kris H]

Major clashing of protesters and soldiers in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey. National media there not reporting on it. http://www.livestream.com/revoltistanbul

[Gerard Zwaan]

Thousands of anti-capitalists block access to European Central Bank...

[KM]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/wilding-episode-strikes-fe...

28 teens arrested in chaotic wilding assault along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile

Pedestrians in the Windy City’s famous shopping district were attacked by a group of 300 to 400 teens who overran the streets. Community activist Andrew Holmes urges parents to discipline their kids instead of pointing the finger at Chicago Police Dept.

[KM]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21646233

Bangladesh deaths rise as Jamaat protest strike begins

Clashes have broken out in cities including the capital, Dhaka

At least 16 people have died in clashes in Bangladesh at the start of a strike called over a death sentence given to an Islamist party leader.

Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, of Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced on charges including murder, rape and torture during the war of independence in 1971.

Thursday's sentence sparked riots that have left about 60 people dead.

The Islamists say the tribunal is politically motivated, something the Bangladesh government denies.

Jamaat-e-Islami called a two-day strike across the country, beginning on Sunday, in protest at the court ruling.

Troops were called in in the northern district of Bogra, where police said thousands of Jamaat activists armed with sticks and home-made bombs attacked police outposts early on Sunday.

At least eight people were killed and dozens hurt in clashes in the district.

[lonne rey]

Eurozone crisis: Portugal protests against austerity

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in protests across Portugal against government austerity measures.

Huge crowds gathered in the capital Lisbon to demand the government resign.

Many carried placards condemning the "Troika" of the IMF, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, which demanded budget cuts in return for a financial bailout.

'Austerity kills'

On Saturday, organisers said as many as 500,000 protested in Lisbon, and hundreds of thousands more in other towns and cities.

The rallies coincide with a visit by inspectors from the EU and the IMF, which demanded austerity measures as a condition for a 78bn-euro (£64bn) bailout in 2011.

Source

Protesters carried banners with slogans such as "Austerity Kills" and "Screw the Troika".

They also chanted a popular song "Grandola" associated with the 1974 "Carnation Revolution" that brought an end to dictatorship.

[Chris]

Huge protests in Bulgaria
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2013/02/2013224175149435931.html