In The News

The Local France: Savage Violence in Paris

John Lichfield December 3, 2018
More than 10,000 yellow-vested protesters in Paris expressed fury toward their government over increasing inequality, unemployment and poor services in rural areas with wealth going unshared. “The Arc de Triomphe, symbol of French Republican pride, was vandalised and tagged with insulting graffiti,” explains John Lichfield, adding that police acted with restraint as protesters set buildings and...

Los Angeles Times: Criticism of Israel and Anti-Semitism

Jaweed Kaleem and Teresa Watanabe September 13, 2018
Protesters and their targets increasingly reflect upon strategies and whether methods change or harden public stances. Specific questions emerge with protests and calls for boycotts and divestment targeting Israel as related to Palestinian issues, explain Jaweed Kaleem and Teresa Watanabe for the Los Angeles Times: “How much is Jewish identity tied to the modern nation of Israel? Is there a point...

The Atlantic: Moral Reckoning for Trump’s Immigration Policy

Krishnadev Calamur June 18, 2018
Public outrage intensifies over a Trump administration policy that labels incoming immigrants without documentation, including asylum-seekers, as law-breakers and requires border agents to separate children from detained parents. About 2000 migrant children have been separated under the “zero tolerance” policy and kept in makeshift shelters including barren tents and former Walmart stores. “The...

Al Jazeera: Jordan Crisis – Gulf States Rush to Step In

Ali Younes June 14, 2018
Large protests have erupted in Jordan as a result of a new income tax law, leading to fears of expanding unrest in the Middle East. King Abdullah II of Saudi Arabia hosted a regional summit on Jordan’s economic crisis and a $700 million budget deficit with the aim of providing financial assistance. The Gulf Cooperation Council seeks to prevent the protests from spreading similar to the Arab...

Reuters: What Has Brought Iranian Protesters to the Streets?

Bozorgmehr Sharafedin January 1, 2018
Tens of thousands of people in Iran are protesting the government’s economic policies with at least 12 deaths reported. The protests lack centralized leadership and in general demand greater government focus on domestic issues rather than costly interventions in Syria, Yemen or Iraq. “Iranians vented their anger over a sharp increase in prices of basic items like eggs, and a government proposal...

Reuters: Kenya's Supreme Court Upholds Kenyatta's Presidential Win

Maggie Fick and Duncan Miriri November 20, 2017
Kenya's presidential race is decided after the country’s Supreme Court unanimously upheld reelection of Uhuru Kenyatta. The announcement was met with celebrations and protests, with some reports of violence. The opposition party, which had organized a boycott on voting in October, indicated that it will continue to explore options and resist the government as illegitimate. “Monday’s ruling...

The Guardian: Russia Tried to Co-opt a Leader of Occupy Wall Street

Micah White November 2, 2017
Social movements can expect infiltration by undercover domestic or foreign intelligence agents. Micah White, an Occupy Wall Street organizer, describes an interviewer who asked questions about an online group, later learning that the phony group was “run by the nefarious Internet Research Agency, a Russian private intelligence and propaganda firm.” Such troll groups target both conservatives and...