Experiments with truth: 6/1/10
- Protests against Israel’s attack on the Free Gaza flotilla that resulted in the deaths of at least nine activists took place around the world yesterday. Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets in Baghdad. Thousands gathered in Beirut, Tripoli and Sidon. Israeli embassies throughout Europe were greeted with rallies of 3,500 in Athens, 2,000 in Paris (pictured above), and 5,000 in Stockholm. Hundreds also protested in New York and Washington DC , with even larger protests planned for later today.
- Tens of thousands of people protested Arizona’s new immigration policies on Saturday in cities across the US—including Phoenix; Oakland; Boston; Passaic County, NJ; and Salem, OR.
- More than 130 activists were arrested in Moscow yesterday for protesting a government crackdown on protests despite the Freedom to Assemble guaranteed by the Russian Constitution.
- Gay and lesbian activists eluded Russian security services in a five-hour game of cat and mouse on Saturday to hold the first gay protest in Moscow not to be broken up by riot police.
- More than 30,000 people reportedly quit Facebook yesterday as part of a protest against the social networking giant’s privacy policies.
- About 25 protesters waved signs outside a Clearwater BP station on Memorial Day morning to protest the company’s disastrous oil spill.
- Tens of thousands of Romanian public workers went on strike yesterday to protest hefty wage cuts meant to reduce the country’s budget deficit.
- Tens of thousands marched in central Lisbon on Saturday to protest the government’s austerity measures, showing the first serious sign of popular discontent toward the government’s announced tax hikes, spending cuts, and freeze on civil servants’ wages.
