Perhaps you’ve noticed that, lately, some fiercely-suppressed protests in Belarus have been turning up in our Experiments with Truth feature (e.g., here and here). If you’re wondering what the deal is, be sure to take a look at Shaun Walker’s excellent (and excellently written) new report in Foreign Policy, “Bad Times in Belarus.” Walker was at the front lines of the protests on Belarus’s Independence Day, where he watched mass arrests and beatings by gangs of thugs for “swearing in public”—”a farcical charge rendered rather ironic by the fact that the only people I heard swearing the whole time I was at the protest on Sunday were the police and the thugs themselves.” This is indicative of how desperate things seem to be getting for Europe’s so-called “last dictatorship.”

The regime of Soviet-style holdout Aleksandr Lukashenko is in a crisis:

The main factor driving discontent in Belarus at the moment is economic. The active political opposition has always been there, organizing small protests after elections and traveling to EU capitals trying to drum up support—but Lukashenko has counted on the support of the more than half the population who took his mantra of economic stability and the “Belarusian miracle” at face value.

The “miracle,” though, depended largely on Russian subsidies, which have dried up. Nor will the European Union be of any help until Lukashenko relinquishes his political stranglehold some. As in the Arab world this year, economic woes have given courage to the political opposition. The question, as ever, is whether this discontent can coalesce into something unified and disciplined enough to do serious damage to the regime.

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Twitter can only tell you so much. I did what I could to keep track of the massive protests that began at Tahrir Square on Friday (and continue), but our friend Susannah Vila, in Cairo on assignment for Movements.org, was able to report from the scene.

In the heat of the summer sun, protesters built a tent city under a series of specially-designed tarps. Vila remarks on some features of those assembled, including their diversity…

Besides the diversity of interests, this weekend also witnessed extreme diversity in demographics—at times it’s hard to tell if you’re standing in the middle of a festival or a political protest. Small families walk around taking in the sights. Children hold posters and chant political slogans. You’re nearly as likely to see a woman demonstrating as you are a man.

The more diverse the crowd, the more powerful—because it appears to be more representative of the population, and thus more of a threat, and also because the more women and children the more complicated the calculus for a military wondering whether or not to send in the tear gas as they did a week ago.

…and their impressive coordination…

The square is once again guarded by volunteer security checkpoints and kept clean by volunteer trash collectors. Occasionally a call for more checkpoint staffers goes out on the loudspeaker, and more volunteers head to a meeting point near the Egyptian Museum on one side of the square to sign up.

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The usually quiet country of Malaysia is headed toward a showdown tomorrow between democratic reformers and police. For weeks the coalition of NGOs known as Bersih has called for peaceful marches to happen on July 9th. Bersih is Malay for clean, which echoes their demands for clean and fair elections. Even though Bersih has claimed that they want change through elections, and that these rallies are not meant to overthrow current leaders, the government has responded with a variety of overzealous and harsh reactions.

Despite the fact that all the 62 organizations in Bersih’s coalition are registered, last week the government declared Bersih an illegal organization. They have used Berish’s new illegal status as reason to arrest over 200 activists, some for merely wearing Bersih t-shirts. The police have said possessing Bersih items can land you in jail. Many are still being held without cause. Government officials also began arranging their own NGOs or GONGOs to hold counter demonstrations, potentially to incite violence with which to blame on Bersih. The clamor from all branches of the government has been extensive. It was not just one sector of the government, but even the Tourism Minister and the Women, Family and Community Development Minister that joined in the uproar, claiming that Bersih would create Tahrir Square-style unrest and lead to further problems for the country.

Bersih chairwoman Ambiga Sreenevasan has tried to erase these false fears. She has said:

I think the authorities are caught in a time warp…Perhaps they are paranoid because of the protests in the Middle East, but it’s completely unnecessary. All we’re aiming for are clean elections.

A few days ago Malaysia’s King stepped in to try and ease the situation, and a deal was reached to move the rally from the streets and into a stadium. Nevertheless, Information Minister Rais Yatim declared soon after that Bersih would not be allowed to hold an event in any stadium.

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It appears as though Israel has thwarted the “flytilla” campaign by preventing hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists from boarding planes to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. This is the second “failed” campaign by foreign activists to enter the Palestinian territories in recent weeks (the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza being the other).

As I explained yesterday, however, this sort of failure can actually become a success for the activists, as it only serves to underscore the brutal grip Israel has over Palestine and anyone who seeks to help it. Nevertheless, the long-term effectiveness of a foreign activist campaign such as this has yet to really be proven.

There aren’t many historical antecedants to draw upon. The international boycott of South Africa during the apartheid era is one example of foreign involvement in a people’s struggle, but it’s not nearly as direct as the type of action many pro-Palestinian activists have engaged in. Also, there actually is a boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, which is only one part of a much larger movement.

Another historical parallel might be the dozens of humanitarian aid trips Kathy Kelly’s Voices in the Wilderness took to Iraq during the sanctions era of the 1990′s. They were an illegal defiance of an unjust US policy. So, rather than challenging a foreign government, Voices was really going after its own.

With that in mind, the historical precedent being set by these ’tilla campaigns becomes more clear. What isn’t clear, however, is whether they will be remembered as a game-changer or just a great media campaign. In that light, it’s important that we not overlook the other work being done in support of the Palestinian cause.

One upcoming action actually has a great chance at becoming a game-changer. It’s a solidarity march planned for July 15 in Israel. While marches take place all over Palestine as part of the independence movement, the one comprised of Jews in Israel stands to draw the most attention if not make the biggest difference.

As Yael Sternhell explained in a great piece for Haaretz, “Taking part in a solidarity march is a similar choice to the one of the whites who joined the march from Selma. It is the choice to take a stand, in real time, on the right side of history.”

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After the end of Friday prayers today in Cairo, people burst out of the mosques and into the streets for a “Friday of Persistence,” expected to rival the turnout of the protests that brought down Hosni Mubarak earlier this year. Their demands include the removal of remaining elements of Mubarak’s regime from the government, as well as speedy and transparent trials of former ministers and police involved in the killing of protesters during the revolution, and an end to the interim military government’s attempts to crack down on dissent. Some people are demanding a new constitution before elections take place, and to delay the forthcoming elections further. The list is a bit different depending on where you look. But, basically, young Egyptians are out to finish what they started.

Let’s look at some tweets from the streets. (Ha.)

#tahrir is back to its heyday! The ppl demand the fall of the regime. #ramyessam to sing against #scaf #jul8 #noscaf #jan25 (@joerizk1)

#Tahrir #jul8 very very hot, but still lots of people here, I think numbers will grow in the afternoon, nice festival atmosphere (@szucchiatti)

Tent city in #Tahrir is where the fun is. It’s shade which is a blessing in this weather, there’s singing & music and smaller chants #jul8 (@MohammedY)

Tahrir chants could be heard loud in whole down town as Jan25… Revolution Spirit is back on track! #Tahrir #July8 #8July #Jul8 (@eyadnour)

According to reports from AhramOnline, protesters in Suez are making their own arrests of troublemakers trying to turn the day violent:

The Armed Forces in Suez are distributing water to the protesters. One protester stands on a military van and chants: “the Army is ours, but the SCAF [Supreme Council of the Armed Forces] is theirs.” A few minutes earlier, military personnel fired rounds into the air as they approached the square to arrest thugs detained by the protesters.

Protesters in Suez arrested an unidentified person who shot bullets into the air from a nearby place, wounding one person. He was soon handed over to the military police. Earlier, four other suspect individuals were handed to the military police by the popular committees organising the protest.

They’re out in Alexandria, too:

The spirit of #jan25 is back at #alkaed. #alexandria#jul8 but MB are trying to disperse the crowds (@Zeyadsalem)

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• Tens of thousands of Syrians demanding the downfall of the nation’s government poured into the streets of the central city of Hama on Friday.

• Thousands of Yemenis angered by President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s first televised address since an attack on his palace protested across the country on Friday and renewed their call for the formation of an interim council, which they say would be the only way for acting president Abd-Rabou Mansur to end the stalemate.

• About 600,000 public sector workers went on strike across Britain last week to protest proposed cuts in pensions.

• In the latest countrywide opposition protests against Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime on Wednesday at least 180 people were arrested in Minsk and 220 in other regional centres.

• A group of Nashville students is protesting the deportation proceedings for a recent high school graduate with rallies outside the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office calling for an end to the county’s participation in a federal program that screens anyone who is arrested for immigration status.

• Police have tear gassed several hundred protesters marching toward the offices of Kenya’s president and prime minister to demand action over a growing hunger crisis.

• Hundreds of people in eastern Afghanistan gathered yesterday to protest the deaths of up to 13 civilians, including women and children, in a Nato air strike.

While Greece continues to block ships taking part in the Freedom Flotilla to the Gaza Strip, hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists are planning another way of entry into the territories—this time, by air. More than 300 foreign nationals on 50 flights will attempt to arrive at Ben-Gurion ariport in Tel Aviv on Friday and ask to enter the West Bank. The initiative, which is called “Welcome to Palestine,” seeks to confront an Israeli policy that forbids visitors coming in solidarity with the Palestinians. Already dubbed the “air flotilla” or “flytilla” by local media, this action will not be an easy one to pull off.

According to Haaretz, “Around 600 police officers will deploy at Ben-Gurion International Airport to stop the hundreds if not thousands of pro-Palestinian activists arriving on flights today.” The police will likely be undercover and not wearing anti-riot gear or carrying weapons—as a measure to prevent the kind of negative publicity received from last year’s storming of the Mavi Marmara.

Israel is also pressuring airlines to turn over their passenger lists, which will make it easier to stop anyone who has been previously screened by Israeli forces from boarding any planes. According to Haaretz, the names of 300 activists have already been identified by police.

As a French activist involved in the campaign explained in an email that was passed along to me:

Israelis have sent a list of several hundred names of passengers to all the airlines of the world asking to prevent them from boarding so that they cannot reach the West Bank. Some of these airlines have called a few of our participants to try to convince them not to leave.

We are calling all participants to the mission—their friends, families and supporters—to go to all the departing airports tomorrow morning where Israel is trying to intimidate the airlines and push them to violate the rights of their passengers. We must demand to board these planes and demand that our rights be respected. None of you must go missing tomorrow. The mobilization must be so general that more people and more journalists be present.

Any activists that are able to get on planes bound for Tel Aviv will likely be detained upon arrival before being sent home. So, there is almost no chance of anyone reaching the West Bank. But that’s not point. The point is to further expose how life in the territories is seperate and not equal. This is a dilemma for State of Israel. The more it continues to clamp down on people who simply want to support the human rights of the Palestinians, the more the activists are able to prove the direness of the situation.

If you haven’t noticed, Glenn Beck – Fox News’ vitriolic voice of “reason” and “values” – is gone.  Thursday, June 30 marked the end of Beck’s controversial career with Fox but his pandering continues on The Glenn Beck Program that is broadcast nation-wide.  While talk-radio remains a favorite medium for right-wing ideology – and quite successfully at that, considering top three talk syndicates are Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck, respectively – what is more significant is what the ousting of Beck may mean for Fox News.

The 24/7 news channel has enjoyed extraordinary ratings since 9/11, promoting a concoction of unwavering patriotism, “fair and balanced” reporting, and disdain for dissent.  But Beck’s departure and recent rating reports suggest that Fox News’ hold on the American psyche is loosening.  The Fox News network ratings have been in a steady decline while viewership, particularly in the 25-54 demographic, of CNN and MSNBC has been on the rise.  There is no disputing that Fox still dominates the cable news sphere, but the drop in its ratings, the rise in its competitors and the increased attention to its modus operandi could signal a new era of sanity for grassroots organizers seeking media reform and progressive change.

A recent piece in Dissent by Mark Engler argues that Beck’s signing off is the result of a successful boycott campaign by Color of Change that targeted corporate advertisers on the program:

I think we need to take time to recognize the innovative and relentless boycott that set out to strip Glenn Beck of his sponsors. The boycott was amazingly effective at doing just that—ultimately convincing several hundred corporations (including major names such as Wal-Mart, GEICO, and Procter & Gamble) to agree not to advertise on his show.

Engler explicates the success of the boycott in light of other ruminations regarding Beck’s signing off.  What is of importance for activists – particularly those engaged in media reform – is the point Engler makes about how the organizers framed the boycott by not going the traditional route of targeting consumers. Engler writes:

[It] wasn’t about getting the average American not to watch the show….The Beck boycott was far more strategic. Its organizers identified wary advertisers as their point of leverage, targeted specific corporations that were buying ads, and used the announcement of each new company that agreed to withdraw as a way to build momentum.

Surely the Color of Change campaign played a role in bringing increased scrutiny of Beck’s paranoia-laden “journalism.”  Identifying a weak point in Beck’s armor – that his network is a for-profit venture reliant on advertisers and viewers – allowed Color of Change to employ a time-proven tactic of people-power through the use of petitions to signify widespread support of getting Beck off the air and taking it not to Fox but to the corporate advertisers it relies upon for revenue.

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Opposition activists in Uganda last Thursday held an unusual, creative protest in downtown Kampala that got the international media’s attention. They threw a mock surprise birthday party for President Yoweri Museveni – who has ruled the country since 1986, and was just ”re-elected” in February for another four years - with a cake and presents, including doughnuts and mangoes. As Reuters reports:

The group says President Yoweri Museveni is 73, not the 67 that is officially claimed, which would make him ineligible to run for office again. Under Ugandan law, candidates must be under 75 and the next presidential election is due in 2016.

[...]

As they sang “Happy Birthday, Museveni” they were confronted by about 200 heavily armed riot police, witnesses said. The police quickly snatched the cake and gifts.

Three activist leaders were taken away. They were questioned and released on bond after a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, police said.

Whether the activists were aware of it or not, they created a powerful and humorous dilemma action, where the regime would lose no matter what its response was. If the government would have decided to let the protest continue through downtown, they activists would only draw more attention to their cause. Alternatively, if Museveni broke up the action and arrested the cake, which he decided to do, it would make for a great photo op and shine a light on the lack of basic democratic freedoms in the country. Either way the opposition gains ground.

The Economist has seen fit to lend its sole obituary in the latest issue to Brian Haw, “peace campaigner,” who died on June 18th. For ten years, he camped outside the British Parliament in protest of his country’s wars abroad. At first, the onetime evangelist was considered, by the likes of Tony Blair, something of a welcome curiosity. Then they realized he was serious.

The authorities soon got tired of him, though. Westminster Council tried to remove him because he was a nuisance and “obstructing the pavement”. It failed. By 2005 Tony decided he’d had enough of the name-calling. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act said Mr Haw had to give six days’ notice, if you please, of any demonstration within a kilometre of Parliament. How could he do that? The High Court ruled against it, and said he was legal. But the police never acted as though he was. Any morning they might wake him up with a siren, whoop, whoop, Are you there Brian, yank up his plastic, rifle through his private property right in front of Parliament. Who was abusing whom then? In 2006 78 of them came to tear down his wall of pictures, smashed it, trashed it, left it like a bomb site. Left him with one sign. He stayed, of course.

Those familiar with war protesting in Washington DC will liken him to the great Concepcion Picciotto, “The President’s Neighbor.”