Backgroound Image

Category: News

Nine arrested at New York Tesla dealership as anti-Musk protests break out

Posted on by neversleep

Nine people were arrested during a raucous demonstration outside a New York City Tesla dealership on Saturday, protesting owner Elon Musk’s role in sweeping cuts to the federal workforce at the behest of President Donald Trump.

The protest, which police said involved hundreds of people, was one of a wave of “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations staged across the country targeting billionaire Musk, who is spearheading the Trump administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

Throngs of protesters also descended on the electric vehicle maker’s showrooms in Jacksonville, Florida, Tucson, Arizona, and other cities, blocking traffic, chanting and waving signs reading “Burn a Tesla: Save Democracy,” and “No Dictators in the USA.”

Continue reading “Nine arrested at New York Tesla dealership as anti-Musk protests break out”

alleged assault of public safety officer

Posted on by neversleep

The Transport Workers Union condemned student protesters from Wednesday’s Barnard sit-in for allegedly injuring a public safety responder and Barnard for “consistently ignoring officers’ safety concerns.”

TWU’s statement, titled “TWU Blasts Barnard Protesters, Criticizes College,” described a 41-year-old officer, who is represented by TWU Local 264, being “pushed and shoved during the stampede” as protesters entered Milbank Hall at 4 p.m.

A New York Police Department spokesperson told Spectator Wednesday night that the department had a report on file for an assault at around 4:09 p.m. “in the vicinity of” 606 W. 120th Street—Milbank’s address. As of 4:43 p.m. Thursday, no arrests had been made for the assault, an NYPD spokesperson told Spectator.

“He was pinned by the rushing crowd against a beam separating the two doors,” the TWU wrote in its statement. “One protester lowered his shoulder and slammed into the worker like a linebacker.”

Continue reading “alleged assault of public safety officer”

Protesters stage sit-in outside Barnard dean’s office

Posted on by neversleep

February 26, 2025

Dozens of protesters staged a sit-in outside Barnard Dean Leslie Grinage’s office in Milbank Hall the afternoon of Wednesday calling for the “immediate reversal” of two student expulsions. The protesters dispersed at around 10:30 p.m. with a tentative agreement to meet with Grinage and Barnard President Laura Rosenbury on Thursday.

Protesters spent over six hours in Milbank, demanding that Grinage meet with them publicly and “accept the appeals of our expelled students.” They demanded that all Columbia and Barnard students involved in the sit-in receive amnesty and that the University not pursue disciplinary action for the sit-in.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest wrote in a Wednesday Instagram post that the protesters were demanding Barnard “reverse the expulsions” of two Barnard students whom CUAD wrote had been expelled for their participation in the Jan. 21 disruption of the class History of Modern Israel.

A flyer posted on the wall inside Milbank addressed to Grinage and Rosenbury listed four demands, including an “immediate reversal of the two Barnard students’ expulsions,” “amnesty for all students disciplined for pro-Palestine action or thought,” “a public meeting” with Rosenbury and Grinage, and “abolition of the corrupt Barnard disciplinary process and complete transparency” for disciplinary proceedings.

“Today, we are here to demand Dean Grinage accept the appeals of our expelled students, REINSTATING THEM IMMEDIATELY and ABOLISHING THE CARCERAL DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM,” CUAD’s statement on Instagram read.

Continue reading “Protesters stage sit-in outside Barnard dean’s office”

Barnard expels students for class disruption, pro-Palestinian protest

Posted on by neversleep

February 24, 2025

Barnard college, an affiliate of Columbia University in New York, reportedly expelled two students last week for disrupting a session of the class “History of Modern Israel.”

The Barnard students, both seniors in their last semester of undergraduate studies, banged on drums while chanting “free Palestine” and distributed flyers with the phrase “CRUSH ZIONISM” and a depiction of a boot over the Star of David, according to [news source].

A Columbia University student was also involved in the protest and has since been suspended and barred from campus, the university said in a press release last month.

The history course is being run by Columbia, and the disturbance occurred on the first day of spring semester classes for both schools, according to the student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest.

The pro-Palestinian coalition criticized the expulsions in a statement posted to X Sunday, calling Barnard’s decision “a serious escalation in the crackdown” against student activism. The group said in their post they plan to hold “a week of action” Monday through Thursday in response.

Columbia University became the epicenter of nationwide protests last spring, during which students built encampments and denounced Israel’s escalating response in its war against Hamas. In one day of demonstrations last April, more than 100 Columbia students were arrested on campus.

More than 50 students from Barnard have been suspended for political protest, according to Columbia University Apartheid Divest.

Found on mainstream news.

New York State Corrections buses in Cayuga County lit on fire and vandalized

Posted on by neversleep

The New York State Police were called to a vandalism of buses belonging to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in Cayuga County.

State police were called to a storage lot on State Route 370 in the Town of Victory on Feb. 19. They found that two DOCCS buses had been vandalized, with one of them being lit on fire.

The bus that was lit on fire suffered heavy fire damage in its rear portion, state police said.

Another bus was spray-painted with the message, “Can you hear us now.”

Photos of the buses can be seen below:

Found on mainstream news.

Luigi Mangione Makes First Public Statement, Launches Website

Posted on by neversleep

February 14, 2025

On Friday, Luigi Mangione spoke out for the first time since his arrest, releasing a statement on a new website launched by his legal defense team.

“I am overwhelmed by – and grateful for – everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support,” writes Mangione. “Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions, as mail has flooded MDC from across the country, and around the globe. While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write. I look forward to hearing more in the future.”

A spokesperson for Mangione’s legal team exclusively confirmed to Rolling Stone that the website is real, but declined to comment any further.

In addition to Mangione’s statement, a message from his attorneys is on the homepage.

“Due to the extraordinary volume of inquiries and outpouring of support, this site was created and is maintained by Luigi Mangione’s New York legal defense team to provide answers to frequently asked questions, accurate information about his cases, and dispel misinformation,” reads the message. “The intent is to share factual information regarding the unprecedented, multiple prosecutions against him.”

Mangione is the lead suspect for the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The 26-year-old is currently being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. He pleaded not guilty to state murder and terror charges in December and is facing federal charges for second-degree murder as well as weapons charges.

The website has various sections including case updates, statements made by lead defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo, FAQs, contributions, and a contact form.

The contribution section links to a Give Send Go crowdfunding website that his supporters created to help pay for his legal expenses. Donations surpassed $400,000 on Friday night. “Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support,” Agnifilo said in a statement earlier this week. “My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him.”

Mangione’s supporters have sent him numerous letters, photos, and books. “He is very appreciative, but kindly asks that people temporarily refrain from sending more books,” the legal team writes in the FAQs.

At any given time, Mangione is only permitted to possess five books, a photo album, and 25 pictures, although wardens can adjust these limits at their discretion. In addition to asking for a hold on books, Mangione requested that people send no more than five photos at a time. The legal team reminds senders that every photo is screened and reviewed by law enforcement.

Source: Rolling Stone

 

Luigi’s address, from the FAQ:

Luigi Mangione (52503-511)
MDC Brooklyn
METROPOLITAN DETENTION CENTER
P.O. BOX 329002
BROOKLYN, NY 11232

Because Luigi receives photocopied versions of letters sent to him, we recommend anyone sending a letter to please date and number the pages. Please also make sure the letter being sent has large margins, because the edges of pages may be omitted when letters are photocopied.

New York Prison Uprisings

Posted on by neversleep

As reported in mainstream media, all outside visits have been cancelled to New York state prisons.

Around midnight on Thursday, there was a militant uprising at Riverview Correctional Facility in Ogdensburg, forcing correctional officers to retreat, vacate their posts, and call in police and emergency response teams to gain control of the situation. Last week there was another prison uprising at Collins Correctionnal Facility in Erie County.

Correctional officer pigs are currently on strike in 36 facilities across the state, so Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed an executive order calling up 3,500 members of the National Guard for service in the remaining unmanned prisons.

A statewide prison uprising is brewing in New York. Long live the spirit of Attica! Attica means fight back!

Source: Unity of Fields

Protesters gather in lower Manhattan to denounce recent ICE activity in New York City

Posted on by neversleep

Protesters took to the streets of lower Manhattan to denounce and protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday evening.

On Feb. 13, a group of about 400 protesters marched from the ICE building at Federal Plaza near Foley Square to the ICE office at West Houston and Vertex Street in SoHo.

The protest came hours after Mayor Eric Adams met with President Donald Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan. The meeting resulted in the city reopening the ICE facility at the Rikers Island jail complex.

The group was seen carrying several banners and signs in English and Spanish, shouting, “Mayor Eric Adams must go; he doesn’t care about immigrant communities.” One protester, Jason Darlugo of Nicaragua, told the crowd while fighting back tears, “I came here to give my family a better chance at life.”

NYPD Officers on foot patrol, motorcycles, and bicycles kept up with the group and attempted to cut the group route off several times. Some protesters attempted to agitate the officers.

Six protesters were arrested and taken into police custody during the protest.

Found on mainstream news.

Thousands protest Donald Trump’s attempt to erase trans people from Stonewall Riots

Posted on by neversleep

Thousands of people gathered around near the Stonewall Monument in New York City’s Christopher Park this afternoon to protest the National Park Service (NPS) removing all mentions of transgender and queer people from the webpage for the monument commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Riots.

The NPS did this to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order prohibiting any official recognition of transgender people within U.S. departments, agencies and workforces.

Many social media commenters were baffled when the NPS Service removed all mention of the initialism LGBTQ+ and replaced it with LGB, and removed all references to the transgender figures like Zazu Nova who is now being described on the website simply as a “black woman” instead of her previous designation as a “black transgender woman.”

The outrage from this action sparked a demonstration near the memorial scheduled for February 14 at 12 p.m. local time.

An estimated 1,000 protestors assembled at the Stonewall Monument at around noon with the crowd continuing to grow.

A quick history of the Stonewall Riots & its notable trans veterans

The Stonewall Riots were a series of protests in New York City from June 28 to July 3, 1969. At the time, homosexuality and gender nonconformity was illegal throughout the nation, and locations where LGBTQ+ people congregated were subjected to police raids.

One such meeting place was the Stonewall Inn, a gay tavern in Greenwich Village. During one of these raids, patrons decided they had enough of being harassed and criminalized by law enforcement and began to fight back sparking a six-day riot that became a turning point for LGBTQ+ rights and marked the start of the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.

It is widely held believed that the two main participants of these riots were Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera, along with Zazu Nova who is believed by many to have thrown the legendary “first brick” — all three individuals are transgender women.

Found on mainstream news.

Hundreds protest NYU hospital for obeying Trump order in advance & ending trans care

Posted on by neversleep

NYU Langone Health CEO, and dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Robert Grossman, made the decision to end care for trans youth without public notice, activists say, following Donald Trump’s January 28 executive order banning trans healthcare for youth. The parents of transgender youth got word out after their children’s appointments were canceled.

Within 36 hours, trans advocates and families – with help from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) – helped to organize several hundred protestors outside of NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital in Manhattan.

Continue reading “Hundreds protest NYU hospital for obeying Trump order in advance & ending trans care”