Protests, Protests, Protests

[BansheeOne]

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Chile protests turn violent on anniversary

•  19 October 2020

Demonstrations in Chile against inequality have turned violent as vandals burned two churches, virtually destroying one of them.

A police headquarters was also firebombed and shops were looted in the protests, which started peacefully.

The protests were marking a year since the start of a mass protest movement that rocked Chile for two months.

Demonstrators also urged people to vote in favour of a new constitution in a referendum next weekend.

Protesters have taken issue with Chile's constitution, which dates back to the years of military rule after Gen Augusto Pinochet seized power in 1973.

Police said 18 officers were injured on Sunday, while Interior Minister Victor Perez called on people to make themselves heard in the referendum.

"Those who carry out these acts of violence do not want Chileans to solve our problems through democratic means," Mr Perez said, vowing to punish those who committed crimes.

Masked protesters attacked churches in the capital, Santiago, setting a spire alight at one.

Police fired tear gas and water cannons during clashes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-54594707

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Thailand's government vows to protect the monarchy after weekend of unrest

By Helen Regan, CNN

Updated 3:58 AM EDT, Mon October 19, 2020

(CNN) Thailand's government has vowed to protect the monarchy after tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters rallied in Bangkok and other cities over the weekend, as calls for a new constitution and curbing the King's powers continue to grow.

Demonstrators again defied an emergency decree banning public gatherings of more than five people and hit the streets en masse for a fifth straight day on Sunday, with about 10,000 people surrounding Bangkok's Victory Monument in the heart of the capital and blocking traffic around one of the city's main business centers.

Speaking to reporters at Government House on Monday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he supports the idea of parliament holding an emergency session to find a way out of the current political crisis, but said the government must "protect the monarchy."

[...] 

Thailand's anti-government movement is growing bolder and several anti-monarchy hashtags trending on social media in recent days are now being chanted on Bangkok streets. But protesters are risking lengthy prison sentences by breaking long-standing taboos against criticizing the monarchy.

Already, prominent protest leaders have been arrested on charges such as sedition, which could lead to seven years behind bars. On Friday, two activists were arrested on charges of attempting violence against the Queen, after her motorcade was obstructed by anti-government crowds. The pair face a possible life sentence.

But the threat of prison, the arrest of protest leaders and an emergency decree has not deterred the protest movement, which demands monarchical reform and to make the King answerable to the constitution.

The movement began in earnest after former general and coup leader Prayut returned to power following disputed elections in 2019. Another central demand of the protesters is for the military-drafted constitution to be rewritten as they say it allows the military to hold onto political power.

True democracy cannot happen in Thailand, they say, until the top-down ruling establishment made up of the monarchy, military and wealthy political elites is reformed.

Media warned

Police have ordered Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to investigate four local media outlets for their protest coverage, according to a police notice issued on Friday and confirmed on Monday.

The notice said the local media -- including Voice TV, Prachatai, The Reporters and The Standard -- posted content that may have undermined national security, peace, and public morale under new emergency measures. If their coverage is found to have violated the laws, the outlets could face a suspension of operations and their digital content deleted.

Police Deputy spokesman Kritsana Pattanacharoen also announced the formation of a media information management committee tasked with investigating all media and electronic information that "affect internal security."

[...] 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/19/asia/thailand-weekend-protests-monarchy-intl-hnk/index.html

[BansheeOne]

Quote

Jubilation as Chile votes to rewrite constitution

Published 19 minutes ago

There have been jubilant scenes in Chile after an overwhelming majority voted in support of rewriting Chile's constitution, which dates to the military rule of Gen Augusto Pinochet.

With almost all the ballots counted, 78% had voted "yes" in a referendum that was called after mass protests against inequality.

President Sebastián Piñera praised the peaceful vote.

He said it was "the beginning of a path that we must all walk together".

How did we get here?

Right-wing President Piñera agreed in November 2019 to hold the referendum after a month of huge and almost daily protests across Chile which saw more than a million people take to the streets in the capital, Santiago.

The protests, which had originally been triggered by a fare hike on the Santiago metro, drew a wide variety of Chileans who shared an anger about the high levels of inequality in Chile onto the streets.

One of their key demands was to reform the old dictatorship-era constitution, which they argued entrenched inequalities by putting the private sector in control of health, education, housing and pensions.

The referendum, which was originally due to be held in April, was postponed to October due to the coronavirus pandemic.

What did Chileans vote on?

The referendum asked Chileans two questions: firstly, if they wanted a new constitution, and secondly, what kind of body they would want to draw it up.

Election officials said almost 7.5m Chileans turned out to cast their vote, the highest turn-out since the 1989 election which brought an end to military rule.

[...]

What happens next?

Voters will return to the ballot boxes on 11 April 2021 to choose the 155 people who will make up the convention which will draw up the new constitution.

The convention will have nine months, with the option of a one-time extension of three months, to come up with a new text.

The new constitution will then be put to the Chilean people in another referendum in 2022.

[...]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54687090

[BansheeOne]

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Poland abortion ruling: Protesters block roads across country

Published 12 hours ago

Thousands of people have blocked roads across Poland on the fifth consecutive day of protests against a court's near-total ban on abortion.

In the capital Warsaw, protesters blocked the main intersections, stopping cars and trams for about an hour.

Some carried placards with slogans like "I wish I could abort my government".

The protests are considered unusual in a country where the Roman Catholic Church has great influence.

They follow a ruling by Poland's Constitutional Court that abortions, even in cases of foetal defects, are illegal.

It means abortion is now only valid in cases of rape or incest, or to protect the mother's life.

There were blockades in about 50 cities across the country on Monday.

The previous day, protesters disrupted church services and graffiti was sprayed on the walls of Warsaw churches.

Abortion is a deeply divisive issue in Poland. A 2014 opinion poll by the CBOS research centre found that 65% of Poles surveyed were against abortion, 27% saw it as acceptable and 8% were undecided.

However, for years opinion polls have found a clear majority against the latest tightening of the law.

There are just over 1,000 legal abortions every year in Poland, but women's groups say the number of abortions carried out illegally or abroad could be between 80,000 and 120,000.

Protests also took place outside the Polish embassies in London and in Kyiv.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54694968

 

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Thailand: Protesters call on Germany to probe king over extended stays in Bavaria

By Associated Press  •  last updated: 27/10/2020 - 08:11

Pro-democracy demonstrators in Thailand have expanded their protests internationally, marching to the German Embassy to appeal to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to investigate whether Thailand’s king has exercised political power during his extended stays in Bavaria.

The protesters acted while criticizing their own Parliament, which began a special two-day session earlier Monday to address political tensions resulting from the near-daily pro-democracy protests demanding the prime minister’s resignation, constitutional changes and reforms to the monarchy.

They believe the king wields an inordinate amount of power in what is nominally a democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

The scrutiny and public criticism of the monarchy displayed by some of the protesters is unprecedented in a country where the royal institution has been considered sacrosanct. It has also led royalists to stage counter-rallies and to denounce the protesters for raising the issue, increasing the risk of confrontation.

The protesters, estimated by an Associated Press journalist to number between 5,000 and 10,000, defied police warnings that they constituted an illegal assembly and marched to the embassy in an effort to bring attention to the time King Maha Vajiralongkorn spends in Germany. The king in recent weeks has been in Thailand with a busy schedule of ceremonial events.

A statement from the protest group said they presented a letter to embassy officials asking that Germany investigate whether the king “has conducted Thai politics using his royal prerogative from German soil or not.”

It said such action could be considered a violation of Germany’s territorial sovereignty, and suggested that its government consider the protesters’ request with the aim of bringing the king back to Thailand to restore the country "to the path of the truthful constitutional monarchy.”

In addition to asking whether the king is carrying out his official royal duties in Germany, the letter provocatively echoed points on which the protesters have previously criticized the king.

German concern over king's activities

Germany is seen as receptive to their entreaties.

The German government already brought up the issue in early October, when Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, responding to a question in Parliament, expressed concern over any political activities the king might be conducting in the country.

On Monday in Berlin, Maas spoke again, telling reporters the government was following developments in Thailand and was aware of the demonstrations and “people taking to the streets for their rights.” He added that he also was watching the king’s activities in Germany.

“We have been examining this not only in recent weeks, but we are continuing to examine it in the long term, and if there are things we feel to be unlawful, then that will have immediate consequences,” Maas said.

Vajiralongkorn has for years spent significant time in Germany, but it only became an issue after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in 2016.

Bhumibol was king for seven decades, and though he traveled extensively on state visits in the early years of his reign — including being welcomed with a ticker tape parade in New York City — he left the country only once after the 1960s, and that was an overnight stay in neighboring Laos.

Vajiralongkorn’s ability to spend time abroad has been made easier by changes his office sought and received to the current constitution that no longer require him to appoint a regent when away from the kingdom.

[...]

https://www.euronews.com/2020/10/27/thailand-protesters-call-on-germany-to-probe-king-over-extended-stays-in-bavaria

Edited October 27, 2020 by BansheeOne

[BansheeOne]

Quote

Date 27.10.2020

Poland's churches become sites of protest amid abortion row

For the first time in Catholic Poland, people are protesting in churches. There has also been pandemonium in parliament. The unrest comes after the Constitutional Court decided to tighten abortion laws.

Protests against the tightening of abortion legislation have a long tradition in Poland — but never before has the country seen protesters enter churches and disrupt services. At the weekend, 20 young men and women held a sit-down protest in front of the altar of a church in Poznan, chanting and holding up banners. The disruption was so massive that the priest broke off the Mass.

Catholic Church under fire

Protesters holding banners that read "You have blood on your hands," "Women's hell" and "Let us pray for the right to abortion" also tried to enter churches in other cities. Several church buildings, including the cathedral in Warsaw, were spray-painted with slogans such as "Abortion is okay" and "Abortion without borders." In Poznan and a Warsaw suburb, memorials to Pope John Paul II were desecrated — an extraordinary act in view of the fact that he is a kind of national saint for many Polish people even today.

Every day, thousands of people have been taking to the streets in a wave of protests triggered by a Constitutional Court decision last week to tighten Poland's abortion laws. The move came at the request of a group of right-wing conservative members of parliament who wanted to avoid going through parliament and turned directly to the Constitutional Court instead.

It was to be expected that the constitutional judges would rule in the interests of the government and thus the interests of the Catholic Church. The court has for years been in the hands of judges loyal to the national conservative PiS government who were appointed as part of a judicial reform that the EU has long criticized as undermining democracy in Poland.

'This is war'

Up to now, abortion has been legal in Poland if the mother's health was at risk, in case of severe fetal defects and when a pregnancy was brought about by rape. Under the new law, terminations will be banned even if a fetus has a severe congenital defect.

The judges argued that abortions would violate the protection of life enshrined in the constitution. Fetal defects were the reason given for most of the approximately 1,000 legal abortions performed in Poland every year. The court ruling thus practically outlaws abortion.

It has met with fierce criticism. It is a "shameful political judgment dictated by right-wing fundamentalists," a "war against women," said the Akcja Demokracja (Action Democracy) non-governmental organization. In the past, it had already collected 200,000 signatures against tougher abortion legislation.

Many demonstrators have carried banners proclaiming "This is war."

Far right backs church

Ultra-right groups have said they will create a "national guard" to protect the Catholic Church and church buildings from riots.

"The left-wing groups say it is a war. We are taking part in this war," said Robert Bakiewicz, head of a radical nationalist association named Marsz Niepodleglosci (Independence March).

We are "in the middle of a neo-Bolshevik revolution," he said on Monday in front of a church in Warsaw. "The time for peace and tolerance for barbarians is over."

That same church saw clashes between demonstrators and right-wing radicals on Sunday when the latter blocked the entrance to the church and tried to drive protesters from the church steps. On Monday evening, police stood guard at the entrance to another church in Warsaw where hundreds of protesters had gathered with whistles, drums and banners. A group of right-wing radicals stood behind the police officers, also aiming to protect the church. In the future, they say, want to be active everywhere as part of the planned "national guard." 

"We will defend every church, every residential area, every town and village," Bakiewicz said.

Protest in parliament                                      

On Tuesday, the sixth straight day of demonstrations, the protests reached parliament when the left-liberal opposition criticized the harsh court decision and blocked the lectern.

Lawmakers held up banners calling for the legalization of abortion. Some had brought wire coat hangers, which have for years been regarded as a symbol for drastic abortion methods in the country. Security guards surrounded the deputy prime minister and PiS leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, as the situation began to get out of hand. The TVP state TV broadcaster described the opposition's protest as "left-wing fascism that is destroying Poland."

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/polands-churches-become-sites-of-protest-amid-abortion-row/a-55415180

[BansheeOne]

Looks to me like there's more grievances than just the recent abortion ruling feeding the Polish protests.

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Protests shake Poland as government looks for a retreat on abortion ruling

Warsaw and other Polish cities clogged with demonstrators telling the ruling party to ‘fuck off.’

By Jan Cienski

 

October 30, 2020 11:10 pm

WARSAW — Enormous crowds took to the streets of Polish cities Friday night, with thousands heading to the house of Jarosław Kaczyński, the country’s de facto ruler, to protest last week’s court ruling tightening Poland’s already-restrictive abortion laws.

The scale and momentum of the protests is prompting the government to try to find a compromise that would defang the demonstrations.

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Friday proposed a new abortion law that would allow the procedure in cases where prenatal diagnosis shows a “high probability” of the fetus being stillborn or being born with a condition “leading inevitably and directly to death.” That comes after the country’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled on October 22 that abortions for reasons of fetal abnormality violate the Polish constitution.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki appealed for people to stop protesting — on a day when Poland noted a record 21,628 COVID-19 cases. “I’m not asking that we forget about the conflict over abortion, but to put it aside for a better time,” he said Friday afternoon.

Both appeals were ignored by protesters, who surged onto the streets to demand a complete rethink of abortion, and more broadly to campaign against the Law and Justice (PiS) government that has ruled Poland since 2015. The main motto of the protests is a vulgar “fuck off” and chanted refrains of “Fuck PiS” echoed throughout the streets of Warsaw as protesters marched from Morawiecki’s office across downtown toward Kaczyński’s house. Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski estimated that more than 50,000 people took part.

“I came out here to show my opposition to what the tribunal decided, but also to show I’ve had enough,” said Anna Borowska, 43, who was marching alongside her husband. “I had to come and protest because otherwise we’ll no longer be able to live in this country. It’s breaking my heart but we are thinking of leaving Poland.”

The decision of the tribunal, widely seen as being under the political control of PiS, further polarized what is already a deeply divided society. Some of the early protests targeted Catholic churches, blaming the tight alliance between parts of the church and PiS for overturning an abortion compromise that had stood since 1993.

In response, a mix of tough-looking young men and praying parishioners blocked the front stairs of St. Alexander’s Church in downtown Warsaw, in turn protected by ranks of civilian and military police.

“We’re here to protect our fucking holy places from these fucking people,” said one man who refused to give his name. “These people aren’t Poles, they’re fascists trying to destroy our country.”

Some nationalists threw flares and firecrackers into the crowd of marchers.

[...]

https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-abortion-protests-shake-government-retreat/

[Rick]

On 10/28/2020 at 4:33 AM, BansheeOne said:

https://www.dw.com/en/polands-churches-become-sites-of-protest-amid-abortion-row/a-55415180

That "protest" is truly evil.

[Ssnake]

Respectfully, I disagree.

This isn't your standard American Roe vs Wade debate. The Polish Government has made numerous moves that tick half the population off, this is just the latest incident, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Try as you might, you can't convince me that forbidding abortions even when the fetus has no chance of living is anything but pointless zealotry to make the life of people more miserable than it has to be.

[Rick]

3 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

Respectfully, I disagree.

This isn't your standard American Roe vs Wade debate. The Polish Government has made numerous moves that tick half the population off, this is just the latest incident, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Try as you might, you can't convince me that forbidding abortions even when the fetus has no chance of living is anything but pointless zealotry to make the life of people more miserable than it has to be.

Point taken. But there are other ways to show displeasure and work for the better than forcing your way into a church during mass. I also fully admit I do not know what "...numerous moves..." the Polish government has taken to irk a large part of its population. 

[Ssnake]

Like, eroding the independence of the judicial system, for starters, and severe and biased restrictions of idenpendent journalism. It's not a dictatorship, but not exactly the shining example of a fine democracy that it was a few years ago, when the PiS took over.

As far as disturbing mass is concerned, point taken... but then again, the Catholic Church of Poland has allowed itself to become infatuated with their influence, and as such to let itself become politicized.

[Rick]

9 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

Like, eroding the independence of the judicial system, for starters, and severe and biased restrictions of idenpendent journalism. It's not a dictatorship, but not exactly the shining example of a fine democracy that it was a few years ago, when the PiS took over.

As far as disturbing mass is concerned, point taken... but then again, the Catholic Church of Poland has allowed itself to become infatuated with their influence, and as such to let itself become politicized.

I admit I lack the knowledge of Poland in order to make even a half-way intelligent reply to your post. My first questions would be what is "PiS" and how did they get into "power." What rights did the Polish people have before "PiS" and what rights were stricken down when "PiS" came in power? 

My second question would be what "power" did the Catholic Church have before "PiS" and what "power" does it have now?

Last sentence. This is where, I believe, the wisdom and experience of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. comes into play. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Regarding the underline part, there is no official U.S. national religion, such as the old Church of England. The U.S. federal government is forbidden to favor one religion over another, such as Catholics over Methodists, etc. 

I do not know if Polish law has similar thoughts and writings or if it is an "unwritten rule." Be that as it may, I would believe that even the supporters of these protesters thought this was a bad action for a right idea.

[BansheeOne]

As usual we're probably hearing the shrillest voices from either side in the abortion row, which makes neither of them terribly sympathetic to me. But I remember a couple years ago when PiS first pushed for tightening the law on it that local member Urbanoid, not known as a flaming critic of their government, said it was a really bad idea and they better leave it alone. I took him to mean that it was needlessly messing with the fragile peace on an issue that had the potential to piss off lots of people for the sake of pleasing some hardcore client groups.

Now this notably wasn't triggered by a change of law, but an interpretation by the Polish supreme court which the PiS has packed with supportive judges over the last years, so it does indeed touch upon the general way they have treated the country's institutions. I'd suggest that a lot of the protesters probably don't necessarily want "abortion on demand for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy" as one of them was quoted in the last article I posted, but are there out of concern over increasingly unchecked implementation of single-party politics.

[rmgill]

I think it could be said that the Eastern Europeans could use some injections of our founding father's ideas of how government should work for the people. There's a careful balance that can be found. 

[bojan]

Idea that US style would work elsewhere is just that, idea. It would get perverted into an abomination of itself sooner then you can say "founding fathers". Question why would require long winded reply that i am simply too tired to type.

[BansheeOne]

Apparently the Polish government accusing the abortion protesters of furthering the COVID pandemic wasn't well-received by health workers who now plan their own protests against poor organization of their field to battle it. Some surveys reportedly show PiS down ten points in polls over the last two weeks, which would explain their sudden calls for dialogue.

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Poland protests leader: Abortion court ruling must be waived

yesterday

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister appealed Monday for talks with the leaders of massive protests that were triggered by the tightening last month of the nation’s strict abortion law and are continuing despite a resurgence of COVID-19.

Just hours before the latest round of nationwide marches began Monday, the head of the right-wing government, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, made a video appeal to protesters and opposition leaders.

“I ask you to sit down together for talks. May our disputes not be held in the streets and may they not be the cause of more infections,” Morawiecki said.

Later Monday, Morawiecki met with parliament leaders, but the main opposition party Civic Coalition and leftists were absent.

Morawiecki’s appeal didn’t stop protesters with signs calling for abortion rights from blocking streets and traffic circles in Warsaw, Poland’s capital, and other cities like Krakow, Wroclaw, Gdansk and Bialystok for the 12th straight day.

In Warsaw, the protesting groups converged by the parliament building for a loud but peaceful rally.

Earlier Monday, a leader of the protests said the contested court ruling that unleashed public anger must be withdrawn.

Klementyna Suchanow, leader of the rights organization Women’s Strike, said that more protests will come during the week, despite a ban on public gatherings of more than five people because of the coronavirus pandemic. Poland reported almost 15,780 new cases Monday.

[...]

Support for the ruling party started shrinking even before the abortion ruling. The government’s moves to control the judicial system, a new animal rights law and remarks against LGBT rights by top officials created political divisions and sparked protests.

Some surveys show most people want the party leader and deputy prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, to step down, especially after he called last week on his supporters to counter the protesters and defend churches against attacks.

Suchanow said she didn’t blame protesters who at some point last month disturbed Masses or sprayed graffiti on churches, saying leaders of Poland’s influential Catholic Church should hear believers’ critical voice.

Protests were also planned by health care employees who say their sector is poorly organized and has reached its limit in the fight against the coronavirus.

https://apnews.com/article/international-news-poland-europe-d25461947cee758c253b146859df67d7

[sunday]

We have seen how COVID is so smart it knows how to be active in the demonstrations/protests that go against the current government of the place where they take place.

Examples in USA, Spain, France, Poland...

[BansheeOne]

Quote

Peru president’s ouster sparks wave of youth-led protests

By FRANKLIN BRICEÑO today

LIMA, Peru (AP) — University student Yessenia Medina was trying to concentrate on her virtual psychology class when a stunning headline popped up on her screen: Peru’s Congress had voted to oust the nation’s popular president.

Furious, the 23-year-old joined the thousands of students, workers and others protesting this week, decrying Congress and refusing to recognize the new president, Manuel Merino.

“I think they removed him out of their own personal interests rather than those of the people,” she said. “Legislators are supposed to watching out for the good of all.”

Peru’s Congress voted overwhelmingly to remove now ex-President Martín Vizcarra on Monday, complaining about his handling of the pandemic and accusing him of corruption. The shock vote drew condemnation from international rights groups who warned that the powerful legislature may have violated the constitution and jeopardized Peru’s democracy.

The move has also sparked protests unlike any seen in recent years, fueled largely by young people typically apathetic to the country’s notoriously turbulent politics who saw the ouster as a power grab by lawmakers, many of whom were being investigated for corruption under Vizcarra’s government.

Police repressing the mobilizations with tear gas and rubber bullets have been criticized for excessive use of force. Nineteen people, including officers and civilians, were injured at a large protest Thursday, according to the public defender’s office. Rights groups have also warned about the use of plainclothes officers with no identification and tear gas deployed near homes and hospitals.

Eighteen protesters were detained in the march Thursday.

“Peruvians have a right to protest,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director for Human Rights Watch. “Police and other authorities should protect peaceful demonstrations and in all situations refrain from using excessive force.”

Analysts say the demonstrations – and the heavy-handed police response - are a clear sign that Merino will have difficulty governing. Few countries in the region extended congratulations to the new leader and many are calling on him to keep in place a planned April election.

Merino has stated the presidential vote will take place as scheduled and defended Vizcarra’s ouster, saying it was an “act of absolute responsibility” and even calling the former president “a thief.”

The protests come a year after a wave of demonstrations shook Latin America, with protesters in Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and elsewhere taking to the streets to protest their governments and demand better conditions for the poor and working class. Like those protests, the Peru demonstrations are loosely organized, driven by notices posted on social media and fueled in large part by the demands of young people.

“The youth identifies with the anti-corruption movement,” said Carlos Fernández, a political analyst. “They’re out on the street adding pressure.”

Prosecutors are investigating allegations Vizcarra took over $630,000 in bribes in exchange for two construction projects while governor of a small province years ago.

Vizcarra – who made combatting the nation’s widespread corruption the mission of his government – vehemently denied the allegations. But members of Congress - half of whom are under investigation themselves – pressed forward, invoking a clause dating to the 19th century that allows them to remove a president for “moral incapacity.”

The ex-president has not been charged.

While polls show most Peruvians wanted Vizcarra to remain in office until his term ends in July and then face a probe into the allegations, some segments of society supported his destitution.

A group of about 50 lawyers, conservative politicians and retired military officers published an open letter welcoming the new president and denying that a coup had taken place. The group also sent a message to the international community saying the move had “strengthened our democracy.”

The political turbulence comes as Peru has the highest per capital COVID-19 mortality rate globally and one of the region’s most severe economic contractions. The International Monetary Fund estimates Peru’s GDP could decline 14% this year.

[...]

https://apnews.com/article/legislature-latin-america-peru-8cbcff13a172f187fe37d7e6d68f9782

[Stargrunt6]

5 hours ago, BansheeOne said:

https://apnews.com/article/legislature-latin-america-peru-8cbcff13a172f187fe37d7e6d68f9782

Quote

The move has also sparked protests unlike any seen in recent years, fueled largely by young people typically apathetic to the country’s notoriously turbulent politics who saw the ouster as a power grab by lawmakers, many of whom were being investigated for corruption under Vizcarra’s government.

Go figure. Like when the new pastor at a church I attended audited the books.  The elders refused.  He aired out a ton of dirty laundry and the elders revolted.  

[BansheeOne]

Well, that escalated quickly.

Quote

Date 15.11.2020

Peru: Calls for interim president to resign, three die in protest crackdown

Thousands of people have taken to the streets across several Peruvian cities as citizens vented their frustrations at the impeachment of Martin Vizcarra. Congress has urged interim president Manuel Merino to step down.

A violent crackdown on protesters angry at the recent removal of President Martin Vizcarra left at least three people dead and 13 injured in Peru on Saturday.

Thousands of people took to the streets in several cities to protest against the impeachment of Vizcarra, who was ousted on Monday over a corruption scandal.

The head of Peru's Congress, Luis Valdez, called Saturday night for the "immediate resignation" of interim President Manuel Merino over the violent crackdown on protests.

As a result of the furor, Congress called an emergency session. Lawmakers will meet on Sunday morning, in person, the Twitter account of the government's legislative branch said.

Unrest escalates

For the sixth consecutive day, demonstrations were reported in Lima and other cities.

Police again used tear gas and rubber bullets to quell the unrest in the Peruvian capital. The newspaper El Comercio reported some glass pellets were used in the crackdown.

Authorities said two of the three deaths were men aged 24 and 25, who succumbed to gunshot wounds received during the demonstrations.

Amnesty International and local United Nations representatives have in recent days accused the police of using excessive force in their efforts to quell the unrest.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/peru-calls-for-interim-president-to-resign-three-die-in-protest-crackdown/a-55605610

[BansheeOne]

Quote

Date 22.11.2020

Guatemalans burn part of Congress building amidst budget protests

Hundreds of people stormed into Guatemala's Congress building amidst protests against President Alejandro Giammattei for approving budget cuts in secret while the country was distracted by hurricanes and the coronavirus.

Hundreds of Guatemalan demonstrators stormed into the country's Congress in Guatemala City on Saturday, setting fire to parts of the legislative building. The rally came amidst growing protests against the government under President Alejandro Giammattei for approving budget cuts to education and health spending.

Around 7,000 people gathered outside the National Palace following the approval of the $13 billion (€11 billion) budget for 2021. It's the country's highest-ever spending plan and earmarks most funds for infrastructure projects linked to big businesses in a country with widespread poverty. Protesters accused the government of passing the budget in secret and demanded Giammattei’s resignation for endorsing the amount.

Social media videos showed smoke emanating from a window in the country's legislature. There were also reports of security personnel firing tear gas at protesters. Numerous injuries have been reported.

"Anyone who is proven to have participated in the criminal acts will be punished with the full force of the law," Giammattei wrote on Twitter. He added that he defended people's right to protest, "but neither can we allow people to vandalize public or private property."

Vice President Guillermo Castillo has offered to resign and called on the president to veto the budget.

After clashes erupted during protests on Friday, a larger march was called on Saturday.

Dissent has been growing in the Central American country as many feel that the government passed far-reaching budget decisions at a time when many were distracted by the devastation caused by back-to-back hurricanes and the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.dw.com/en/guatemalans-burn-part-of-congress-building-amidst-budget-protests/a-55688932

 

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Date 21.11.2020

France: Thousands protest against bill to curb filming of police

A draft law would make it a crime to circulate an image of a police officer with the intention that they be harmed. Critics say it hinders press freedom and the ability to hold officers accountable.

Several thousand people marched in French cities on Saturday to protest a draft law that would make it a crime to circulate an image of a police officer's face with the intention that they be harmed, in a move condemned as an afront to press freedom.

The largest gathering was at the Trocadero Square near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Journalist groups, as well as the Yellow Vest and Extinction Rebellion movements, and demonstrators waving flags of the communist and green parties attended the protests.

Thousands of protesters chanted "Freedom, freedom" and "Everyone wants to film the police." Some also held signs that read: "We'll put down our phones when you put down your weapons."

Similar demonstrations took place in Marseille, Lille, Montpellier, Rennes, Saint-Etienne and Nice.

Supporters of the law say police officers and their families need protection from harassment, both online and in-person when off duty. Opponents say the law would infringe journalists' freedom to report, and make it harder to hold police accountable for abuses such as excessive use of force.

Offenders would face a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison and a €45,000 ($53,000) fine.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/france-thousands-protest-against-bill-to-curb-filming-of-police/a-55688011

[BansheeOne]

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Date 28.11.2020

Cuba: Rare protest held against artist crackdown

Authorities evicted a group of artists from a collective in Havana, citing coronavirus concerns. The artists have often used their performances to criticize the government.

More than 150 people demonstrated outside of Cuba's Culture Ministry on Friday in a rare protest against a recent crackdown on an artistic collective.

The protest started with two dozen people in the morning but grew throughout the day. Internationally renowned Cuban artist Tania Bruguera and filmmaker Fernando Perez joined in.

The protest came after Cuban authorities evicted the 14 members of the San Isidro Movement from their headquarters in Old Havana on Thursday. The members were holding a hunger strike there to protest the imprisonment of a rapper on contempt charges.

Authorities said the eviction was necessary due to COVID-19 protocols since one returned from Mexico via the United States and did not properly quarantine. Two of the members were arrested after they refused to go home.

Some Cubans said social media platforms in the country were briefly shut down to prevent the news of the raid from spreading online. Access to news sites with a focus on Cuba has been blocked in the country.

"The way they were already treating them left us constantly uneasy, also like our own freedom was being threatened," said Yunior Garcia, an actor and one of the organizers of the protest. "But what happened yesterday was the straw that broke the camel's back."

Protesters refused to leave the premises until they meet with Vice Minister Fernando Rojas.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/cuba-rare-protest-held-against-artist-crackdown/a-55756381

[BansheeOne]

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Date 28.11.2020

Clashes break out in Paris over bill to limit filming of police

Protesters lit fires and clashed with police at a Paris rally against a new bill that would limit the right to publish photos of officers. A recent video of police beating a Black man has boosted their cause.

Hundreds of thousands of people have rallied in Paris and many other French cities against a security bill that would — in some cases — criminalize publishing photos of police officers.

Protesters claim the law would be used to shield the police from scrutiny. Just days earlier, a group of policemen was captured on video while brutally beating and abusing Black music producer Michel Zecler in Paris. Critics of the bill claim the proposed legislation could block the publishing of such videos in the future.

Saturday's demonstrators brandished slogans such as "police everywhere, justice nowhere" and "smile while you are beaten." Police fired tear gas at the protesters in Paris, while some of the marchers lit fires on the streets.

"There are clashes going on between what we think are troublemakers dressed in black that seem to be attacking police, but that is just the minority," DW correspondent Lisa Louis said from the scene.

Louis added that people of all backgrounds had joined the protests, including members of the press. The proposed bill would make it a crime to publish photos or videos of on-duty police officers with the intent of harming their "physical or psychological integrity," which critics say would amount to censorship.

Organizers said that as many as 500,000 people across France had taken part in the protests, with up to 200,000 in Paris, reported news agency AFP. 

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said a total of 37 officers were injured across the country in the protests, taking to Twitter to condemn what he said was "unacceptable violence against law enforcement."

[...]

On Friday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said the government would look into redrafting the disputed Article 24 of the proposed law. However, he was forced to backtrack after Parliament Speaker Richard Ferrand accused him of trying to usurp parliament's role.

https://www.dw.com/en/clashes-break-out-in-paris-over-bill-to-limit-filming-of-police/a-55760542

[BansheeOne]

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Date 05.12.2020

France: Police and protesters clash at security law rally

Thousands of people across France have marched for a second consecutive weekend against police brutality and a new security law. Police and protesters clashed in Paris, with cars set on fire and officers firing tear gas.

Demonstrators have taken to the streets across France for a second weekend of mass protests denouncing President Emmanuel Macron's plans for a new security law .

Police and demonstrators clashed in Paris, with officers firing tear gas and charging demonstrators after objects were thrown at them.

Several cars were set on fire along the Avenue Gambetta, while the windows of several businesses were smashed along the protest route, news agency Agence France-Presse reported.

The violence primarily stemmed from "Black Bloc" anarchists who police said had "infiltrated" the protests, Reuters news agency reported.

Throughout the day on Saturday, police arrested 42 people. 

Many protesters carried banners reading: "France, land of police rights" and "Macron, enough!"

Saturday's nationwide protest was called by a collective of human rights groups, trade unions and journalists. Nationwide, an estimated 52,000 people took part in the marches, with 5,000 protesters in Paris alone.

No violence was reported at the other marches, which took place in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon and Toulouse.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/france-police-and-protesters-clash-at-security-law-rally/a-55833612

Meanwhile back in Thailand:

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04 Dec 2020 03:39PM

'Rubber duck revolution' takes off in Thailand

BANGKOK: Bangkok has been gripped by a rubber duck frenzy since protesters used giant inflatables to shield themselves from water cannon spray last month.

When police mounted a crackdown on a November rally, deploying tear gas and water cannon outside parliament, footage of demonstrators hiding behind giant ducks went viral.

Within days, duck-themed paraphernalia became a staple among street vendors at protests, the birds featuring on everything from hats to hair clips.

Protesters are calling for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign, a rewrite of the army-drafted constitution and for reforms to the monarchy - a taboo-smashing demand in a country where the ultra-wealthy royal family has long been untouchable.

The toy's emergence as a protest symbol happened by accident. Protesters had intended to float on inflatable ducks down Bangkok's Chao Phraya River behind parliament as lawmakers inside debated proposals for constitutional change.

But since their redeployment as protection from tear gas and chemical-laced water fired from cannons, some demonstrators say the ducks have helped the protest movement win the PR war with authorities.

"To put it simply, they're the guards of the people who use peaceful ways in protesting. We have cute ducks to fight against fully armed police, and it shows that we're better," said a 30-year-old protester named Sam.

[...]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thailand-protests-rubber-duck-revolution-water-cannon-tear-gas-13699470

[BansheeOne]

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Date 16.01.2021

France: Thousands march in fresh protests over new security bill

At least 34,000 protesters took to the streets in France to denounce the bill that's awaiting scrutiny in the Senate. Demonstrators have particularly taken issue with the use of drones and pedestrian camera recognition.

A controversial security bill seen by some as a rightward lurch by President Emmanuel Macron drew at least 34,000 protesters across France Saturday. Organizers spoke of closer to 200,000.

Already, his ruling LREM party has said it would rewrite a controversial Article 24 that would that would restrict others filming police and posting such images on social media.

The bill awaits scrutiny next month in the Senate, France's upper chamber, having already been approved by the National Assembly.

'Justice nowhere'

Despite snowfalls, participants in "marches for freedom" carried banners with slogans such as: "Police everywhere, justice nowhere" and "State of emergency, police state."

In Paris, marchers headed toward Bastille Square. In Lille a marcher, identified only as Francois, told news agency AFP: "One asks how far they will go with this law."

Some were angry over the breaking up an illegal New Year's rave in Brittany, describing police actions as "disproportionate."

Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin said 75 people were arrested during Saturday's protests, while 12 police and paramilitary personnel were injured.

Following mass protests last year, an umbrella group comprised of Amnesty International, unions, journalists and film directors, had alled Saturday's protest, amplified by November's filming of police beating a black Paris music producer. 

https://www.dw.com/en/france-thousands-march-in-fresh-protests-over-new-security-bill/a-56251766

[BansheeOne]

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Date 22.01.2021

Author Cathrin Schaer

Iraq's new protester parties plan to change the country

After more than a year of violent protests, Iraqi activists have launched political parties to contest national elections. If all goes to plan, they have huge potential, observers say.

Over the past few weeks, Iraq's anti-government demonstrators have been moving from protest into politics, and analysts say they have the potential to bring meaningful change to Iraq's flawed political system despite ongoing violence against them.

Election officials told local media that 260 political parties had registered to compete in the upcoming elections and that around 60 of them were new. Iraq's federal elections were originally planned for June but this week were moved to mid-October to give electoral authorities more time to enroll voters and register candidates.

Protester parties launched

Although the identities of the new parties have not been revealed, locals believe that many of them will have some connection to existing political networks.

However, there are also some genuinely new parties planning to contest the October 10 ballot. These have been formed by younger Iraqis who took part in anti-government protests that started in October 2019 and that eventually forced the resignation of the sitting prime minister.

Over the past 15 months, these nationwide protests have been dying down. Protesters have been arrested, beaten and killed both by Iraqi security forces and by armed militias who oppose their demands for a new start. Amnesty International estimated that over 600 were killed, with tens of thousands more injured. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen protests dwindle further.

With the protests on the wane, some of those behind them are seeking to further their cause by official political means. One of the best-known of the activists, Alaa Rikabi, who hails from the southern city of Nasiriyah, held a press conference last Friday to announce the founding of a party called Imtidad (Eng: Extension). Rikabi, a pharmacist, became well-known for helping injured protesters, and after the December 2019 resignation of then-Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, many of the protesters thought Rikabi should have that job.

A few days earlier, Baghdad-based activist Tallal al-Hariri started campaigning for his new party, called "October 25" after the day of the largest anti-government protests in 2019.

A third Baghdad-based organization called National Home also exists but does not classify itself as a political party yet. Protesters have told local media that another two parties are likely to be launched this month in Nasiriyah and Baghdad and that overall they expect about 10 parties to come out of the protest movement before the elections.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/iraqs-new-protester-parties-plan-to-change-the-country/a-56312305

[BansheeOne]

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Date 28.01.2021

Lebanon: Violence escalates after protester's death

The escalation of violence has coincided with a recent extension of Lebanon's tough coronavirus restrictions. The country's worst-ever financial crisis has also added to the outrage.

Lebanese security forces used tear gas to repel rock-throwing youths in the northern city of Tripoli on Thursday amid outrage over the death of a 30-year-old protester.

Demonstrations in Tripoli have entered the fourth day and the unrest is showing no signs of abating. More than 220 people, including 26 police officers, have been injured in the confrontations so far, the National News Agency said.

Angry crowds gathered outside the residences of some of Lebanon's top politicians, torching rubbish and vehicles, as well as smashing surveillance cameras. They were expressing their anger over corruption, poverty and the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

As Lebanon's most impoverished city, Tripoli has been a hub for protests and rioting against the country's political class.

Escalation of violence

The demonstrations resumed Thursday, shortly after the burial of Omar Taibi, who was shot by security forces on Wednesday night.

On January 21, the Lebanese government extended a nationwide lockdown and round-the-clock curfew until February 8, amid a dramatic surge in cases of COVID-19.

This week's violence marks a serious escalation in the protests denouncing the lockdown that exacerbated already dire living conditions amid an unprecedented economic and financial crisis.

Dozens of young men have been taking part in the nightly demonstrations. On Wednesday, protesters repeatedly tried to break into the municipal building. Some lobbed hand grenades at security forces, who responded with water cannons, tear gas and, eventually, live ammunition.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/lebanon-violence-escalates-after-protesters-death/a-56375717