Civil Disobedience

When Is Activism “Terrorism”? When It’s Effective.

A video interview with Will Potter about how attacks on “fringe groups” always spread toward other social movements.

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FBI Says Activists Who Investigate Factory Farms Can Be Prosecuted as Terrorists

The Joint Terrorism Task Force kept files on activists who videotape animal cruelty on factory farms and recommended prosecuting them as terrorists.

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Peaceful Animal Rights Protesters in France Face Violent Bullfighting Supporters

‎About 100 protesters in France occupied a bullring to non-violently stop the barbaric bullfight. In response, bullfight supporters punched, kicked and beat them as they were locked-down and immobilized. Which ones are the “violent extremists”? Source: Animal Equality

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Before Direct Action Was “Eco-terrorism” It Was “Ecotage”

The history of the animal rights and environmental movements has been poorly documented by the mainstream press. The stories of these movements have overwhelmingly been ignored, and when they’ve been reported by newspapers or television networks, it has been through the lens of corporate and government officials. The best, and sometimes only, documentation of these [...]

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From Tim DeChristopher to Tar Sands Protests, the Environmental Movement Steps Up Civil Disobedience

One month ago, environmental activist Tim DeChristopher was sentenced to two years in prison for non-violent disobedience. The sentence was harsher than those handed down to people who burned churches and threatened black leaders. It was a sentence intended — like so many disproportionate sentences against activists — to send a message. But what message? [...]

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Grist Interview with Will Potter: Environmentalists Under Attack

Grist.org is featuring a discussion I had with Robert Jensen, who is a journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Citizens of the Empire (among many books). I think the interview turned out really well, and is particularly relevant in the wake of Tim DeChristopher’s sentencing. I hope you’ll check [...]

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Tim DeChristopher Received Longer Sentence Than People Who Burned Churches and Threatened Black Leaders

Environmentalist Tim DeChristopher has received a longer prison sentence for non-violent civil disobedience than people who have burned churches, threatened African-American leaders, and plotted to kill people. DeChristopher was sentenced to two years in prison today for disrupting an illegal oil and gas lease auction. Meanwhile: Yesterday (and also in Utah), a man who set [...]

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Tim DeChristopher Sentenced — What’s Next for the Environmental Movement?

Environmentalist Tim DeChristopher was sentenced to two years in prison for using non-violent civil disobedience to disrupt a sham oil and gas auction. He had been found guilty on two felony counts for making fake bids in the auction, costing corporations hundreds of thousands of dollars, and faced up to ten years. He increased the [...]

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Tim DeChristopher’s Inspirational Speech After He Was Convicted

Video of Tim DeChristopher giving an moving speech after he was found guilty.

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Tim DeChristopher Found Guilty of Two Felonies for Disrupting Oil and Gas Auction

Tim DeChristopher has been found guilty on two felony counts for making a fake bid in an oil and gas auction. An auction that was later ruled by a federal judge to be illegal. Meanwhile, a bus driver who gave his students an impromptu detour so they could see the mass protests outside the courthouse [...]

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