Black Gamers Converge for Black History Smashfest Unicorn Riot 2024-03-02 | A small but unprecedented event occurred on the last weekend of 2024’s Black History Month when nearly 20 Black gamers converged together in Minneapolis for a Black-only gaming session centered on Super Smash Bros.Documenting the first of its kind in the state of Minnesota, Unicorn Riot heard from two participants of the Smash Fest, Evan and Austin, and organizer and host, DJ, “I just thought it was really important to build this community and … thought it’d be really nice to bring all the Black people together, especially during Black History Month.”DJ Hooker, known as Chess in the Smash community, said the idea of the Smash Fest gathering originally came from joking around. The joke turned to reality with some organizing and others bringing their Nintendo Switch systems and monitors. Nine systems in total were used during the event.“We just really wanted to make a space where everyone could come together and feel welcome,” DJ said. With their 10-plus years of experience in the Super Smash Bros. community, DJ estimated there were about 30 Black gamers out of the top 100 ranked Smash Bros. gamers in Minnesota, and they invited them all.DJ also organizes the Black Kings Chess Club, a BIPoC and queer-focused chess club that meets on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Tori 44 restaurant in North Minneapolis. DJ said the chess and Smash communities are a lot different. More older white racists are in the chess community while younger, BIPoC and LGBTQ people are into Smash, DJ said. “Smash is definitely a lot safer. A lot of queer folks are in Smash, a lot of BIPoC people are in Smash and the white people who do it in tournaments are really cool and chill.”However, that doesn’t absolve racism being displayed by the white gamers. Smashing under the handle Hands, Evan said, “Some people online, they’re going to throw around that word with that hard ‘R,’ that gamer word, you know? So like, it’s something that you can’t escape who you are, you know, I can’t escape being Black.” “As a Black gamer,” Evan said, “you still have all the same emotions, all the same feelings. You play all the same video games as any other gamer. But then every now and then it’s like, But also, I am Black and I do know that I’m Black and other people know that I’m Black. I am Black. I am a gamer. They can coincide. I don’t have to keep them separate.”New to Minnesota after coming from North Carolina, Evan said he’s been welcomed in the state’s Smash community. He said the Smash Fest was “super relaxed” and comfortable. “We all know that we’re all Black here. There are certain experiences that we’ve had, certain things that we know that kind of go without saying. You don’t have to talk about like, ‘Oh I am Black,’ just to be surrounded by other Black people.”From Canada but going to school at the University of Minnesota, Austin said that he got into the Smash Bros. community in college. Smashing under the name Treyara, Austin said he had “plenty of fun” during the event and loved meeting people in the scene, many of whom he had previously met online.“I could very much see this adventuring outside of just Minnesota, or for a different minority group,” Austin said as he recommended this event be copied as a way to provide a safe space for gamers to connect and for others to “introduce themselves to the scene.”Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/black-history-smashfest-brings-together-black-gamers/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Camp Nenookaasi Burns ‘I never felt such intense heat’ Unicorn Riot 2024-03-01 | Camp Nenookaasi, a beacon of hope to the unhoused community, burned down on Thursday afternoon. At 12:07 p.m. on February 29, firefighters were called after a yurt caught fire and spread to the rest of the camp.Unicorn Riot heard from Ta Pejuta Wicahpi Win, an Indigenous land defender who was checking on the camp at the time of the fire. "I opened the door and I looked, and that's when I seen the flames coming up from inside the fence," she said there were still people sleeping at the time of the fire, and the leaders at the camp "took it upon themselves with the fire extinguishers and getting everybody shuffled out."In a video from John Gonzalez of Standing Bear Network, residents can be seen fleeing from the camp, gathering whatever they could and shouting for others to evacuate urgently due to the many propane tanks dispersed throughout Nenookaasi.Gonzalez said "I never felt such intense heat." He said he saw "two injuries, one was smoke inhalation and some minor burns." The City of Minneapolis confirmed two people were treated for minor injuries at the scene.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey held a press conference at Fire Station 7, about a mile away from the Nenookaasi Camp fire. (Unicorn Riot was denied access to the station.) He said, “There is an investigation still happening, it is still an active site and so we do not know the underlying cause of this particular fire.” Mayor Frey also said that encampments of this size mixed with flammables are not safe for the residents or surrounding neighbors, whose buildings sustained some property damage.A new site was quickly assembled at 2839 14th Ave. S., Minneapolis.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/camp-nenookaasi-burns-down-finds-new-home/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Camp Nenookaasi Eviction Saga: Minneapolis Unhoused Encampment Faces Ongoing Struggles Unicorn Riot 2024-02-29 | Explore the ongoing challenges faced by Camp Nenookaasi, an unhoused encampment in Minneapolis led by Indigenous grassroots organizers. Despite successful resistance against eviction threats in December, the camp was eventually forcibly evicted on January 4. City officials, initially expressing collaboration, evicted the camp twice more by the end of the month.Contributor Sadie Luetmer walks us through the perspectives of camp residents and leaders, including interviews with Cristin Crabtree and Nicole Mason. Supporters argue that encampment evictions are violent, wasteful of city resources, and hindering real progress. Dive into the complexities of the unhoused in Minneapolis, with a focus on the East Phillips area, as the community seeks sustainable solutions amid ongoing challenges. On February 29, after facing several evictions and moving to 28th St. and 11th Ave., the encampment caught on fire and burned down. Two people were treated for minor injuries. More on the fire: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/camp-nenookaasi-burns-down-finds-new-home/More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/camp-nenookaasi-pushes-debates-in-minneapolis-around-encampments-video/Feb. 2024: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/camp-nenookaasi-brings-minneapolis-policies-against-its-unhoused-residents-to-the-forefront/Dec. 2023: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/camp-nenookaasi-a-beacon-of-hope-to-the-unhoused-faces-eviction/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Border Patrol Destroys Lifesaving Aid in Desert Unicorn Riot 2024-02-25 | Learn more about the human rights violations at the US-Mexico border by watching our FREE documentary 'Crisis Borderlands' [2017]: youtube.com/watch?v=SVsjoonmsW4
Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Relatives Remembered Unicorn Riot 2024-02-23 | On any given month in the past decade, a range of 27 to 54 Indigenous women and girls are listed as missing in Minnesota. To raise awareness of this crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, two-spirit people and relatives (MMIW/R), activists in Minnesota use Valentine’s Day, February 14, to hold events, along with May 5 being the official MMIW day.Annual art builds, marches and ceremonies occur in various cities and reservations across Minnesota that are attended by supporters, activists, community leaders, elected officials, and families with missing and/or murdered relatives. At the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center in South Minneapolis on February 13, Unicorn Riot heard from artists, activists and community leaders and covered the MMIW march featuring hundreds of people the next day.The reality of missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives is as old as European settlers manifesting a genocidal destiny in North America and later founding the United States. Over 56 million Indigenous people on the continent were killed by European settlers in just the 1500s and at least 12 million Indigenous people were killed in what’s now the U.S. from 1492 to 1900.Centuries later, settler-colonial violence continues to take root in different forms including state-run child welfare and criminal justice systems, continuation of boarding schools, human trafficking, man camps near reservations, substance abuse, poverty and houselessness.In Minnesota, eight percent of all murdered women and girls are Indigenous despite only making up one percent of the population, according to a 2023 Wilder Research report “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.” Families of loved ones who’ve gone missing or have been murdered consistently point to police bias toward Indigenous people and mistrust of the police as main reasons for the failed investigations.After going missing in Minneapolis during a cold November night in 2022, the family of 20-year-old Alexis White Hawk-Ruiz expressed that they didn’t trust the Minneapolis Police to properly investigate her disappearance.Family members of Alexis White Hawk-Ruiz, her friends, activists, and supporters held regular search parties and investigated the case themselves. She was found deceased over four months later. More on Alexis: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/missing-minneapolis-indigenous-woman-alexis-white-hawk-ruiz-has-been-found-deceased/In 2019, 31-year-old mother of five, Wabinmigisi Pennie Robertson, went missing in northern Minnesota on the Fond du Lac reservation. After no assistance from law enforcement, her family found her deceased body.On May 5, 2023, at the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, Pennie’s mother Lauren Matrious, said to Unicorn Riot, “Seven days later, we found her. Her siblings found her. We had no help from any jurisdiction or tribal. We had no help from law enforcement.”“MMIW is an epidemic that our Indigenous women and two-spirit relatives face. But we’re also facing epidemic of invisibility,” said Warlance Miner, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Miner said their mother Mary Kate Fast Horse was found dead in Seattle, Washington in 2021. Washington state has the second highest MMIW count in the nation and has also created a MMIW/P Task Force.Fast Horse had been missing for several weeks, said Miner, before finding out she was dead on May 3, two days before MMIW day and a week before Mother’s Day — making the beginning of May an exceptionally hard month. Fast Horse’s cause of death was ruled as “accidental overdose” and Miner said the family questions the authority’s ruling.The lack of publication and media reporting on MMIR cases compared to that of white cases is mentioned in the state’s report roadmap. The state’s MMIR Office recommends that media change their approach to reporting on MMIR cases and that they “adopt a survivor-centered approach to create a positive character profile of victims.”Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/murdered-and-missing-indigenous-women-and-relatives-remembered/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Sheriffs Fall Face First in Muddy Snow on Rez Border Unicorn Riot 2024-02-23 | Unicorn Riot's full 2017 documentary on the struggle at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline - 'Black Snake Killaz: A #NoDAPL Story' is available to watch on YouTube now!Click here or watch the 'related video' connected to this one: youtube.com/watch?v=4dWeg_jHdK0
Black Snake Killaz [Clip] - Full Doc Online Free in Description! Unicorn Riot 2024-02-22 | Unicorn Riot's full 2017 documentary on the struggle at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline - 'Black Snake Killaz: A #NoDAPL Story' is available to watch on YouTube now!Click here or watch the 'related video' connected to this one: youtube.com/watch?v=4dWeg_jHdK0
Protests Against ‘Chiefs’ Mascot Name at Super Bowl 58 Unicorn Riot 2024-02-17 | When Kansas City returned to the Super Bowl on February 11, a group of Native people returned their protest against the continued use of the “Chiefs” and behavior by its fans. Nearly 30 people held signs that read “Kansas City – Promoting Harmful Stereotypes Since 1963 – Change the Name,” “Stop the Chop,” and “Change the Name and Stop the Chop!” near one of the entrances to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where National Football League teams Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers played in Super Bowl LVIII.As thousands of people walked to the entrance of the Super Bowl, they heard, “Stop the chop! Change the Name! Stop Cultural Appropriation!” from a group of largely Native women. Some Kansas City fans angrily confronted some of the protestors, yelling to “get a life” and “go back where you came from” and others mimicked the “tomahawk chop,” an act many say is racist and must stop. Some approached the group and asked questions, leading to some joining the protest.“I’m here to raise awareness about cultural appropriation by the Kansas City football team, and make sure that people know that Native people don’t appreciate it,” said Rhonda LeValdo to Unicorn Riot. LeValdo flew to Las Vegas to participate in the press conference and helped organize Sunday’s protest. LeValdo is a former professor of journalism at Haskell University in Lawrence, Kansas and also leads Not In Our Honor, a coalition of Native organizers who advocate against the use of Native American imagery in sports.The protest was organized by the local Las Vegas Native community, where the day prior to the Super Bowl, Not In Our Honor, the Kansas City Indian Center and Arizona Rally to End Native Mascots hosted a press conference at the Nuwu Art Gallery + Community Center. Leaders denounced the continued use of the “Chiefs” name and fan behavior such as the “tomahawk chop,” the use of a “big drum” and its imagery. Leaders say behavior by Kansas City fans is cultural appropriation and racist and want the National Football League to end the use of race based mascots. The “Chiefs” mascot name came from the nickname of H. Roe Bartle the former Mayor of Kansas City who had created a cosplaying boy scout group called “Tribe of Mic-o-Say” in the 1920s. In 1962, Mayor Bartle convinced the owner of the Dallas Texans and creator of the term “Super Bowl,” Lamar Hunt of the oil tycoon Hunt family, to move his football team to Kansas City. Hunt then changed the name to the “Chiefs” in honor of Bartle.“I’m here as a person and this is a human issue,” said Fawn Douglas, a citizen of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe in an interview with Unicorn Riot. “We’re hoping to reach a large base of people that are still continuing this racist stereotype of the ‘tomahawk chop’ and the ‘Chiefs’ name. As a local Indigenous woman, I am against this and I feel like we could be enjoying sports, too.”The “tomahawk chop” is a sports celebration not unique to Kansas City. It’s a synchronized rally cry that mimics a chopping motion, with an open hand being the tomahawk, or a type of hatchet used by many Indigenous people prior to trading with Europeans. It is also celebrated by Florida State University Seminoles and Atlanta Braves fans, where they all sing a wordless “war chant” while conducting the chop at games. The chop is so popular in Atlanta that a foam tomahawk also accompanies the chop.It is unclear when the chop was invented, but Florida State University has claimed credit as the inventors of the chop, when its marching band—the Marching Chiefs—adopted it to complement their war chants in the 1980s. Many have called for the abolishment of the “tomahawk chop” chant at all sports venues and any and all Native American appropriation that occurs within the Kansas City franchise and in football stadiums.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/kansas-citys-return-to-super-bowl-brings-protest-against-continued-use-of-chiefs/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Denver City Council Maintains Mayors Veto of No Freezing Sweeps Bill Unicorn Riot 2024-02-14 | Denver, CO — On Monday afternoon, the Denver City Council again voted on the 'No Freezing Sweeps' bill in their chambers, but this time the vote was to potentially override Mayor Johnston's veto of the Council's passage of the bill. When the roll call took place, each council member voted exactly as they did on January 29 — seven ayes, six nays — yet this time, that vote count resulted in the official failure of the bill.Learn more about the 'No Freezing Sweeps' bill here: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/denver-passes-no-freezing-sweeps-bill-potential-mayor-veto-looms/Stay tuned for more coverage on the override vote.
Protesters Blockade MN Northrop Grumman Munitions Facility in Solidarity With Palestine Unicorn Riot 2024-02-13 | Six protesters were arrested as dozens of people blockaded a Northrop Grumman weapons manufacturing plant in Plymouth, Minnesota on Feb. 8 with banners reading "Genocide Made in Minnesota by Northrop Grumman" "No More Minnesota Bombs" & "From Plymouth to Palestine - Stop the Weapons."One of the protesters locked down spoke to Unicorn Riot and said:"Good morning. I'm out here locked down in the driveway of a Northrop Grumman munitions plant in Plymouth, Minnesota, right near Minneapolis. And I'm out here today because the weapons that are being manufactured at this facility are being sold to empires around the world, including Israel, for genocide and violence. And knowing that these weapons are being produced right here in our communities in the heart of empire, we have a responsibility to stand up and take action. And today, in Minneapolis, there's politicians debating whether or not to call for a cease fire. And I'm tired of waiting for politicians to take action. We know that the state is not going intervene to stop a settler colonial project happening in Palestine. And here I am today with some of the most beautiful people I've ever known standing up to actually stop workers from coming into this plant to produce weapons. And I'm really grateful for the community and the chance to be here today."More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/protesters-blockade-weapons-manufacturer-in-plymouth-mn-in-solidarity-with-palestine/Watch live on YouTube: youtu.be/EwWb6OdxefYWatch short on YouTube: youtu.be/W8N3958BDxISubscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protesters Blockade Weapons Manufacturer in Plymouth MN in Solidarity with #palestine - #gaza Unicorn Riot 2024-02-09 | The driveway to a Northrop Grumman weapons manufacturing facility in Minnesota was blocked early morning February 8 by protesters who locked down to barrels with signs that read "Genocide Made in Minnesota by Northrop Grumman" and "From Plymouth to Palestine - Stop the Weapons." Six protesters were arrested.One of the two protesters locked down spoke with Unicorn Riot about why they were taking action:"Good morning. I'm out here locked down in the driveway of a Northrop Grumman munitions plant in Plymouth, Minnesota, right near Minneapolis. And I'm out here today because the weapons that are being manufactured at this facility are being sold to empires around the world, including Israel, for genocide and violence. And knowing that these weapons are being produced right here in our communities in the heart of empire, we have a responsibility to stand up and take action. And today, in Minneapolis, there's politicians debating whether or not to call for a cease fire. And I'm tired of waiting for politicians to take action. We know that the state is not going intervene to stop a settler colonial project happening in Palestine. And here I am today with some of the most beautiful people I've ever known standing up to actually stop workers from coming into this plant to produce weapons. And I'm really grateful for the community and the chance to be here today."Watch Unicorn Riot's live stream of the action: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/protesters-blockade-weapons-manufacturer-in-plymouth-mn-in-solidarity-with-palestine/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protesters Blockade Weapons Manufacturer in Plymouth MN in Solidarity with Palestine Unicorn Riot 2024-02-09 | The driveway to a Northrop Grumman weapons manufacturing facility in Minnesota was blocked early morning February 8 by protesters who locked down to barrels with signs that read "Genocide Made in Minnesota by Northrop Grumman" and "From Plymouth to Palestine - Stop the Weapons." Six protesters were arrested. Watch Unicorn Riot's live stream and stay tuned for a video report: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/protesters-blockade-weapons-manufacturer-in-plymouth-mn-in-solidarity-with-palestine/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protesters Blockade Weapons Manufacturer in Plymouth MN MN in Solidarity with Palestine Unicorn Riot 2024-02-08 | An early morning protest in support of Palestinians at Northrop Grumman in Plymouth MN is unfolding right now. Dozens of people are blockading the driveway there. Two people are locked down to fixed items and police have issued dispersal orders and made arrests. Authorities declared an unlawful assembly before 5am.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/protesters-blockade-weapons-manufacturer-in-plymouth-mn-in-solidarity-with-palestine/Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protesters Blockade Weapons Manufacturer in Plymouth MN MN in Solidarity with Palestine Unicorn Riot 2024-02-08 | An early morning protest in support of Palestinians at Northrop Grumman in Plymouth MN is unfolding right now. Dozens of people are blockading the driveway there. Two people are locked down to fixed items and police have issued dispersal orders and made arrests. Authorities declared an unlawful assembly before 5am.Support our work: https://unicornriot.ninja/donateSupport independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protesters Blockade Weapons Manufacturer in Plymouth MN in Solidarity with Palestine (pt 2) Unicorn Riot 2024-02-08 | An early morning protest in support of Palestinians at Northrop Grumman in Plymouth was initiated in the early morning hours of February 8, 2024. Dozens of people blockaded the driveway there. Two people locked down to barrels, police have issued dispersal orders and made four arrests early on. Later they extracted both the people locked to the barrels. Authorities declared an unlawful assembly before 5am. Northrop Grumman manufactures weapons that Israel uses against Palestinians.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/protesters-blockade-weapons-manufacturer-in-plymouth-mn-in-solidarity-with-palestine/Support our work: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Gaza War Spillover: Lebanon’s Silent Displacement Crisis Unicorn Riot 2024-02-07 | For the past few months, the world's attention has been focused on Gaza and its besieged population suffering from Israeli attacks. However, during this period in south Lebanon, thousands of people have also been suffering due to the reignited conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a direct spillover from the war in Gaza. Since October, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Shiite political party and militant group that controls south Lebanon and claims to have an army of 100,000 soldiers and an arsenal of 130,000 rockets and missiles, has been conducting strikes in north Israel in solidarity with Gaza. Its goal, as outlined by its leader Hassan Nasrallah in his November third speech, is to alleviate pressure on Palestinian factions fighting in Gaza by keeping IDF units tied up in the North. On the other hand, Israel has evacuated its border villages and towns and is striking south Lebanon, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even threatening to turn south Lebanon and Beirut “into Gaza.” Although the casualties and destruction cannot compare to that of Gaza, the border towns and villages of Lebanon are bombarded and shelled daily by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). According to Beirut Urban Lab, since October, Israel has conducted 2,500 strikes in south Lebanon, while Hezbollah and its allies conducted 586 strikes inside Israel. The conflict has caused many residents of south Lebanon to flee their homes, worsening the situation in a country which already suffers from a severe economic crisis. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as of February 1, over 86,000 people from Lebanon’s border towns have fled their homes due to the hostilities.Many of those displaced from south Lebanon are currently staying in the city of Tyre, 20 km from the border with Israel. Those unable to stay with relatives or friends have been placed in schools that have turned into refugee centers.In November, Unicorn Riot visited one of these schools in Tyre. Bilal Kasmar, an official from Tyre Municipality, stated that there were 200 displaced people housed in that particular school.A displaced young girl, who was sitting with her siblings while other children were playing football in the schoolyard, said that she had already been staying in the school for one month because her village was bombed. “When a bombing occurs nearby, I feel it is right at our doorstep. That’s why I was scared and my little sister was crying,” she said. The elderly also suffer from displacement. Mariam Awada, a retired teacher who recently arrived at the school, faced a very difficult situation in her village due to the conflict. “Before I was with my sisters, for one month we did not know where to go, where to spend the night,” said Mariam.One hour’s drive south of Tyre, there is Alma Chaab, a small Christian village of about 1,000 people, 1 km from the border with Israel. From the village, the IDF border sites of Jal al Alam and Hanita are clearly visible. The sites have often been at the epicenter of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.Alma Chaab gained worldwide attention in October, when the IDF struck a group of journalists covering the clashes. This resulted in the death of Reuters’ journalist, Issam Abdallah, and the severe injury of AFP's photographer Christina Assi, who lost her leg. One month later, the IDF bombed and killed another two journalists working in south Lebanon.The frontlines of this conflict can seem oddly calm sometimes, especially when compared to the images coming out of Gaza or Ukraine. However, the constant buzzing of Israeli drones flying above always reminds the people living in the Lebanese border villages that they are under surveillance and that the situation can turn deadly in seconds.“Now the situation is quite calm, only MK [Heron MK, Israeli drone] is in the sky making noise,” said Milad Ehid, an Alma Chaab resident, while sitting at the village’s café with a few others that have chosen to stay behind. “80% of the population has left already,” he added.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/gaza-war-spillover-lebanons-silent-displacement-crisis/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotWebsite: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Fifty Years After Polytechnic Uprising: A Look Back at Greek Military Torture, Exile and Killings Unicorn Riot 2024-02-06 | In 1973, a U.S.-backed military dictatorship controlling Greece killed dozens of people during a popular uprising against the far-right junta. Every year since then, remembrance of November 17 has been ingrained into the country’s anti-authoritarian fabric.For the 50th year, Unicorn Riot heard from participants of the uprising, including a man tortured by the military, watch the mini-documentary here and read the full report here: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/greece-marks-50th-anniversary-of-polytechnic-university-uprising-against-military-dictatorship/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Police Shoot Rubber Bullets From Motorcycles at Protests in Argentina Unicorn Riot 2024-02-02 | Police on the back of motorbikes fired rubber bullets on crowds of protesters as they rode in circles with riot police patrolling the median outside Argentina's Congress in #BuenosAires. Protests against the new president's omnibus bill continued on Feb 1, 2024. Watch a short clip of coverage from January 31 protests: youtube.com/shorts/tSAa92ps5xcFollow Unicorn Riot for more media from Argentina.Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Palestinian Civilians, Forced to Flee Khan Younis, Fired on by Israeli Military #gaza #palestine Unicorn Riot 2024-02-02 | As Israel continues its destruction of Gaza, over 1.7 million Palestinians of the 2.3 million living in Gaza are now internally displaced and over 27,000 have been killed. In late January, the Israeli military began forcibly moving the civilian population out of Khan Younis, where they had previously ordered them to evacuate to.On January 29, Unicorn Riot heard from several civilians fleeing Khan Younis as Israeli tanks overlooked the population. At one point, the military can be heard shooting at the crowd.“We are evacuating, but we remain steadfast. We remain steadfast until the last day of our lives,” said an elder woman as she fled. “Allah is our all-sufficient support, shame on Arab countries who haven’t yet found us any solution. They are just watching us.”A man who had just fled a hospital where he was taking refuge said a helicopter hovered over the hospital and announced to the crowds that they were to leave.“We were sitting at the hospital when a helicopter arrived and announced through a microphone that we needed to evacuate all the facilities immediately until further notice.”“The situation is catastrophic there.” He said, “People were burying the deceased near the hospital; they weren’t even able to go to the cemeteries. People are dying, and there are no doctors, Dr. Mohammad is the only doctor left and he’s the one doing everything. Utter Panic!”Both hospitals in Khan Younis are on the verge of collapse. The al-Amal Hospital has been under siege by Israeli forces since January 23.Most of the 2.3 million residents in Gaza have been pushed into Rafah, which is the next target for Israeli’s ground assault according to Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/palestinians-forced-to-flee-khan-younis-come-under-fire-by-israeli-military/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Palestinian Civilians, Forced to Flee Khan Younis, Fired on by Israeli Military Unicorn Riot 2024-02-02 | As Israel continues its destruction of Gaza, over 1.7 million Palestinians of the 2.3 million living in Gaza are now internally displaced and over 27,000 have been killed. In late January, the Israeli military began forcibly moving the civilian population out of Khan Younis, where they had previously ordered them to evacuate to.On January 29, Unicorn Riot heard from several civilians fleeing Khan Younis as Israeli tanks overlooked the population. At one point, the military can be heard shooting at the crowd.“We are evacuating, but we remain steadfast. We remain steadfast until the last day of our lives,” said an elder woman as she fled. “Allah is our all-sufficient support, shame on Arab countries who haven’t yet found us any solution. They are just watching us.”A man who had just fled a hospital where he was taking refuge said a helicopter hovered over the hospital and announced to the crowds that they were to leave.“We were sitting at the hospital when a helicopter arrived and announced through a microphone that we needed to evacuate all the facilities immediately until further notice.”“The situation is catastrophic there.” He said, “People were burying the deceased near the hospital; they weren’t even able to go to the cemeteries. People are dying, and there are no doctors, Dr. Mohammad is the only doctor left and he’s the one doing everything. Utter Panic!”Both hospitals in Khan Younis are on the verge of collapse. The al-Amal Hospital has been under siege by Israeli forces since January 23.Most of the 2.3 million residents in Gaza have been pushed into Rafah, which is the next target for Israeli’s ground assault according to Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/palestinians-forced-to-flee-khan-younis-come-under-fire-by-israeli-military/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protesters and Riot Police Face Off in Argentina as Lawmakers Debate Contentious New Omnibus Bill Unicorn Riot 2024-02-01 | On January 31, thousands of protesters faced off with hundreds of riot police in front of the Congress of Argentina in Buenos Aires as lawmakers debate new President Javier Milei's large contentious bill that would alter the shape of politics, the economy and aspects of private life.Riot police backed by water cannons pushed and pepper sprayed protesters and journalists. After several hours, police retreated to the front of the Congress and the debate has been postponed until tomorrow. Continue to follow UR for more updates and reports from Argentina.Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Community Demands Closing of Minneapolis Iron-Casting Facility Unicorn Riot 2024-01-27 | On Dec 9, 2023, Minneapolis residents and environmental activists rallied at the Smith Foundry iron-casting facility calling for it to be closed down in response to an EPA inspection that exposed the facility releasing lead and fine particulate matter at twice the legal limit, raising concerns about health impacts.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/protests-against-smith-foundry-ex-epa-scientist-calls-pollution-regulations-a-smokescreen/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Recognizing The Gravity Of The Situation - March on Washington For #Palestine - November 4, 2023 Unicorn Riot 2024-01-27 | National March on Washington For Palestine - November 4, 2023 - Feature Length Compilation of Street Interviews: youtube.com/watch?v=oTD0GZW8VSAMore Unicorn Riot reporting from Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
People Are Understanding The Injustices - March on Washington For #Palestine - November 4, 2023 Unicorn Riot 2024-01-26 | National March on Washington For Palestine - November 4, 2023 - Feature Length Compilation of Street Interviews: youtube.com/watch?v=oTD0GZW8VSAMore Unicorn Riot reporting from Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Inside Enclave Rabia Caracol — An Anarchist Community Center and Cafe in Tijuana, Mexico Unicorn Riot 2024-01-26 | Enclave Rabia Caracol is an anarchist social center in Tijuana, Mexico. Unicorn Riot visited Enclave and talked to some of the collective members about the goals of their project, the situation in Tijuana, and their vision of a world without hierarchy or authority.
Utah: Protest Against Anti-Trans Bill HB257 Unicorn Riot 2024-01-25 | Utah: Protest Against Anti-Trans Bill HB257Hundreds gathered on the steps of the Utah State Capitol to show support for queer and trans folks while legislators debate HB257 in a continuation of Tuesday's hearings (which were also protested). The bill, which was originally crafted to exclude trans people from sex-designated "privacy spaces," such as bathrooms, in any facility that gets public funding, is up for approval in the senate today. Nick Arteaga with the Utah ACLU addressed the crowd gathered to oppose HB2579: "In those legislative rooms there are 40+ people standing in line to give testimony opposing this harmful bill — there were only 8 in favor." Rallygoers listened to speakers outside the Utah State Capitol who are decrying HB257 as an attack on trans people in UT and beyond. Speakers addressed the crowd on the Utah Capitol steps, pointing blame at state lawmakers for failing to address peoples needs in favor of scapegoating trans people. Jakey Siolo, an organizer with the Nuanua collective (a "Utah based social and support group for LGBTQ+ Pacific Islanders") accused Utah State Rep. Kera Birkeland, who introduced HB257, of acting out of fear. The crowd chanted "let us pee" in opposition to Utah state bill HB257 which seeks to limit access to restrooms and other "privacy spaces" on the basis of assigned sex. As the rally neared its end, the crowd called on Utah Governor Spencer Cox to veto HB257 if voted through in the state senate.Queer and trans youth lined up on the capitol steps to speak to the crowd about how HB257 would impact them if passed: "The Capitol will not save us - WE will save us! We have power - they are terrified of us. They are scared shitless because they do not know what to do with the youth that will not stand down and that will stand with each other." As the crowd dispersed, a speaker announced that the Utah Senate approved HB257 on a 3rd reading this afternoon. While the revised bill removes some originally proposed harsh restrictions, protesters still criticized the law as an effort to push trans people out of public life. For more coverage visit: https://unicornriot.ninja Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Jakey Siolo of Nuanua Collective at Utah Capitol Protest Against Anti-Trans Bill HB257 Unicorn Riot 2024-01-25 | Utah: Protest Against Anti-Trans Bill HB257Hundreds gathered on the steps of the Utah State Capitol to show support for queer and trans folks while legislators debate HB257 in a continuation of Tuesday's hearings (which were also protested). The bill, which was originally crafted to exclude trans people from sex-designated "privacy spaces," such as bathrooms, in any facility that gets public funding, is up for approval in the senate today. Nick Arteaga with the Utah ACLU addressed the crowd gathered to oppose HB2579: "In those legislative rooms there are 40+ people standing in line to give testimony opposing this harmful bill — there were only 8 in favor." Rallygoers listened to speakers outside the Utah State Capitol who are decrying HB257 as an attack on trans people in UT and beyond. Speakers addressed the crowd on the Utah Capitol steps, pointing blame at state lawmakers for failing to address peoples needs in favor of scapegoating trans people. Jakey Siolo, an organizer with the Nuanua collective (a "Utah based social and support group for LGBTQ+ Pacific Islanders") accused Utah State Rep. Kera Birkeland, who introduced HB257, of acting out of fear. The crowd chanted "let us pee" in opposition to Utah state bill HB257 which seeks to limit access to restrooms and other "privacy spaces" on the basis of assigned sex. As the rally neared its end, the crowd called on Utah Governor Spencer Cox to veto HB257 if voted through in the state senate.Queer and trans youth lined up on the capitol steps to speak to the crowd about how HB257 would impact them if passed: "The Capitol will not save us - WE will save us! We have power - they are terrified of us. They are scared shitless because they do not know what to do with the youth that will not stand down and that will stand with each other." As the crowd dispersed, a speaker announced that the Utah Senate approved HB257 on a 3rd reading this afternoon. While the revised bill removes some originally proposed harsh restrictions, protesters still criticized the law as an effort to push trans people out of public life. For more coverage visit: https://unicornriot.ninja Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Nick Arteaga of Utah ACLU Addresses Protesters Opposing Anti-Trans Bill HB257 Unicorn Riot 2024-01-25 | Utah: Protest Against Anti-Trans Bill HB257Hundreds gathered on the steps of the Utah State Capitol to show support for queer and trans folks while legislators debate HB257 in a continuation of Tuesday's hearings (which were also protested). The bill, which was originally crafted to exclude trans people from sex-designated "privacy spaces," such as bathrooms, in any facility that gets public funding, is up for approval in the senate today. Nick Arteaga with the Utah ACLU addressed the crowd gathered to oppose HB2579: "In those legislative rooms there are 40+ people standing in line to give testimony opposing this harmful bill — there were only 8 in favor." Rallygoers listened to speakers outside the Utah State Capitol who are decrying HB257 as an attack on trans people in UT and beyond. Speakers addressed the crowd on the Utah Capitol steps, pointing blame at state lawmakers for failing to address peoples needs in favor of scapegoating trans people. Jakey Siolo, an organizer with the Nuanua collective (a "Utah based social and support group for LGBTQ+ Pacific Islanders") accused Utah State Rep. Kera Birkeland, who introduced HB257, of acting out of fear. The crowd chanted "let us pee" in opposition to Utah state bill HB257 which seeks to limit access to restrooms and other "privacy spaces" on the basis of assigned sex. As the rally neared its end, the crowd called on Utah Governor Spencer Cox to veto HB257 if voted through in the state senate.Queer and trans youth lined up on the capitol steps to speak to the crowd about how HB257 would impact them if passed: "The Capitol will not save us - WE will save us! We have power - they are terrified of us. They are scared shitless because they do not know what to do with the youth that will not stand down and that will stand with each other." As the crowd dispersed, a speaker announced that the Utah Senate approved HB257 on a 3rd reading this afternoon. While the revised bill removes some originally proposed harsh restrictions, protesters still criticized the law as an effort to push trans people out of public life. For more coverage visit: https://unicornriot.ninja Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Palestinian Paints Murals on Rubble Amid War on #Gaza #Palestine Unicorn Riot 2024-01-24 | Artist Amal Abu Al-Sabah, 26, paints on houses destroyed by Israel during their war on Gaza. Her message to the world: "That the Israeli aggression must cease once and for all. And that no more aggression should ever afflict Gaza again.""I search everywhere for a fitting piece of wall," said Al-Sabah while near the rubble of "one of the destroyed houses in Rafah" that she painted a mural on. Al-Sabah uses water colors and a paint brush "to express the dire situation" that Palestinians in Gaza are "currently living in.""Each drawing I create serves as a symbolic representation of peace and freedom, because we love freedom," she said while standing near the mural. "Just like everybody else across the globe."She’s one of more than 1.9 million Palestinians forcibly displaced by Israel over the last 109 days. She said she’s been displaced several times since October 7 and that she left all her artwork, “aspirations, and dreams” in her home. “My bedroom was filled with so much of my artwork, from paintings to colors and everything else.”Over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 70% of residential homes have been destroyed by Israel since Oct. 7. “My entire region has been completely destroyed. Due to what happened in my region, I’ve experienced multiple displacements before finally reaching Rafah Governorate,” said Al-Sabah.Full Story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/palestinian-paints-murals-on-rubble-amid-war-on-gaza/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Palestinian Artist Paints Murals on Gazan Houses Bombed by Israel Unicorn Riot 2024-01-24 | Artist Amal Abu Al-Sabah, 26, paints on houses destroyed by Israel during their war on Gaza. Her message to the world: "That the Israeli aggression must cease once and for all. And that no more aggression should ever afflict Gaza again.""I search everywhere for a fitting piece of wall," said Al-Sabah while near the rubble of "one of the destroyed houses in Rafah" that she painted a mural on. Al-Sabah uses water colors and a paint brush "to express the dire situation" that Palestinians in Gaza are "currently living in.""Each drawing I create serves as a symbolic representation of peace and freedom, because we love freedom," she said while standing near the mural. "Just like everybody else across the globe."She’s one of more than 1.9 million Palestinians forcibly displaced by Israel over the last 109 days. She said she’s been displaced several times since October 7 and that she left all her artwork, “aspirations, and dreams” in her home. “My bedroom was filled with so much of my artwork, from paintings to colors and everything else.”Over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 70% of residential homes have been destroyed by Israel since Oct. 7. “My entire region has been completely destroyed. Due to what happened in my region, I’ve experienced multiple displacements before finally reaching Rafah Governorate,” said Al-Sabah.More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/palestinian-paints-murals-on-rubble-amid-war-on-gaza/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/UnicornRiotBookmark Unicorn Riot's website and follow us across social media: Website: https://unicornriot.ninja/Facebook: facebook.com/unicornriot.ninjaTwitter: twitter.com/UR_NinjaInstagram: instagram.com/unicorn.riotThreads: threads.net/@unicorn.riotMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@unicornriotBlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riotVimeo: vimeo.com/unicornriotPatreon: patreon.com/UnicornRiotTikTok: tiktok.com/@unicorn.riotTribel: tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wallTelegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninjaTwitch: twitch.tv/unicorn_riotLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/unicornriotSupport Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Protest at Utah Legislature Opposes Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill HB257 Ahead of Vote Unicorn Riot 2024-01-23 | Today several dozen people protested inside the Utah State Capitol against HB257, a bill seeking to bar trans people from restrooms and other facilities. The bill, which requires people to use bathrooms that align with their sex assigned at birth, has been widely criticized as an attack on trans participation in public life. After listening to speakers, protesters marched through the State Capitol, marching to chants of "out of the closet, into the streets!"The crowd then gathered in front of the entrance to the Utah House of Representatives as speakers and participants continue to speak against HB257. Queer and trans youth addressed the crowd gathered in front of the Utah House chambers, criticizing HB257 as attack on trans people. Protesters then chanted outside Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox's office calling for him to veto HB257 if it passes the Senate before moving outside to the Utah Capitol steps.Those gathered then dispersed as state lawmakers deliberated legislation inside - they are expected to vote on the 'bathroom bill' today.
Asylum Seekers Stranded Along Border Wall Near Sasabe, Arizona Unicorn Riot 2024-01-19 | Asylum Seekers Stranded Along Border Wall Near Sasabe, ArizonaAid workers say Border Patrol is intentionally neglecting its humanitarian duties to asylum seekers arriving in the harsh Arizona desert after the border wall.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/thousands-of-asylum-seekers-stranded-along-border-wall-near-sasabe-arizona/Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
One Year Since Tortuguitas Killing: A Reflection on our Coverage of the Movement Against Cop City Unicorn Riot 2024-01-19 | Thursday, January 18, 2024, marks one year since Manuel “Tortuguita” Esteban Paez Terán was killed by police in the South River Forest outside Atlanta. A 26-year-old queer anarchist, Tortuguita had been an active participant in the movement against “Cop City” for months before Georgia State Patrol took their life during an early morning raid to clear protesters from the woods.In the days, weeks and months following their killing, the movement responded to the loss and Unicorn Riot was there to document the grief and resolve the movement embodied.Learn more about the movement against “Cop City” and check out our entire archive of coverage, here.https://unicornriot.ninja/unicorn-riot-coverage-of-the-movement-to-protect-the-atlanta-forest/On this anniversary, we’re looking back at our coverage of the movement against “Cop City” in the lead up to Terán’s killing and beyond. Through a curated set of edited videos, we’ll provide context to the movement against the massive police training compound being built in what is colloquially known as the Atlanta Forest, exclusive insight into the the events of January 18, and detailed coverage of the movement’s response.More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/one-year-since-tortuguitas-killing-a-reflection-on-our-coverage-of-the-movement-against-cop-city-and-the-first-eco-activist-killed-in-the-us/Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Lions Face Starvation in Gaza’s Last Remaining Zoo Unicorn Riot 2024-01-17 | Animals are dying and facing starvation in the last remaining zoo in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza — backed by the U.S. and a handful of western European nations. In Ahmed Joumaa’s private zoo in Rafah, lions are living on dry bread and some animals have died because of the food scarcity in the Gaza Strip.Ahmed Joumaa, the zoo’s owner, said they used to feed the lions 100 kg of frozen food daily and “now we struggle to provide as little as 10 kg” per week. The zoo houses monkeys, parrots, lions, dogs and other animals.Gaza’s main zoo in Gaza City is closed and has been bombed several times by Israel, leaving a majority of the animals dead or starving to death. The other handful of zoos have faced a similar reality. The Rafah zoo was closed after the October 7 violence started. Joumaa then opened it up to dozens of his family and friends who’ve been internally displaced.Israel’s most recent destructive and violent war on Gaza has killed over 24,000 Palestinians and internally displaced over 85% of the 2.2 million people in the small enclave. Along with the deaths are the physical and emotional impacts of displacement, the trauma of war and loss, and the destruction of over 60% of the houses.Food, clothes and shelter are continuing to be harder to come by as winter strikes Gaza along with relentless bombings by Israel. On January 16, UN special rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, said people are on the verge of famine. “We’ve never seen anything so brutal happen so quickly,” he said when referring to what’s happening in Gaza. Fakhri then said, an “entire generation of Palestinians” face “long-term limitations to their cognitive and physical ability” due to the malnutrition.“Amidst the Zionist war on Gaza, most of the zoos in the Gaza Strip were lost. And Rafah’s zoo is the only remaining one. But due to ongoing war, the animals face endangerment as a result of the shortage of food, water, and medicine. As for the lions and other predators, we used to feed them on a daily basis, and now we can barely provide a meal once every week. The last resort we turn to is dry bread. Previously, we required nearly 100 kg of frozen food daily, now we struggle to provide as little as 10 kg.” - Ahmed Joumaa, Rafah zoo ownerMore: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/lions-face-starvation-in-gazas-last-remaining-zoo/Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
London: 200,000 Protesters March Against Israel’s War on Gaza Unicorn Riot 2024-01-16 | Around 200,000 protesters marched across central London on January 13 to protest against Israel’s continuing assault on Gaza and the UK government’s involvement in arming, funding, and providing diplomatic cover to Israel.*Correction on video: Date of the video is 01/13/2023*The national demonstration, which coincided with a day of action in other cities around the world, saw around 1,700 police officers put into action. The massive demonstration comes as the UK joined a US bombing campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen in retaliation for their sustained blockade of ships in the Red Sea destined for Israeli ports.Read the full article: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/london-200000-protesters-march-against-israels-war-on-gaza/
Copper-Nickel Mine Challenged in Northern Minnesota Despite Permit Approval Unicorn Riot 2024-01-07 | On December 18, the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld a key air permit issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for NewRange Copper Nickel, a proposed copper-nickel mine formerly known as PolyMet. But the project still faces challenges and it needs other key permits to begin construction. In 2022, a coalition of Minnesotans against the project delivered a petition with thousands of signatures opposing the mine to MN Gov. Tim Walz.Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/contentious-copper-nickel-mine-gets-permit-approval-from-mn-appeals-court/
Migrant Children Among the Nearly 500-Person Encampment Swept in Denver Unicorn Riot 2024-01-05 | More than 20 small children were living at a 450-person tent encampment in Denver, consisting mostly of Venezuelan immigrants, when it was swept by the City of Denver on January 3, 2024. Learn more about sweeps of unhoused people in Denver here: https://unicornriot.ninja/?s=sweepsSupport independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Gaza Buries 80 Palestinians Killed in Christmas Eve Bombing by Israel Unicorn Riot 2024-01-03 | In one of Israel's deadliest bombings since Oct. 7, the Christmas Eve massacre in Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza killed ~100 Palestinians. 80 of the dead were buried in a mass grave at Tal Al-Sultan cemetery near Rafah a few days later. More on the massacre: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/maghazi-massacre-israel-kills-over-100-civilians-in-christmas-eve-bombing/
National March on Washington For Palestine - November 4, 2023 Unicorn Riot 2023-12-30 | On Nov. 4, tens of thousands of supporters of Palestinian human rights gathered in the U.S. Capitol to demand President Joe Biden enforce a ceasefire to halt the genocidal Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/national-free-palestine-protest-in-dc/Unicorn Riot heard from dozens of participants in the march to help document this historic event and learn why so many people decided to come out that day. (Our livestream was mostly inoperable that day due to cellular network congestion from the massive crowds).More Unicorn Riot reporting from Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Most Of The Casualties Are Children - Interview - March on Washington For #Palestine - 11/04/23 Unicorn Riot 2023-12-29 | National March on Washington For Palestine - November 4, 2023 - Feature Length Compilation of Street Interviews: youtube.com/watch?v=oTD0GZW8VSAMore Unicorn Riot reporting from Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Maghazi Massacre: Israel Kills Over 100 Civilians in Christmas Eve Bombing of Gaza Unicorn Riot 2023-12-27 | With over 100 dead and counting, the Christmas Eve massacre at the Maghazi refugee camp has become one of the deadliest Israeli bombings on Gaza since October 7. Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said that the bombings of the camp in a crowded residential square are acts of an ongoing genocide perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians.Mahmoud Abu Rahma, a survivor of the bombing, told Unicorn Riot the bombing was “[more] massive and horrific destruction than we had ever imagined before.”As of Dec. 27, 2023, more than 21,100 Palestinians have been killed and over 55,200 wounded — over 70% of whom are women and children — due to the unprecedented-in-recent-history U.S.-backed Israeli bombing of the densely populated Gaza Strip.After the bombing, horrific scenes of the attempted recovery of dead bodies and the injured from the rubble were broadcast to the internet. Civil defense and ambulance crews face great difficulties attempting to recover bodies under the rubble from thousand-pound bombs being dropped on concrete buildings due to the lack of necessary equipment and fuel — both prevented by the Israeli occupation as they continue their seventeenth year of besiegement of the Gaza Strip and are entering into their third straight month of indiscriminate bombardment of civilians.Abu Rahma said residents of the Maghazi Refugee Camp never received any warning to evacuate, which is typical before Israeli strikes on residential houses. Israel is reportedly investigating the strikes.“We were sitting inside the house, safe, as you know, and at sunset everyone was inside their house. Suddenly we were targeted by a very huge missile, and we could not see anything and fog prevailed everywhere. As we tried to inhale the air, smoke entered our mouths. We fled, not knowing where to go, and our hands and feet were torn apart. The hands of the children and adults and everyone in the place were torn. Thank God we got out in peace, but I don’t know what to say.”Mahmoud Abu Rahma, survivor of the Maghazi massacreOver 1.9 million of the estimated 2.3 Palestinians that reside in Gaza have now been internally displaced, a number that exceeds 80% of the population. According to the Gaza Government Media Office, of the 21,110 Palestinians killed since Oct. 7 are 8,800 children, 6,300 women, 3,111 medics and medical staff, 40 civil defense staff and over 100 journalists. More than 7,000 people also remain missing.More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/maghazi-massacre-israel-kills-over-100-civilians-in-christmas-eve-bombing/Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Mother of AJ Stewart Speaks on Her Sons Killer Getting a Year in Jail [May 31, 2023] Unicorn Riot 2023-12-19 | In the Ramsey County Courthouse in Saint Paul, Minnesota on May 31, 2023 convicted murderer Brian Kjellberg was given a dispositional departure sentence of 365 days in jail (with 5 days time served) by Judge Leonardo Castro, despite the state seeking 10 years in prison. AJ's mother, Tabatha talked to Unicorn Riot after the sentencing and said she felt they held the trial quietly "so they can praise this man and make him look like he did not just senselessly just kill my son for no reason."Brian Kjellberg, 51, fatally stabbed AJ Stewart, 27, in Dec. 2021 outside Kjellberg's residence in East St. Paul. Kjellberg was charged with second-degree murder despite pleas from Stewart's family and advocates for first-degree murder and federal hate crimes charges.Kjellberg was convicted by a jury in late March 2023. He was remanded to custody on May 31, 2023 after being sentenced. Judge Castro said the dispositional departure was because of Kjellberg's medical needs (his defense has claimed he's 100% disabled from his time in the US Navy) and b/c Kjellberg has no past criminal record.Prosecutors sought a 150-month sentence, in a statement, Ramsey County Attorney's Spokesperson told us: "Both Ramsey County prosecutors and probation officials recommended a 150 month prison sentence as proscribed by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines for the jury’s verdict in this case. As painful as it is for us to see the victims in this case not get the justice they wanted, we must accept the judge’s decision because it his decision alone to make. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Arnell Jermel Stewart who lost his life to a senseless act of violence on December 2, 2021."Further Unicorn Riot reporting on the killing of AJ Stewart and the case against Brian Kjellberg: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/aj-stewart/Stay tuned for more media related to the trial and sentencing.Support independent media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
Nenookaasi Camp Defenders Deliver Eviction Notice to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Unicorn Riot 2023-12-15 | Camp Nenookaasi is throwing the subject of Minneapolis’ encampment policies into the spotlight again as it faces eviction on December 19. The camp’s supporters are waging the latest skirmish in a longer fight between the city’s prohibition of encampments and those who claim that allowing encampments to remain intact is the most humane approach to the issue, as well as a crucial first step toward getting people into stable housing and recovery programs. On Dec. 8, a group of activists delivered an eviction notice to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's office, symbolically evicting him from the city in an attempt to draw his attention to the issue and sway his decision to further displace encampments of unhoused people.Full Story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/camp-nenookaasi-a-beacon-of-hope-to-the-unhoused-faces-eviction/
#Raytheon Blockade Interview: #Tucson Coalition for #Palestine (2/2) Unicorn Riot 2023-12-13 | Recent protests in Tucson, AZ have been targeting weapons manufacturer Raytheon for its role in enabling Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians.On November 30, demonstrators blockaded the UA Tech Park where the University of Arizona collaborates with Raytheon: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/blockade-protest-disrupts-raytheon-at-university-of-arizona-tech-park/For more UR coverage on Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Raytheon Blockade Interview: Tucson Coalition for Palestine (1/2) Unicorn Riot 2023-12-13 | Recent protests in Tucson, AZ have been targeting weapons manufacturer Raytheon for its role in enabling Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians.On November 30, demonstrators blockaded the UA Tech Park where the University of Arizona collaborates with Raytheon: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/blockade-protest-disrupts-raytheon-at-university-of-arizona-tech-park/For more UR coverage on Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Raytheon Blockaded at UA Tech Park for Supplying Bombs to Israel [Nov. 30, 2023] [CAPTIONS] Unicorn Riot 2023-12-13 | Recent protests in Tucson, AZ have been targeting weapons manufacturer Raytheon for its role in enabling Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians.On November 30, demonstrators blockaded the UA Tech Park where the University of Arizona collaborates with Raytheon: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/blockade-protest-disrupts-raytheon-at-university-of-arizona-tech-park/
Palestine Supporters Rally Outside Biden Fundraiser in Philly Unicorn Riot 2023-12-12 | Philadelphia, PA — Several hundred supporters of Palestinian rights gathered at Washington Square Park and marched through the historic Society Hill district, arriving at the war memorial parks built above I-95 next to the waterfront Hilton at Penn’s Landing. Unicorn Riot interviewed several participants and heard from the organizers who called upon the Biden Administration to support a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.For more UR coverage on Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Anissa Weinraub from Jewish Voice For Peace Speaks at Philly Protest During Biden Visit Unicorn Riot 2023-12-11 | For more UR coverage on Palestine: https://unicornriot.ninja/tag/palestine/Support Independent Media: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
Minneapolis Rally Calls for Smith Foundry to be Shut Down Unicorn Riot 2023-12-09 | About 40-50 activists & East Phillips residents gathered amid a rain/snow storm in Minneapolis today calling on the Smith Foundry to be shut down. The iron-casting facility has been found to violate health regulations. A recent EPA inspection found the plant emits twice the legal limit of lead.Continue to follow Unicorn Riot for further reporting on this matter & more institutionalized pollution & environmental racism in Minneapolis: https://unicornriot.ninja/
Precinct in Ruins: Minneapolis Fights for the Legacy of the 2020 Uprising Unicorn Riot 2023-12-09 | Minneapolis has decided on a new site for housing its police department’s 3rd Precinct. Three and a half years after thousands of community members ransacked and torched the precinct at 3000 Minnehaha Avenue during the George Floyd Uprising, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey received approval for a new precinct at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue on November 2, 2023, which the city is calling a “Community Safety Center.”Throughout the years, the city government worked to find a new precinct location — this year they sought insight from its constituents and conducted a public survey and held community engagement sessions. But with the years-long oppositional movement that had formed to counter the project, the process became contentious.In response to the city’s moves, activists held block parties, protests calling for “no new precinct” and organized their own public assemblies on community safety while unknown parties vandalized the new building, multiple times.Seeking to bring light and give space to some of the many Minneapolis residents against a new 3rd Precinct location, Unicorn Riot heard from community organizers, a Minneapolis City Council member and a former Minneapolis police officer. They spoke about the community not wanting the precinct rebuilt and about the ongoing neighborhood assemblies. With the new headquarters for the 3rd Precinct officers in mind, Unicorn Riot looks back at the tumultuous events leading up to this point. Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/film-an-infamous-precinct-in-ruins-and-a-community-organizing-itself/
