civil disobedience

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Elderly Man's Viral Dance Gets Pushback From Iran Officials

Authorities tried to nix Sadegh Bana Motejaded's 'happiness campaign,' but public balked

(Newser) - An elderly man has become an "unlikely symbol of resistance" in Iran after his dance moves at a fish market went viral—and kicked off a wave of similarly dance-inspired protests that led to a temporary crackdown on his social media, reports the Independent . The 70-year-old known as "...

Man Who Wouldn't Leave Train Car in 1892 Is Up for a Pardon
A Historical Wrong
Is Righted in Louisiana
UPDATED

A Historical Wrong Is Righted in Louisiana

Homer Plessy, who wouldn't leave whites-only train car in 1892, is pardoned

(Newser) - Update: Homer Plessy has been pardoned almost 130 years after he was arrested for violating a racist law in Louisiana. Gov. John Bel Edwards issued the formal pardon near the site where the Black man bought a ticket for a whites-only train car in 1892, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports....

Dog Owners' Plan to Push Back on Right-Wing Rally: Poop

It's going down in San Francisco this weekend

(Newser) - Locals are getting creative in how to deal with right-wing rallies in the wake of Charlottesville , and no more so than in San Francisco. The Patriot Prayer group will hold a "free speech" rally Saturday at Crissy Field, and the Guardian reports on an idea thought up by 45-year-old...

40K Separatists at Catalonia Pol's Trial: 'You Are Not Alone'

Ex-regional leader Artur Mas in hot seat in Spain for arranging 2014 independence vote

(Newser) - In 2014, the ex-leader of Catalonia helped set up a vote on independence from Spain—and on Monday, 40,000 protesters stood up for him outside a Barcelona court. The New York Times reports on the start of the trial for Artur Mas, who was charged with civil disobedience for...

8 Democratic Reps Arrested at DC Immigration Protest

Lawmakers busted as thousands gather on National Mall to urge reform

(Newser) - After lawmakers supported veterans in flooding DC's WWII memorial last week, the civil disobedience by congress members continued yesterday, with eight Democrats getting arrested at the National Mall during an immigration reform rally. The demonstration was intended to push Congress to pass immigration reform legislation, but also succeeded in...

1st Act of Civil Disobedience in Sierra Club's 120 Years

Daryl Hannah, Robert Kennedy Jr. among those arrested in Keystone XL protest

(Newser) - More than 40 protesters, including the likes of Robert Kennedy Jr. and Daryl Hannah, were arrested yesterday after protesting the Keystone XL oil pipeline, reports NPR . The event, which saw demonstrators tying themselves to the gates of the White House, was the first act of civil disobedience for the 120-year-old...

Virginia AG: Let's 'Go to Jail' Over Contraception Mandate

Ken Cuccinelli slams ObamaCare on Iowa radio

(Newser) - Virginia's attorney general says it's time to take a stand against ObamaCare's contraception mandate—even if it means a little civil disobedience, Politico reports. Speaking on nationally syndicated radio in Iowa, Ken Cuccinelli, the state's likely Republican gubernatorial nominee, discussed his bishop's words on the...

Parents Should Send Kids to 'Wrong School'

WSJ writer agast at schools that follow children home

(Newser) - Sending your child to a better school outside your district is a worthy act of civil disobedience—especially if you're a disenfranchised minority parent, argues Michael Flaherty in the Wall Street Journal . Exasperated parents "whose children are zoned into failing public schools" have even started a mini-crime wave...

Break Stuff to Save the Planet: Gore

Former VP endorses civil disobedience against climate change

(Newser) - Al Gore says nonviolent disruption of polluters and airports is justified considering the grave threat posed by climate change. "Civil disobedience has an honorable history, and when the urgency and moral clarity cross a certain threshold, then I think that civil disobedience is quite understandable, and it has a...

Notre Dame Splits on Obama Speech, Protests

Students excited about visit, not pleased with activists' tactics

(Newser) - As President Obama's commencement speech at Notre Dame approaches, pro-life activists have converged on the campus with banners, planes, and plans for civil disobedience. But students, who expressed pride that the president chose their school, aren't too happy with the protests. "It cheapens the argument. As someone who is...

Business Is Booming for French 'Protest Coach'

Parisian makes a living schooling dissenters in the art of civil disobedience

(Newser) - France's leading "protest consultant" has never been busier, he tells the Wall Street Journal. Xavier Renou provides—for a discretionary fee—tips and training courses for anticapitalist protesters on making sure their message is heard. Renou sticks to nonviolent means, but has plenty of practical advice on everything from...

Gore Calls for Civil Disobedience Vs. Coal

Says world is losing climate change battle

(Newser) - Earth defender Al Gore is calling for a campaign of civil disobedience and protest to halt construction of 48 coal plants that lack the technology to capture and store carbon, Reuters reports. "If you're a young person looking at the future of this planet, I believe we have reached...

Big Brother Indeed: Orwell Prank Ends in Arrests

Takeover PA system leads to sit-in protest at Mass. high school

(Newser) - What appears to be a senior prank that saw students commandeer the public-address system at a Massachusetts high school to read George Orwell (or perhaps Fidel Castro) ended with arrests and protests yesterday, the New Bedford Standard-Times reports.

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