Atlanta Police Kill Forest Defender at Protest Encampment Near Proposed “Cop City” Training Center

Law enforcement officers — including a SWAT team — were violently evicting protesters who had occupied a wooded area outside the center when they shot and killed longtime activist Manuel Teran, who went by the name “Tortuguita (Little turtle)

from thefreeonline by Amy Goodman. with Kamau Karl Franklin at Democracy Now

” Police claim they were fired on, though protesters dispute this account. We hear a statement from an Atlanta forest defender about what happened, and speak with Kamau Franklin, an anti-“Cop City” activist and the founder of the Atlanta organization Community Movement Builders.

🔥Urgent call to Action. There is currently a violent police raid happening at the forest.

Don’t believe the narrative of the news or the cops. Both lie!

If you didn’t hear it from someone on the ground…you didn’t hear the truth. @defendATLforest #stopcopcity pic.twitter.com/oaknMG9L8Z

— Atlanta Justice Alliance (@AtlantaJustice) January 18, 2023

AMY GOODMAN: I’m Amy Goodman. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report.

In Atlanta, Georgia, calls are growing for an independent investigation into the police killing of an activist Wednesday during a violent raid on an encampment of protesters opposed to the proposed $90 million “Cop City” training facility in a public forest.

Law enforcement officers, including a SWAT team, were clearing protesters who had occupied a wooded area outside the center, when police claim they were fired on and fired back. Police say a Georgia state trooper was wounded by gunfire.

Activists have now released the name of the victim of the police shooting: longtime activist Manuel Teran, who went by the name “Tortuguita.”

In an audio statement sent to Democracy Now! Thursday, an Atlanta forest defender describes what happened and who Tortuguita was. They asked to remain anonymous and for their voice to be distorted for security reasons.

FOREST DEFENDER: On Wednesday, January 18th, multiple police departments descended upon Weelaunee People’s Park in unprecedented numbers and force. They blocked access to the park on both roads and bike trails. Some people were arrested for attempting to document police actions that day at the park.

Gunfire was heard at 9:04 a.m., about a dozen shots fired in rapid succession, followed by a loud boom about a minute later. For hours after the murder of Tortuguita, police continued to hunt, assault and arrest our brave forest defenders.

Those defenders in trees were targeted with pepper bullets. One tree sitter had their treehouse, which stored food and water, cut from beneath them. They were left without food and water for over 12 hours up in the tree as police waited at the base of the tree to capture them. This same tree sitter continued to stay in their tree until the next morning, when they were arrested.

Other forest defenders were chased by police dogs. These defenders had to hide and flee for their lives, all the while with the nauseating knowing that their dear comrade had been murdered in the sacred land that we call home.

Tortuguita was a radiant, joyful, beloved community member. They fought tirelessly to honor and protect the sacred land of the Weelaunee Forest. They took great joy in caring for each and every person that they came across. Tortuguita brought an indescribable jubilance to each and every moment of their life. Their passing is a preventable tragedy. The murder of Tortuguita is a gross violation of both humanity and of this precious Earth, which they loved so fiercely.

Do not turn away from this violence. Do not allow the callousness of the police state to numb your heart. Honor Tortuguita by bravely witnessing the ongoing injustices the police and corporations are enacting upon the Weelaunee Forest. Honor Tortuguita’s legacy by embodying their joyous bravery. Tortuguita’s presence on this Earth is a gift that will keep on giving for generations to come. It is time for people to join this movement and to say no to this pointless escalation by the police.

AMY GOODMAN: That was an anonymous statement by an Atlanta forest defender sent to Democracy Now!, his voice disguised.

Vigils for the slain forest defender Tortuguita have taken place from Los Angeles to Minneapolis to Charlotte to Chicago. In Atlanta, activists held a vigil the night of the shooting and are planning a march on Saturday.

For more, we go to Atlanta to speak with Kamau Franklin, founder of the organization Community Movement Builders.

Kamau, welcome back to Democracy Now! Can you please tell us what you understood happened?

Banned on Twitter: Appearing in this Video these physicians risk being Fired and losing their Medical licenses- For Telling the truth!- Watch Here

Everyone in the world should watch this video NOW before it is censored. Especially if you are in the UK!

UK doctors are speaking out. It’s so damaging to the narrative that even Twitter won’t let you post it.

from thefreeonline by Steve Kirsch on 20th January 2023

Executive summary..343 comments below

UK doctors speaking out about what is really happening in their practices. These physicians risk being fired and having their license to practice medicine taken away. Their crime? Telling the truth about the dangers of the COVID vaccine.

The link to the video is disallowed on Twitter and other platforms. World governments do not want ANYONE to view this video. They don’t want anyone to learn the truth.

this recording from Bitchute still works /5.50pm GMT 21/Jan

Update 1/20/23

If you have trouble with the main links (blocked or overloaded), try these alternates:
Video on Bitchute (19 minutes)
Rumble: https://rumble.com/v22kvtk-stop-the-shots-doctors-for-patients-uk-122122.html

Another link: https://rumble.com/v26emwi-most-censored-doctor-video-ive-seen-re.-covid19-vaxx.mp4.html
Another link: https://rumble.com/v21sncg-uk-doctors-call-for-government-investigation-of-mrna-covid-vaccines.html
Press release (this is currently overloaded)

Introduction

Watch this video now. It is a video of UK doctors who are speaking the truth that the BBC and UK government do NOT want ANYONE to know.

This video is so damaging to the narrative that even Twitter will not allow you to include it.

Dammed, now mined: Indigenous Brazilians fight for the Xingu River’s future

from thefreeonline by Andrew Johnson on 12 January 2023 at Mongabay.com

Canadian mining company Belo Sun wants to build a huge gold mine in the Big Bend of the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon, but faces opposition from Indigenous communities.

The Big Bend (Volta Grande) of the Xingu River, with Vila da Ressaca in the foreground, the site of the proposed Belo Sun gold mine in Pará state, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. Image by Andrew Johnson.

In addition to the environmental impacts, experts warn of the risk of the proposed tailings dam rupturing, which could flood the area with 9 million cubic meters (2.4 billion gallons) of toxic waste.
The same region is already suffering the impacts of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, which diverts up to 85% of the flow of the Xingu River, leading to a mass decline in fish that traditional riverside dwellers and Indigenous people rely on.
The Belo Sun project was legally challenged last year, prompting supporters to harass and intimidate those who oppose the mine’s construction; tensions in the region remain high.

Cassava being harvested to make flour on a farm in Vila da Ressaca, near the city of Altamira in Pará state. Image by Andrew Johnson.

On a humid July afternoon, just as the sun was beginning to set over the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon, a young mother was preparing afternoon coffee when her phone rang. When she answered, a female voice claimed to have important information to share.

“Send an audio,” the mother replied, distracted by the boiling pots and the child playing on the concrete floor. “I can’t,” said the voice, sounding urgent through the weak connection. “I have to talk to you right now.”

The Collective West Might as Well Nominate Hitler for the Nobel Peace Prize

from thefreeonline by Natasha Wright on January 22 2023 at Geopolitics101

UPDATE.22 Jan. The German government has RESISTED mounting US and NATO pressure to approve key deliveries of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The special NATO summit on 20th Jan FAILED to agree as Germany broke with obedience to the US and refused to send its tanks or let others send them, at least for now. Germany gave lame excuses but the signal is a split against pro-war hysteria since Merkel admitted Russia was deceived by the Minsk agreement scam. Other German deputies said the reason is an aversion to the image of a Repeat of Hitler 1941 with German Panzer Tanks rolling on Russia, which led to 27 million Soviet and Russian deaths.

“The weaponry is the pathway to peace – Stoltenberg said in all seriousness.

Not even the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine would have happened if there hadn’t been for the relentless NATO expansion towards the East. And now NATO is even trying to do their ‘(un)fair’ share in the Asian Pacific region.

After Barack Obama winning the Nobel prize for peace in 2009 in the form of political ‘advance payment ‘ the very moment he became U.S. President, and after the Ukranian activists got ‘legitimized’ as the activists for the alleged human rights they were /are advocating, which funnily enough, happen to be financed by CIA, through the National Heritage for Democracy, why on Earth not NATO General Secretary to be a candidate this year?

It is rather odd for the warmongering leader of the greatest war alliance, which is NATO, to be hailed as the peacekeeper.

Anyway, the connection between the CIA and human rights seems to be the equivalent of NATO and world peace in their political glossaries. It then seems only too logical that there came the news from the Parliament of Norway on 6th January 2023 that the proud candidate for the Nobel peace prize for 2023 is Jens Stoltenberg for his ‘extraordinary’ commitment and ‘superb’ contribution to NATO in these trying times, particularly because in his capacity of NATO General Secretary, he has been putting forth vehement and adamant opposition to Russia.

Indonesian Regime’s misinformation army ready for Heavy Repression in 2023

from thefreeonline by Ika Idris at Palm Oil Detectives by @360info_global on 21st January 2023

With an election looming and controversial law reform on its way, Indonesia’s government is set to ratchet up its well-oiled propaganda machine.

But the biggest propagator of disinformation seems not to be political renegades, but the Widodo administration. Fuelled by a well-resourced propaganda machine, the government is ready to fight dirty to win over public opinion.

With controversial law reform, an election and a ban on #deforestation #palmoil in EU – In 2023, Indonesia’s government is set to ratchet up #greenwashing #misinformation on social media

Story: @360info_global #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife Tweet

#Indonesia is all set to expand their well-oiled misinformation and #greenwashing machine on social media in 2023 to sell a #palmoil positivity narrative to the world.

#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife Tweet

With an election looming and controversial law reform on its way, Indonesia’s government is set to ratchet up its well-oiled propaganda machine.

Indonesia’s heavy-handed laws outlawing criticism of the government have been ushered in under the pretence of an epidemic of hoaxes and conspiracies. President Joko Widodo insists his government has been the victim of disinformation campaigns, causing unrest over employment reforms, Indonesia’s new capital city, and the sweeping penal code reforms set to be codified this year.

Horrid Carcass of Indonesia – 50 Years After…. On September 30th, 1965, the Indonesian military obeying orders from foreign powers (mainly the US and the UK), overthrew the progressive and anti-imperialist government of President Sukarno, murdering between 1 and 3 million men, women and children. The results were horrifying. Perhaps the worst massacres of the 20th Century took place. Mass slaughter, mass rape, and cutting off of female breasts, torture, and shortly after the initial horrors, overflowing prisons and concentration camps.

In Times Like These

from thefreeonline on 20th Jan 2023 by Caitlin Johnstone at caitlinjohnstone.substack.

Listen to a reading of “In Times Like These”:

In times like these
when nuclear warheads are being moved into position,
when weapons manufacturers can’t keep up with the demand,
when the pundits are making everyone stupid and crazy,
when it’s hard to remember Assange’s face but you can’t turn on a screen without seeing Zelensky,
when our culture is manufactured on conveyor belts in New York, Hollywood, Arlington and Langley,
when everything’s fake but the bombs and blockades,
when it feels like we’re rocketing toward armageddon next to Jeff Bezos in a space suit,
when it feels like the angels have become smack addicts but have to settle for shitty Fentanyl fixes,
when it feels like God got kicked out of the group home and has to sell his plasma and sperm for cash,
when it feels like Heaven must be powered by smoggy nineteenth century London coal,
when it feels like the angel and the demon on humanity’s shoulders are double fucking our ear canals,
when the bastards have sleeves full of bottomless aces while we’re still trying to learn the rules,
when annihilation feels like a certainty and transcendence like a fairy tale,
it helps to have somewhere solid to take your stand.

In times like these
when everyone’s so alienated they have to consume chemical intoxicants together just to share affection with each other,
when everyone’s so lonely they trap animals in their homes with them so at least they have something that can’t leave,
when everyone’s so afraid of their own vulnerabilities they preemptively attack anyone who lowers their guard,
when everyone’s pouring their lives into generating profits for miserable employers who will never have enough,
when everyone’s being driven mad by the pointlessness of a civilization built around wealth extraction,
when everyone’s allowing themselves to be sedated into a coma so they can’t experience their own despondency,
when the radiant authenticity of nature is paved over to build cinemas to watch CGI creatures in CGI worlds,
when the sacred song of the heart is getting drowned out by desperation for dopamine hits from strangers on apps,
when the causeless joy of being keeps getting lost to fear and insecurity,
it helps to have some grounding in the changeless.

In times like these
truth can sneak in
like a thief,
like a ray of light through the smallest crack,
like a children’s cereal mascot finally nicking a bowl of that delicious sugary starch
(oh my god it’s got marshmallows and turns the milk neon colors oh fuck oh god I’m cumming),
like a ninja,
like Batman,
truth can sneak in and bonk you on the head
leaving you unable to see anything but the primal oneness,
unable to remember how you ever got things so mixed up,
like Gilligan when he got hit with the coconut
(except good).

In times like these
no matter how fucked up you are
you can sometimes catch Buddha winking at you in the mirror.

In times like these
everything is so tenuous
that satori can come crashing in at any moment.

In times like these
Shiva can just get tired of putting on the act
and take off the you-mask and break character.

In times like these
anyone’s petty and irrelevant natterings
can be interrupted by the hatching of their heart.

We are such weird, mascara-streaked, runny-nosed ape mutants.
We are sharp-toothed blood-splashing murder monkeys.
We are honey-hearted giants with galaxies in our eyes.
I really hope you know how beautiful you are,
no matter how hard things are
and no matter how hard things get.
You contain vast universes,
and I wish I could make full-length Broadway musicals out of all of them.
No matter what happens I will love you through and through
until the heat death of the universe
and beyond.

And we just might get our miracle after all,
beautiful ape mutant.
We just might get our miracle after all.
In times like these, anything is possible.
In times like these, anything can be.
In times like these, we’ve all got nothing to lose,
which means we’ve got nothing to lose
by leaping.

___________________

My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following me on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud or YouTube, throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal, or buying an issue of my monthly zine. If you want to read more you can buy my books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here. All works co-authored with my husband Tim Foley.

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By Caitlin Johnstone · Launched 2 years ago

Articles, poems, stories and thoughts by Caitlin Johnstone. Will always remain free.

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33 Comments

Kate Aiello 5 hr ago Pure poetry. Loved the “turn”… Particularly germane, personally, on the eve of 30th wedding anniversary; especially blessed to be married to a like minded warrior for Truth and brave enough to have initiated our ” leap” at the height of this recent madness back in the summer of 2021. You have a gift with words, Caitlin, and they resonate deeply with me.

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Susy 4 hr agoThank you for being you.

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