Latest news with #Activism
The National
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
From Tokyo to Gaza: One man's 600-day protest for Palestine
In the bustling streets of Tokyo, Yusuke Furusawa is impossible to miss. 'Free, free Palestine,' he chants loudly to passers-by. Some echo his words under their breath. Others ignore him and walk past him in silence. A few confront him, sometimes aggressively, but none of that stops him. For more than 600 consecutive days, the 49-year-old carpenter has been protesting against Israel's war on Gaza, all alone. In one hand, he carries a Palestinian flag that towers over the rush-hour crowds. In the other, he holds a placard that reads: 'How many thousands of Palestinian children have to die before you raise your voice?' in Japanese. Around his neck, he wears a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, and hanging over his chest is a cardboard sign bearing a message to the world: 'Stop Gaza genocide '. Even alone, I will continue to raise my voice and speak up for Gaza Yusuke Furusawa, 49 Mr Furusawa has been taking to the streets of Tokyo daily for the past 21 months – calling for an end to the Gaza war and challenging what he says is a cultural tendency towards silence and conformity in Japan. 'I started protesting because I felt angry and powerless,' Mr Furusawa told The National. 'In Japanese society, there is an atmosphere that makes people hesitate to speak out about politics and international issues, I want to resist that.' The activist says he is sometimes met with criticism in the streets of the Japanese capital for being too disruptive and noisy, but it has not deterred him. 'From the people of Gaza, I've learnt a lot of strength, determination, principle and what is important as a human being,' Mr Furusawa explained. 'So, even alone, I will continue to raise my voice and speak up for Gaza.' Solidarity from Shibuya His protest is not solely for the people of Japan. Tokyo is a tourist hotspot, and the activist aims to show that 'there are citizens in Japan, the land of the Far East, who are raising their voices in protest' of Israel's attacks on Gaza. Since the onset of Israel's war on Gaza, thousands of people in Japan have taken to the streets to demand an immediate ceasefire. Rallies have taken place in busy city districts like Shibuya, outside the Israeli embassy in Tokyo and across university campuses as part of a global student movement. On March 30, protesters calling for an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories gathered in Shibuya to commemorate Palestine's Land Day, when six people were killed in 1976 for protesting against land confiscation by Israel. On June 15, pro-Palestine supporters took to the streets of Tokyo in support of the March to Gaza movement, which saw thousands of activists attempt to reach Gaza to break Israel's siege on the strip. These protests reflect a growing trend in Japan, which sees residents gradually becoming more aware and connected to events in the Middle East. 'I didn't expect to see protests in Japan, and whenever you see them, I think people are always surprised and try to avoid them,' Aiko Yamakita, organiser at Kifu for Palestine, a volunteer group that raises funds for Palestinians, told The National. 'But with that [said], I think it's definitely grown over the past year and a half, so we're definitely seeing a shift.' Yet according to Mr Furusawa, the number of people taking action for Gaza remains "overwhelmingly insufficient". He says it is "regrettable" that the Japanese government has taken a neutral stance on the war, influenced by its relations with the US. To Gaza and beyond Despite some of the backlash he receives on the streets, Mr Furusawa's solo protest has gained significant traction online, earning him hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, and messages of praise and support from Gaza. In a video pinned to his Instagram, an elderly man from Gaza speaks directly to Mr Furusawa. 'You are a great man, you are supporting us, thank you very much,' says the Gaza resident in English. 'You are a hero, we never forget you.' In another clip shared to his feed, children from Gaza can be seen painting the Japanese flag on the wall of a destroyed building, and holding a sign with Mr Furusawa's name. 'We love you,' they tell him through the screen and amid the rubble. Mr Furusawa follows the news headlines from Gaza closely. The climbing death toll and scenes of the devastating destruction leave him feeling helpless but determined to keep protesting. 'Every day I feel my powerlessness,' he says. 'All I can do is continue to raise my voice.'
Al Jazeera
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israeli settlers displace Palestinians with 'new strategy'
Israeli settlers displace Palestinians with 'new strategy' Quotable 'There's a lot more settler violence than we saw a couple of months ago.' Human rights activist Andrey X says that attacks by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank are on the rise and that they've found a new method to displace Palestinians. Video Duration 01 minutes 06 seconds 01:06 Video Duration 01 minutes 29 seconds 01:29 Video Duration 01 minutes 00 seconds 01:00 Video Duration 01 minutes 37 seconds 01:37 Video Duration 01 minutes 11 seconds 01:11 Video Duration 01 minutes 06 seconds 01:06 Video Duration 01 minutes 01 seconds 01:01
CNN
04-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
George Takei draws parallels between 1940's Japanese-American internment camps and ICE detentions
George Takei draws parallels between 1940's Japanese-American internment camps and ICE detentions 'Star Trek' actor and activist George Takei tells CNN's Audie Cornish about his family's experience in a 1940's Japanese-American internment camp, saying Americans 'need to speak out' as he sees what is happening with ICE detentions today as 'the same thing' as what he experienced. 02:46 - Source: CNN House minority leader makes record-breaking speech to defy Trump In a nearly 9 hour speech, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries set a record for the longest floor speech in modern history of the House of Representatives. In protest against President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill, Jeffries used a legislative tool called the 'magic minute,' which allows party leaders in the House to speak as long as they wish on the floor. 01:30 - Source: CNN Paramount settles Trump's '60 Minutes' lawsuit CBS News parent Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to resolve an extraordinary lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over a '60 Minutes' news report last fall. CNN's Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter explains. 02:07 - Source: CNN Trump's 'two week' Russia deadline is now on week five As the war in Ukraine rages on, CNN's Adam Kinzinger looks back on President Trump's recent promise that he would have an answer to Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to end the war in 'two weeks.' 01:13 - Source: CNN Why your utility bill might increase under Trump's tax bill CNN's Bill Weir explains why your household energy bill will be higher over the next decade if the GOP passes Trump's new tax bill. Red states like Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas could see up to 18% higher energy costs by 2035, according to think tank Energy Innovation. 01:10 - Source: CNN Latino influencers stick by Trump Tony Delgado and Gabriela Berrospi, entrepreneurs and founders of multimedia brand Latino Wall Street, helped rally the Latino vote for President Donald Trump in 2024. As the administration has escalated ICE raids and deportations this year, they visited Washington D.C. and the White House to advocate for their community and immigration reform. 02:27 - Source: CNN NYC Mayor Eric Adams responds to low poll numbers New York City Mayor Eric Adams joins CNN's Jake Tapper to discuss poll numbers that indicate dissatisfaction with his job performance. 01:04 - Source: CNN Minnesota lawmaker and husband lie in state at State Capitol Mourners and lawmakers gather to pay tribute to former Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were killed in a targeted attack. The couple is joined by the family's golden retriever, Gilbert, who also died after being shot during the attacks. 00:41 - Source: CNN USNS Harvey Milk new name revealed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the USNS Harvey Milk is being renamed to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson. During Pride Month in June, he ordered the stripping of the name Harvey Milk who was a gay rights activist and Navy veteran. 00:43 - Source: CNN Trump says he'd consider bombing Iran again In a White House briefing with reporters President Donald Trump was asked if he would consider bombing Iran's nuclear sites again if future intelligence reports offered a concerning conclusion on Iranian enrichment of uranium. 00:51 - Source: CNN Hegseth claims CNN spun Iran reporting. Anderson rolls the tape Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth alleges that several media outlets, including CNN, are misrepresenting the Iran nuclear program in their coverage. Watch our montage of what he said and what we said. 05:31 - Source: CNN Trump reacts to win at the Supreme Court President Trump thanked conservative Supreme Court justices and explained what he plans to do next after the Court backed his effort to curtail lower court orders that have hampered his agenda for months. 00:46 - Source: CNN Supreme Court backs parents who want to opt out of LGBTQ+ curriculum The Supreme Court on Friday backed a group of religious parents who want to opt their elementary school children out of engaging with LGBTQ books in the classroom, another major legal win for religious interests at the conservative high court. 00:52 - Source: CNN Supreme Court limits ability of judges to stop Trump The Supreme Court backed President Donald Trump's effort to curtail lower court orders that have hampered his agenda for months. However, it signaled that the president's controversial plan to effectively end birthright citizenship may never be enforced. 01:32 - Source: CNN Trump's team credits him with creating a decades-old phrase White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely claimed that President Trump came up with the phrase "peace through strength." CNN's Abby Phillip reports on how the phrase has been used for decades. 01:22 - Source: CNN 'Daddy's home:' Trump leans into NATO chief comment NATO Chief Mark Rutte got the world's attention after referring to President Trump as "daddy" after he used the analogy of two children fighting to describe the conflict between Iran and Israel. In a press conference, Rutte, explained his reason for using the term "daddy." Trump spoke about the moment at a press conference, and the White House leaned into the term in a social media post. 00:50 - Source: CNN Tapper responds to Trump's attack of CNN's coverage of US strikes on Iran CNN's Jake Tapper offers a harsh rebuke to President Trump's attack on media outlets for reporting on a preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency report from the Pentagon which found US strikes likely may have only set Iran's ability to produce a nuclear weapon back by a matter of months. President Donald Trump and his administration has repeatedly said that the strikes 'obliterated' Iran's ability to produce a weapon. 04:04 - Source: CNN Zohran Mamdani declares victory in NYC Democratic mayoral primary New York State assemblyman and democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani declared victory in a speech as he is poised to win the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, with his top challenger Andrew Cuomo conceding the race. According to CNN's projection, Mamdani, whose campaign focused on affordability, will garner less than 50% of the vote, meaning the race will formally be decided by ranked-choice votes. 02:35 - Source: WABC
E&E News
03-07-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Disruptive climate group lands tax-exempt status
Climate Defiance, a 2-year-old organization known for disrupting politicians during high-profile events, now has government approval to receive tax-deductible donations, the group announced this week. The IRS has recognized the Climate Defiance Foundation as a 501(c)(3) organization that can receive tax-deductible donations and can receive contributions directly from foundations and donor-advised funds. Climate Defiance plans to continue to operate its 501(c)(4) entity, Climate Defiance Action, due to limits on what the foundation is allowed to do. The recognition can 'help us level up and reach the max level of power and scale,' said Michael Greenberg, who founded Climate Defiance in 2023. Advertisement The organization launched during the Biden administration and regularly disrupted speeches and events featuring administration officials.
The Independent
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mahmoud Khalil reunited with family in NYC following three months in ICE detention
Pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was welcomed back to New York City on Saturday 22 June, following his release from ICE detention. Khalil had been held for over three months in a Louisiana detention center before his release on Friday, 21 June. He was released on bail, with ongoing legal challenges against his arrest and potential removal from the country in federal and immigration courts. Upon his return, Khalil was reunited with his wife and son, who was born while he was detained. Watch the video in full above.
