![producermatthew:
Developing news: Washington DC Mayor Vincent Gray arrested for “civil disobedience” while protesting autonomy outside the Hart Senate Office Building. [photo via Twitter]
This is what we were talking about with DC getting the short end of the stick, guys.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljidzjAynE1qz5ew6o1_500.png)
Developing news: Washington DC Mayor Vincent Gray arrested for “civil disobedience” while protesting autonomy outside the Hart Senate Office Building. [photo via Twitter]
This is what we were talking about with DC getting the short end of the stick, guys.
The scene in Syria: Hundreds of students have begun protesting, rallying around Damascus University in support of those shot and killed by Bashar al-Assad’s government in its violent response to pro-democracy protests. In past days, there have been many hectic reports of government forces firing on and killing both civilians, as well as military personnel. Al Jazeera reports that many present have said the government’s security forces fired upon the Syrian Army because the army wouldn’t open fire on civilians. source
Blood continues to flow over Terry Jones: Yesterday, we mentioned the deaths in Afghanistan that had occurred when a protest against Koran-burning pastor Terry Jones boiled over. Sadly, the violence has spread: 9 more have been killed in Kandahar, ostensibly because Jones burned several Islamic holy texts on March 20th. Not to belabor our earlier point, but it seems worthwhile to balance disdain for Jones’ self-serving and gross bigotry with some basic honesty about what it’s caused- namely, that a danger intrinsic to any religion that takes itself very seriously is that it can cause overreactions to slights against it. The deaths of 20 people in 2 days because somebody on the other side of the planet burned some books is a tragic example. source
The oldest trick in the book: Faced with an upswell of protest against his government (during which deadly violence was turned on the citizens), Syria’s Bashar al-Assad gave a much anticipated speech. In explaining the protests against him, he resorted to a very familiar tactic for repressive heads-of-state facing public anger; blame it on a foreign conspiracy. Protesters had hoped to hear some concessions on reform, especially on Syria’s emergency powers law, which allows arrest without warrant. Sad to say, no such statement was to come from Assad, for whom the Parliament chanted “Only God, Syria, and Bashar!” source
Protesters march in London against cuts. The turnout is expected to be huge: around a quarter million or more protesters. There are paint bombs and smoke bombs being thrown by protesters outraged at the coalition government’s cuts to the public sector.
Keep up with the news at the Guardian’s live blog.
Photo Credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
Wonder if we’ll see any austerity protests in Dublin next weekend …
Bahrain destroyed the statue at the Pearl roundabout, the focal point and symbol of weeks of pro-democracy protests there. See the full story here.
Chaos at the capitol: As a means to reduce the amount of protests and (legitimately worrisome) rage in Madison, the state GOP’s sudden vote last night hasn’t been too helpful. source
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy will propose air strikes on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s command headquarters to EU leaders, a source close to discussions has told AFP.
At an EU summit on the Libyan crisis, he will propose “striking an extremely limited number of points which are the source of the most deadly operations” by forces loyal to Gaddafi, the source, who asked not to be named, said on Thursday.
The three sites being considered are Gaddafi’s Bab al-Azizia command headquarters in Tripoli, a military air base in Syrte, east of Tripoli and another in Sebha in the south, the source said.
Of course, Drudge is already playing this up as Sakrozy “filling a leadership vacuum on Libya.” Dick.
Since they don’t consider Gaddafi the leader anymore, this makes sense.
vruz:
this is the scene inside right now - we’ve taken OUR house back!
—via lefan-o-rama:
very little police presence. looks like state troopers only. no mapd.
likely 2000 inside.
lots of drums.
cars circling the capitol over and over honking horns. first time i’ve seen this reaction.
The scene from inside the capitol in Madison.
(Source: l3fan-o-rama)
So, earlier today, Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller said he wanted to talk. After 18 days worth of holding out, it’s become clear that the MIA Democratic senators want to go home – but they want a deal, first. And that’s reportedly tough to come by. ”I have personally called Senator Fitzgerald and the Governor and his office on a regular basis but have not received return calls,” Miller told the press today. Miller meant his statements as an olive branch, but they weren’t necessarily taken with much love in mind. A recap:
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