News & Public Affairs

Thousands protest in Spain listen

06/20/11 Sean Kinane & Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Spain, Eugene Jarecki, protests, austerity measures, European Union

Yesterday in Spain, mass demonstrations took place across the country. Spain’s youth unemployment rate hovers at about 43 percent, and 21 percent for the general population. WMNF’s Sean Kinane caught a rally in the city of Cabra, where he spoke with demonstrator Sierra Ramos about what’s causing tens of thousands to take to the streets.

"This movement began the 15th of May in Madrid. It's a strike* against all the kind of abuse that the politics nowadays are trying to do against people."...

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Pro-democracy protests In Egypt

02/01/11 Robert Lorei
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Tags: Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, protests, non-violence, Stephen Zunes, Aya Batrawy, Ahmed Bedier

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Robert Lorei. The AP is reporting today that:

"More than a quarter-million people are flooding Cairo's main square for the largest demonstration so far against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"The protest has been peaceful, with people standing shoulder to shoulder, chanting and singing nationalist songs.

"A 23-year-old unemployed university graduate pushing for Mubarak's ouster says, 'This is the end for him. It's time.'

"...

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Former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush speak at Southeastern University listen

03/15/10 Alexis Chamberlain
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Tags: George W. Bush, President Bush, protests, protesters

Security was tight at Lakeland’s Southeastern University Friday night as former president George W. Bush spoke, along with wife, Laura, at the fourth annual National Leadership Forum.

The media were prohibited from entering Southeastern University’s Bush Chapel—named after the university’s former president and Assemblies of God official—as the former president and first lady spoke to a sold-out crowd of more than 700 ...

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Protesters Demonstrate Outside Obama Townhall Meeting listen

01/28/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Barack Obama, 9/12, teabaggers, protests, high-speed rail, Joe Biden

The line outside the Bob Martinez Sports Center wound throughout the University of Tampa campus. It reportedly had begun forming in the early morning hours. Most in line, like UT music major Alison Weinstien, were elated that the President would come to town on the heels of his State of the Union address.

Some, like Curtis, an engineer from Tampa, wanted to hear concrete ways on how the President plans to approve the economy.

Many, including USF graduate student Joshua Yanapa, wanted to...

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Activists protest Petraeus appearance listen

01/15/10 Tom Baur
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Tags: War, Iraq war, Afghanistan War, civil liberties, protests, David Petraeus, CENTCOM, Baywalk, St. Pete for Peace

Thursday evening protesters gathered in front of the Rennaisance Vinoy Resort to denounce the St Petersburg Chamber of Commerce for choosing Central Command General David H Petraeus to give the keynote speech at their 110th annual dinner.

It was a great day for a protest at St Petersburg’s Straub park on the shores of Tampa Bay. 68 degrees, ...

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Nonviolent demonstrations against Israel's wall in Bil'in are met with violence listen

01/12/10 Doris Norrito
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Tags: Palestine, protests, occupation, environmental destriction, ol ive trees

A small farming village near the Israeli border in the West Bank of Palestine is gaining international notice. According to the Friends of Freedom and Justice Bil'in website, Israeli soldiers have responded to weekly nonviolent demonstrations against Israel’s occupation and land confiscation with tear gas, rubber bullets and house raids. The result has been several injuries and a death last April.

Hamde Abu Rahma was born and raised in Bil’in. He says he studie...

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St. Pete's homeless protest Mayor Baker's farewell party listen

11/09/09 Joshua Lee Holton
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Tags: Homelessness, protests, Mayor Baker, Rick Baker, Food Not Bombs, St. Pete for Peace

Saturday night, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker was given a farewell celebration at Demens Park, courtesy of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. The event was protested by homeless activists who believe that Mayor Baker’s record deserves scrutiny for his mistreatment of the homeless population.

A small bridge and a waterway separated the attendees of Mayor Baker’s farewell party from the homeless protesters outside. Tickets for the farewell celebration ranged from $125 up to $10,000. ...

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Will St. Pete privatize a popular protest spot near Baywalk?

09/30/09 Robert Lorei
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Tags: protests, free speech, Baywalk

Our guest is Dwight Lawton, a spokesperson for the St. Petersburg chapter of Veterans for Peace and a member of St. Pete For Peace. The group is concerned about tomorrow's St. Pete City Council vote, which could result in the privatization of a sidewalk in downtown St. Pete. The group recently issued a press release which said in part:

The proceedings will take place at St. Petersburg City Hall beginning at 8:30am, at 175 Fifth Street N (map). There will be a public hearing to discuss t...

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Tampa Tea Party draws hundreds listen

04/15/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Politics, taxes, protests

A crowd of about 500 people gathered in downtown Tampa today as part of the nationwide Tax Day Tea Parties protesting government spending, particularly spending plans of President Barack Obama.

The event has received large coverage on conservative media outlets, like talk radio and Fox News. Their presence has become so large that in the past few days, the left leaning cable network MSNBC has held several reports about Fox’s involvement.

Although many in the audience were conservative...

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Activists jailed for protesting Palm Beach County fossil fuel plant listen

02/03/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Florida Power and Light, protests, demonstrations, arrests, environment

In West Palm Beach yesterday, two environmentalists were jailed and five others received probation for protesting the construction of a planned new natural gas fired power plant last February.

The protest had involved the activists linking themselves with chicken wire and PVC pipe to protest the negative effects they say the plant will have the environment.

Originally, 27 activists werearrested after the protests at the site Florida Power and Light’s West County Energy Center, but af...

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