Demonstrators Protest Arizona Law Outside White House

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

Religious and immigrant rights activists gathered outside the White House Wednesday to urge the Obama administration to approach immigration reform and voice support for the Justice Department’s recent challenge of Arizona’s hardline immigration policy.

“The people here are gathered, in prayer, in peaceful protest, to urge the Obama administration and the federal government, one, to stop S.B.1070, the harsh discriminatory law in Arizona and two, to take responsibility for the mess that is the immigration system, to stop this chaos of 50 different states trying to pass 50 different immigration laws,” said Shuya Ohno, the Assistant Communications Director with the National Immigration Forum

Arizona’s immigration bill was signed into law on April 23rd. It allows law enforcement officials to request identification from those who they believe are in the country illegally. There has been six different lawsuits that have argued that the law is unconstitutional. The latest was filed Tuesday July 6th by the Department of Justice.

Protesters Urge D.C. Drivers To Boycott BP

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

After protests outside BP's D.C. headquarters and the White House in recent weeks, the organization Code Pink staged a demonstration in front of a D.C. based BP gas station Saturday with the goal of encouraging drivers to support a boycott against the company responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf Coast. Armed with banners and signs, the demonstrators blocked the driveway in to the station.

"One thing we're trying to do is to get people to stop from going in here," said Diane Wilson, a shrimper from Texas who co-found Code Pink. "There was a fellow just trying to turn in a little while ago and ... I was saying boycott BP and he shook his head, yelled ... squirreled around and left."

Added Wilson, "I hope he went to a different gas station."

During the last two weeks, Wilson has been arrested twice, most recently while disrupting BP CEO Tony Hayward's testimony before Congress. This time she and Code Pink hope that the local protest will do more to hurt BP's pocketbook.

"We are hoping to economically impact BP. That is the way these guys ... listen to reason," said Wilson. "You impact them economically and then it kind of registers in their heads."

Protesters Want To See BP's CEO Prosecuted for Criminal Negligence

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

Public Citizen and seven other public interest groups protested Friday outside the BP headquarters in Washington D.C. Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, called for a boycott of BP because of the company's actions.

"I am sure that they are working very hard to protect this company from being held responsible and to undermine efforts in Congress and at the White House," said Weissman.

The protesters asked for the management of the company to come down to the street to meet the protesters. Several of the protesters want the CEO of BP, Tony Hayward, to be arrested.

"People are outraged, and we are here to let BP know it," said Weissman.

The protesters started the demonstration outside the headquarters and tried to get into the building to talk to the management but were stopped in the lobby. The White House announced Thursday that it soon will be sending a 69 million dollar bill to BP in order to repay the taxpayers for federal funds spent during the oil spill.

Mock Citizens Arrest Of BP President Tony Hayward Planned For Friday

By Robert Hune-Kalter - Talk Radio News Service

Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, along with many other organizations are planning a protest outside of BP’s Washington Headquarters Friday afternoon. The Research Director for the Energy Program at Public Citizen, Tyson Slocum, wants to evoke the message that BP’s actions are unacceptable.

“We are seeking a citizens arrest of BP’s CEO, Tony Hayward,” Slocum said on an interview with Talk Radio News on Thursday. Slocum has been the Director of the Energy Program since 2000 at Public Citizen.

Public Citizen is urging consumers to boycott BP gas stations across the country as an effort to send a clear message to BP Management about the damages they’ve caused to the Gulf of Mexico.

“The boycott is not designed to hurt the local stations, and it’s not going to…it’s really going after trying to tarnish the brand,” Slocum said in defense of the boycott.

Slocum commented that BP needs to refocus their goals in order to emerge from this disaster successfully.

“They’re going to have to radically change their focus, the company has consistently over the years prioritized short term profits over worker safety and protecting the environment.”

The protest begins Friday, June 4 at 12 p.m.

Israeli President Shouted Down By Protesters

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Israeli President Shimon Peres spoke today in favor of peace in the Middle East, but some in the audience likely couldn’t hear his call, as protesters within the room shouted him down. Three eruptions of protesters in the audience were stopped by police. The protesters shouted from tabletops and waved signs saying “stop the occupation” and “free gaza.” This all transpired at the Washington DC Convention Center, at a conference led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Peres spoke of his commitment to the peace process, saying that one of the big challenges they all faced was to “disconnect religion from terror”, so extremists are not killing in the name of a higher power.

“History is on the side of peace... history’s on our side,” Peres said. He continued that the extremists leading Iran “are on the wrong side of history.” Peres acknowledged that most Iranians are good people whom he respects, but pointed his finger at extremists like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as being the problem.

“Iran is not threatened by anybody,” Peres said, and continued that Iran’s new missile programs are unnecessary. He said that Iran’s missile development and nuclear program are a threat to Israel “and the global community at large.”

Peres said that he trusts President Obama to make meaningful bilateral negotiations, and to contribute significantly to the peace process.