5 Recent Events That Brought People Into The Streets Around The World

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1. Ukrainians ready to bid farewell to Lenin

As protesters took down –literally hammered down– a statue of Lenin in the capital of Kiev, one could agree that Ukraine is currently caught between two stools. This act was part of the latest rally organized by the opposition which has been demanding for the government’s resignation for the past three weeks. Discontent arose after President Yanukovych refused to sign agreement with the EU fearing it would damage trade relations with eastern giant neighbor Russia. Don’t spend too much time trying to master the pronunciation of the President’s name, he shouldn’t be around for long. If protesters fail at forcing him down via their two-days ultimatum, rumor has it (says Security Services) that a Coup is coming.

2. No compromise in Thailand.

For a month now, hundreds of thousands of people have been occupying the streets of Bangkok as a response to the brilliant idea the government had to try and pass an amnesty bill granting forgiveness to all political actors involved in human rights violations that have occurred in the country since the 2006 Coup. In spite of the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the opposition doesn’t seem ready to compromise at any level until the entire government resigns. It’s fair to say that Thailand’s Prime Minister recently learned that doing things halfway isn’t the righteous way to solve a political crisis.

3. Taiwan’s Pink Parade.

Taiwan is considered one of the most liberal countries in South East Asia and the island country saw 60,000 people participating in its 11th edition of the Gay Parade last October, making the Taiwan Pride the largest Gay Pride Parade in Asia. Yet as the Parliament entered stormy discussions on the legalization of same-sex marriage at the end of November, an estimated number of 100,000 protesters wearing pink clothes demonstrated against same-sex unions at the doors of the Presidential House. The Taiwanese LGBT community will have to be more patient before seeing rainbows in the sky.

4. NYC, DC, Chicago and Puerto Rico unite for Oscar Lopez Rivera

40,000 protesters invaded the streets of Puerto Rico at the end of last month, calling for the liberation of one of the longest held political prisoners. Oscar Lopez Rivera has spent 32 years as a detainee of the US Federal government in Indiana for being involved in the fight for Puerto Rico’s independence. As people were festively marching for their peer in the Caribbean island, nationwide protests were organized in the US, like in New York were people walked from the Lower East Side to Williamsburg Bridge calling on President Obama to liberate Mr. Lopez as a Christmas gift to the Puerto Ricans.

5. French people…doing French things

Demonstrating and protesting runs in French people’s veins, all French people. “The March for Equality of Rights” and “The March of Republicans” –NOT to be associated with the American party- were organized in Paris by members of the Afro-Caribbean communities and supporters of anti-racism leagues. They both came as reactions to the xenophobic profanities that were recently directed at Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira, who is a black woman in case you didn’t know it. France doesn’t jump up and down when a member of a visible minority accesses such a position of power, it’s okay to have never heard of her.