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News of Brandon Darby's role as an FBI informant has caused a tempest of responses from the activist community, news coverage from a variety of sources and a response from the right-wing blogosphere lionizing Darby as a hero. The Austin Informant working group has release the statement immediately below, followed by links to other coverage of this story.

from the open publishing newswire: A group of Austin activists today released their conclusions from reviewing over 70 pages of FBI documents obtained through a legal case regarding alleged actions to protest the Republican National Convention (RNC). From reading the documents, and from their own experience with him, these activists have concluded that the FBI informant Brandon Darby did not heroically intervene to stop violence. Rather it appears that he actively sought out people that he could manipulate and entrap. The two Texas men that Darby was most closely associated with during the convention, Bradley Crowder and David McKay, are accused of making Molotov cocktails and have been in jail since early September. Their trial is set for January 26. The disclosure of Brandon Darby as the informant casts further doubt on the charges against these two men.

According to the FBI's documents, Darby, posing as an activist, had been covertly gathering information for the FBI since at least February 2007, twelve months before he ever met Crowder or McKay or knew of any plans for the RNC. "As an older seasoned activist, Darby had a lot of sway over Crowder and McKay, making them susceptible to his often militant rhetoric," said Gabby Hicks, who was in St. Paul with Darby during the Convention. "He was always the one to suggest violence, when the rest of us clearly disagreed with those strategies." [read full article]

New York Times: Activist Unmasks Himself as Federal Informant in G.O.P. Convention Case | Democracy Now! Prominent Austin Activist Admits He Infiltrated RNC Protest Groups as FBI Informant | Twincities.com: Social activist, organizer ... and RNC informant | Michelle Gross of Communities United Against Police Brutality: Brandon Darby is Delusional, Self Serving and Vicious

Protest of the Siege of Gaza continued into a second week, with a protest on Friday January 2nd in front of the Israeli Consulate on Weslayan. Hundreds gathered behind police barricades to chant, listen to speeches and hold signs and banners visible by traffic. Some people collected signatures on postcards to president-elect Obama asking for a change in US policy and support for peace, justice and international law. Photos: 1 | 2 | Video. The next day, despite protest across the world, Israel launched a ground assault on Gaza.

Sunday January 4th saw hundreds gather to protest the invasion of Gaza at the intersection of Postoak and Westheimer. People held banners and signs and chanted, while other continued to drive their vehicles adorned with Palestinian flags though the intersection multiple times while honking and chanting. Houston Indymedia's Street Team made and distributed more than a hundred copies of a flier encouraging people to check out alternative news sources on the conflict, and to Publish to Houston Indymedia. The Houston Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine called for this protest [read press release PDF] and continues to organize events for the coming weeks. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Video

Over 500 Palestinians have been killed and approximately 2,300 wounded, contrasted to four Israelis killed by rocket fire. President-elect Barak Obama remains silent on the issue, the US has blocked even a basic UN statement condemning civilian deaths, and US politicians like NY mayor Bloomberg and Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman have flown to Israel to show their support for Israel's actions.

Houston Indymedia kept busy with 103 local news features so in 2008! The Houston Indymedia Web Team uses articles and content published to the HIMC newswire by DIY journalists and community activists to construct features for our central column. There more than a thousand features in our archive, that goes back into 2002. You can see every feature ever made here. Thanks to the legion of people in Houston and elsewhere that published their news to Houston Indymedia, and the social justice movements in Houston that wage the crucial struggles we have reported on. We are all journalists!
Read Our top features from 2008

The Houston Indymedia Radio Show also created a year an review audio story that played on the January 2nd edition of the show [listen here], which is broadcast at 7:30pm every Friday on KPFT 90.1fm.

Below is a statement by a group of Austin-based community organizers that documents that a local activist, Brandon Michael Darby of Austin, is a government informant/provocateur. Using FBI documents previously unknown to us, but recently provided by one of the defendant's defense teams, we have positively confirmed the identity of the unnamed informant ("CHS 1" in the affidavit) as Brandon Michael Darby of Austin, Texas, based on the following evidence

Darby operated in and around the Austin community for about 6 years, and this is the same Brandon Darby who participated in the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans during 2005-2006. Based on the evidence we have, Brandon has been giving the state information since at least November 2007, but there is also information that suggests his informant activities may go back further, at least to 2006 or earlier. In the documents, Darby makes numerous remarks that are inflammatory and often untrue or grossly taken out of context. There is also compelling evidence to suggest that Darby, more than just reporting on Crowder and McKay's activities, was actively encouraging, enabling, and provoking the two men to take illegal action. [Read Full Document]

BrandonDarby.com | Open Letter from Brandon Darby on his cooperation with the FBI | Past HIMC coverage: The cases of Brandon Darby, grand juries and our movements made a case in defense of Brandon | Police Continue Harassment of Texas Activists in Wake of RNC

from the open publishing newswire: On a very cool Sunday afternoon, more than 600 people came out to rally in the Galleria area, showing support for Palestinian rights, and in opposition to recent Israeli air attacks on the citizens of Gaza. The mood was clear, "Stop the Attacks Now". Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 Video: Save Gaza! (rally/demo in Houston, Texas, 2008-12-28) Audio: A Week of Palestinian Solidarity Actions in Houston

On Monday , a rally took place in front of the office building containing the Israeli consulate on Weslyan at 59. For the second day, hundreds of Houstonians turned out to say STOP THE ATTACKS ON GAZA. Photos. On Tuesday December 30, Palestine supporters rallied on the Montrose bridges over 59, and were met by a zionist counter protest [Photos and report].

On December 27th, Israeli air strikes targeted police stations in Gaza killing over 200 people and injuring hundreds more. Air strikes continued on December 28th, with the death toll reaching close to 300 by mid-day. [In Depth Coverage from San Fransisco Bay Area Indymedia Here] + Israel Indymedia | Watch English.alJazeera.net/watch_now for extensive video reports on Gaza! | Electronic Intifadah | International Middle East Media Center

from the opening publishing newswire: The first night of Kwanzaa was organized by the Sankofa Pan-Afrikan Student organization and took place in the Ensemble Theater in Midtown. Around 200 people came together to celebrate the first night of Kwanzaa, check out the stalls and wach the musical and cultural presentations. I arrived an hour an a half late, but got to catch almost all of M1 from Dead Prez's Presentation, and some of the music and spoken word afterwards. A really amazing event, check out this link for information on the events being put together this week all over town as part of the Kwanzaa program.

KWANZAA, the African-American cultural holiday conceived and developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, was first celebrated on December 26, 1966. Kwanzaa is traditionally celebrated from December 26 through January 1, with each day focused on Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits", Kwanzaa is rooted in the first harvest celebrations practiced in various cultures in Africa. Kwanzaa seeks to enforce a connectedness to African cultural identity, provide a focal point for the gathering of African peoples, and to reflect upon the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles, that have sustained Africans. Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths and backgrounds practice Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa 2008 Houston program | Official Kwanzaa Web Site

from the open publishing newswire: The rally and press conference took place on Market Street between 10th and 11th Streets, across from UTMB's Levin Hall, in Galveston. About 100 people protested against the drastic downsizing of UTMB Galveston and the layoffs of about 3000 workers. UTMB employees, community members, health care advocates, union organizers, and activists participated in a spirited circular picket and spoke to reporters. Protesters demanded the full restoration of medical and psychiatric services at UTMB Galveston, and some chants at the rally called for the resignation of Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Board of Regents. Plans were announced for a pro-UTMB contingent to have a presence at the Regents' meeting in Austin on December 18. [read full article]

Texas State Employees Union represents hospital workers | Corporate News Coverage: Galveston County Daily News | Fox 26

from the open publishing newswire: Equality Texas mourns the death of Jennifer Gale, a 47-year-old transgender homeless woman who died December 17th. Jennifer's body was found Wednesday morning. She was lying in an outdoor walkway at the First English Lutheran Church in Central Austin. A perennial candidate for public office in Austin and Dallas, Jennifer's notoriety came through years of putting herself in the public eye. She took a shot at nearly every city office, from council seats, to the mayor's office. She never won, but in 2004, Gale came closer than ever, winning more than 38 percent of the vote for a seat on the Austin ISD School Board.

Jennifer’s voice rang through Austin Council Chamber doors every week, often times in support of the homeless population of which she was a part. "Let's give the homeless a place to exercise that need jobs and need help," said Gale Tuesday night before the city’s Health Services Board. Her death points to critical problems faced by the homeless, and especially by homeless women and the transgender homeless. “Jennifer most nights slept outdoors,” said Austin Mayor Will Wynn. “Jennifer, we believe, is the 136th person who has died sleeping on the streets (of Austin) over the last 12 months.”
[read full article]

Complaining is fun and fruitful! Free Press Houston invites anyone and everyone to submit to their yearly Worst of Houston Issue. This is an open chance to make their gripes on everything from city government to local culture and everything in between. Please limit entries to single paragraphs and submit them by December 25th.

Send to editors@freepresshouston.com

from the open publishing newswire: Hundreds of folks came down to the George R Brown Convention Center to check out the wares and listen to the speakers at the Latino Book Fair organized by the grassroots efforts of the scrappy folks at Nuestra Palabra. Dozens of publishers (Like Houston's Arte Público Press, pictured), authors, bookstores and community organizations set up tables on the third floor of the building.

I got there in time to catch the tail end of powerhouse writer Victor Villaseñor, and most of the presentation by Gustavo Arellano, the Mexican behind Ask A Mexican, which you can read every week in the Houston Press.

The book fair is really a world class event, Gustavo Arellano pointed out that the only other cites in the US that have a Latino bookfair are LA and Chicago. The bummer of getting such a big space, is that the large crowd seemed very slim. [read full article with photos]

UPDATE 12/19: December 20th is a global day of action in solidarity with Greece. From the HIMC Newswire there has been a call for a solidarity protest in Houston on December 22nd at 10am at the Greek Consulate in the Galleria Area: 520 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 450 Houston, TX 77027. Bring Banners, Signs, loud disruptive things, flags, flyers, and friends. Contact via email [read full article].

A "bilingual restaurant worker" in Athens has published English language coverage including an article, and photos: 1, 2 to the Houston Indyemdia open publishing newswire. You can add your thoughts about the riots and what effect they may have here. Also on the newswire is The revenge of life Some thoughts on the revolt that is reshaping Greece these days.

If you read Greek, of course, Athens Indymedia has ongoing coverage, or you can just look at the pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Other English Language Sources: Occupied London Blog | Center For Strategic Anarchy | UK Indymedia | Infoshop.org - Greece: Protests and Unrest Enter Second Week

from the open publishing newswire: This past weekend, December 5th and 6th, in San Antonio, Texas, grassroots organizations, from across the US, and other countries, gathered to celebrate 20 years of struggle by the Southwest Workers Union. The celebration was attended by activists from 10 states, as well as workers from Mexico and Puerto Rican freedom fighters.

The Southwest Workers Union was formed in 1988 to represent public school workers in the San Antonio area. Since its founding, the organization has put organizing and empowering working class, people of color, at the center of its movement. Currently, over 3000 member families form the foundation, from which their work is built upon. In addition to representing public school workers, the SWU organizes and trains young people in grassroots organizing, for clean energy and equal education, environmental justice communities fighting military toxics, immigrant families mobilizing for human rights, and rural communities like Hondo, empowering voters to make real change. [full story | Photos | Audio: 1| 2]

Southwest Workers Union Website | SWU Blog

from the open publishing newswire: I am a volunteer at the Beacon, a homeless day center, A part of Cathedral Health Outreach Ministries in Houston located at 1212 Prairie, 77002 and I would like to express major injustice in witnessed today, 11/30/2008.

We have guidelines guests are expected to follow and if they are not followed the guest is asked to leave for the day. Today, Michael X; who has had difficulties before because he is mentally ill, was asked to leave. Officer Cuffy; a jailer at the Southeast Houston Jail on Mykawa who, decided Mr. X wasn’t leaving fast enough so Cuffy slammed Mr. X into a locked glass door then drug him outside, kicked him like an animal and drug him to the street so visibility is limited. All the volunteers then witness Cuffy pull out his billyclub and stuck him at east 9 times while Mr.X was still on the ground. He was then cuffed and another office came to take him too jail but it was determined he was too injured and he was sent to St. Joseph hospital. He was later released and not arrested. So, Michael X was effectually beat for no reason, whatever reason Officer Cuffy had for the initial brutality. [Read Full Story]

Houston Indymedia has changed the wording of our Mission Statement, which sits on the about page and serves along with the Action Guidelines as the document new participants sign. The wording of the new statement is:

"The Houston Independent Media Center is an all volunteer collective committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice. We seek to provide alternatives to for-profit media not only in our coverage, but also within our collective by implementing consensus based non-hierarchical work-group models of decision making. While focusing on local social movements, we will explore connections to global systems. We believe that by reporting on dissent, by critiquing corporate, government and military domination, and by promoting art, culture and critical thinking through participatory events, we can contribute to the development of an equitable and sustainable society."

Some of the significant changes since the previous Mission Statement from early 2001 includes that we are all volunteers, that we are focusing on social movements, that we reporting on dissent, and that our events are intended to be participatory.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with us at Houston Indymedia, please send an email to: houston at indymedia dot org