Independent Media Center 44488 224874567 2008-07-10T20:10:32Z Dezidor 1529049 /* See also */ - link to Wikipedia: space {{Articleissues|POV=February 2008|OR = June 2007|citations missing=June 2007}} {{Infobox Newspaper | name = Independent Media Center (Indymedia) | image = [[Image:Imclogo2.gif]] | caption = Indymedia logo | type = [[Open publishing]] | format = [[Online]] | owners = None | foundation = [[November 24]], [[1999]] | language = [[English language|English]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[French language|French]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[German language|German]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Hebrew]] and [[Arabic]] | political = [[Anti-corporate]] | headquarters = Various | website = [http://www.indymedia.org Indymedia.org]] }} [[Image:Indymedia Edinburgh DSC04943.JPG|thumb|Temporary IMC in [[Edinburgh]] covering protests at the [[31st G8 summit|2005 G8 summit]]]] The '''Independent Media Center''' (aka '''Indymedia''' or '''IMC''') is a global [[Open publishing|participatory]] network of journalists that reports on political and social issues. It originated during the [[WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity|anti-WTO protests in Seattle in 1999]] and remains closely associated with the [[global justice movement]], which criticizes [[neo-liberalism]], and its associated institutions. Indymedia uses an [[open publishing]] and [[Democratic media]] process that allows anybody to contribute. According to its homepage, "Indymedia is a collective of independent media organizations and hundreds of journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage. Indymedia is a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth."<ref>[http://www.indymedia.org/en/index.shtml Indymedia global home page]</ref> Indymedia was founded as an alternative to government and mainstream media, and seeks to facilitate people being able to publish their media as directly as possible. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} ==Overview== The first Indymedia project was started in late November of [[1999]] to report on protests against the [[WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity|WTO meeting]] that took place in [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Washington]], and to act as an alternative media source.<ref>[http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/1999/11/2.shtml First ever Indymedia post, made November 24, 1999]</ref> This followed a successful experiment in June that year, reporting the events of the "Carnival Against Capital". The Media team there used software and unmediated reports from protest participants <ref>Anonymous, "June 18th 1999 Carnival Against Capital", in Days of Dissent!, 2004, accessed online at http://web.archive.org/web/20050508150407/daysofdissent.org.uk/j18.htm</ref>. The open publishing script was first developed by video activists in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]. After Seattle the idea and network spread rapidly. By [[2002]], there were 89 Indymedia websites covering 31 countries (plus [[Palestinian Authority]])<ref> {{cite web |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20020901125639/http://indymedia.org/ |title= Wayback Machine - indymedia.org circa September 1, 2002 |accessdate=2008-04-05 |format= |work= }} </ref>, growing to over 150 by January 2006. The country with the most IMCs is the [[United States]] with 62, followed by [[Italy]] with 15.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} IMC collectives distribute [[Printing|print]], [[sound reproduction|audio]], [[photo]], and [[video]] media, but are most well known for their [[open publishing]] newswires, sites where anyone with internet access can publish news from their own perspective. The content of an IMC is determined by its participants, both the users who post content, and members of the local Indymedia collective who administer the site. While Indymedias worldwide are run autonomously and differ according to the concerns of their users, they share a commitment to provide [[copyleft]] content. The general rule is that content on Indymedia sites can be freely reproduced for non-commercial purposes.<ref>See [http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/PrinciplesOfUnity IMC "Principles of Unity"]</ref> Indymedia sites run on a number of [[free software]] platforms, many developed especially for the purpose; these include DadaIMC, [http://mir.indymedia.org/ Mir], [[Oscait]], Active, [http://sfactive.indymedia.org/ SF-Active], [[Activismo]], [[Drupal]] and [[Plone]]. ==Content and focus== [[Image:Indymedia sticker.jpg|thumb|Indymedia sticker in [[Canary Wharf]]]] The origins of IMCs themselves came out of protests against the concentrated ownership and perceived biases in [[corporate media]] reporting. The first IMC node, attached as it was to the Seattle anti-corporate globalization protests, was seen by [[activists]] as an alternative news source to that of the [[corporate media]], which they accused of only showing violence and confrontation, and portraying all protesters negatively. <ref>[http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=A19991224010135&date=19991223&query="Independent+Media+Center"]</ref> <ref>[http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=3002212&date=19991218&query="Independent+Media+Center"]</ref> <ref>[http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/22220_gag09.shtml?searchpagefrom=1&searchdiff=1732 Media center fighting FBI over Web data<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/19980_security24.shtml FBI raids media center<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/wto091.shtml An overflow crowd vents its anger at city, police<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>http://www.ratical.org///////////////co-globalize/NLG-REPORT.pdf</ref> As a result, between 1999 and 2001, IMC newswires tended to be focused on up-to-the-minute coverage of protests, from local [[demonstration]]s to [[summit]]s where [[anti-globalization movement]] protests were occurring. In 2007, this was still the case <ref>e.g. [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2007/climatecamp/ ''Climate Camp'' pages on UK Indymedia]</ref> but some IMCs are attempting to broaden their coverage to include more of what "traditional" journalism ignores.{{Fact|date=July 2008}} ===Print projects=== There have been a number of print-based projects under the Indymedia banner, including short-run papers and longer-running [[newspapers]].{{Fact|date=September 2007}} New York City IMC has produced [[The Indypendent]], a bi-weekly "free paper for free people" for over five years. Winner of numerous awards from the [[Independent Press Association]] for original writing, photography, design and art, the Indypendent is currently the most widely circulated "underground" paper in North America{{Fakt|date=July 2008}}. During the [[2004 Republican National Convention]] in New York City, the Indypendent printed hundreds of thousands of copies and briefly attained a mass circulation. Contentious issues have included standardized editorial practice, commercial advertising and a diversity of perspectives rare among radical publications. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} Short-run papers for protests have included the [[Unconvention]] during the [[Philadelphia]] "R2K" protests during the [[2000 Republican National Convention|Republican National Convention in 2000]]. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} Other newspapers include the Bay Area's [[Fault Lines (newsmagazine)|Fault Lines]], and papers in Connecticut, Maine, Baltimore and St. Louis in the United States, as well as [[W(((i)))ndy]] in Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} ==Organizational structure== ===Local=== [[Image:Indymedia Cuiabá.jpg|thumb|Indymedia collective at [[Mato Grosso Federal University]] in [[Cuiabá]], [[Brazil]] hosting a free radio broadcast in 2004.]] Local IMC collectives are expected to be open and inclusive of individuals from a variety of different local [[anti-capitalist]] [[point of view|points of view]], whether or not these have any definite political philosophy, so that even those without internet access can participate in both content creation and in content consumption. Editorial policies, locally chosen by any Indymedia collective, generally involve removing articles which the Indymedia editors believe promote [[racism]], [[sexism]], [[hate speech]], and [[homophobia]]<ref>[http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/PrinciplesOfUnity Indymedia Principles of Unity]</ref>. All Indymedia collectives are expected to have a locally chosen, thoroughly discussed and clearly stated editorial policy for posts to their website.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} ===Global=== The overall Indymedia network is decentralized to the extent that the local IMCs operate independently once they are authenticated into the IMC network. The process of admission into the IMC network is somewhat centralized but is relatively relaxed and transparent compared to the occasionally contentious disputes within local IMCs and has not generated a great deal of criticism. Local IMC collectives vary widely in their openness, editorial policies and tolerance of different viewpoints. Along with the locally-organised [[collective]]s are IMC websites dealing with particular topics (such as biotechnology) or for different media (such as video). Along with contributing their own media, core organizers maintain IMC's [[open publishing]] infrastructure, enabling different people throughout the internet to publish their news. IMC editing is done by a system of layered admin which contributors apply to join for each site, by participating on open email lists and attending open meetings.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} [[Image:Indymediavid act.jpg|thumb|left|Indymedia Video Activism workshop at the ''DIY Culture'' festival [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/01/304299.html] held at the Decoy Centre, [[Digbeth]], Birmingham, Jan 2005]] As an example of different models for collective internal organizing, the DC IMC (one of the older IMCs in the network) became a Coop with dues with a workshop/office, now closed. In contrast, other IMC local collectives are without any formally-defined membership and have minimal organizational structure.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} Some IMC memberships require its members to sign a mission statement – not every IMC has a formalized policy. Some collectives do ban members for repeated rules violations. Some feel that membership includes only those actively doing organizing or other IMC work, while some feel that it actually extends to every IMC contributor.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} ===Funding=== IMCs tend to be funded solely by donations of money and equipment from individuals. In maintaining its independence and anti-corporate stance, Indymedia has had struggles with funding issues. For example, in September 2002, the [[Ford Foundation]] proposed funding for an Indymedia regional meeting{{Fact|date=August 2007}}. This was ultimately refused because many volunteers, especially some from IMC Argentina, were uncomfortable with accepting money from the Foundation, which some believe to be linked to the [[CIA]].{{Fact|date=August 2007}} ==Reputation== [[Image:Indymedia Lecture.jpg|thumb|Notts Indymedia [[volunteer]] in media bias debate at the [[University of Nottingham]], March 2006]] Indymedia has a variable reputation, both amongst its users and outside critics. While some{{Who|date=June 2007}} criticize Indymedia for adopting a position hostile to the interests of capital, others believe that this is the purpose of the media. Still others{{Who|date=August 2007}} believe that its editorial policy on feature selection and hiding or deletion of articles is overly biased in certain topic areas, such as the [[Israeli-Palestinian conflict]]. Some critics argue that since anyone can publish with little to no editorial process, unsubstantiated allegations and [[conspiracy theories]] are often published as fact, along with inaccurate articles and content that can offend.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} In its favor, others{{Who|date=June 2007}} argue Indymedia is a viable or preferable alternative to [[corporate media]]. Its operations are conducted by [[activists]] around the world, who, though they may be lacking in journalistic training and corporate funding, tend to make up for this with enthusiasm for reporting issues of social justice and unique related events, which in their view, the [[corporate media]] under-reports or [[Project Censored|censors]]. For example, the [[Bolivian Gas War]] in 2003 was virtually unheard of in the US media, while it received extensive worldwide and multilingual reporting through Indymedia. Another example is the [[February 15, 2003 anti-war protest]] in many US and European cities, which received detailed coverage written by its participants. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} While Indymedia has global aspirations, the vast majority of IMCs are in North America, Latin America and Europe. Although the Middle East is an area of considerable interest to Indymedia, there are only three IMCs in the region, located in [[Beirut, Lebanon]], [[Cyprus]] and [[Israel]], although there was a [[Palestine]] IMC in [[Jerusalem]] between 2001 and 2003. The Lebanon center is one of three IMCs in Muslim nations; the other two are in [[Jakarta, Indonesia]] and [[Istanbul, Turkey]]. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} ===Temporary removal from Google News searches=== In early May [[2003]], after receiving numerous complaints about newswire stories that referred to the [[Israel]]i military ([[Israel Defence Forces|IDF]]) as "Zionazi forces" (<ref>[http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/11403/index.php example of Newswire posting using the term "Zionazi forces"]</ref>) or to Israelis as "[[Zionazis]]" <ref>[http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/02/52318.html example of Newsire posting using the term "Zionazi"]</ref>, Google temporarily stopped including some IMCs in [[Google News]] searches (many non-English IMCs remained in the search){{Fact|date=August 2007}}. [[Google News]] described the term "Zionazi" as a "degrading, hateful slur" and refused to index the [[San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center|Bay Area IMC]] because it had appeared there; SF Bay Area Indymedia agreed that it "could be considered [[hate speech]]"<ref>[http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2003/09/03/16398621.php Google News Bans SF Bay Area Indymedia Over Israel/Palestine Controversy]</ref>. This spawned a petition which sought to promise that content the Indymedia community finds offensive will be moderated from the front page as a matter of editorial policy{{Fact|date=August 2007}}. IMCs were still included in normal Google web searches. As of [[October 2004]], IMC articles were restored to Google News searches.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} ==Controversy and criticism== ===Hate speech=== Open publishing has left some IMCs in Europe vulnerable to legal action or threats of [[Lawsuit|legal action]] related to questions of [[Defamation|libel]] or [[hate speech]].{{Fact|date=February 2007}} In some such cases, local IMC collectives took autonomous decisions to temporarily suspend the site while the different activist groups reorganized to find a consensual, constructive method of dealing with these problems and to increase openness and non-authoritarian organizing methods. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} ===Informal hierarchy=== The structure of IMCs is formally non-[[hierarchy|hierarchical]] in terms of authority within the projects; however, there do exist ''de facto'' hierarchies, due either to control over physical resources (e.g. servers); access to funds; accuracy determination; the fact that certain global functions are needed; or simply because it makes sense to coordinate within geographically close regions, without any formal link to geographical borders.{{Or|date=December 2007}} Some operational decisions are made by a small core of individuals holding administrator passwords, but Indymedia strives to make decisions in an open, community level. Some decision-making, collaboration and mutual aid is required at the network, or global level, such as maintenance of the technical resources. Another aspect of informal hierarchy is the perceived emergence of "Indymedia specialists". Rather than participants in protests writing the report themselves, some people go to a protest to "do Indymedia", as if they were professional journalists, thus reproducing the separation (''mediation'') between reporter and participant that Indymedia is supposed to break down.{{Or|date=December 2007}} In addition to email and [[mailing lists]], meetings and real-time communication are done via the Indymedia [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]] network: [http://chat.indymedia.org chat.indymedia.org]. Various technical and other organizing documentation is available at the Indymedia documentation [[wiki]]: [http://docs.indymedia.org docs.indymedia.org]. ===FBI investigation=== In [[March 2006]], the [[Los Angeles Times]] alleged that Indymedia had appeared with [[Food Not Bombs]] and the [[Communist Party of Texas]] on an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] terrorist watchlist, revealed at a presentation at the [[University of Texas|University of Texas School of Law]].<ref>[http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=2006fnb_fbii_spying Food Not Bombs, Indymedia investigated by FBI] [http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2006/03/66278.html Austin FBI Officer Says Indymedia, FNB, CP of Texas on Terrorist Watch List]</ref> A reference to the 2005 [[IndyConference]] was made at the same presentation. ===Editorial policy=== Although attempts have been made to formalize global editorial standards, the autonomous and independent nature of Indymedia has meant that many IMCs prefer their own local policies. As a result, many deal with similar issues and complaints, particularly around matters of distinguishing between criticism and hateful comments ("hate speech"); and the criteria for selecting issues and authors for the websites' "featured articles". While [[Freedom of Speech|freedom of speech]] is valued highly by Indymedia collectives, it is rarely the overriding principle guiding editorial policy. <ref>[http://process.indymedia.org/on_censorship_a]</ref> Many IMCs now routinely remove from the front page "newswire" articles copied from corporate-run or state-run press sources. This policy (where implemented) is intended by those IMCs to keep Indymedia as an independent news source, rather than a [[blog]] of articles from existing news sources. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} There is generally an editorial [[electronic mailing list]], to which questions and complaints may be directed. <ref>[http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-manila-editorial]</ref> ==Indymedia servers seizures== Indymedia has had interactions with authorities in more than one country. ===Alleged seizure of servers by the FBI=== On [[October 7]], [[2004]], the [[FBI]] allegedly seized the [[Server (computing)|server]]s used by a number of IMCs and hosted by US-based [[Rackspace]] Managed Hosting. The servers in question were located in the [[United Kingdom]] and managed by the British arm of Rackspace, but some 20 mainly European IMC websites were affected, and several unrelated websites were affected (including the website of a [[Linux]] distribution).<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/08/1097089554894.html?oneclick=true FBI seizes Indymedia servers], ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]], [[2004-10-08]]</ref> No reasons were given at first by the FBI and Rackspace for the seizure, in particular IMC was not informed. Rackspace claimed that it was banned from giving further information about the incident<ref>[http://www.indymedia.org/en/2004/10/111999.shtml Indymedia report]</ref> Some (but not all) of the legal documents relating to the confiscation of the servers were unsealed by a Texas district court in August 2005, following legal action by the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]].<ref>[http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2005_08.php#003862 EFF Statement]</ref> <ref>John Lettice, [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/03/indymedia_texas_docs_unsealed/ ''US court files reveal Italian link to Indymedia server grab''], The Register, 3rd August 2005, accessed 25th August 2005</ref> The documents revealed that the government never officially demanded the computer servers -- the subpoena to Rackspace only requested server log files. This contradicted previous statements by the web host that it took the servers offline because the government had demanded the hardware. Thus, it is unclear whether it is correct to say the servers were seized by the FBI. The documents also contradicted Rackspace's claim that it had been ordered by the court not to discuss publicly the government's demand. The seized servers were returned on [[October 13]], [[2004]]. A statement by Rackspace <ref>Quoted in [http://www.indymedia.org/en/2004/10/111999.shtml ''FBI Seizes IMC Servers in the UK''], accessed 25th August 2007</ref> stated that the company had been forced to comply with a court order under the procedures laid out by the [[Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty]], which governs international police co-operation on "international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering". The investigation that led to the court order was said to have arisen outside of the U.S. Rackspace stated that they were prohibited on giving further detail. [[Agence France-Presse]] reported FBI spokesman Joe Parris<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmafp/is_200410/ai_n6865024 News website Indymedia says FBI seized server]</ref>, who said the incident was not an FBI operation, but that the subpoena had been issued at the request of the [[Italy|Italian]] and the Swiss governments. Again, no further details on specific allegations were given. UK involvement was denied in an answer given to a parliamentary question posed by Richard Allan, Liberal Democrat MP.<ref>[http://www.richardallan.org.uk/index.php?m=200410 MP Richard Allan's website]</ref> Indymedia pointed out that they were not contacted by the FBI and that no specific information was released on the reasons of seizing the servers. Indymedia also sees the incident in the context of "numerous attacks on independent media by the US Federal Government", including a subpoena to obtain IP logs from Indymedia at the occasion of the Republican National Conference <ref>[http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/11476prs20040830.html American Civil Liberties Union : Statement of Brian Szymanski Regarding Secret Service Investigation of Indymedia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, the shut-down of several community radio stations in the US by the [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]], and a request by the FBI to remove a post on Nantes IMC containing a photograph of alleged undercover Swiss police. <ref>[http://indymedia.org/en/static/fbi Indymedia's page on the FBI seizure]</ref> The move was condemned by the [[International Federation of Journalists]], who stated that "The way this has been done smacks more of intimidation of legitimate journalistic inquiry than crime-busting" and called for an investigation <ref>[http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=2734&Language=EN ''"More Intimidation Than Crime-Busting" Says IFJ As Police Target Independent Media Network''], IFJ press release, 8th October 2004, accessed 28th August 2007</ref>. Criticism was also voiced by European civil liberties organisation [[Statewatch]] <ref>[http://www.statewatch.org/news/2004/oct/04uk-usa-indymedia.htm ''Was the seizure of Indymedia's servers in London unlawful or did the UK government collude? ''], Statewatch Press release, October 2004, accessed 25th August 2007</ref> and the [[World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters]] (AMARC)<ref> [http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/61789/?PHPSESSID=03df420baf331a8e660097d631a96796, ''FBI seizes Indymedia servers in the United Kingdom''], bulletin, 8th October 2004, accessed 28th August 2007</ref>. In Italy, the federal prosecutor of Bologna Marina Plazzi confirmed that an investigation against Indymedia had been opened because of suspected "support of terrorism", in the context of Italian troops in the Iraqi city of [[Nasiriyah]]. The Italian minister of justice, Roberto Castelli, has refused further details. In November 2003, 17 members of parliament belonging to the right-wing [[Alleanza Nazionale]], including [[Alessandra Mussolini]] demanded that Indymedia be shut down. A senior AN member and government official had announced the co-operation with US authorities (AN was a member of the Italian coalition government), and AN spokesman Mario Landolfi welcomed the FBI's seizure of the Indymedia servers. Left-wing Italian politicians denounced the move and called for an investigation. <ref>Damiano Valgolio, ''The Censorers Trace leads to Rome and Zurich'', Junge Welt, 11th October 2004, cited at [http://www.indymedia.org/en/2004/10/112083.shtml ''Indymedia to U.S., U.K., Swiss and Italian Authorities: "Hands Off Our Websites"''], accessed 25th August 2007</ref> ===Bristol server seizure=== [[Image:Bristol indymedia.jpg|thumb|[[Graffito]] in [[Bristol]], [[United Kingdom]] advertising the local chapter of Indymedia with the slogan "read it write it your site your news".]] Not long after the Rackspace affair another server in the UK was seized by police in June 2005. An anonymous post on the [[Bristol Indymedia]] server, came to police attention for suggesting an "action" against a freight train carrying new cars as part of a protest against cars and climate change in the run up to that year's Gleneagles G8 summit. <ref>John Leyden, ''[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/28/indymedia_server_seizure_bristol/ Legal row after police seize Bristol Indymedia server]'', The Register, 28th June 2005</ref> The police claimed that the poster broke the law by "incitement to criminal damage", and sought access logs from the server operators. Despite being warned by lawyers that the servers were "journalistic equipment" and subject to special laws, <ref>[http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/06/314798.html ''PRESS RELEASE : Bristol Indymedia Server Threatened''], Bristol IMC press release, 24th June 2005, accessed 25th August 2007</ref> the police proceeded with the seizure and a member of the Bristol Indymedia group was arrested <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4629399.stm ''Indymedia server seized in raid''], BBC News, 28 June 2005, accessed 25th August 2007</ref>. Indymedia was supported in this matter by the [[National Union of Journalists]], [[Liberty (pressure group)|Liberty]] and [[Privacy International]], along with others. This incident ended several months later with no charges being brought by the police and the equipment returned.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} ===Other legal actions - IMC UK=== {{see also|EDO Corporation}} In 2005, Indymedia UK was threatened with a libel action by the US arms company [[EDO Corporation]], for publishing articles accusing their UK branch [[EDO (UK)]] of [[EDO MBM Technology Ltd]] (who supply the US, UK, and Israel armed forces) of being 'warmongers'. Their lawyers ultimately withdrew the writ. [[EDO Corporation|EDO MBM]] then launched a further High Court lawsuit against the protest group Smash EDO in April 2005, under anti-stalker laws, presenting as evidence articles that had been posted anonymously on Indymedia UK. Although a controversial interim injunction was imposed on this evidence, the suit collapsed without reaching a trial in early 2006. ==Assaults on Indymedia journalists== On August 15, 2000, The [[Los Angeles Police Department]] temporarily shut down <ref>[http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/imc-nyc/2000-August/000130.html</ref> the satellite uplink and production studio of the Los Angeles Independent Media Center on its first night of [[Democratic National Convention]] coverage, claiming explosives were in a van in the adjacent parking lot. Explosives were never found, and LAPD's actions may well represent the first time in U.S. history a media outlet was shut down by the state for political reasons. [[Image:Greek riot police reverse baton 12-3-07.jpg|thumb|right|A Greek [[riot police]]man wielding a baton in the direction of a photographer during a protest at the [[Athens]] courts, as published by the Athens Indymedia.<ref>[http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=671996#672001 Athens Indymedia]</ref>]] In July, [[2001]] at the [[27th G8 summit]] in [[Genoa]], Indymedia journalists claim to have been seriously assaulted at the Diaz school where Indymedia had set up a temporary journalism center and radio station. In an ongoing trial, twenty-nine Italian police officers were indicted for grievous bodily harm, planting evidence and wrongful arrest during a night-time raid on the Diaz School,{{Fact|date=December 2007}} A further 45 state officials, including police officers, prison guards and doctors, were charged with physically and mentally abusing demonstrators and journalists held in a detention centre in the nearby town of [[Bolzaneto]].{{Fact|date=December 2007}} Video evidence from Indymedia and from the video activist group [[Undercurrents (news)|Undercurrents]], is being used as key evidence for the prosecution.<ref name="Channel4">[http://www.channel4.com/more4/news/news-opinion-feature.jsp?id=105 Law and disorder], [[Channel 4]], [12 January 2006]</ref> On [[June 1, 2003]], Indymedia journalist Guy Smallman was seriously injured by a police grenade <ref>[http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=552 ''Photographer injured by riot police in Geneva''], NUJ report, June 2 2003, accessed 25th August 2007</ref> <ref>[http://www.indymedia.ch/it/2003/06/11259.shtml ''New Pics: G8-"Rabbit Hunt" on Guy Smallman''], Switzerland IMC, 10th June 2006, accessed 25th August 2007</ref> in [[Geneva]]. He was covering protests against the [[29th G8 summit|G8 summit]] in nearby [[Evian]] for Indymedia and [[Image Sans Frontière]]. On [[June 9, 2003]], Alejandro Goldín, a photographer for Indymedia Argentina claims to have been assaulted by Federal Police officers while covering an incident between police and factory workers at the [[Brukman factory|Brukman textile factory]] in Buenos Aires. <ref>[http://www.cjfe.org/protestlets/2003/argent-jun13.html ''CJFE demands invstigation into attacks on Argentinean journalists''], open letter to Argentina's amabassador in Canada, June 13th 2003, accessed 25th August 2007</ref>{{Fact|date=December 2007}}Goldín claims that although he identified himself as press and showed his credentials, police tried to smash his equipment. Goldín claims that he was beaten on the head with a shotgun, shoved to the ground and kicked repeatedly by officers. On May 19, 2005, two videographers were roughed up by the [[Houston Police Department]]'s Mounted Patrol during the Halliburton Shareholders Meeting - both videographers were contributors to Houston Indymedia. Both videographers were charged with assault on a police officer, but the charges were dropped after mainstream media from [[KTRK]]-TV (ABC13), [[KPRC]]-TV (Local 2 Houston), and [[KHOU]]-TV (Channel 11 Houston) provided the Harris County District Attorney's office with video footage that exonerated the journalists. ===Brad Will shooting=== [[Image:Mexico moord Oaxaca is overal.jpg|thumb|Indymedia banner in the [[Netherlands]] protesting the [[Oaxaca]] murder.]] {{main|Brad Will}} On [[October 27]], 2006, New York-based journalist [[Bradley Roland Will]] was killed along with two Mexican protesters in the city of [[Oaxaca, Oaxaca|Oaxaca]]. People had been demonstrating in the city since May as part of an [[2006 Oaxaca protests|uprising]] prompted by a teachers strike. Lizbeth Cana, attorney general of Oaxaca, claimed the conflict was caused by the protesters and that the gunmen who engaged them were upset residents from the area{{Fact|date=August 2007}}. The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, [[Tony Garza]], however, claimed the men may have been local police{{Fact|date=August 2007}}. Reporters Without Borders condemened the actions of the Mexican government in allowing the accused to go free.<ref>[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19564 ''Two suspects in cameraman Brad Will’s murder freed for lack of evidence''], RSF press release, 5th December 2006, accessed 25th August 2007</ref> Protesters also allege that the men were police and not local residents. Associated Press falsely reported that the protesters also had guns, describing the conflict as a "shootout".<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061028/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/mexico_oaxaca_unrest Yahoo! news report on Oaxaca uprising]</ref> ==Prizes and Honors== *In [[2006]] [[december 6th]], IMC received from [[Club de Periodistas de México A.C.]] - a Mexican group of [[journalists]] - a prize for ''[[Journalism]] at [[Internet]]'' and Brad Will's memory was honored <ref>[http://www.vocesdelperiodista.com.mx/152/13.htm 13<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. *In [[2008]] [[april 1st]], in [[Brazil]], IMC and Brad Will received the [[Medalha Chico Mendes de Resistência]] (''[[Chico Mendes Resistence Medal]]'' in [[portuguese language|portuguese]]) from the Brazilian [[humanitarian]] [[group]] [[Tortura Nunca Mais]] (''No more torture'' in portuguese) for their contribuition for [[Human Rights]] and a more fair [[society]] <ref>[http://www.midiaindependente.org/pt/blue/2008/04/416728.shtml CMI Brasil - CMI é homenageado pelo Grupo Tortura Nunca Mais com a medalha Chico Mendes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.midiaindependente.org/pt/blue/2008/04/416039.shtml CMI Brasil - [Rio de Janeiro&#93; Grupo Tortura Nunca Mais homenagea o CMI com a medalha Chico Mendes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. ==See also== *[[Free content]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://www.indymedia.org/ Global homepage] *[http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/MembershipCriteria IMC Membership Criteria] *[http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/MissionStatement Mission Statement] *[http://independentmedia.ca MANA - the Media Alliance for New Activism] *[http://www.cat.org.au/maffew/cat/openpub.html On open publishing] *[http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/FrequentlyAskedQuestionEn Indymedia Frequently Asked Questions] *[http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/NewImcHowTo How to start an Indymedia site] *[http://docs.indymedia.org/ Indymedia Documentation Project] ([[wiki]]) *[http://chat.indymedia.org/ Indymedia IRC] (chat, help, online meetings) *[http://lists.indymedia.org/ Indymedia listservs] ([[mailing lists]]) *[http://www.obin.org/en/workshop Independent media workshop] in Poland *[http://brasil.indymedia.org/media/2008/04//416621.mov Video of the 2008 ''Chico Mendes Resistence Medal'' cerimony] (in portuguese) [[Category:Activism]] [[Category:Anarchist organizations]] [[Category:Anti-globalization organizations]] [[Category:Citizen journalism]] [[Category:Creative Commons-licensed works]] [[Category:Criticism of journalism]] [[Category:Independent Media Center| ]] [[Category:Journalism organizations]] [[Category:Organizations established in 1999]] [[Category:News agencies]] [[Category:News websites]] [[Category:DIY culture]] [[bg:Индимедия]] [[da:Indymedia]] [[de:Indymedia]] [[es:Indymedia]] [[eo:Indymedia]] [[fr:Indymédia]] [[id:Indymedia]] [[it:Independent Media Center]] [[he:אינדימדיה]] [[nl:Indymedia]] [[pl:Indymedia]] [[pt:Centro de Mídia Independente]] [[ru:Indymedia]] [[sr:Indimedija]] [[sv:Indymedia]]