12/22/17 12/22/17 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from pacifica, this is democracy now! our embassyill put in jerusalem. that is what the american people want us to do. and it is the right thing to do. no vote in the united nations will make any difference on that. but this vote will make a difference on how americans look at the u.n. and how we look at countries who disrespect us in the u.n. and this vote will be remembered. amy: defying threats from president trump to cut off financial aid, countries at the 128 u.n. general assembly vote in favor of a resolution condemning the u.s. decision to

recognize jerusalem as israel's capital. we'll get response from rashid khalidi, author of "brokers of deceit: how the u.s. has undermined peace in the middle east." then, not guilty. that was the verdict for all six defendants in the first j20 journalistcluding alexei wood, who live streamed street detentions, including his own arrest. >> i am clearly being arrested. i am currently being arrested. order follow any lawful you give me. amy: and a broadcast exclusive, we will speak with alexei wood, the end of an a photojournalist, and look at how 188 people still face trials over the next year. then catalonia votes for independence. i want to bradley the people

of catalonia because they have sent news to the world. ladies and settlement, the catalan republic has defeated the monarchy of article 155. amy: all that and more, coming up. welcome to democracy now, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. at the united nations, over 120 countries defied president trump thursday by voting in favor of a resolution calling for the united states to drop its recent recognition of jerusalem as israel's capital. the final vote, 128 to nine bank. 35 nations abstained and 21 countries did not cast a vote. the eight countries voting with the united states were israel, guatemala, honduras, the marshall islands, micronesia, nauru, palau and togo. trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor. on thursday, nikki haley, the united states ambassador to the

united nations, reiterated trump's threat after the vote. >> america will put our embassy in jerusalem. that is what the american people want us to do. and it is the right thing to do. no vote in the united nations will make any difference on that. but this vote will make a difference on how americans look at the u.n. and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the u.n. and this vote will be remembered. amy: in response to the u.n. vote, palestinian legislator hanan ashrawi praised the international community for standing up to the united states. extremely encouraged the vast majority of the states, of the members of the united nations general assembly, did not succumb to american blackmail and did not accept the israeli insults being hurled at them. and they stood up for justice and for the rule of law and for what is right. amy: former cia director john

brennan responded to the vote posting a message on his new twitter account saying -- "trump admin threat to retaliate against nations that exercise sovereign right in u.n. to oppose u.s. position on jerusalem is beyond outrageous. shows @realdonaldtrump expects blind loyalty and subservience from everyone -- qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats." we'll have more on the u.n. vote after headlines when we speak with columbia professor rashid khalidi. in a major setback for spain, catalan separatist parties have won a slim majority in the catalan parliament. voters went to the polls thursday in a snap election called for by spanish prime minister mariano rajoy who had sacked the previous separatist government. the deposed catalan president carles puigdemont spoke on thursday from belgium where he has been living in exile. >> the spanish state has been

defeated. rajoy in his people have received a slap in the face. catalonia is not helped them to make it possible. rajoy has something catalonia. a legitimate government must palace,ight away to the which is our home, where our citizens want us to be. amy: we will have more on the catalan vote later in the program. in news from the middle east, the international committee of the red cross is reporting the number of suspected cholera cases in yemen has reached one million, making it the worst cholera epidemic on record. at least 2200 people have already died from the outbreak which began in april amid the u.s.-backed saudi bombing which began just over 1000 days ago. according to the red cross, more than 80% of yemenis now lack food, fuel, water, and access to healthcare. a new investigation by the associated press has found as many as 11,000 civilians were

killed in the u.s.-backed battle to recapture the iraqi city of mosul from the self-proclaimed islamic state. the figure is far higher than official estimates. the u.s.-led coalition has claimed it is responsible for just 326 deaths, but the coalition never sent anyone to investigate civilian casualties. chris woods of the monitoring group airwars described the attack on mosul as "the biggest assault on a city in a couple of generations." meanwhile, vice president mike pence made an unannounced trip to afghanistan where the united states is fighting its longest war in history. he vowed the 16-year-old war would continue. vice pres. pence: we bow to win this war on our terms, on this soil. and together with our allies, we came here to afghanistan to liberate its people and prevent the terrorist from ever running our homeland -- from ever threatening our homeland again

and we are staying in that fight and we will see it through to the end. amy: a jury in washington, d.c., has acquitted the first six people to stand trial after being arrested while protesting during president trump's inauguration. the defendants had faced up to 50 years in prison if they had been convicted. more than others are still 180 awaiting to go on trial. we will have more later in the broadcast. a federal judge has thrown out an ethics lawsuit against president trump. the suit had alleged trump had violated the emoluments clause of the u.s. constitution in part by accepting foreign government money via the new trump international hotel on pennsylvania avenue, just blocks from the white house. the group that filed the lawsuit -- crew, the citizens for responsibility and ethics in washington -- has vowed to appeal the ruling. in news from capitol hill, the senate has approved a short-term spending measure to avert a government shutdown. the bill included an extension

of the children's health insurance program, but it did not include the dream act, which would grant legal status to recipients of the deferred action for childhood arrivals program, or daca. on thursday, eight daca recipients and five allies were arrested inside the u.s. capitol as they urged democratic lawmakers to take action. in other news from capitol hill, minnesota democratic senator al franken gave his final speech from the senate floor on thursday. he announced earlier this month he would resign after at least seven women said he groped them or forcibly tried to kiss them without their consent. franken accused president trump and republican lawmakers of misleading the american public on a host of issues from tax reform to election integrity to climate change. >> before i came to the senate, i was known as something as an obsessive on the subject of honesty and public discourse. as i leave the senate, i feel --

i have to admit it feels like we're losing the war for truth. maybe it is already lost. if that is the case, if that is what happens, then we have lost the ability to have the kinds of argument that help build consensus. amy: for the first time in over a half a century, life expectancy in the united states has dropped for the second year in a row as the nation's opioid crisis intensifies. according to the national center for health statistics, over 63,000 died from drug overdoses in 2016. drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for americans under the age of 55. in october, president trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, but he did not request any money to address the crisis. more than three months after hurricane maria battered puerto rico, about one third of the island remains without power in what is by far the longest blackout in modern u.s. history.

officials say power won't be fully restored until the end of may. many puerto ricans are now preparing to celebrate christmas in the dark. >> we still don't have power, even three months after the hurricane. we are living without light. we are living off of a generator. when we don't have money for gasoline, we're making do with batteries, with battery-powered decorations for the tree. as puerto ricans are very family oriented and we like to celebrate everything. amy: in memphis, tennessee, statues of confederate president jefferson davis and former ku klux klan leader nathan bedford forrest have been removed following a campaign led by a group called take em down 901. on wednesday night the memphis city council voted to sell two city parks where the statues are located to a private nonprofit. soon after, the statues were removed. the sale was done in order to get around a state law barring the removal of memorials from public property. memphis mayor jim strickland said he had wanted the statues

removed before april when the city will mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of martin luther king jr., who was shot dead in the city on april 4, 1968. in media news, new york public radio has fired two of the best known hosts on wnyc -- leonard lopate and jonathan schwartz. both men had initially been suspended two weeks ago following allegations of sexual harassment. meanwhile, don hazen, the head of the popular progressive news website alternet has been placed on indefinite leave after buzzfeed revealed he had a long history of sexually harassing young female journalists who worked at alternet. five former writers and editors spoke on the record describing inappropriate touching them, sending explicit emails, and in one case showing a female staffer a photograph of his erect penis. buzzfeed he denies most of the allegations. one of the woman who spoke out now works as a producer for

democracy now! and in sports news, the pioneering professional baseball player mamie johnson has died at the age of 82. she was the only women known to have pitched in the negro leagues. over three seasons with the indianapolis clowns in the early 1950's, she won 33 games while losing just eight. in 2009, mamie johnson spoke to the visionary project. >> i used to dream about playing professional baseball. and then i used to think, hey, i know i can't do this because they won't even let the white boys play with the black boys coming of? in the black boys are not even playing, so i know i'm not going to make it. so i kept playing and playing. i says, one day i'm going to play baseball. amy: mamie johnson died on tuesday at the age of 82. and those are some of the headlines.

this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. at the united nations, over 120 countries defied president trump thursday by voting in favor of a resolution calling for the united states to drop its recent recognition of jerusalem as israel's capital. the final vote, 128 to nine. 35 nations abstained and 21 countries did not cast a vote. the countries voting with the eight united states were israel, guatemala, honduras, marshall islands, micronesia, nauru, palau and togo. trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor. on thursday, nikki haley, the u.s. ambassador to the united nations, reiterated trump's threat after the vote. >> america will put our embassy in jerusalem. that is what the american people want us to do. and it is the right thing to do. no vote in the united nations will make any difference on that.

but this vote will make a difference on how americans look at the u.n. and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the u.n. and this vote will be remembered. amy: in response to the u.n. vote, palestinian legislator hanan ashrawi praised the international community for standing up to the united states. >> i am extremely encouraged that the vast majority of the states, of the members of the united nations general assembly, did not succumb to american blackmail and did not accept the israeli insults being hurled at them, and they stood up for justice and for the rule of law, and for what is right. and they voted on the basis of an civil. 128 countries told the u.s. and israel that what they're doing is wrong and unacceptable, and they voted for jerusalem. they voted for the u.n. as an institution of integrity.

they voted for the rule of law and for the requirements of a just peace. amy: former cia director john brennan responded to the vote posting a message on his new twitter account, tweeting -- "trump admin threat to retaliate against nations that exercise sovereign right in u.n. to oppose u.s. position on jerusalem is beyond outrageous. shows @realdonaldtrump expects blind loyalty and subservience from everyone -- qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats." control of jerusalem is one of the most contested issues. palestinians see east jerusalem as the capital of their future state. sustained protests continue in the israel-occupied palestinian territories, despite a brutal israeli crackdown. on wednesday, dozens of palestinian protesters were wounded after israeli soldiers opened fire with live ammunition and tear gas against thousands of protesters. this is hamas official ismail radwan.

>> we call on our arab and muslim nations to surround israeli and american embassies in the arab countries and drive the american and israeli ambassadors out of the arab countries. their continuing our way of resistance using all kinds of resistance to break this decision. amy: well, for more, we're joined by rashid khalidi, the edward said professor of arab studies at columbia university. he's the author of several books, his most recent is titled "brokers of deceit: how the u.s. has undermined peace in the middle east." welcome back to democracy now! professor, your response to the u.n. general a simile vote? 128 to nine. >> it is yet another instance of the trump administration shooting themselves in the foot. making a big issue of a question where the entire world, with the exception of nine countries, are in agreement that there is international law in this issue. the security council decision the united states voted for our international law and the united states is violating it.

it should not be surprising there were such a tiny number of states voting with the united states. amy: what about the abstentions? 35?e >> is always the same boat as in 2012 for palestine in state. there is basically no change. trump's blackmail and bluster did not seem to have much effect. amy: and nikki haley and president trump's threat to cut off aid, foreign aid to countries who voted against the u.s. which would mean the majority of the world? >> precisely. i think most people said anyone who looks at this carefully would say, jerusalem the central to palestine. jerusalem is central to the whole issue. and if you prejudge something a favor of one party in violation of international law, you're just taking yourself out of the international consensus. amy: on thursday, the u.s. ambassador to the united nations nikki haley defended president trump's decision to recognize jerusalem as israel's capital. >> decision was in accordance to

u.s. law dating back to 1995. and its position has been repeatedly endorsed by the american people ever since. the decision does not prejudge any final status issues, including jerusalem's boundaries . the decision does not preclude a two state solution if the parties agree to that. the decision does nothing to harm peace efforts. rather, the president's decision reflects the will of the american people. amy: your response to the u.s. ambassador to the u.n.? >> there's not one single thing that she said that is true. 60% of people polled were against us in the u.s., so does not represent the will of the american people. secondly, this tunnel he damages the prospects of peace, this completely eliminates the united states as a potential broker. i wrote a book in which i argued the united states has always been a dishonest broker. to my way of thinking, this is a

silver lining in a cloud. the u.s. should be removed from its role. it should sit on the israeli side of the table if it insists on being there, but it has no place setting the ground rules for a negotiation. everything a sticky haley said is untrue. by accepting jerusalem as israel's capital, implicitly, the trump administration is accepting the definition of jerusalem that runs all the way on was of the jordan river. they are about to annex -- in israel now controls the swath or will control or will have the next swath running all across the central palestine, cutting the northern part of the west bank off from the southern part. that is the kind of thing that makes a palestinian state impossible. every thing she said is false. amy: talk about the protest on the ground. israeli forces increasingly repressive and the occupied territories, human rights groups deeply concerned about the number of arrests, the detaining of children, sometimes holding

them without trial is the protest continued to rage over president trump's decision to recognize jerusalem as israel's capital. on tuesday, israeli soldiers and border police raided the home of prominent 16-year-old palestinian activist ahed tamimi a day after video showing her confronting israeli soldiers went viral. after ahed tamimi's arrest, the girl's mother, nariman tamimi, was detained at an israeli police station as she inquired about the status of her daughter. and then you have this other case, witnesses say 17-year-old abdul khalik burnat was arrested earlier this week when he went out for pizza with friends. burnat's father is iyad burnat, a leader of a non-violent palestinian resistance group whose work was highlighted in the oscar-nominated documentary "five broken cameras." what about all of these situations? >> in the last case, the israelis have in persecuting

that family for very long time because they're leading the nonviolent movement, which is what the israelis do not want to appear. they do not want to be relies there holding entire people down by force. up, eventhey rise nonviolently, israel cannot tolerate that. the sad thing is, there's nothing exceptional about these shootings or detentions. this is the only way an occupying force can hold many of the people down against their will for 50 years. the response to the jerusalem decision is a normal response. people are outraged and the israelis respond by esting children, holding them without a lawyer, without parents, and in many cases, putting them in detention. this is the way of military occupation has occupy -- operate. tamimmi?ahed >> she is a very courageous girl. she did what she did, as you saw on that piece of video. typically, she and her parents

are probably going to suffer for her action. there is no recourse. the israeli military courts are kangaroo courts. 99% point something are convicted. there is no justice in the holy land with the palestinians are concerned. amy: the united nations top human rights official recently condemned the killing of 29-year-old palestinian ibrahim abu thuraya, who was shot in the head by an israeli sniper last friday during a protest in the gaza strip. abu thuraya was a double-amputee who lost both legs and a kidney in 2008 during an israeli airstrike, and used a wheelchair. this is rupert colville, spokesperson for the u.n.'s office of the high commissioner for human rights. >> as far as we can see, there's nothing whatsoever to suggest he was posing an imminent threat of death or series injury when he was killed. the highrds of commissioner, given his severe disability, which must have been

clearly visible to those who shot him, his killing is incomprehensible and is truly shocking and walking -- wanton act. amy: your response? >> these are generally snipers using scopes. this man was murdered by an israeli soldier who saw him crawling without legs toward the border fence post at the obviously could not have posed the slightest threat to the security of the state of israel or to anybody, except himself because he defied the occupation. amy: so what is going to happen right now in the occupied territories? what does this mean for the palestinian leadership? >> i think it was the palestinian leadership in many arab governments in a difficult position, which is a good thing. i think they should be forced at this stage by public opinion, as the vote shows many arab governments were. to do the right thing. the writing would be to say, we refuse the united states as a and we insist on

a new framework for negotiations. on cherry picked information that the u.s. decides. this is an opportunity, if it will only be taken, by government that unfortunately are two great really willing to listen to what the united states tells them in a bullying, threatening tone. amy: how different is what trump did, from what president obama did? i did not say "said." different.c is it even when he made this announcement, and then with a flourish, show this document he was signing to the cameras in front of him at the white house. people did not realize at the time he was signing the very waiver that trump -- that obama and clinton had signed before, a waiver that said they would not build the embassy in jerusalem for at least another six months. >> you are right.

the difference is the action. the difference -- the embassy is not going to move for a while, but declaring the u.s. supports the israeli position on jerusalem is an enormous material importance. it means the u.s. has taken a stand on the most important issue. jerusalem relates to sovereignty and settlements and to the holy places will still jerusalem relates to borders. even if you say this does not prejudge borders, the israelis have a definition of jerusalem. you just recognize jerusalem as the capital. the israelis will run with it. it is of enormous importance. other presidents have said, going back to clinton, president of said we want to move the embassy or will move it, but they have not done it were accepted the israeli position as president trump has just done. amy: and no country has the embassies in jerusalem? >> even those who said, we accept west jerusalem as israel's capital, but we won't move until a negotiation resolves this issue.

amy: what about saudi arabia? saudi arabia was critical, but trump track -- attacked was seems to be one of his closest allies, saudi arabia, for saying this. behind the scenes, what is saudi arabia saying, do you believe? >> what we hear come i mean i was recently in the region twice, and what i gather is jared kushner and the crown prince are cooking up a plan for what they call a palestinian state, which would not include jerusalem, would not be sovereign, would not be contiguous, and which uld have to negotiate for its borders. in other words, he declare the state and go into another interim period. we have been in an interim period from his 25 years. actually, 25 years next year. this is what the administration, apparently, the saudis are cooking up. it is a travesty. it would be an insult to apartheid south africa.

amy: apparently, president trump in speaking to the british prime minister theresa may, singled salman aroundin the saudi were in yemen, the u.s.-backed saudi war. he seems to be ruffled by what saudi arabia said about israel. but as you pointed out, jared kushner is extremely close to slaman at -- salman. truck made his first trip there. >> he apparently has made several unannounced trips, kushner has come at a saudi arabia. i think this is new, but united states took a position on the yemeni war -- i'm sorry come on the saudi work on human a while before this jerusalem decision. i find that a little bit strange, frankly. this is a war that could only be prosecuted with american support host of per two years has had american support. amy: and trump announced he was giving more weapons to them for

that war. >> precisely. criticizing it. it can be partly because of jerusalem. i think it goes before that. they may be embarrassed by the fact that created the largest humanitarian -- i doubt they are capable of same, but perhaps they are slightly embarrassed by this. amy: talk about what you see as a solution. for palestine. >> it has to be based on complete equality of rights. in other words, if the israeli get rights, the palestinians have to have the same rights. it has to be based on the principle of justice, not a charity etc. resolutions that give israel pretty much everything it once or a framework for negotiation were in israel'ss tipped favor. that means you have to have a framework and an outside mediator completely different from everything we have dealt with since camp david back in the 1970's up through oslo in the 1990's. amy: who do you think that could be? >> anybody but the united states.

except the eight small tiny countries that voted with the united states. take your pick of the other 178, 188, whatever, countries. amy: the piece you wrote and the guard line is -- in the guardian. >> i'm a leader peace in which i said there are several -- silver linings to those clouds. it is a disaster. it is an indication of exactly how divided and weak the arab world is. the united states can take a position in support of the israeli position on the most important question is an issue in the entire conflict since the 1940's. jerusalem was singled out in the 1940 seven partition resolution for special treatment, and has been treated as special. the trump administration aside, care what you think, we're going to do what we think is right. they should and could use this as an opportunity and say, ok, you disqualified yourself as

immediately -- intermediary. very good, we will find another one. china, eu, brazil. it almost doesn't matter -- india, a collection of large countries that could presumably a immune to the browbeating pressure and blackmail the united states customarily exercises, usually behind the scenes. this is unusual in that they have gone out publicly. amy: do you think the two state solution is dead? >> i think israel has systematically murdered it over 50 years. everything that done in terms of occupation, seizure of land pretty much makes a two state solution impossible. tony jet one said, what one politician has done another can undo. our like to see the israeli prime minister and american to --ent, who are going if it could be done, maybe you could have a two state solution. but i don't think it can be done. i think we're stuck with the one

state solution israel has created. what is being apartheid or completely discriminatory one state solution, which we have now come or will it be one in of nationaleoples rights and everyone has equal rights? you don't have special rights because you have this ethnicity or religion. amy: talk about what is going on in gaza. >> what is happening in yemen and in syria dwarfs it in a certain sense. this is a humanitarian crisis. it is been going on for more than a decade. you groundwater polluted with sewage which can't be pumped because there's electricity, isch is where salinity increasing becse seawater seeps in. you have cuts the electricity. people unable to rebuild since 2014, the last israeli assault on gaza. you have people living in the largest open-air prison on earth. it has been going on for the better part of a decade. , yemen certainly, our much more great crises today

in terms of the humanitarian situation. but gaza is a running sore and should be something that is a shame to the international community. it allows israel and egypt and the palestinian authority and hamas to in effect torture the people of gaza in this way. amy: rashid khalidi, thank you for being with us, edward said professor of arab studies at columbia university. he's the author of several books, his most recent is titled "brokers of deceit: how the u.s. has undermined peace in the middle east." this is democracy now! when we come back "not guilty on all counts." that is the verdict the first j20 trial, the trial of the protesters of donald trump's inauguration. stay with us. ♪ [music break]

amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. in a blow to the trump administration's efforts to silence dissent, the first trial

of people arrested at inauguration day "disrupt j20" protests ended thursday when the defendants often not guilty of all charges. six people faced multiple felonies and 50 years in prison for just being in the area where anti-fascist and anti-capitalist protesters were marching. during the protest, police blockaded more than 200 people into a corner in a process known as "kettling," and carried out mass arrests of everyone nearby. those arrested included protesters, medics, legal observers, and some journalists. many were trapped in the kettle for as long as nine hours after police had doused them with pepper spray. they were denied food, water, and access to bathrooms. this first case was closely watched as a bellwether for free speech because one of the six people on trial was alexei wood, an independent photojournalist from san antonio, texas, whose work focuses on resistance movements. he came to document protests

during the inauguration on january 20 and live-streamed the street detentions by police and even his own arrest. prosecutors played his entire 42 minute video stream in court, noting that he could be heard cheering at some points when some of the protesters painted graffiti or broke windows. earlier this month, the judge in the case cited the video when she dismissed the "inciting a riot" felony charge, saying cheering is not enough evidence to prove incitement. judge lynn leibovitz of the d.c. superior court said -- "personal enthusiasm for the destruction is qualitatively different from urging others to destroy." after the not-guilty on all counts verdict came down on thursday, supporters gathered outside the courthouse to meet the defendants and held a banner that read, "love for all who resist." this is alexei wood's attorney brett cohen speaking after the verdict. is greatersm issue

for mr. woods. freedom of speech was there as well because, i spoke about it a little in closing the accusers turned off the volume, you don't -- you would not think mr. wood was doing anything wrong. a lot of it was about what he was saying. he did not come with the intent to be with the protesters were protesting. he was there to cover whatever he thought would be a juicy story that he could show to others. amy: all this comes as 188 people still face trials over the next year after being arrested during the inauguration-day protests against trump, including another texas native, journalist aaron cantu. well, for more, we are joined in washington by alexei wood, the independent photojournalist who was just found not guilty along with his five codefendants in the j20 case. and in houston, we're joined by jude ortiz, a member of the organizing crew of defend j20 and the mass defense committee chair for the national lawyers guild. he's been in court throughout

this first j20 trial. we welcome you both to democracy now! , this is the first time you are speaking out during this trial that just ended. what is your response? what was it like to hear the 42 not guiltys yesterday? >> i was in utter tears. i just could not handle myself emotionally. i was so happy for everybody that everybody got full acquittals on every single one of these ridiculous charges. amy: and how do you feel, your own vindication? now,mean, i could woohoo but it would be a schtick at this point. i feel stoked. i feel just as innocent now as i did when they were arresting me. there is 188 more defendants to go, so g,et 'em.

amy: this is a clip of you, alexei wood, during your live stream coverage during trump's inauguration. cook's howdy, folks. -- e is lots of amy: and this is a video of our guest alexei wood filming his own arrest during his livestream coverage of the protest against trump's inauguration. >> yes, sir. i'm currently being arrested. yes, sir. let me do it so it is facing me. i am currently being arrested. i will follow any lawful order you give me. , they playedood the entire video of your live stream in the trial. talk about that day you were

arrested and what it felt like to live stream your own arrest and what was happening there. sure. on january 20, there was a massive show of resistance to the inauguration of trump. it was everywhere. the city was alive, buzzing. i found the anticapitalists, anti-fascists march and protest. i was like, i'm going to check that out. i started live streaming and i just spoke freely. i was stoked. under the prosecution once they do feel horrific about broken windows or whatever, but it was like, it was,ow, resistance with teeth.

i think this country could really use that. amy: what do you feel when the judge said that your own personal cheering captured on the livestream was not an incitement to riot, you are just expressing your own feelings? sure!o! yeah! for this is negative warfare. the government prosecution has their narrative. has their movement narrative. there's a lot of things going on here. so do have something so genuine that i just -- i just put myself out there. i did not know it was going to be a big, huge deal. and for somebody, i.e. the government, to be like, you are like --criminal person, it was b.s. i don't know, things get projected on you and you just have to know your boundaries.

amy: alexei, if you could talk about how you felt your video was used. >> thank you. people can watch it from beginning to end. it became this big old first amended issue, press freedom issue. every single thing i did or didn't say is there. that part i love. the fact is is this being used against other codefendants, i hate that. i hate that so much. it is a livestream. it is out there. but this was a targeted mass arrest dragnet were journalist -- i mean, everybody, and they are just trying to pin this on somebody. that is not ok. it is absolutely not ok. and you did they get your video? >> well, i put it out there. the original times and --

timestamp is online. i wanted people to know about that day, that what was happening. amy: at the time, you were even say things like "oh, well, i only have two viewers." >> exactly. i don't care who my audience is, i'm just doing my thing. it can be 1000, gibby two. i knew it was the store goal moment. specifically, the anticapitalist, anti-fascist march and demonstration. it was just like, i mean, people are pissed off. amy: i want to ask you about the prosecutor price fifth comments -- prosecutors comments when he said a street medic was guilty by being present and asked, what do you need a medic with gauze

for? she was aiding and abetting the riot. that was her role. and yet your video that they wanted to use against you and others, showed police attacking protesters. which showed the need for medics. mean, the whole thing was ridiculous. doubt was --le don't put too much weight on it according to the prosecution. it was like, what? a medic with gauze. just grasping at their narrative of the criminal. this was about protest. this was about free speech. this is freedom of the press. i don't care if i cuss. i'm try not to do it here. that day was so wicked awesome. amy: and the opening statement in this first j20 trial

commences to use attorney jennifer kerkhoff told the jury on november 20 -- "we don't believe the evidence is going to show that any of these six individuals personally took that crowbar or that hammer and hit the limo or personally bashed those windows of that starbucks in. you don't personally have to be the one that breaks the window to be guilty of rioting." that was assistant u.s. attorney jennifer kerkhoff. now i want to turn to one of the jurors from this first j20 trial describing their decision making process after they returned acquittals on all charges. the juror identified as steve told the media collective unicorn riot on wednesday -- "it was not a close call. the prosecution admitted the morning of day one that they would present no evidence that any of the defendants committed any acts of violence or any vandalism. from that point, before the defense ever uttered a sound, it was clear to me that ultimately

we would find everyone not guilty. and while there was a great deal of careful discussion among the jurors, it ultimately at no point was -- did it seem even possible that a guilty verdict would come down. this was not close." again, those the words of a person named steve, ager named -- a juror named steve. >> steve! understand, conspiracy, aiding and abetting theory for property destruction? it was just like -- it was five weeks like, legalling, gymnastics. or contortion, even. full of acquittals on all of us. i praise the jury for sitting there for five weeks.

amy: will your video be used in the next trials? there are trials now for the whole year that are coming up. you talk about the video being used against protesters, but in a sense, didn't the video also vindicate people, showing the police beating on protesters? who wasn, anybody filming that they got police eating a protesters and pepper spray. police beating up protesters in pepper spray. they made a big deal about my livestream. they hyped it up. but they're so much video out there that is being used. like the surveillance state. like wicked interesting way. like, it was a protest. you don't like the message, tough. here we are.

amy: before we go, do you plan to continue to document resistance movements? >> oh, hell, yeah. thisjude ortiz, what does 42 non-guilty verdicts, 42 not guiltys in the first trial, everyone completely acquitted, what does this mean for the more than 180 people who are going on trial in the next year? >> the full acquittals are a resounding victory for resistance movements, for the remaining defendants, there's still a lot of fighting to do, a long way to go. the next trial block has an uncertain date at this point. the next one is in january. there are trials set for march all the way through october. so it is still a lot of fighting to do, a lot of legal battles maneuvering, but everyone is feeling very strong and embolden. toare looking forward

getting more acquittals in the coming year. and also people around the country, around the world will continue to support the defendants as they fight their charges. amy: each case now has a different judge. finally, what was the significance of the points of defendants130 of the agreed upon? explain that. >> the points of unity were formed very early on after people were charged. basically, a statement of solidarity and unity together in fighting back against the state repression. the vast majority of the defendants signed onto that and agreed basically to work collectively and cooperatively in order to figure out a way of handling their cases that would not aid in the state repression and not allow the government to pit each other for each defendant against the other. this was a historic development, historic statement in the case.

there is a lot of historic event set of come up with this case, including this historic victory by the full acquittals. as we move forward into the remaining trials and as the defendants continue to fight back and pushed back, i think we will see a lot more historical developments. hopefully, a lot more this tort losses for the state and try to radical left movements. amy: jude ortiz, thank you for being with us member of the , organizing crew of defend j20 and i want to thank alexei wood an independent photojournalist , stoked independent photojournalist. 42 not guiltys headed down yesterday, all defendants found not guilty. at the beginning of this trial, a number of them faced 75 years in jail. this is democracy now! back from the significance of the independence vote in catalonia. stay with us. ♪ [music break]

amy: "i give you power" by arcade fire featuring maves staples. this is democracy now! i'm amy goodman. in a major setback for spain, catalan separatist parties have won a slim majority in the catalan parliament. voters went to the polls thursday in a snap election called for by spanish prime minister mariano rajoy who had sacked the previous separatist government. the deposed catalan president carles puigdemont spoke thursday from belgium where he has been living in exile, along with other members of the catalan government. those who have not been jailed. >> the spanish state has been defeated. rejoice and his allies have received a slap in the face from the catalan people. legalize the coup d'etat of the 155 in catalonia has not helped them to make it

possible. rajoy has sunk in catalonia. the prisoners must leave the prison right away and legitimate government must return right our to the palace, which is home, where our citizens want us to be. amy: thursday's vote comes after catalonia's regional parliament voted in october for independence by a margin of 70 votes to 10. the spanish senate in madrid swiftly responded by granting spanish prime minister mariano rajoy unprecedented powers to impose direct rule on catalonia under article 155 of the constitution, which had never been used before in modern spain's democratic history. the move stripped the northeastern region of its autonomy in efforts to crush catalonia's growing independence movement. rajoy then called for new elections, counting on catalan voters to support pro-unity parties. now puigdemont has asked rajoy for a meeting in brussels or any place of his choice to hold talks "with no pre-existing conditions" about the future of catalonia. for more, we go to cleveland, ohio. we are joined by sebastiaan faber, professor of hispanic

studies at oberlin college and author of the new book "memory battles of the spanish civil war: history, fiction, photography." professor, welcome back to democracy now! of thisthe significance vote. >> you have to understand these elections took place under very unusual circumstances. like you said, they were called by the government image read after it had revoked catalan baton amis. they happen against the backdrop judicial -- leaders of the independence movement. so it is remarkable that the fact that the leaders of both the largest -- the two largest pro-independence parties were either inxile or in prison, despite that, the pro-independence parties continued to gain -- win a majority of seats in the catalan parliament. datather significance

point here is the party of prime minister bridgeway, -- prime minister rajoy, lost support, had little support, and a reduced to a mere three seats in parliament. little over 4% of the vote. you could say currently still under article 155 of the constitution, the party that is governing in catalonia, which is rajoy's party, currently enjoys a little over 4% of electoral support. amy: so explain what is happening, professor, for people not paying attention to this at all, talk about the leadership, the governing leadership of catalonia in jail. so in the beginning of september, the catalan parliament put in process them in motion, a process to move toward a declaration of independence. october 1, there was a referendum which was held despite the fact the spanish voted to stop it. there's a referendum, the majority of people voted for

independence. then the catalan parliament went ahead and finally came to something of a declaration of independence of the end of october. this isall of considered to be a violation of the spanish constitution, at the same time, the judicial process was put in place that basically ended up persecuting everybody who had worked toward independence, including the leadership of these pro-independence parties. lefteader of the republican catalan party has been in prison since then, while what used to be the largest conservative party to not runa decided any risk and leave the country. he is been in brussels in exile since then. it is important to understand despite the fact that what happened yesterday with a pro-independence parties

continue to hold onto majority --seats, this judicial party process is continuing. this very morning, the morning after the election, the spanish supreme court announced it was further indicting a bunch of other leaders of the pro-independence movement off parties, asther well as the civil society movement that has been supporting independence. you can describe this as a mccarthyism where what is in principle only legitimate political position has in the samenalized way in the 1950's communism was a reason to persecute political ideas. the same is happening in spain were the judicial branch of the spanish state is applying pressure and sort of setting boundaries to what is sayable and thinkable politically. amy: and carles puigdemont zinke will be with rajoy with no

precondition anywhere outside of spain? >> rajoy is that are ready in a press conference that he is not what it talk with carles puigdemont anywhere. rajoy and is typical stubborn denial fashion has said he is not what it do that. -- one could wonder how long this attitude of rajoy, this denial is him of rajoy can withstand the political reality of the fact at least about half of the people in catalonia do not see this spanish state as their state and want to leave. it is unclear whether rajoy can keep this up, but he will for sure try. currently, the catalan government continues to be revoked. roy said this morning he will -- the sub government will be wristed to did as soon as a new government has been formed.

whetherthe question is the three pro-independence parties will be able to actually form a government. they do have a majority of seats . but there are three of them and they don't see a diane everything. so it is a for question whether this government can be formed. it is up to question how the government will look because of the 70 pro-independence deputies that were elected yesterday, eight are either in a so or in prison currently. amy: i want to thank you very much, sebastiaan faber, for joining us, professor of hispanic studies at oberlin college and author of the new book "memory battles of the spanish civil war: history, fiction, photography." tune in monday for our holiday special when we speak with noam chomsky for the hour will stop we will talk about climate change, nuclear weapons, north korea, iran, and the republican party. he says the republican party in the united states today is the most dangerous organization on earth. this is democracy now!

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