Unicorn Riot

12/07/2024

NEW: After a five-day criminal trial and just two hours of deliberation, a jury found Indianapolis Metro Police officers Adam Ahmad and Steven Sanchez not guilty of reckless homicide, battery and manslaughter in the April 2022 death of Herman Whitfield III.

A jury found police officers Adam Ahmad and Steven Sanchez not guilty of reckless homicide, battery and manslaughter in the death of Herman Whitfield III.

12/06/2024

Police in Indianapolis killed musical prodigy Herman Whifield III in April 2022 while responding to a call for medical assistance. In an excerpt from our special on Herman III, Jake Watkins from the Justice for Herman Whitfield III Campaign spoke about how he felt the city had weaponized police reforms and used them against the community. Link to our full special and more videos in comments.

Two of the officers involved in killing Herman III are on trial this week.

12/06/2024

Police in Indianapolis killed musical prodigy Herman Whifield III in April 2022 while responding to a call for medical assistance. In an excerpt from our special on Herman III, Dea Lott, from the Justice for Herman Whitfield III Campaign spoke about Herman III's love for music. [Link to story and more videos in comments]

12/06/2024

Two years ago today, police in Greece shot sixteen-year-old Kostas Fragoulis in the back of the head in Thessaloniki. Fragoulis was pronounced dead eight days later on Dec. 13. In a few-day span from Dec. 5 to Dec. 9, fiery protests took hold in several cities in Greece as communities across the country responded to police shooting another Roma youth on the eve of the anniversary of the Dec. 6, 2008 police killing of Alexis Grigoropoulos.

Unlike the United States where nearly 1,000 people are killed by police each year, police killings in Greece are a rare occurrence. The most notable was fourteen years ago when police killed 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos in Exarcheia, Athens in 2008. The murder led to a massive uprising that lasted for weeks and led to large-scale destruction. Thousands of Greeks commemorate the killing every year by taking to the streets on Dec. 6 as they did this year.

There hadn’t been any other police killings in Greece since Alexis, until last year when police killed 18-year-old Nikos Sampanis. And now this year, Kostas Fragoulis was killed. Both Sampanis and Fragoulis were Roma teenagers. [Last November, Greek Police killed another Roma teen, Christos Michalopoulos - link to story in comments]

Fiery protests took hold in several cities in Greece responding to the police shooting a Roma teen on the eve of the anniversary of another police killing.

12/05/2024

Black revolutionary Fred Hampton was murdered by the US government 55 years ago today. Hear from Fred Hampton Jr. about his fathers legacy during a Malcolm X Conference in North Minneapolis in 2017.

12/04/2024

Transgender advocates converged at the Supreme Court Wednesday morning for the oral arguments of U.S. vs Skrmetti, a case that will decide the fate of access to gender-affirming care for trans minors.

Unicorn Riot was on the ground covering a rally near the U.S. Supreme Court Building steps, which you can watch in full at our website.

Dozens of advocates spoke at a rose-covered podium to the large crowd. One of the speakers was Fatima Goss Graves, the president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center.

"I'm here today as a leader of an organization that fights unapologetically for gender justice, I'm here today as a lawyer, and I'm here today as a mother who cannot believe that we are once again standing in front of this Supreme Court as it debates inside whether or not discrimination based on s*x is okay." - National Women’s Law Center President and CEO Fatima Goss Graves

The U.S. vs. Skrmetti case began in Tennessee, with the ACLU and Lambda Legal collective representing L.W. and her parents, Samantha and Brian Williams. Tennessee passed a ban on gender-affirming care for minors in February 2023, which was signed into law in March of that year. Though the bill was initially blocked, it took effect in July 2023, and L.W. and other trans minors already receiving gender-affirming care were forced to stop by March 2024.

The Tennessee law currently allows non-transgender children to access medicines like puberty blockers, but it restricts access for trans youth. Currently, 26 states have enacted gender-affirming care restrictions for trans youth — which accounts for an estimated 39.4% of the trans youth population.

A decision on this ruling is not expected until June 2025 at the latest.

More at our website unicornriot.ninja (link in bio)

12/04/2024

NEW: Muwekma Ohlone Tribe Rides Across the Nation for Federal Recognition in ‘Trail of Truth’ 🎥

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe traveled to Washington, D.C. from San Francisco, CA in a 70-day journey they called the “Trail of Truth” to demand recognition of their existence and to bring attention to the “contemporary struggles of Indigenous communities.” A few dozen participants journeyed on foot, while about 10-15 from San Francisco and Pine Ridge rode horseback. Randle Braveheart, also known as Aŋpétu Wí Ób Máni (Walks With the Sun) in Lakota, was one of the Oglala riders from South Dakota and they expressed how the Trail of Truth is “very sacred” to them.

“That name could mean a lot of things, the Trail of Truth, since we’ve started the ride there’s been a lot of truth being told from different nations, from different people of all sides, so I think it brings us closer together.” Randle Braveheart (Aŋpétu Wí Ób Máni)

The Trail of Truth passed through Minneapolis, MN, on September 15, 2024, traveling around the East Phillips neighborhood and passing by homeless encampments with their horses to “spread good medicine” to the people.

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe traveled to D.C. from San Francisco in a 70-day journey they called the "Trail of Truth" to demand recognition of their existence.

12/04/2024

Support independent media during this year! 🥰🙏🦄

Here is four ways:

1) Donate to Unicorn Riot — You can join our community of supporters by signing up for a recurring donation to help sustain our organization throughout the year, or you can give a one-time donation to help us provide on-the-ground, nonprofit media right now: unicornriot.ninja/donate/

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4) Share our Stories — If you think our work is important, help spread the word! Please consider sharing our articles, videos, graphics, and other media we publish on your social media profiles. You can also print out our articles from our website and hand them out to friends and family!

Thank you for supporting Unicorn Riot and independent media!

Founded in 2015, Unicorn Riot is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and stories. We expose the root causes of social and environmental issues through amplifying stories and exploring sustainable alternatives in today’s globalized world. We work to bridge trust with vulnerable communities and share their stories with the world through our free, ad-free news platform using cutting-edge technology to livestream events and produce high-quality multimedia content that educates, inspires, and empowers.

Bookmark our website: unicornriot.ninja/

12/04/2024

Four ways to support indie media during this year!

1) Donate to Unicorn Riot — You can join our community of supporters by signing up for a recurring donation to help sustain our organization throughout the year, or you can give a one-time donation to help us provide on-the-ground, nonprofit media right now: https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/

2) Follow on Social Media — Unicorn Riot is present on many social platforms, so make sure you follow and like our pages on the sites and apps you use!
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/UnicornRiot
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unicornriot.ninja
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unicorn.riot/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/.riot
Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/
BlueSky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/unicornriot.bsky.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unicorn-riot/
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/unicornriot
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnicornRiot
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/.riot
Tribel: https://www.tribel.com/Unicorna849697/wall
Telegram: https://t.me/unicornriotninja
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/unicorn_riot

3) Subscribe to Newsletter — We send out newsletters at least once a month to keep you updated on our new stories, news about our organization, and other things we think you'd want to know! Sign up here: https://ninja.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8ef5c30036310b715efbfb1ef&id=cf1ec3eb4f

4) Share our Stories — If you think our work is important, help spread the word! Please consider sharing our articles, videos, graphics, and other media we publish on your social media profiles. You can also print out our articles from our website and hand them out to friends and family!

Thank you for supporting Unicorn Riot and independent media! Make sure to visit our website: https://unicornriot.ninja/ to learn more about our nonprofit organization and to stay informed!

12/03/2024

The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe traveled to Washington, D.C. from San Francisco, CA in a 70-day journey they called the “Trail of Truth” to demand recognition of their existence and to bring attention to the “contemporary struggles of Indigenous communities.”

Unicorn Riot heard from Chairwoman Christine Nijme of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe who said the State of California tried to erase her people, in particular when the first governor of California declared a “war of extermination” on Native Americans in 1850 and paid bounties of “5 dollars a scalp.” She also said that the Trail of Truth is about “sharing Muwekma Ohlone’s story across Turtle Island with all our relatives, and at the same time sharing our struggles that we face today with the federal government.”

Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/trail-of-truth

12/03/2024

One year after the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Christos Michalopoulos, a clear strategy of tension by Greek police against Roma settlements and communities across the country is noticeable. Many believe this is a governmental diversion tactic aimed at further targeting and criminalizing Roma communities.

Learn more here:

Anti-Roma racism continues to rise in Greece, one year after another Roma teenager was killed by Greek police.

12/03/2024

Tomorrow is and as an independent, nonprofit media organization, we have four ways y'all can support Unicorn Riot.

1) Donate at https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/
2) Follow us on social media
3) Subscribe to our newsletter
4) Share our stories

Thanks for your continued support of independent media!
🦄💜

12/01/2024

NEW: Indianapolis Police on Trial for Tazing, Suffocating Musical Prodigy to Death ** Responding to a call for medical help, Indianapolis Police tazed, tackled, handcuffed and suffocated musical prodigy Herman Whitfield III to death. After being rescheduled numerous times, a five-day criminal trial is starting on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 for two of the officers responsible for killing 39-year-old Whitfield III on April 25, 2022. IMPD Officers Steven Sanchez and Adam Ahmad are charged with manslaughter, reckless homicide, and battery. Several volunteer organizers with the Justice for Herman Whitfield III Campaign spoke with Unicorn Riot about this gruesome case of police violence that was not widely covered in the media.

11/27/2024

Carl Moore spoke with Unicorn Riot during a spiritual walk about Indigenous sovereignty in southern Utah: “If Indigenous people say ‘no,’ that should be the end of the conversation, but that’s not what happens here in Turtle Island and the so-called United States of America.”

Indigenous Spiritual Walk in Utah Protests Last Conventional Uranium Mill - Full story and more videos: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/indigenous-spiritual-walk-in-utah-protests-last-conventional-uranium-mill/

11/27/2024

For the first time in its 248-year existence, the United States government investigated its own Federal Indian Boarding Schools, a genocidal element of the racist settler colonial project by which the country was formed. From the passage of the Civilization Fund Act in 1819 up until 1969, the U.S. government stole Indigenous children from their parents, and separated and killed family members as part of a broader policy to steal territory and sever the cultural, economic and spiritual ties between Indigenous peoples.

Children were forced into boarding schools to assimilate to the European settlers’ way of life. They lived in harsh conditions and were subjected to forms of physical, emotional and s*xual abuse, death, disease, and starvation. Indigenous children dealt with a full erasure of their identity — having their physical appearance altered, names changed, and Christianity forced upon them. The justification used by the U.S. government was to “kill the Indian, save the man,” as said by Richard Henry Pratt, the founder of the first boarding school, Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

Launched by U.S. Dept. of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland — the first Indigenous person to hold the position — the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative included a lengthy fact-finding mission along and a pathway for the government to pave a road to healing.

For the first time in its 248-year existence, the United States government investigated its own Federal Indian Boarding Schools, a genocidal element of the racist settler colonial project by which the country was formed. From the passage of the Civilization Fund Act in 1819 up until 1969, the U.S. g...

11/27/2024

Killed by a Vigilante Who Received No Prison Time: The Murder of AJ Stewart

In the capital city of Minnesota, a middle-aged white man was given no prison time after being convicted of murder for fatally stabbing an unarmed Black man. The 2021 murder of Arnell ‘AJ’ Stewart and the following conviction and sentencing of Brian Kjellberg provides a look at how racial dynamics play a favorable role for certain killers within the criminal justice system.

You may have never heard their names before but the story is a familiar one — the racially charged killing of AJ Stewart, 27, was quickly compared to Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery. Kjellberg, who was 50 years old at the time, was dubbed “Saint Paul’s version of George Zimmerman, Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan.” (Zimmerman killed Martin and the McMichaels and Bryan killed Arbery.)

Kjellberg was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder by a jury in March 2023. The guilty verdict was rendered in just 90 minutes following a four-day trial after Ramsey County prosecutors ignored pleas from Stewart’s family and advocates for first-degree murder and hate crimes charges.

Despite the state asking for 12.5 years in prison, Ramsey County Judge Leonardo Castro gave Kjellberg a dispositional departure and sentenced him to 365 days in jail.

Tabatha Lewis, Stewart’s mother, and the family attorney Jeff Storms sat down with Unicorn Riot to share their reactions and thoughts on the killing, the charges, the trial and the sentencing. This report also features each of the trial exhibits, including Kjellberg’s interrogation video and video from an alley camera that shows the deadly attack.

The murder of AJ Stewart and the conviction and sentencing of Brian Kjellberg provides a look at how racial dynamics played a favorable role for the killer within the criminal justice system.

11/26/2024

NEW: Racism Rises in Greece a Year After Police Kill Another Roma Teen

Christos Michalopoulos, a 17 y/o Roma, was fatally shot by Greek police last year as he attempted to exit a vehicle with his hands up. Greek Police have since increased militarized raids on Roma settlements.

Anti-Roma racism continues to rise in Greece, one year after another Roma teenager was killed by Greek police.

11/26/2024

Historic Investigation of U.S. Boarding Schools for Native Children Ends With Scathing Report ** For the first time in its 248-year existence, the United States government investigated its own Federal Indian Boarding Schools, a genocidal element of the racist settler colonial project by which the country was formed. From the passage of the Civilization Fund Act in 1819 up until 1969, the U.S. government stole Indigenous children from their parents, and separated and killed family members as part of a broader policy to steal territory and sever the cultural, economic and spiritual ties between Indigenous peoples. Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/historic-investigation-of-u-s-boarding-schools-for-native-children-ends-with-scathing-report/

Children were forced into boarding schools to assimilate to the European settlers’ way of life. They lived in harsh conditions and were subjected to forms of physical, emotional and s*xual abuse, death, disease, and starvation. Indigenous children dealt with a full erasure of their identity — having their physical appearance altered, names changed, and Christianity forced upon them. The justification used by the U.S. government was to “kill the Indian, save the man,” as said by Richard Henry Pratt, the founder of the first boarding school, Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

Launched by U.S. Dept. of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland — the first Indigenous person to hold the position — the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative included a lengthy fact-finding mission along and a pathway for the government to pave a road to healing. Read in full: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/historic-investigation-of-u-s-boarding-schools-for-native-children-ends-with-scathing-report/