Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform in Keene on April 2 at 7 p.m. The concert will be at the Colonial theater. A video of the band performing is at:
Peace Protester Wins in Court
In Amherst, a peace protester will be heading back to college after a judge said UMass can no longer ban him. UMass was violating the First Amendment to the US Constitution, lawyer Jon Cubetus told the Valley Post on February 18. Cubetus works for the Massachusetts chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. The Guild was representing the student, Kiv de Montebello. Ending war is de Montebello's goal. UMass takes money from military contractors to do research.
********
Sunny Jain
On February 19 in Amherst, Sunny Jain and his band will perform a concert at the Drake. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance. A video of the band playing is at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIYIn7yTtTo
One of the highlights is the flute solo at the 21 minute mark.
Marching to Keep ICE Out of Amherst
In Amherst, about 50 people marched to keep ICE out of town, Devan Judson told the Valley Post. Judson is one of the organizers. The 1.4 mile march on February 6 went from the UMass Student Union to Amherst town hall. The organizers have a web page at:
They are asking people to sign a petition to keep ICE out of Amherst. The petition is at:
**********
Two Protesters Arrested in Brattleboro
On February 2, two protesters were arrested at Citizens bank in
Brattleboro, organizer Dan DeWalt told the Valley Post. “Citizens bank funds ICE prisons. We are asking people to close their accounts and boycott,” he said. More about Citizens bank and ICE is at:
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-01-29/mass-activists-who-oppose-ice...
**********
375 March, Rally Against ICE
About 175 people marched in Brattleboro on January 27 to protest ICE, Christine Scypinski told the Valley Post. She was one of the organizers. In Northampton on January 23, about 200 people were at a rally to protest ICE. The Expandable Brass Band played at the rally, Fred Civian told the Valley Post. “We played proudly and joyfully,” he said.
Two Protesters Arrested
In Northampton on January 21, two people were arrested while protesting for peace. The protest was in the lobby of the L3Harris building. “One of the top weapons manufacturers in the world, L3 is profiting from the genocide of Palestine, selling surveillance tech to ICE, and producing nuclear weaponry for trident subs that are capable of destroying all life on earth.... We want a demilitarized future, free from genocide, free from surveillance, and free from the threat of nuclear war.” That quote is from the protest organizers' web page:
1,600 March, Rally Against ICE
About 1,600 people marched and rallied to protest ICE. In Northampton on January 11 about 600 people marched, Lindsay Sabadosa told the Valley Post. She represents Northampton in the state legislature.
The march was organized by three groups: Northampton Resists, Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western Mass, and River Valley Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Hundreds at Venezuela Peace Rallies
A total of about 250 people attended rallies to protest Trump's attack on Venezuela. The rallies were on January 4 in Springfield, Greenfield and Brattleboro. There were also rallies in Holyoke and Northampton. The organizers of those rallies did not reply to an email asking how many people were there. Organizers told the Valley Post that about 80 people rallied in Greenfield and about 85 in Brattleboro. Organizers posted on social media that about 85 people were at the rally in Springfield, Massachusetts.
********
A Full Court for Peace; A Forest Saved
In Northampton on December 18, civil disobedience was on trial in front of a courtroom that was full to capacity with supporters of peace. Israel's USA-funded genocide in Gaza was the background. Four people were arrested in Northampton last winter for refusing to leave the office of L3 Harris, a corporation that profits from war.