August 19, 2022

Stop the drone spotters


ShotSpotter is partnering with apartheid tech that powers flying drones — and we can’t sleep on that.

ShotSpotter has formed an exclusive partnership with Israel’s Airobotics Drones. ShotSpotter’s audio surveillance will allow Israel to listen in on neighborhoods 24/7 and send out drones to enforce its military control.²

U.S. police use ShotSpotter to surveil majority Black, brown, and poor neighborhoods. ShotSpotter alerts send police in a heightened state of alarm into communities — leading to devastating results.

People have been arrested, falsely imprisoned, and in the case of 14-year-old Adam Toledo, killed by Chicago police after a ShotSpotter alert.³

Even with no credible research to back up ShotSpotter’s claims that it prevents gun violence, ShotSpotter is in over 130 U.S. cities.

It’s not far-fetched to believe that broader use of surveillance drones is coming our way too, bolstered by ShotSpotter’s partnership with Airobotics Drones.

The mayor of NYC is reportedly ready to pair aerial drones with NYPD’s ShotSpotter now. ShotSpotter’s relationship with Israel’s Airobotics could prove to be both lucrative and deadly if we don’t push back hard, and now.

Sign the petition to stop ShotSpotter: surveillance is not safety.

MPower is a key partner in the national coalition to stop ShotSpotter. Muslims have been countering surveillance in the U.S. for decades. Muslims know about the harm families suffer from state profiling and surveillance. Even before 9/11, the FBI targeted Muslims in counter-terrorism efforts.⁵

No one should be targeted as a criminal because of identity — in the U.S. or Palestine.

Take action now and sign the petition.

In solidarity,

Granate, Linda, and the MPower team

August 4, 2022

PayPal, won’t serve Palestinians

It’s almost hard to believe, but the world’s largest online payment platform, PayPal, won’t serve Palestinians living in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza.

PayPal actively discriminates against Palestinians in Palestine — essentially refusing to provide them services.²

Tell PayPal: Stop discriminating against Palestinians.


It’s open discrimination. Israelis living in illegal settlements, next door to Palestinians living under occupation, are allowed to create and use PayPal accounts.

It’s especially cruel given the economic devastation of Israeli occupation. Unemployment in the occupied territories is high and shockingly high in Gaza, where it’s nearly 50%. The ability to get paid securely would make a world of difference.

PayPal offers services to Israelis in the same areas; Apple Pay, a PayPal competitor, offers services to anyone with an Apple device. Small business owners in particular are suffering because of this.

Sign the petition to PayPal: Stop discriminating against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

By blocking access to Palestinians, PayPal adds yet another barrier for Palestinians struggling to make a living under occupation.

By withholding services, PayPal is cosigning on Israel’s racial discrimination, and no one should be okay with that. Over 200,000 people have signed a petition to PayPal — will you add your voice today?

Sign the petition to PayPal: Stop discriminating against Palestinians.

Thank you for all you do.

In solidarity,
Linda, Granate, Lau, and the MPower Change team

Sources:
1. ”PayPal,” LinkedIn, June 4, 2022.
2. "Palestinians urge PayPal to offer services in West Bank and Gaza," Reuters, October 21, 2021.

 

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