On July 29, Venezuela’s electoral council declared that Nicolás Maduro had won the election with over 51 percent of the vote without releasing the tally sheets from the election, nor conducting the audits and citizen verification processes required by law. This action sparked protests criticizing not only the election but the corruption that preceded it. These protests are concentrated in the poorer areas of Venezuela where the opposition party is stronger. This corruption includes but is not limited to arrests of opposition members, arbitrary disqualifications of opposition candidates, and restrictions on Venezuelans voting abroad. The Human Rights Watch received credible reports of 24 killings.
On Sept 1, thousands of people flooded the streets of major Israeli cities in response to the news that six of the hostages held in Gaza had died. According to The New York Times the protests were put down with skunk spray in Jerusalem and stun grenades in Tel Aviv. The protesters wanted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to work towards a ceasefire and get the hostages released. There are also protests going on in the west bank including one where Aysenur Eygi an American activist got shot by the IDF. According to The Intercept, this is not the first American killing protesting, two 17-year-old Palestinian Americans were killed in the West Bank early this year and the US has not launched any investigations. According to the Guardian more than 100 members of congress – including leading Democratic party officials Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Eric Swalwell – have sent a second letter to Biden demanding a US-led investigation. They requested an investigation into whether this was a homicide and demanded accountability.
On Sept 11, Protesters fought with police outside of the Land Forces International Land Defense Exposition in Melbourne, Australia. The protesters were fighting against the Melbourne police who according to The Guardian hundreds of police have been diverted from regional areas to provide support and Police erected a ring of steel around the event. The protests were organized by pro-Palestinian advocacy groups outside of the convection who denounced the weapons which they say are being used in the ongoing war inside of the Gaza strip. Two dozen police officers were injured and 39 people were arrested.
For the first time in 60 years, special anti-riot police have been deployed to Martinique, the French island in the West Indies. These troops were deployed to stop violent protests with gunfire injuring at least six police officers and one civilian. The protests were over the high cost of living in Martinique. According to The Guardian, Martinique residents pay an estimated 30% to 42% more for food than people in mainland France and other overseas colonies. The last time these troops were deployed they engaged in violent suppression tactics that left three young people dead. Even more protests and peaceful walkouts have occurred over the deployment of these troops and their violent history.