Tampa takes a stand against Trump
Tampa, FL – In response to Trump’s recent election, on November 9 the Tampa community took a stand against Trump and his racist policies. Dozens of community members showed up to raise their voices on such topics as LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, police crimes and more.
With the ongoing genocide in Gaza led by the Biden administration and this most recent election, many people are starting to see that they cannot rely on the Democrats and instead are standing alongside their communities against Trump’s racist agenda. Led by the Tampa Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (TAARPR), the people voiced the need for fighting back, while rallying on the steps of City Hall.
While Trump was the main focus, more local politicians such as cop Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa City Council and Governor Ron DeSantis were also targeted due to their attacks on the people. Tampa’s Citizens Review Board (CRB) serves to review police misconduct and is the only bit of accountability the people have over Tampa Police Department. Mayor Castor and her allies have been working for years to tear the CRB apart, aligning with the Trump agenda to grant complete immunity to the police when they assault and murder Black and brown folks.
As the rally went on, a member of Student for a Democratic Society (SDS) spoke about student protester repression at the University of South Florida.
A speaker from the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund denounced the failure to pass Amendment 4, which would have defended abortion rights in the state of Florida, despite earning 57% of the vote.
A speaker from AARPR told the crowd about the brutal assault on local pastor Carl Soto by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Victoria Hinkley, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about how, “the only way we step into our real power is by getting organized.”
Yet despite these injustices, all these groups and more are ready to fight, and they are ready to win because they know they are stronger than their enemy. The call was made to join an organization that fights in the streets for political rights, and most attendees signed up to do just that.