Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Cas Casanova

By Cas Casanova

Protesters gather at Florida Capitol to rally against a major ICE raid. 

Tallahassee, FL – On Friday, May 30, more than 400 people gathered at the Florida Capitol to protest a large-scale ICE operation carried out Thursday, May 29, on a construction site in College Town, a neighborhood a few streets away from Florida State University. The emergency protest was called by the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA).

Speakers led the crowd, which spanned the entirety of the Capital complex, in chants such as “¡Aquí estamos, y no nos vamos!” and “Say it once, say it twice! We will not put up with ICE!”

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By Cas Casanova

Quincy, Florida protest against ICE attacks on immigrants.

Quincy, FL – On Tuesday, April 29, about a dozen community members gathered in front of the Gadsden County Courthouse to rally against increased ICE activity in their neighborhoods. The rally was hosted by United Voices of Gadsden (UVG), a new local group advocating for immigrants’ rights.

Facing the main road, attendees chanted “Say it once, say it twice! We will not put up with ICE!” and “Money for jobs and education, not for mass deportation!” Many passersby honked their horns and waved out their car windows in support of the demonstration.

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By Cas Casanova

Miembros de la comunidad exigen la liberación del ciudadano estadounidense Juan Carlos López-Gómez, quien fue detenido ilegalmente por ICE. 

Tallahassee, FL – El jueves, 16 de abril, alrededor de 75 miembros de la comunidad se manifestaron en la cárcel del condado de León para exigir la liberación inmediata de Juan Carlos López-Gómez, un ciudadano estadounidense detenido ilegalmente por ICE. La movilización de emergencia fue convocada por la Alianza por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes de Tallahassee (TIRA, por sus siglas en inglés).

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By Cas Casanova

Community members demand the release of U.S. citizen Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, who was unlawfully detained by ICE.

Tallahassee, FL – On Thursday, April 16, about 75 community members rallied at the Leon County Jail to demand the immediate release of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a U.S. citizen illegally detained by ICE. The emergency mobilization was called by the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA).

Lopez-Gomez, who lives in Georgia and works in Tallahassee, was detained by Florida Highway Patrol during a traffic stop after crossing state lines Wednesday morning. Despite presenting his U.S. birth certificate to the court, ICE formally requested that Lopez-Gomez be held in jail for pickup and processing, superseding Leon County Judge LaShawn Riggans’s assessment that the birth certificate was in fact legitimate.

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By Cas Casanova

Tallahassee, FL – On Wednesday, March 26, the chamber of the Tallahassee City Commission was packed with community members from across the city to speak on a variety of issues, such as a proposed gas station’s environmental impacts and the future ownership of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The most pressing issue, however, concerned the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD).

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By Cas Casanova

Five arrestees hold up fists outside the jail where they were held.

Tallahassee, FL – On the morning of Wednesday, May 1, about 30 students at Florida State University (FSU) established a Palestine solidarity encampment on Landis Green, the epicenter of FSU campus. They had camped for three days prior to demand a meeting with FSU President Richard McCullough.

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By Cas Casanova

Tampa 5 speaking tour event in Tallahassee. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tallahassee, FL – On November 17, Chrisley Carpio and Gia Davila continued their nationwide speaking tour with a stop in Tallahassee, Florida. On this tour, the Tampa 5 have visited 25 cities in 16 different states to raise awareness about their story – they were arrested for protesting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ racist attacks on public education and are currently facing multiple felony charges and up to ten years in prison.

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