Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Jim Byrne

By Jim Byrne

Protest in Tucson, AZ against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Tucson, AZ – On April 30, 30 Palestine solidarity activists stood in 100-degree heat outside the Jewish Community Center to protest a “celebration” of the Zionist apartheid state of Israel. This was the second demonstration outside an “Israel @75” celebration in the week. On Tuesday they protested at a University of Arizona-hosted a concert.

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By Jim Byrne

Arizona protest demands end to all U.S. aid to Israel.

Tucson, AZ – On April 14, a spirited crowd of around 50 people rallied on the steps of Old Main on the University of Arizona campus to demand an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

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By Jim Byrne

Perú protest against the coup.

Tucson, AZ – On December 7, a month of people’s protests was kicked off when democratically-elected President Pedro Castillo, a former union educator and strike leader, was arrested by Peruvian armed forces in a coup by the oligarchy-dominated Congress. Peruvians, from indigenous groups to trade unions, immediately responded with waves of protests, marches and roadblocks. Following the orders of the coup plotters, the military and police cracked down violently on the protests, including firing on protesters from helicopters with bullets and teargas. A loosely agreed-upon truce before the holidays stopped the brutal repression, with the death toll having reached over two dozen with hundreds wounded.

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By Jim Byrne

Colombians rally for change

Tucson, AZ – Despite massive amounts of corporate media propaganda, police crackdowns and right-wing violence, Colombians elected leftist Gustavo Petro as president in a runoff election on June 19. The new vice president is Francia Marquez Mina, an Afro-Colombian woman. This is the first time Colombia elected a president who is not from either the mainstream liberal or conservative parties.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – Camila Saab, the wife of Alex Saab, a Venezuelan diplomat illegally detained by the U.S., will speak on a webinar organized by the Alliance for Global Justice on February 3 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. There will be an update on his case and opportunities to participate in actions to demand his freedom.

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By Jim Byrne

Miami, FL – The hearing for Alex Saab, the Venezuelan diplomat being detained by the U.S. government, is postponed to February 16 in Miami, Florida. The delays in his case only benefit the U.S. government. Saab’s lawyers are seeking a ruling on his diplomatic immunity that will end his illegal detention.

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By Jim Byrne

Chuck Kaufman in Honduras outside of the U.S. Palmerola Air Base, 2011

Tucson, AZ – It is with heavy heart that the news of the passing of longtime anti-imperialist organizer Chuck Kaufman reached communities on December 28. Born in a small Indiana town, Chuck’s life saw travels to numerous countries, most notably in the Latin American countries most firmly in the crosshairs of U.S. imperialism.

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By Jim Byrne

Xiomara Castro de Zelaya.

Tucson, AZ – In the early hours of June 28, 2009, Honduran soldiers snatched President Manuel “Mel” Zelaya from his home and removed him from power in a coup d’état with tacit support from the U.S. What followed was a brutal dictatorship that murdered, disappeared and oppressed Hondurans. In close collaboration with criminal cartels, the Honduran power elite implemented neoliberal policies, while violence and drugs plagued the country. It should come as no surprise that waves of Hondurans poured out into caravans headed north to seek asylum in the U.S. only to be met by the cruel denial of President Trump and U.S. troops on the border.

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By Jim Byrne

Phoenix airport concessions workers on strike.

Phoenix, AZ – For many striking concessions workers, this is the first Thanksgiving they are not working. At Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, HMS Host hospitality is the biggest concessions service, with hundreds of workers. Those workers are fed up with four years of failure from HMS to agree to a decent contract. Four days into their indefinite strike, Unite Here Local 11 HMS Host workers are fighting for a contract that includes raises, affordable health insurance, an employer-paid pension, protection for workers' tips, and strong contract language for equal opportunity and protection from discrimination.

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By Jim Byrne

President Nicolás Maduro speaking to international solidarity activists.

Tucson, AZ – On Wednesday November 17, former union bus driver and current president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, spoke to over 500 international solidarity activists from over 70 countries.

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