Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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Milwaukee, WI – On Tuesday, June 25, 100 people gathered in Milwaukee for an emergency “Hands Off Iran” action, the second led by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) this month, and the third held in the city that same week.

The event came a few days after the Trump administration bombed three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday, June 21. Up to this point, the U.S. government had been funding and supporting Israel as it bombed Iran, but had not itself launched an attack. Saturday’s news caused concern among people in the U.S. that it would spark a wider war in the region.

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A group of protesters in front of city hall.

Jacksonville, FL – On June 24, Mayor Donna Deegan made the decision to veto the anti-immigrant Ordinance 0138. This decision comes after a months-long campaign by the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance (JIRA) that began back in February. Since the ordinance’s inception, local activists, immigrant families, faith leaders and many more provided testimony against this legislation.

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Jacksonville, Florida march against attacks on Iran.

Jacksonville, FL – On Saturday, June 28, over 100 community members gathered at Memorial Park to protest the US’s attacks on Iran. The rally, organized by the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN), went mobile as the demonstrators marched through the Riverside area, and near the very populated Riverside Arts Market.

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 Protesters rally outside New Orleans immigration court as part of a weekly effort to mobilize against ICE. Participants hold up signs reading "Drop the charges on Alejandro Orellana! Protesting ICE is not a crime!"

New Orleans, LA – On June 27 at noon, a crowd rallied against FBI repression in front of the New Orleans Immigration Court. Local activists called the rally in coordination with a National Day of Action for Alejandro Orellana, an immigrant rights activist in East LA. Orellana is facing federal charges for protesting recent ICE raids in Los Angeles.

“El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” chanted activist Toni Jones. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. If we don’t stand with Alejandro against these bogus charges then who will stand up for us?”

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LA protests the FBI repression directed at  anti-ICE activists.

Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, June 27, community members gathered at Salazar Park at 4 p.m. for a press conference and rally demanding the charges be dropped against Alejandro Orellana and calling for justice for Verita Topete. Both are immigrant rights activists who were raided by the FBI within the last two weeks.

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A crowd marches with banners

San José, CA – On June 15, San José residents came out to protests to what they say are attacks to First Amendment rights and political repression in Los Angeles. In the last couple of weeks, National Guard troops have been mobilized to assist ICE operations in Los Angeles with response from residents taking to the streets to protest.

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Protesters holding signs.

Santa Ana, CA – On June 27, activists and community members waved signs on the corner of Flower Street and Civic Center Drive near the Central Justice Center chanting, “Drop the charges now!” and holding signs reading, “Protesting is not a crime!”

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Two people standing together.

New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m., police reform activist Toni Jones and a small crowd of fellow organizers gathered in front of New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court for a press conference.

Jones announced to the media that she and her lawyer are filing an appeal for two charges related to a pro-Palestine protest that occurred over a year before at Tulane University.

“Protesting is not a crime! Free, free, free Palestine!” chanted Jones. “I am not a criminal. I will be appealing this conviction in order to set the record straight: Tulane University is the criminal, Israel is the criminal, the United States government is the criminal.”

Tulane Police initially charged Jones with four misdemeanors. As a result of a prolonged political defense campaign, she was found not guilty of obstructing a public place or resisting arrest. However, she is battling against two convictions of battery and obstructing an investigation.

Solidarity speakers from Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and New Orleans for Community Oversight of the Police (NOCOP) spoke out in defense of Jones against Tulane University’s repression.

“Despite her arrest, she was successful at uplifting the struggle of the Palestinian people and protecting a student activist from police,” said Toni Mar, speaking on behalf of Freedom Road. Mar, an alumnus of Tulane University, also criticized the university administration. Since Tulane police targeted Jones, the administration has attempted – and failed – to repress over a dozen other student protesters.

“Tulane has shown itself to be a repeat violator of First Amendment rights, Tulane has shown itself be shamelessly invested in genocide, and Tulane has willfully bent its knee to Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion,” stated Mar.

At the end of the press conference, Jones indicated that she does not intend to let her conviction stop her from attending future protests. She stated, “We will not rest until Palestine is free. We will do our best to usher forward the liberation of Palestine, and if we are lucky, we may just as well free ourselves in the process.”

Jones’s next court appearance will be August 12 at 9 a.m. Activists will continue to update supporters on future mobilizations via NOCOP’s Instagram page, @n.o.cop.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #NOCOP #AntiWarMovement #Palestine

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A group of anti-war protesters.

San Jose, CA – On Sunday, June 22, the day after the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran, about 150 people gathered at the Dr. MLK, Jr Library in downtown San Jose in protest.

Iranian flags, Palestinian flags and signs reading, “No war with Iran!” were held by protesters as they chanted, “Stop bombing Iran!” “U.S. out of the Middle East” and “U.S. out of Iran!” accompanied by many supportive car honks.

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A woman speaking into a bullhorn.

Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, June 26, Verita Topete, an immigrant rights activist with Centro CSO, was ambushed by the FBI while walking her dog at a park. Federal agents aggressively approached her to serve a warrant and force her to give them her phone.

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Fight Back New Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All (L4A) Network.

The Legalization for All (L4A) Network is calling on all affiliated immigrant rights organizations and supporters to mobilize an action in support of Alejandro Orellana on June 27th, or participate in a national call-in day against U.S. Attorney Bilal “Bill” Essayli.

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Minneapolis, MN On Monday June 26, more than 15,000 registered nurses at hospitals across the Twin Cities metropolitan area and Duluth, who are represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) voted to authorize a strike.

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A crowd of people holding signs in front of a building.

Milwaukee, WI – More than 50 people gathered in the sweltering heat on Sunday, June 15, at the North Point Water Tower in Milwaukee, demanding restoration of abortion access after the three-year anniversary of the Dobbs vs. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization decision. This extreme Supreme Court ruling in 2022 removed all federal protections for abortion, leaving the precedent for legality on a state-by-state basis. In turn, the rights to healthcare access are in a gray area everywhere, including Wisconsin.

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Los Angeles, CA – El viernes, 13 de junio, Alejandro Orellana, un activista de derechos inmigrantes quien fue arrestado por la FBI, fue liberado de custodia federal.

La mañana anterior la FBI, con el apoyo de la guardia nacional y el departamento de sherifes de Los Ángeles, invadieron el hogar de Orellana en el Este de Los Ángeles y arrestaron a Alejandro, un por vida miembro de Centro CSO, con cargos de “conspiración de cometer desorden criminal.”

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A marching group of protesters holding signs, flags and banners.

Grand Rapids, MI – While the Grand Rapids Pride committee was pausing festivities for the afternoon due to nearly triple-digit temperatures on Sunday, June 22, over 100 community members marched with cold compresses and face misting water bottles through the Festival to nearby Rosa Parks Circle, demanding “No war with Iran.”

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Two men holding protest signs.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

On the morning of June 12, the FBI, accompanied by the National Guard and LA sheriffs, raided the home of Alejandro Orellana for his protesting of ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was arrested, taken into federal custody, then released the next day – after much public pressure and many phone calls to the U.S. Attorney.

Now he faces two bogus federal charges: one for conspiracy to commit civil disorder and another for aiding and abetting civil disorder. He is facing serious prison time.

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A person speaking at a podium with other people holding signs behind them.

Edina, MN – On Monday, June 23, a crowd of Minnesotans gathered to join the People’s Action Coalition Against Trump (PACAT) for a press conference and rally against right-wing violence, held in front of the Republican Party of Minnesota Office located in Edina.

In light of the targeted assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and the attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and wife, Yvette Hoffman, PACAT organized the press conference and rally to condemn the rise in violent right-wing extremism, fanned by the reactionary agenda of the Republican Party and President Donald Trump.

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