Defense says charges are product of illegal investigation violating First Amendment
Chicago, IL – Attorneys representing Chicago’s long-time Palestinian community leader, Rasmea Odeh, have filed a motion in Detroit’s U.S. District Court to dismiss the indictment against her. They are doing so on the grounds that the charges are the product of an illegal investigation targeting both Palestine solidarity efforts and organizing in the Palestinian community.
Washington, DC – The FARS News Agency reports that Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force brought own an Israeli drone near the Natanz nuclear facility, Aug 24.
Milwaukee, WI – More than 200 people gathered for a rally, Aug. 22, at Red Arrow Park in downtown here to continue the fight against the police brutality that’s directed against Black and Latino communities. Organizers brought public attention back to the many victims of police killings and white vigilantism, including Dontre Hamilton, Corey Stingley and Derek Williams. The rally was also showed solidarity with the people of Ferguson.
Washington, DC – Unemployment rates ticked upwards in 30 states, according to an Aug. 18 report from the federal government’s U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ohio, Maryland and South Carolina had the largest job losses. Mississippi has the country’s highest unemployment rate, at 8%. Meanwhile, Congress is in recess until September.
Chicago, IL – 150 protesters confronted the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago as it rallied in support of the murderous Israeli war on Gaza, Aug. 21. Palestinian flags flew alongside a big cardboard sign that read, “Occupation is a crime, From Ferguson to Palestine.”
Tallahassee, FL – Around 100 Dream Defenders and community members gathered in Lake Ella Park, Aug. 18, to speak out against the police murder of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. The rally also focused on the injustice of police brutality and systematic racism perpetuated by the U.S. The crowd was tired of the criminalization of Black and Brown people.
Tallahassee, FL – Around 100 Dream Defenders and community members gathered in Lake Ella Park, Aug. 18, to speak out against the police murder of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. The rally also focused on the injustice of police brutality and systematic racism perpetuated by the U.S. The crowd was tired of the criminalization of Black and Brown people.
Milwaukee, WI – Over 250 people gathered for a rally here, Aug. 16, to stand in solidarity with the struggle in Ferguson, Missouri, where more than a week of militant protests have erupted since 18-year-old Michael Brown was murdered by a Ferguson police officer.
Ferguson, MO – Governor Nixon signed an executive order Aug. 18 ordering the deployment of the National Guard to Ferguson. The order also authorizes the Highway Patrol to close down or restrict access to major city streets. In the wake of the murder of the killing of a young African American man, Mike Brown, by a white cop, Ferguson has seen a wave of protests demanding justice and authorities are moving to step up repression.
Ferguson, MO – Following Governor Jay Nixon’s announcement of a state of emergency here, police and state troopers launched an attack on protesters who were demanding justice for Mike Brown. In the early morning hours of Aug. 17, police used tear gas and carried out arrests.
St. Paul, MN – The Wednesday peace vigil on Aug. 13 had 50 people on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and Saint Paul protesting new U.S. military intervention in Iraq.
Detroit, MI – Judge Paul D. Borman was forced to remove himself from the case of Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh, Aug 11. Late last month, Judge Borman stridently denied a defense motion calling on him to step down. The motion asserted that his lifelong support for the state of Israel – whose arrest, torture and conviction of Odeh for alleged Jerusalem bombings in 1969 is at issue in this case – would not allow for a fair trial. Odeh has pleaded not guilty to the charge of Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization and vehemently refutes the Israeli convictions, which were based on a forced confession after extended periods of vicious physical and sexual torture.
Minneapolis, MN – About 70 protesters gathered on May Day Plaza in the West Bank neighborhood here, Aug. 11, to stand in solidarity with Gaza. The protest coincided with a three-day ceasefire between the Palestinian resistance and the Israeli occupation forces. About 2000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli assault on Gaza.
Chicago, IL – 8000 people marched here, Aug. 10, for Gaza. This march featured solidarity speeches from activists from many Latin American nations, including Mexico, Chile, and Ecuador, because of the stand their countries have taken in support of Gaza since Israel’s murderous assault began in July.
Minneapolis, MN – About 40 members and supporters of the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) came together here, Aug. 9, to celebrate the two-year battle to raise welfare grants. Speaking to the crowd, members of the WRC talked about some of the key protests and actions from the past year and expressed determination to continue the struggle.
Minneapolis, MN – About 30 people came together here, August 9, to protest the escalating U.S. war on Iraq. Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the Twin Cities-based Anti War Committee told the crowd, “We are here today to say hands off Iraq. The U.S. needs to stop its intervention in Iraq and in the region. Immediately. There is no potential outcome where Iraq will be better off after more U.S.-sponsored death and destruction.”
Aug. 9 rally will demand ‘No new U.S. war in Iraq’
Minneapolis, MN – An anti-war protest will be held on Aug. 9 in Minneapolis to speak out against the new U.S. military intervention in Iraq. The rally is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m., on May Day Plaza, which is located at the intersection of Cedar Avenue and South 3rd Street.
Minneapolis, MN – A Twin Cities protest in solidarity with Gaza, Aug. 6, included a dramatic expression of solidarity with the people of Gaza – a die-in at the front door of the largest newspaper in Minnesota.
Chicago, IL – Anti-war activist Kait McIntyre appeared in Cook County Judicial Circuit court on the morning of Aug. 1. McIntyre was one of five activists arrested in a civil disobedience protest action July 16 to oppose Boeing Company providing weapons to Israel for the siege on Gaza. She proudly pled guilty to trespassing at Boeing headquarters. “Hospitals, homes for the disabled and playgrounds are being bombed and more and more children die. As a citizen of Chicago, which has one of the largest Palestinian communities in the U.S., there comes a time where you cannot ignore your conscience and you know more drastic actions have to be taken.”
