News and Views from the People's Struggle
Chicago, IL – On July 14, over 400 protesters gathered in downtown here to demand justice for Trayvon Martin after his killer, George Zimmerman, was acquitted. This protest came after a 200 person emergency response rally the evening before. Demonstrators demanded, “Not one more! Justice for Trayvon Martin!”
Milwaukee, WI – Protests have been ongoing in Milwaukee since the not guilty verdict for the racist killer of Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman.
Oakland, CA – Several thousand protesters marched to demand justice for Trayvon Martin here, during the afternoon of July 14. The protesters began by rallying at Oscar Grant plaza and from there marched through the working-class neighborhood of West Oakland.
#OaklandCA #OppressedNationalities #AntiRacism #TrayvonMartin #GeorgeZimmerman #InjusticeSystem
San José, CA – On July 14, almost 100 protesters, more than half African American, marched through the streets of downtown San José to protest the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who was on trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin. The protest began at the San José City Hall, where Reverend Houston of the House of San Kofa told the crowd, “It is necessary that our voices be heard!”
Dallas, TX – In the 24 hours since the outrageous verdict of acquittal in the Trayvon Martin case was announced, Dallas has seen at least three protests demanding justice for the young, unarmed black man gunned down in a Florida neighborhood.
Tallahassee, FL – 350 people took to the streets July 13 here for an “Emergency Midnight March” for Trayvon Martin. The tear-marked faces of every person flickered red and blue in the midst of a full police escort. The march was organized and headed by a Black and Brown-led student group called the Dream Defenders, who guided a community outraged over the Zimmerman verdict to the steps of the historic Florida Capitol, where the group held a rally.
_Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners send messages of support _
Washington, DC – 50 people gathered at Columbia Heights Civic Plaza, July 12, to demand compassionate release for Lynne Stewart. Music and speakers rallied the crowd, reaching thousands of passersby at this busy square during evening rush hour. Undaunted by rain, protesters passed out hundreds of flyers and collected petition signatures urging the release of Stewart, imprisoned on bogus terrorism charges for her work as a defense attorney. Although Stewart has stage four cancer and qualifies for early release based on compassionate grounds, the Bureau of Prisons has refused to release her.
Milwaukee, WI – Following the not guilty verdict for George Zimmerman, who stalked and killed Trayvon Martin, emergency demonstrations started the night of Saturday, July 13 and went on into early Sunday morning.
Protesters tell Dayton to quit giving money to billionaires
St Paul, MN – Members and supporters of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) protested July 10 in front of Governor Dayton’s mansion to demand that he act now to raise the welfare grants in Minnesota. As things stand, about 70,000 Minnesota children are living in extreme poverty.
Chicago, IL – Protesters gathered for the fourth week in a row to oppose the U.S. sending arms directly to the Syrian rebels. Organizers included the Anti-War Committee – Chicago, Syrian American Forum, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (Chicago), A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (Chicago), and March 19th Coalition. Nancy Wade, Green Party candidate for the Fifth Congressional District spoke at the rally, saying, “The corporate backed politicians in both parties must stop their wars for profit and meet the needs of the people here for jobs, healthcare, housing and schools!”
#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #Syria #AntiWarCommitteeChicago #MiddleEast
San Francisco, CA – On Wednesday, July 10, a hundred people rallied downtown here to protest the growing U.S. military intervention in Syria. The rally was called by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), the ANSWER Coalition, along with other anti-war organizations. The rally opened and closed with chants of “money for jobs and education, not for wars and occupation.” Speakers at the rally included representatives from UNAC, ANSWER, World Can’t Wait, Code Pink, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Demand justice for Trayvon Martin
Sanford, FL – As the trial of George Zimmerman reaches its twelfth day, activists and organizers around Florida question whether the murderer of Trayvon Martin will face justice for killing the 17 year-old African-American student in cold blood.
Los Angeles, CA – On July 8, 30,000 prisoners in California began a massive, system-wide hunger strike and work stoppage. This is likely the largest prison strike in U.S. history. The prisoners have five demands, centered on stopping long-term solitary confinement, group punishment and administrative abuse, as well as other issues of appalling prison conditions, many of which can be classified as torture. The strike is uniting prisoners across lines of race and nationality throughout the California prison system.
According to a June 26 report from the New China News Agency (Xinhua), Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), told members of the party leadership to, “learn from the past, stressing that the socialist path with Chinese characteristics must be unswervingly followed and the Party must serve the people heart and soul.”
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela offered asylum, on humanitarian grounds, to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, July 5.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Egyptian Communist Party:
Chicago, IL – Dr. Matar speaks for the Syrian American Forum July 2, as people gathered here, for a third week in a row of protests, to say, “Hands off Syria! No new wars!”
Dearborn, MI – Over 200 Syrian-Americans and their supporters rallied here, June 30. The spirited rally on the steps of Dearborn City Hall was at times serious, other times jubilant, but always defiant.
Tampa, FL – Rank-and-file members of the Teamsters union dealt a blow to corporate greed by blocking the implementation of a substandard contract negotiated between United Parcel Service (UPS) and union officials. Under Teamster rules the national contract cannot take effect until all the local as well as regional supplements and riders are passed.
Minneapolis, MN – A peace contingent, made up of the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Free Bradley Manning-Minneapolis and others, had a strong showing at the annual Minneapolis LGBTQ Pride parade this year. The contingent participated in the annual parade down Hennepin Avenue to Loring Park on June 30.