Los Angeles, CA – Immigrant rights organizations staged a press conference here July 12, to demand that Sheriff Lee Baca stop cooperating with the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) ‘Secure Communities’ program. The Secure Communities program has resulted in the repression of thousands of immigrants. The press conference was organized by the National Day Labors Organizing Network. Participants included representatives from CARCEN Day Labor Center, ACLU, Pomona Day Labor Center, Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC) and CHIRLA.
Fight Back! interviewed Newland Smith, a member of the Committee Against Political Repression in Chicago, the local affiliate of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Smith led a campaign within the national convention of the Episcopal Church to take a stand for civil liberties in the face of repression of Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians and peace activists. The convention adopted a resolution expressing concern, which will become part of the Episcopalian legislative agenda. There are 30 to 40 members of U.S. Congress who are practicing Episcopalians.
Reporting from Damascus, the Syrian News Agency states that Minister of Defense General Dawood Rajiha, Deputy Minister of Defense General Asef Shawkat and Assistant Vice-President General Hassan Turkmani were killed in a terrorist explosion targeting the National Security Headquarters, July 18.
Chicago, IL – Members and supporters of the Committee Against Political Repression gathered here July 15 to celebrate the legal victory scored by Carlos Montes in June. Montes faced many years in prison for his political activism, with trumped up legal charges thrown at him by the Los Angeles District Attorney. He is one of the anti-war and international solidarity activists under attack by the FBI.
Milwaukee, WI – More than 50 people came together here, July 12, for a Solidarity Dinner, followed by a mass picket to support the striking Palermo’s pizza workers. The Solidarity Dinner, held at United Lodge 66, brought together Palermo’s workers and members of Students for a Democratic Society, Voces de la Frontera, the Machinists, Occupy and other supporting organizations. More than $700 was raised to support the strike.
Tampa, FL – The Coalition to March on the RNC successfully obtained permits to rally and protest in Tampa, Florida. The permitted rally and march on the Republican National Convention will start at 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 27, at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, 1200 North Orange Avenue, in Tampa.
Chicago, IL – Joe Iosbaker, a leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and one of the main organizers of the massive march on the NATO summit, gave an important speech June 30, summing up the some of the lessons of the anti-NATO protest.
Chicago, IL – Activists from Occupy Chicago, the Chicago Committee Against Political Repression and Hammerhard Media met here, July 9, to discuss the police and FBI attacks on protests here and across the country.
Chicago, IL – One month after the historic protests against NATO, activists from across Chicago and even Milwaukee gathered in the shadow of the McCormick Place, site of the NATO summit, on June 30, for a discussion on the lessons of the NATO protests. The event was held at Trinity Episcopal Church and sponsored by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).
Los Angeles, CA – Several hundred people joined a spirited rally at the Westwood Federal Building, June 30, to demand “No U.S./NATO wars on Syria or Iran.” Several groups joined the International Action Center-initiated rally, including Arab Americans for Syria, who brought families to the rally to denounce the CIA supported terrorist attacks on the people of Syria. Several groups spoke, such as Bayan USA, International League of Peoples Struggles – U.S. (Los Angeles), Southern California Immigration Coalition and Latinos Against War.
Chicago, IL – “Not another Libya! Hands off Syria!” chanted the crowd as they picketed against war June 26. The protesters mobilized in response to the events of recent days, such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s lie about Russia sending attack helicopters and then Turkey’s convening of a NATO meeting after a Turkish fighter jet was shot down over Syrian territory.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemned the Aquino regime and the US government for the docking of another US submarine in Subic Bay a few weeks after a similar docking by another American nuclear submarine roused nationalist opposition and protests from various sectors. The docking took place amid US government efforts to increase its military presence and strengthen its hegemonic domination in the Asia-Pacific.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 people joined an emergency protest here, June 26 at the Federal Building, to speak out against the growing danger of new U.S. wars and military interventions. The protest was organized under the call: “No New Wars – No U.S. War in Iran and Syria – End the Drone Wars.”
Los Angeles, CA – A victory party celebrating the successful fight back against the political repression of Carlos Montes took place here, June 20, at the home of Julio and Inez Rodriguez. Eric Gardner, a member of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, pointed out how this was a victory for the whole movement that is resisting political repression. The large turnout of family and supporters brought together a broad representation of the people’s movement in Los Angeles, including labor, anti-war and community activists.
Minneapolis, MN – On June 23, supporters of the immigrant rights movement joined together for a fundraiser for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee ( MIRAc) at the Red Sea. The fundraiser featured local hip hop and spoken word artist Guante, DJ Victor1200, as well as Twin Cities Bomba, which is made up of members of Malamanya Musica.
Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression (MNCSFR) and the Anti-War Committee passed out leaflets and stickers at the Twin Cities Pride Festival here, June 23, to build opposition to FBI repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution from the 21st International Communist Seminar, which took place in Brussels, Belgium, May 18-20. The list of signers has been updated.
Tampa, Fl – About 50 people from across the country gathered here June 16, on the University of South Florida campus, for the Coalition to March on the Republican National Convention Organizers Conference. There were representatives from more than 30 labor unions, student organizations, anti-war groups and immigrant rights groups from Florida, Minnesota, Illinois and North Carolina, including the Graduate Assistants United at the University of Florida, Students for a Democratic Society, the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, the United National Anti War Coalition, and Students Working for Equal Rights.
