Chicago, IL – A press conference was held here today, March 15, to announce a change of plans for anti NATO/G8 marchers.

Minneapolis, MN – On March 8, President Obama signed the Federal Restricted Building and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011. This bill has been called the “anti-Occupy bill” and it specifically targets protests at national security events where the Secret Service is in charge.

St. Paul, MN – In a packed hearing room, more than a dozen legislators heard testimony March 14 on proposed legislation to put a moratorium on home foreclosures and the eviction of tenants from foreclosed properties. Representative Karen Clark and Senator Scott Dibble, authors of the ‘Foreclosure Moratorium, Neighborhood Stabilization & Tenant Protection Bill’ (SF1521 and HF1886) chaired the hearing. The moratorium bill is an initiative of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout (MCPBO).

Chicago, IL – Over 100 people rallied and marched here March 10 at Daley Plaza. They came to defend civil liberties, demand an end to suppression of dissent and to call for a stop of government attacks on immigrant, Arab, Muslim, Black and Latino communities.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people gathered here March 9 to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event was sponsored by Freedom Road Socialist Organization and featured women leaders from the people’s struggles.

Protestors win victory; continue plans to march on NATO Summit May 19

Chicago, IL – The White House announced today, March 5, that the G8 summit, scheduled for Chicago on May 19-20, will be moved to Camp David, although the NATO summit will still take place in Chicago.

Berkeley, CA – Long time antiwar activist Iwao Lewis Suzuki was awarded the Clifford I. Uyeda Peace and Humanitarian award at the Day of Remembrance program in San Francisco, California on February 19, 2012. Dr. Clifford Uyeda was a long-time Japanese American community activist who championed redress and reparations for Japanese Americans incarcerated in U.S. concentration camps during World War II. He also publicized the almost 300 Japanese Americans who refused the military draft during World War II because their families were in concentration camps and spent on average two years in prison each for their courageous stand. Dr. Uyeda also worked to educate people about the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during their occupation of China, including the Rape of Nanking. Fight Back! interviewed Mr. Suzuki at his home in Berkeley after the Day of Remembrance program.

Tallahassee, FL – On Thursday, March 1, the student movement in the United States took a collective step forward in the fight for higher education. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), along with Occupy Education groups across the country and other progressive student organizations, held a nationwide day of action against crippling budget cuts, tuition hikes, and student debt.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution that was adopted by a unanimous vote of the San Francisco Labor Council, Feb. 27, 2012.

Chicago IL – 50 workers at Serious Materials, the window factory formerly known as Republic Windows and Doors, reported to work the morning of Feb. 23 only to be told that today would be their last day of work. Workers talked throughout the day and at 2:30 p.m. they came off the line and told the boss that they were not leaving the factory. They would not let the factory be stripped of its machines and sold piece by piece while they were out of a job.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered here at the 400 Bar, Feb. 18 for a benefit show and CD release party, to support anti-war and international solidarity activists who are facing FBI repression. Sponsored by the MN Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), Queer Student Cultural Center, Anti-War Committee (AWC) and Women Student Activist Collective (WSAC), attendees stood in solidarity with the 24 activists who were raided by the FBI and subpoenaed to a grand jury investigating ‘material support for terrorism.’

Chicago, IL – Yellow buses from across the city arrived with students, parents, staff and community members for a rally at Lake View High School, Feb 20. Their message to Mayor Rahm Emanuel: “Support our schools, don't close them.”

In February, the National Lawyers Guild reached a $6.2 million settlement in the case of Vodak v City of Chicago, which arose from the arrest of 800 protesters on the night the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq began. The case is named after Kevin Vodak, an attorney who attended the protest as a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild. Vodak was arrested along with the protesters. Under Mayor Emanuel, the city has frustrated attempts by organizers to get permits for protests against NATO/G8. Emanuel has attempted to force drastic changes to ordinances governing protests, trying to restrict the right to protest. Fight Back! posed questions to Jim Fennerty, one of the lawyers in this nine-year legal fight for the right to protest. Fight Back!: What is the Vodak case about?

*Fight Back! interviews Joe Iosbaker, the Chicago spokesperson for the United Antiwar Coalition, on the protest that will coincide with the NATO/G8 Summit that is scheduled for May 19.*

Minneapolis, MN – On February 18 more than 50 immigrants and supporters protested against a new deportation program imposed in Minnesota. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) imposed the controversial “Secure Communities” deportation program in all 87 Minnesota counties on February 7. The protesters gathered at People’s Plaza in downtown Minneapolis to denounce the program and call for an end to deportations. Over a million people have been deported in the last three years leaving massive numbers of separated children and families, largely as a result of deportation programs like Secure Communities.

*Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the United National Antiwar Coalition for an important conference March 23 – 25. We urge you to attend.*

Longview, WA – On Friday, members of the ILWU and the labor community named the Occupy Movement as key to the settlement reached Thursday between ILWU Local 21 and the Export Grain Terminal (EGT). The contract finally provides for the use of ILWU labor in the grain terminal at the Port of Longview. After staging the December 12 port shutdowns in solidarity with Local 21, the West Coast Occupy Movement planned coordinated action together with labor allies for a land and water blockade of the EGT ship in Longview, should it attempt to use scab labor to load. Occupys in states where EGT's parent company Bunge has its growth and operations were also planning actions against the company on the day of the arrival of the ship.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 people gathered here Feb 4 to demonstrate against the growing danger of U.S. war on Iran. The Minneapolis event was a part of an international day of protest that included anti-war actions in over 50 cities in the U.S. and around the world.

Milwaukee, WI – While 300 foreclosed homes were being auctioned off Feb. 6 at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, over 50 protesters stormed Milwaukee City Hall, Feb. 6 demanding an end to foreclosures, evictions, plant closings, school closings and layoffs, as well as transparency with the federally-funded Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).