Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Former US air force colonel, Raymond M. Powell, is an active psywar operative, interventionist, war-monger and American agent-provocateur. From an obscure career in the US military, he has been receiving much air time from big Philippine media organizations since last year, touted as a “security analyst” and “expert on maritime issues.”

Colonel Powell has been actively supporting Philippine security forces in carrying out provocative operations in the West Philippine Sea in the guise of “supply missions” to bring “construction materials” to the BRP Sierra Madre. He has recently stepped up his provocation, pushing the Philippines to consult with the US on options under the Mutual Defense Treaty. He insists China will not be open to deescalating conflicts, insinuating that there is no more room for diplomacy and dialogue.

Funded and endorsed by the US military, Colonel Powell has been playing an active role in the US “Indo-Pacific strategy,” that aims to contain China’s growth as an economic and military power. He presently heads the Myoushu and Sealight projects at Stanford University, which has been actively providing “information operations” support to the so-called “supply missions” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine Coast Guard. These naval and maritime operations challenge China’s “gray-zone tactics” and push it to its limits. This is part of the overall US military scheme to make China “own the starting pistol.”

By way of background, Colonel Powell took part in the US wars of invasion and occupation of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), both of which were waged by the US on false pretexts. As an expert in information wars, he is now actively seeking ways to ignite a military conflict between the Philippines and China, and thus set the pretext for a large-scale US war of intervention.

Colonel Powell is part of US drumbeating operations to generate a clamor for war and for US military intervention. He is working alongside other US-funded, supported or endorsed “think tanks” such as the “International Development and Security Cooperation” which has been hyping up the scenario of a “Chinese invasion” and consistently calling on the US to step in. The fanning of Sinophobia is also part of this information war.

Colonel Powell and the slew of “security analysts” must be exposed and denounced as war-mongers, who have no qualms of sparking a war in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea, which will surely trample further on Philippine sovereignty and bring a great disaster to the Filipino people.

#International #Philippines #CPP #Statement

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Milwaukee march reproductive rights in preparation for mass protest at the RNC.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, June 22, around 40 people gathered in the rain to bring attention to the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision voted on by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ended federal abortion protections.

Co-sponsored by Reproductive Justice Action – Milwaukee (RJAM) and the Coalition to March on the RNC, the crowd gathered for several riveting speeches from members of the community, and marched on the Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention is set to happen in a few weeks’ time.

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Hundreds of Pro-Palestine protestors march in the street holding signs and banners.

Denver, CO – On Sunday, June 23, the Colorado Palestine Coalition (CPC) organized a protest at Denver’s annual Pride Parade to draw attention to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people and the complicity of companies like Lockheed Martin in that genocide. Denver’s Pride Parade was sponsored by several arms contractors that sell weapons to Israel, like Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. The protest was attended by about 500 people.

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Monument to those who died in Ludlow, Colorado massacre.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Denver, CO – On Sunday, June 23, a group of Teamsters from Denver attended the Ludlow, Colorado memorial service in Las Animas County, almost 200 miles south of Denver. Ludlow is the site of the Ludlow Massacre, a horrific 1914 attack by the National Guard and a mine owners’ militia that resulted in approximately 21 deaths. Victims included wives and children of striking miners.

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Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The English translation appeared on the Resistance News Network on Telegram.

The war criminal Netanyahu firmly confirms he does not want to stop the war for narrow calculations and rejects Biden's proposal contrary to American claims.

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Pro-Palestine demonstration at Lockheed Martin.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Littleton, CO – On Wednesday, June 12, Denver Anti-War Action (DAWA) furthered their fight against Lockheed Martin with a rally outside the weapon manufacturer's Space Division headquarters in Colorado.

Dozens of protesters showed up between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. as employees finished up with the workday. While vehicles lined up at the intersection to begin their commute home, protesters denounced the corporation for their contribution to the crimes against humanity being committed in Gaza.

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Tampa rally against suspension and expulsion of student protesters.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Tampa, FL – On June 18, students led a rally in protest of the University of South Florida (USF) suspension of Joseph Charry and expulsion of Victoria Hinckley. Both students, members of Tampa Bay SDS, were hit with conduct charges related to their participation at the solidarity encampments against the Israeli genocide in Gaza, Palestine. Charry is an international student and Victoria Hinckley is a senior set to graduate.

A lively group of 40 people marched from a nearby rally point to the USF Bulls fountain in front of the Marshall Student Center. Students held signs reading, “Victory to Palestine!” “Defend student protests for Palestine!” and “Stop the suspension of Joseph Charry!”

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The Riley family and community members outside Tallahassee City Hall. | Cas Casanova/Fight Back! News

Tallahassee, FL – On June 19, friends and family held a rally at Tallahassee City Hall demanding to overturn the verdict and sentence against Calvin Riley.

Community members joined the Riley family to speak during public comment at the city commission meeting, which apparently was held despite the Juneteenth holiday. Speakers demanded justice for Calvin Riley after he received a conviction and a DUI sentence, despite proof that a police officer planted evidence on him.

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Englewood, CO – On June 16, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a march to the home of University of Colorado Regent and chair of the Governance Committee, Ilana D. Spiegel. Spiegel, a Democrat, was elected to the University of Colorado Board of Regents 6th Congressional seat in late 2020.

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Milwaukee, WI – The Coalition to March on the RNC is hosting a national online event titled “All Out for the March on the RNC!” The program takes place on Monday, June 24, at 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain, 5 p.m. Pacific). You can register to receive the Zoom link here: tinyurl.com/marchrnc

The event will feature speakers reporting on their organizing in different movements, giving updates on the Coalition's work, and explaining mobilization plans.

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Activists hold up the Aztlán flag as well as a banner that reads “Legalizacion para todxs, legalization for all! Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee”

Fight Back! is circulating the following statement by the Legalization for All Network (L4A).

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Orlando, FL – Marcus Polzer, a Students for a Democratic Society member at University of Central Florida faced a formal hearing in front of the office for Student Conduct & Academic Integrity (SCAI) on May 30.

The office of SCAI alleged two counts of disruptive conduct, claiming Polzer taped flyers to light poles advertising SDS’s weekly meeting and pro-Palestine messages. Interestingly, while only citing evidence of taped flyers, the university claims the student leader broke rules regarding solicitation and fundraising. Neither Polzer nor the SDS chapter engaged in such activities.

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LA students stand with Palestine.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Los Angeles, CA – On the afternoon of Wednesday, June 12, in an act of escalation for Gaza, pro-Palestinian student protesters occupied the student services building at the California State University – Los Angeles (CSULA) campus.

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Community vigil for Justin Knight.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville community joined together for a vigil on Tuesday, June 11, to honor the life of 36-year-old Justin Knight. The community joined Knight 's family and friends around the newly rebuilt Friendship Fountain in downtown Jacksonville. Loved ones, along with community members, shared about Knight's life while also demanding answers about his death.

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Fight Back New Service is circulating the following statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

On Friday, June 7, the University of South Florida (USF) made the decision to expel Victoria Hinckley, a leader of the Tampa Bay chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. Hinckley had previously been suspended and barred from walking at graduation, despite being in her final semester. Joseph Charry, another leader of SDS and an international student, was also suspended for a year which threatens his student visa and puts him at the risk of deportation.

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Minnesota protest against U.S. intervention in Haiti. | Meredith Aby / Fight Back! News

St. Paul, MN – The MN Peace Action Coalition and Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) co-sponsored a vigil on the Marshal/Lake Street bridge over the Mississippi River on June 12 to draw attention to the role of the U.S, in Haiti. 30 people attended and they received many positive honks from rush hour drivers.

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Pro-Palestine students stage occupation at Cal Poly Humboldt.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Fight Back! recently interviewed Fern McBride and Rick Toledo. Both are pro-Palestine activists and SDS members that played important roles in supporting the occupation and the historic resistance at Cal Poly Humboldt, in Arcata, California. What started as sit-on on April 22 escalated into outrageous repression that was, however, met with determined resistance. On May 28, some of the activists had their first court appearance.

Fight Back!: Could you say a few words about how the occupation at Cal Poly Humboldt came about?

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Tampa, FL – In yet another act of political repression against Tampa Bay SDS, the University of South Florida administration has decided to expel SDS member Victoria Hinckley under false charges. Hinckley had previously been suspended and was not allowed to walk at graduation, despite being in her final semester. Admin also suspended international student Joseph Charry for one year, putting his student visa at risk and possibly getting him deported. SDS has been suspended as a campus group.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The English translation appeared on the Resistance News Network on Telegram.

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Omar Flores, co-chair of the Coalition to March on the RNC, announces a lawsuit to get march permit.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – After a year of denied permits for their proposed march, the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 has filed a lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee.

Along with a watered-down “free speech zone,” the city of Milwaukee has stoked repression by trying to implement “hard” and “soft” security zones around the Fiserv Forum, where the Republicans are planning to select their 2024 presidential nominee this July.

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