Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police, Freedom Road Socialist Organization-New Orleans, Tulane & Loyola Students for a Democratic Society, and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports.
New Orleans, LA – March 16, around 12:30 p.m., at a protest against Tulane’s aid to Israel, local activist Toni Jones was arrested for standing in solidarity with Palestine.
Milwaukee, WI – Another visit to Milwaukee by President Biden resulted in a protest by the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine (WCJP) to denounce him. On Wednesday, March 13, Biden made multiple stops across Milwaukee, issuing promises to improve the living conditions for Black residents and visit the new Democratic Party headquarters.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following March 14 statement from Tulane Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
Official Statement on Battery of Tulane Student by Professor Walter Isaacson
On March 13th, a Tulane student and member of Students for a Democratic Society, Rory Macdonald, was assaulted by Walter Isaacson, a Tulane professor and board member. Macdonald was protesting a Tulane-sponsored New Orleans Entrepreneurship Week panel titled “Energy Innovation at Scale” featuring Louisiana State University, ExxonMobil, and Halliburton. Isaacson, an audience member, grabbed Rory and cursed at them, battering them and leaving them with bruises on their arm and scratches on their back. The encounter was captured in multiple videos. Tulane has done nothing to protect Arab students and members of SDS from repeated harassment and threats from Zionist students, and now one of our members has been assaulted by a member of the faculty.
Jacksonville, FL – On March 9, Jacksonville community members gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day and demanded freedom for Palestine. The Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, UNF SDS held the event.
Minneapolis – On March 12, just 16 hours after being notified that the Consul General of Israel Yinam Cohen was meeting with University of Minnesota Vice President Croson, along with a group of Zionist community leaders, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) pulled together an emergency protest and march starting outside of the Coffman Student Union. Protesters demanded an end to the ties between the university and the state of Israel.
Chicago, IL – 500 people marched through downtown Chicago on March 10 behind banners that read “Stand with the women of Palestine” and “End genocide! Free Palestine from the river to the sea.” The event was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) together with the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and 14 other organizations in observance of International Women's Day two days before.
Green Bay, WI- On March 7, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) met with Chancellor Michael Alexander to discuss the university’s position on the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
SDS and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have just been made aware that the Consul General of Israel Yinam Cohen will reportedly be meeting with University of Minnesota Vice President Croson along with a group of Zionist community leaders. Given various factors: the climate of repression of Pro-Palestine activism on campus, the genocide being carried out by the illegal Israeli occupation, and an ongoing Department of Education investigation into false claims of anti-semitism, this meeting is shameful complicity in Israel’s crimes.
Tallahassee, FL – On March 8, at 6 p.m., the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, along with the Tallahassee Dissenters, Students for a Democratic Society, Food Not Bombs, and the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, rallied at the Florida Historic Capitol building for a protest recognizing International Women’s Day and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian liberation.
New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, March 2, around 50 community members packed into a community space in the 7th Ward. There, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) held a forum titled “Black Power and the need for communist organization.”
Chicago, IL – On Friday morning, March 8, House of Blues Chicago announced that the concert of Zionist musician Matisyahu, scheduled for that night, was canceled. The last minute cancellation came after weeks of pressure from the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), the Anti War Committee – Chicago, Students for a Democratic Society, and members of the Chicago Black and brown coalition for Palestine.
Orlando, FL – 25 students gathered at the University of Central Florida, March 4, to protest the presence of Lockheed Martin on their campus. UCF Students for a Democratic Society organized the rally outside of what was meant to be a “Diversity Panel” hosted by the weapons manufacturer, which has supplied weapons to Israel for the ongoing occupation and war against the people of Palestine.
Orlando, FL – 25 students gathered at the University of Central Florida, March 4, to protest the presence of Lockheed Martin on their campus. UCF Students for a Democratic Society organized the rally outside of what was meant to be a “Diversity Panel” hosted by the weapons manufacturer, which has supplied weapons to Israel for the ongoing occupation and war against the people of Palestine.
Tallahassee, FL – On March 1, around 50 people joined Tallahassee Students of a Democratic Society (SDS) in a rally at Florida State University for a “Hands off Rafah!” national day of action called by National SDS. The event opposed ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah.
St Paul, MN – On March 1, at the weekly Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) bannering, 70 community members stood with Palestine and the people of Gaza who have endured over 145 days of relentless, genocidal U.S.-funded and backed Israeli attacks. Over 32,200 people have been slaughtered, mostly women and children and those still alive face a deadly shortage of food, safe water, medicine and stand on the abyss of famine due to Israel’s total blockade, siege and bombing.
Milwaukee, WI – On February 26, five members from the UW-Milwaukee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) met with UWM administration to demand they cut ties with Israel.
St. Paul, MN – On February 28, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee organized a protest at the Eastcliff Mansion, where Governor Tim Walz currently resides. On the eve of the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) meeting, a crowd of over 100 people rallied to demand that the Minnesota governor, also the chair of the SBI, divest from apartheid Israel and weapons manufacturers.
Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, February 27, a group of around 15 students joined together in front of the Marshall Student Center at the University of South Florida to demand that the university defend diversity.
St. Paul, MN – On February 27, over 100 students rallied on Macalester College campus, followed by a march to the high-traffic intersection of Snelling and Summit Avenues, to demand that Saint Paul city council take a stand and pass a ceasefire resolution.
At the intersection the students chanted, “City council you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!” at rush hour traffic, with a dozen supporters who joined off the street.
Minneapolis, Saint Paul’s neighboring city, passed one of the most progressive ceasefire resolutions in the country on February 8, calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. Despite this, Saint Paul city council has shown considerable resistance to even introducing a ceasefire resolution, which has already been written by a coalition of local organizations, to be voted on.
New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, February 24, students and community members gathered outside of Loyola University New Orleans to protest a pro-Israel event occuring on campus.
