Minneapolis, MN – Large numbers of people came together July 1 on a beautiful Minneapolis summer evening for a ‘happy hour and appetizers’ fundraiser. The event raised money for a bus from Minneapolis to Cleveland to protest Donald Trump’s racist and anti-immigrant agenda on the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC).

The 50-person bus is being organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). Several other local activist organizations are also supporting the trip and sending members on the bus, including the Anti-War Committee, Students for a Democratic Society, the Welfare Rights Committee, and others.

The fundraiser was very successful, nearly reaching the amount needed to pay for the bus and trip expenses. To help reach the total amount needed, people can donate online at gofundme.com/DumpTrumpbustoRNC.

Many volunteers donated their time and labor to make the event a success, including bringing a wide array of delicious food and beverages. A tablet computer was also raffled off.

The event also included a short program. The main speaker was Kathleen Ganley, a University of Minnesota professor and long-time social justice advocate, who recently returned from a delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border. She gave a powerful and emotional presentation about the current reality on the border, which is already an incredibly heavily militarized zone, with tens of thousands of border patrol officers swarming, along with drones and an intimidating assortment of other military hardware.

The militarized presence forces people trying to cross the border into the most unforgiving sections of the desert, leading to thousands of people dying in the desert in their attempt to get across as they flee from desperate conditions created by U.S-funded war, repression and unjust ‘free trade’ agreements in their home countries.

A centerpiece of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been his anti-immigrant and anti-Mexican threats of mass deportations and his threat to “build a wall” to create an even more dramatic surge in border militarization beyond the already-intolerable border situation. Ganley’s first-hand report from the border drove home the urgency for supporters of immigrant rights and human rights to join the massive protest against Trump at the RNC as he is officially nominated as their presidential candidate.

MIRAC is organizing this bus to protest Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda as part of the ongoing No More Deportations campaign. The campaign will continue after the RNC to demand that the new president, whoever wins the election, break from the current administration’s practice of mass deportations, and stop deportations and border militarization.

#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #MIRAc #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RNC2016

The Coalition to March on the RNC, with an impressive list of endorsers demanding, “Good jobs, affordable education, health care, equality and peace,” led the largest of several events protesting the Republicans and their right-wing agenda of hate and war. The Freedom Road Socialist Organization played an active role in the Coalition to March on the RNC in 2012, just as it did in 2008 when protesters marched on the RNC in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

We are well aware that police intelligence operations began soon after we announced our plans to march on the Republicans the year before the RNC.

We also know the dedicated and hard-working activists who led the meetings, press conferences, planning sessions and the big march itself. While we are open and democratic with many people participating, the leadership of the Coalition to March on the RNC consisted of a close-knit group of young friends. They went to college together and knew each other since before they were even interested in politics. While many activists came forward and played important roles in organizing against the Republicans, we are confident in our leadership and clear about the empty boasting by the police.

The leaders of the Coalition to March on the RNC made plans that were both politically and tactically sound, and successfully carried them out even when the state tried to impose a ‘clean zone’ around the RNC itself. The march was a big success and saw virtually no deviation from the plan. We captured the political spotlight that day, despite hurricane rains that caused the Republicans to cancel their opening day. The media covered our march with its people’s demands instead of Mitt Romney’s right-wing agenda of the 1%.

However, this does not prove that the police or other law enforcement agencies did not send spies and provocateurs into organizations mobilizing against the RNC that year – in fact, we know that the enemy has infiltrated the movement before and certainly conducted surveillance of social justice organizers in 2012. No one who loves peace and justice is unaware of the heavy amount of surveillance and repression of activists and community organizers carried out on a daily basis by the state and its agents. What is important is to take a stand against disruption and repression, and for activists to look out for each other and show solidarity with those under attack.

The repression of those who fight for peace and justice is part of the long history of state repression that organizers and revolutionaries, often anarchists and communists, face. This account serves as a backdrop for important conclusions to be drawn about the nature of state repression today and the enemy's spying on the 2012 RNC protests in Tampa, Florida.

The police and law enforcement agencies hate activists and organizers who fight for a better world and will do anything to suppress them or stop them from achieving their goals. This fact was well known to those who organized in Tampa in 2012, and to other forces in movements like Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter.

It is certain that the police sent spies to meetings, marches and rallies – with the purpose to disrupt, divide and destroy an open, democratic and progressive march and other protest events against the Republicans. It is even likely that some of the police spies stuck around after the march was over in Tampa, as was the case with police spy “Karen Sullivan” in Minneapolis-Saint Paul in 2008. If so, then they have failed to meet their objectives and instead have witnessed a growing people's movement in Florida and the rest of the country that is resistant to provocateurs, sabotage, co-option and wrecking by the enemies of the people.

The Coalition to March on the RNC's event was a huge success despite Tropical Storm Isaac soaking Tampa on the day of the big march. That day, veteran activists along with new organizers dealt a blow to the 1%, the imperialist class in the U.S. Just as police spies and all the forces of nature could not impede the march on the RNC in Tampa, so too will the oppressed and the working class ultimately emerge victorious against capitalism.

#UnitedStates #Editorials #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNC #RepublicanNationalConvention2012 #PoliticalRepression

New SDS chapters in the process of forming already have the enthusiastic support of some local unions, sympathetic campus staff and community based social justice organizations.

Students interested in building campaigns to defend education rights, fight racism on campus and to work closely with campus workers to support union drives will meet in SDS meetings on their respective campuses this week.

Building new SDS chapters in Mississippi and Louisiana will tie together a huge network of chapters across the South, anchored by a strong base of five existing SDS chapters in Florida.

#NewOrleansLA #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #RNC2012 #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

An amendment that would have eliminated the right to bail for people accused of certain types of crimes was defeated by 55%-45%, and an amendment to reduce the size of Puerto Rico’s government was defeated by a vote of 54%-46%.

Leading up to the August 19 vote, the mass media’s polls indicated that the two referendums were likely to pass. Alejandro García Padilla of the Popular Democratic Party, who is running against Fortuño for governor in November, also campaigned for a 'yes' vote on the amendments. But a strong grassroots movement was built urging a no vote as a vote to protect people’s basic rights.

The amendment that would have eliminated the ability of people accused of certain crimes to have the right to bail was pitched as a conservative ‘tough on crime’ measure, but its rejection indicates that Puerto Ricans saw it as connected to the recently-passed penal code reforms that were also spun as ‘tough on crime’ measures but were aimed clearly at restricting people’s rights, such as the right to protest and disagree with the government. The other defeated amendment would have reduced the size of Puerto Rico’s legislature, another cause championed by Governor Fortuño.

#PuertoRico #Repression #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #LuisFortuño

“I'm excited to speak to students I don't even know who are working for the same ideals as myself. Its a great feeling of solidarity,” said Cecelia O'Brien, a Florida State University student.

Students hope to build lasting infrastructure, helping new chapters and affiliates to develop across the South, leading up to the SDS National Convention in October. “It's going to be a big semester for activism in Florida and around the country,” said Tallahassee student organizer Andrew Arachikavitz, with a grin on his face.

Organizers will table in the student union, hold a public rally and SDS meet-up and meet with student organizers on the campus throughout the next day.

#AthensGA #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #RNC2012 #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

Fight Back!: What are the Coalition’s plans for the rally against the RNC?

Fernando Figueroa: Well, in a few short days, on the first day of the Republican convention, we will be hosting the largest single march against the RNC here in Tampa, Florida. Thousands of protesters will be converging at Perry Harvey Sr. Park at 10:00 a.m. for a rally with dozens of speakers, including prominent speakers such as Joe Iosbaker of the United National Anti War Coalition and Carlos Montes, a longtime Chicano rights organizer in Los Angeles. From there we will be holding a permitted march through downtown Tampa to Protest RNC Square, an area only a few blocks from the site of the convention. What we have been trying to do is unite all progressive groups in opposition to the agenda of hatred and austerity being pushed by the 1% and their Republican tools. In its place we are uniting around a People’s Agenda including the five demands for “Good Jobs, Affordable Education, Healthcare, Equality, and Peace.”

Fight Back!: Can you give us some of the details of the day-to-day organizing?

Figueroa: For those of us here in Tampa and around the state of Florida, the organizing has been a non- stop process for the past few months. We began by building the Coalition with the plan for one big march on the first day of the convention. We talked to a diverse array of progressive groups, gathered endorsements and eventually held an organizers’ meeting in Tampa back in June. Simultaneously, we were securing permits for the march and we felt this was important because we want to provide as safe of an event as possible, especially for the undocumented as well as families with children. From there, it has been a daily process of gathering donations to pay for our stage, PA system, porta-potties, and other materials necessary for a successful rally. Now that we’re a few days away, we are making the final preparations including making signs and training for event staff.

Fight Back!: How do you feel about the mobilization to bring people here for the event?

Figueroa: We are expecting thousands of protesters to come to Tampa for the March from the Tampa Bay Area, the state of Florida, and even across the U.S. Fortunately, our mobilization efforts have been extremely successful due to the help of the our Coalition partners. Labor unions have been among the most giving with central labor councils providing speakers, donations and in some cases, even several busloads of trade unionists for the event. We have seen great examples of dedication from groups including Students for a Democratic Society who have been working tirelessly on bringing out their fellow students, even though for many universities, the protest is on the first day of classes.

Fight Back!: Do you have anything else to add?

Figueroa: I’d like to add that a lot of the day-to-day work for this event has been carried out largely by the youth and for me this is very promising. I think we young people are rising up to our moment in history to stand with all who oppose the 1% and their political parties. On Sept. 2, many of us will join the march on Wall Street South in North Carolina. People in this country and especially the youth are fed up with wars, unemployment, low-paying jobs, inequality and racist hatred we suffer from every day. It’s time for all of us who oppose the 1% to unite and that’s what we see happening with this rally in Tampa. We are well-prepared for this march and I think all of us will be sending a powerful message both to the 1% and the rest of the world that the people of the U.S. are choosing to fight back against austerity, hatred and war.

#TampaFlorida #TampaFL #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RNC #Florida #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

Marisol Marquez of Students Working for Equal Rights states, “While undocumented students working tirelessly to pursue a higher education are being reported, the rich Republicans continue getting richer. The Republicans rejoice in their racism when undocumented students keep dying while fighting the rich man's war. While Deferred Action applications are being filled by hopeful immigrants, the rich try scamming them out of thousands of dollars with the promise of immediate citizenship.”

“The City of Tampa will be hosting the RNC, August 27. There, the richest bigots will gather to proclaim continued efforts to push their agenda that is filled with racism. At the Coalition to March on the RNC rally, we will be demanding equality along with our other four demands: good jobs, health care, affordable education and peace,” Marisol concluded.

One of the most prominent immigrant rights leaders in the county, Carlos Montes of the South California Immigration Coalition, will be traveling from Los Angeles to speak at the protest. “The immigrant rights movement is watching what happens in Tampa,” states Montes. “With legislation like SB1070 in Arizona, we know that the Republican Party has been waging a war on immigrants. I am proud to stand with the Coalition to March on the RNC.”

The August 27 RNC protest will begin with a 10:00 a.m. rally at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, located at 1200 N. Orange Ave in Tampa, FL. After speakers greet the crowd, demonstrators will join the permitted march to the Tampa Bay Times Forum – the site of the RNC – around noon.

#TampaFL #ImmigrantRights #ImmigrantsRights #CarlosMontes #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNC #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

Tampa, FL – Standing in front of a wall of TV cameras and reporters, organizers from Coalition to March on the RNC spoke at a press conference here, August 14, giving important updates on the plans for the massive August 27 march that will coincide with the opening day of the Republican National Convention.

Jared Hamil, a spokesperson for the Coalition to March on the Republican National Convention, said “Thousands of people from around the country will be uniting to say no to the Republican and 1% agenda. We are here to promote a true people’s agenda, not an agenda of poverty, hate and war.”

Skye Schmelzer, the Student Coordinator for the Coalition to March on the RNC, stated, “This year the student debt crisis has reached a record high. Students are fed up with being ignored and marginalized by the parties of the 1%. Hundreds of students will march alongside people from all walks of life on August 27, the opening day of the RNC, to demand good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality and peace.”

The Coalition to March on the RNC has drawn major support from the labor movement. Fernando Figueroa, the Statewide Coordinator for the Coalition to March on the RNC, said, “Labor Councils and unions are mobilizing from across the state and across the country. On August 27 there will be Central Labor Councils mobilizing from Pensacola, Jacksonville, and Gainesville to protest the RNC. Members of trade unions like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Teamsters and the International Association of Machinists will be marching in the streets alongside students, immigrants and community members to say no to the 1% and both their parties.”

Marisol Marquez with Students Working for Equal Rights in Tampa said, “Today is the beginning of Deferred Action Application submissions for undocumented youth. We know Deferred Action is not the end goal for the undocumented population. So on August 27, Tampa Students Working for Equal Rights along with the Dream Defenders, the Student Farm Worker Alliance and other immigrant rights groups from across the nation will be demanding equality for the undocumented.”

Mick Kelly, one of the main organizers of the massive 2008 RNC protest in Saint Paul, Minnesota also spoke at the press conference. “People from around the country are looking forward to marching on the RNC in Tampa. The Republican Party is waging a war on the working people of this country. We have had enough,” said Kelly.

The August 27 RNC protest will begin with a 10:00 a.m. rally at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, located at 1200 N. Orange Ave in Tampa. After speakers greet the crowd, demonstrators will march to the Tampa Bay Times Forum – the site of the RNC – around noon.

#TampaFL #RepublicanAgenda #RNC2012 #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNC #1 #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

On July 10, Tampa leaders of the Coalition to March on the RNC met with city officials. The Coalition is protesting the Republicans and demanding good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality and peace.

The City of Tampa granted the permits for the rallies and use of the official parade route and viewing areas within sight and sound of the Tampa Bay Times Forum, which is the convention center where the Republicans will meet. Jared Hamil of the Coalition said, “After months of organizing Florida-wide support for the march, after opposing the City of Tampa’s repressive ‘Clean Zone Ordinance,’ and then gaining national support by protesting against NATO in Chicago, the Coalition has succeeded in securing a permitted rally and march route within sight and sound of the RNC.”

At the meeting, Coalition members explained to city officials the logistics of the rally and march, which takes place on opening day of the Republican National Convention. Corey Uhl said after the meeting, “On August 27, thousands of protesters will march from Perry Harvey Sr. Park, through the streets of downtown Tampa to ‘Protest RNC Square,’ at the corner of South Nebraska Avenue and East Brorein Street, within sight of the Tampa Bay Times Forum.”

Hamil said, “The Coalition is planning a unified march with people representing groups from all over Florida and the country – including many labor unions, low-income and community organizations, anti-war groups, student, women and immigrant rights groups as well as faith-based equality groups. In unity there is strength and together protesters will be able to directly oppose the Republican agenda, as well as the agenda of the 1% – the wealthy funders of both political parties. The Coalition is here to demand government money be used for human needs, not corporate greed and wars overseas. Good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality, and peace – those are the people’s demands.”

On July 27, the Coalition and members across the state plan to hold rallies and press conferences to start the one-month countdown to the opening of the RNC.

#TampaFL #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNCAndStopTheWar #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

Tampa, FL – Over 30 supporters rallied here, April 10, in Joe Chillura Park to demand permits to march on the Republican National Convention and to slam the “Clean Zone” ordinance. The Clean Zone ordinance proposed by the city government of Tampa would place massive restrictions on any sort of demonstration against the RNC in August. Restrictions include what sort of everyday items protestors could bring to protests and would place any and all actions against the RNC far away from the convention center – effectively silencing any opposition to the Republican agenda of war and poverty.

Speaking to the angry crowd, Marisol Marquez of Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER) said, “We demand permits for our march. We have a right to speak out and oppose the Republican agenda. We have a right to demand good jobs, affordable education, quality education, equality and peace.”

Marie Dino of Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) spoke out against the Clean Zone ordinance. “The Clean Zone is an attempt to silence our democratic right to speak out and dissent. It’s an attempt by the 1% to further disenfranchise the 99% and our growing consciousness. Everybody needs to rally against the Clean Zone.”

After these and several other organizers of the Coalition to March on the RNC spoke, Tom Burke of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression gave an impassioned speech in front of several local and state TV news stations. “We’re going to have a peaceful march where mothers and fathers can bring their children in strollers. We’re going to oppose the Republicans and their agenda of hate and war. We’re going to march in August, permit or no permit. While the Republicans are conducting a circus inside the forum, we will be marching outside opposing the wealthy 1%!”

Once the speeches were done, the students, union leaders and community members marched to the steps of City Hall chanting, “Hey hey, what do you say? No RNC in Tampa Bay!” Upon arriving, the protesters duct-taped several signs and posters to the doors of City Hall, denouncing the RNC, demanding permits and condemning the Clean Zone ordinance. Many young people stood on the steps and made speeches denouncing the Republican Party, the Tea Party and Wall Street. The Coalition to March on the RNC will hold their second national call-in day opposing the repressive “Clean Zone” ordinance of Tampa Mayor Buckhorn on Wednesday, April 18. For more information go to http://www.marchonthernc.com/.

#TampaFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNCAndStopTheWar #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

Charlotte, NC – Over 60 activists converged here, April 14, holding a conference at the Charlotte School of Law to discuss the upcoming week of protest at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Charlotte, a prominent center of banking, will be hosting the convention where Democratic Party elites and delegates will establish the party platform and select Barack Obama as their candidate for President of the United States. The DNC will be held Sept. 3-6.

Conference attendees traveled from all over the country to help plan the activities which are expected to include a “March on the Wall Street of the South,” among other events. So far over 50 organizations have endorsed the protests, and the number is steadily growing.

Also attending the conference were a group of activists from Florida from the Coalition to March on the RNC who are preparing to protest the Republican National Convention which will be held in Tampa, Florida, Aug. 27-30. Mutual support and goodwill was shared between the two coalitions planning the DNC and RNC protests.

The protests at the DNC are making use of the Charlotte Principles, a set of guidelines that will help the diverse and growing number of groups planning activities to work positively and powerfully together.

Conference attendee Sarah Buchner of Asheville, North Carolina, from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression said, “I believe we accomplished a lot here today. The fight for the permit to march is important and there are issues surrounding new city new ordinances and expected police repression. There is a lot of work left to do, but everyone is excited and determined.”

The city council of Charlotte recently passed a long and vague ordinance, obviously meant to curtail freedom of speech and assembly during the DNC. It allows the city manager to unilaterally declare an “extraordinary event” in a given area of the city. This will ban a startling array of objects like water bottles, backpacks, bicycle helmets and various lengths of string and wire. It will give police sweeping abilities to search and detain protesters, observers and neutral passers-by. Legal challenges are already in the works but it is expected that the ordinance will stand through the DNC.

Demands for the DNC protests include: Good jobs for all! Economic justice now – make the banks and corporations pay for their crisis! Money for education, healthcare, housing and all human needs, not for war and incarceration! Justice for immigrants and all oppressed peoples! Stop the raids and deportations!

To learn more about the Coalition to Protest at the DNC please visit: protestdnc.org To learn more about the Coalition to March on the RNC please visit: marchonthernc.com

#CharlotteNC #DemocraticNationalConventionDNC #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RepublicanNationalConvention2012

Tampa, FL – 300 protesters rallied and marched against the Republican Party at the primary debate in Tampa, Jan. 23. The protest began with a rally at the University of South Florida's Administration Building. The groups, part of the Coalition to March on the RNC, included Students for a Democratic Society, local affiliates of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Occupy Tampa, Fight Back Florida and Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

The rally began with speakers denouncing the Republican Party for spearheading the attacks on working people, unions, students and immigrants, at its most extreme in Wisconsin and Florida. Speakers placed the responsibility for the economic crisis on the rich and Wall Street. Reverend Charles McKenzie of the Rainbow Push Coalition spoke to a crowd of hundreds, “Bankers got bailed out, we got sold out...We need to occupy, we need revolution in this country!”

From the campus Administration Building, the crowd pushed towards the theater where the Republican debate was starting. Marching across Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, they chanted, “Show me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like.”

As the crowd reached the theater, even more gathered to protest. Protesters were met with barricades and police surrounding the entire building. The crowd continued chanting with slogans like “Tax the rich!” and “They say cut back, we say fight back!” Looking for a way inside the theater, the crowd circled the building for an opening. Swarms of police officers met the crowd to block them from entering. With the entire building barricaded, the crowd reassembled on the MLK Plaza for a second round of speeches.

Members of SDS spoke of how the Republican Party relentlessly attacks both students and workers. How rising tuition costs, the demand for good jobs and the economic crisis are aggravated by the wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq – started by the Republican Party and continuing today.

During the speeches by young people with Occupy Tampa and SDS, a group of Tea Party types tried to break through the protest rally. Led by Pastor Terry Jones, the racist Quran-burning preacher of Gainesville, Florida, the right-wingers held homophobic and anti-Muslim signs. The Tea Party protesters, tepid and weak, were no match for the much younger and vibrant crowd of protesters. The Tea Party types were forced away from the rally to chants of, “No more hate!”.

Next, after the confrontation with the hate mongers, Marisol Marquez spoke on behalf of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. She told the crowd about Carlos Montes, a long time Chicano activist raided by the FBI for his involvement with anti-war activism and organizing at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Carlos Montes is due to go on trial for an incident that happened over 40 years ago.

Closing the protest, Dustin Ponder, a member of Fight Back Florida and spokesperson for the Coalition to March on the RNC, asked others to sign on to the Coalition. The Coalition consists of labor unions, low-income community organizations, student groups, immigrants rights groups, as well as many other social justice groups. The point is to unite all those who can be united in order to combat the attacks of the Republican agenda. The [Coalition to March on the RNC](http://www.MarchontheRNC.com) is planning a protest march of thousands on Monday, August 27, 2012, when Tampa hosts the Republican National Convention.

#TampaFL #RepublicanNationalConvention #2012RepublicanNationalConvention #RepublicanNationalConvention2012