Los Angeles, CA – On August 30, at 3 p.m., Chicanos, impacted families of police brutality, people raided by ICE and the FBI, along with supporters will in East Los Angeles, for a march, marking the 55th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.

The march will begin at Sounds of Music record store, the site of what was once the Silver Dollar; a bar where many including LA Times reporter Ruben Salazar took refuge after LAPD and Los Angeles sheriffs mercilessly beat and attempted to disperse participants in the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium. Salazar was killed by LA sheriffs. The moratorium’s demands were ending the Vietnam occupation and equality for Chicanos.

Tomorrow, a large coalition will be commemorating the 55th anniversary of this event and uplifting current demands such as stand with Palestine, ICE out of LA, Chicano self-determination, community control of police, and defend public education.

The coalition is made up of Centro CSO, Union del Barrio, Black Lives Matter: Los Angeles, Jewish Voice for Peace, About Face LA, UTLA, Teamsters, SEIU, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and United Families for Justice, which consists of police killing impacted families of Jeremy Flores, Francisco Núñez and Hugo Cachua.

“I believe it is important to commemorate the 55th Chicano Moratorium, because we once again find ourselves, as a people, in a crucial moment, where staying silent is complicity,” says Centro CSO member and security lead Derek Mejia, “People should be out in the streets on Saturday August 30, standing up against the ICE raids and with Palestine! It is important that we continue and maintain the long history of the Chicano struggle.”

The 55th commemoration will begin at 3 p.m. at the Sounds of Music record store, where attendees will begin marching, and ending at Salazar Park for a rally and entertainment starting at 4:30 p.m. That part of the event will take place at the Whittier Boulevard/Alma Avenue side of the park. The family-friendly event will have free food, water and entertainment.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Chicano #ChicanoMoratorium #ImmigrantRights #OppressedNationalities #CentroCSO #UniondelBarrio #BlackLivesMatter #JVP #AboutFace #SEIU #Teamsters #UTLA

Washington, DC – On June 13, one day before Trump’s birthday military parade, veterans and community members took to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court Building and held a press conference demanding “Benefits, not bullshit,” and “Money for people, not parades!”

At the press conference, many veterans spoke about their disdain for American war crimes abroad that they witnessed in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other places. One veteran from About Face, Zach Gonzalez, stated, “Trump is more than happy to spend $92 million on this repulsive display of military power, while cutting benefits for children, the poor, and veterans alike. Meanwhile, ICE is terrorizing communities across the U.S. In Los Angeles, my home, they do so with the support of the National Guard and the Marines.

Gonzalez then read from his letter of resignation from military service and appealed to current service members by stating, “This administration has or likely will place you in a position where you must choose – harm innocent people, support their kidnappings, suppress protests and the First Amendment, or follow your conscience.”

Brittany Ramos DeBarros, the organizing director of About Face, and a veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, also spoke at the conference stating, “Trump and his billionaire friends are robbing us blind. This parade does nothing to benefit Americans. We won’t let him erase us or use us as political pawns.”

The coalition for the action included, About Face: Veterans Against the War, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, International League of People’s Struggle Baltimore – DMV, Freedom Road Socialist Organization – DC, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – DC, Democratic Socialists of America – Metro DC, and many more.

After the press conference, the group of almost 200 protesters marched to the U.S. Capitol Building, and a group of over 50 veterans stormed past the barricades set up by Capitol Police in a coordinated direct action to occupy the steps of the Capitol demanding the military get off the streets of DC and across the country.

After receiving multiple warnings from Capitol Police, the group remained steadfast in their occupation. Soon there were envoys of Capitol Police armored vans and buses on the scene ready to transport the protesters after arrest. Veterans and press were assaulted by police, with one veteran having a barricade land on his face after being tackled by a Capitol Police officer. The community and other organizations were shouting in support of the protesters’ actions and condemning police violence.

Over 50 veterans were arrested, and most have been released as of the morning of June 14.

#WashingtonDC #AntiWarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #AboutFace #DCAARPR #NAARPR

The event, titled “Perspectives on Policing: Connected Struggles Abroad” is the latest entry in the series on policing town hall series.

One of the presenters was Ramon Mejia. He is an ex-marine and prominent anti-war organizer with the group About Face, and gave an unflinching portrayal of the ever-growing violence in the military, explaining how the violence is turned back on the very people the military claims to protect, through the exchange programs with police.

In close coordination with Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and Bayan USA, NAARPR DALLAS was able to hold a rousing and informative event with presenters from all walks of life.

The struggle continues but the Dallas community showed a great willingness to learn and better understand that interconnected struggle all thanks to the people at NAARPR DALLAS. More town halls to come in the coming weeks and months.

#DallasTX #NAARPRDallas #BayanUSA #FRSO #PYM #AboutFace #AntiWar #Policing