Amherst, MA – On Thursday, October 29, the River Valley Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) hosted FRSO Central Committee Member Chrisley Carpio at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for a reportback discussing her recent visit to South Korea as part of the Jaju Solidarity Delegation in August.

The delegation was organized by Nodutdol, with activists traveling from the U.S., Guam, Hawaii and the Philippines. They represented groups including FRSO, the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) and many others.

Carpio presented to nearly a dozen attendees, telling the crowd, “In the United States, people often refer to the Korean War as the ‘forgotten war’, But in Korea, they call it ‘the war that never ended’.”

Carpio and others on the delegation visited multiple sites of U.S. military atrocities, including Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military base in the world, as well as the mass grave of Sannae Gollyeongol – the “longest grave in the world” and Camp Casey, a military base known for its camp town where women were sex trafficked for American soldiers. Carpio explained to the room that the camp town sex trade is still operational, but now employs Filipino women instead of Koreans.

During her time in the country, Carpio met with organizers from the student movement, women’s movement, and other civic society organizations, like local anti-war groups as well as farmers and trade unions. She explained to the attendees the culture of anti-imperialist organizing in the southern part of the peninsula and how activists are fighting for justice for those killed by U.S. soldiers and displaced by the occupation while they organize against the military presence altogether. She also discussed the current organizing Korean by activists protesting the possibility of South Korean troops being asked to assist the U.S. in aggression against Iran and in the Strait of Hormuz.

The event ended with a question and answer session. One attendee asked if the delegates faced political repression during their visit, Carpio responded, “What we were doing was high profile enough that they didn’t enforce those rules, but if you are an author locally who writes something sympathetic to North Korea, you are likely to do prison time.”

Carpio continued, “But we did a lot of our organizing in private churches and in restaurants that were reserved for the day. We were followed by spies and policemen and they knew we were coming and knew about the protests, but I think it was a calculated decision to not make a big incident by arresting us.”

When asked what reunification would look like, after explaining the desire for reunification across the peninsula from Korean activists, Carpio said, “There is not reunification without socialism, even if there is a debate about what reunification will mean.”

#AmherstMA #MA #International #Korea #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #Nodutdol

Salt Lake City, UT – On Friday, October 30, anti-war protesters gathered in front of the doors of the Clark Planetarium in downtown Salt Lake City. The protest targeted the planetarium’s partnership with weapons manufacturer Northrop Grumman, demanding that Northrop Grumman’s naming rights over the planetarium’s IMAX theater be ended.

Northrop Grumman makes aircraft used by the U.S. and Israeli militaries in many documented war crimes across Palestine, the Middle East and Latin America, including the F-35I jet and the Blackhawk Helicopter.

The Clark Planetarium is a Salt Lake County operated educational facility. It planned a “Fun Science Friday” event for Utah’s children before Halloween. Northrop Grumman was expected to participate. However, due to the community protest, Northrop Grumman pulled out of the event.

Despite biting cold and constant rain, over 30 protesters led chants of “Northrop Grumman, not for children!” and “Northrop Grumman murders children!” in front of the planetarium. Demonstrators held signs reading “NG out of the planetarium!” and distributed leaflets to families entering the building.

“The community is fed up and no longer willing to be complicit in the violence perpetrated by the military industrial complex,” said Amber Grace, a member of the Utah Anti-War Committee.

“Northrop Grumman tried to send volunteers to the planetarium to groom children into trusting the military-industrial complex.”

Grace continued. “Northrop Grumman routinely disguises itself with a façade of science education to hide what they really are: war profiteers!”

Grace helped lead the protest despite being transphobically attacked by College Republicans days before and now facing false two misdemeanor charges. Speakers urged attendees to call Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill and demand he drop these charges.

Nova Morra, another member of UAWC, said, “We must bring pressure to the Salt Lake County Council to end the Clark Planetarium’s partnership with Northrop Grumman, who make F-35 jets used by the Israeli military on kids in tents in Gaza.”

Due to the effectiveness of the protest, the Salt Lake City police were called, and told attendees they could not use amplified sound. The protest persisted regardless, with chants of “County Council, you can’t hide! You’re supporting genocide!” growing louder.

Mustafa Khader of the 71% Coalition, a local pro-Palestine group, said, “President Eisenhower had warned us of the military industry complex long ago. He knew that they will put profits before humans, including our own soldiers.”

Sebastian Miscenich of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stressed the need for anti-war activists to take the next step and become revolutionaries: “We kicked Northrop Grumman out of the planetarium today because we got organized and we fought back. That’s why I am a revolutionary. We will never get anything we are not willing to organize to take.”

Despite attempted police intimidation and inclement weather, the protesters picketed the planetarium event for the full two hours.

The protest was organized by the Picket for Palestine SLC, the Utah Anti-War Committee, the 71% Coalition, Climbers for Palestine, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement

St. Paul, MN — On October 28, roughly 50 activists rallied on a bridge over the Mississippi River to call for a lifting of the United States blockade on Cuba. The protest, organized by Women Against Military Madness (WAMM)’s Hands Off Latin America (HOLA) committee, coincided with the United Nations (UN) vote on the same day to end the embargo imposed by the US since 1960. The protest was a part of a National Day of Action organized by the National Network on Cuba.

Despite dark threatening skies and warnings of possible tornadoes, protesters held signs, Cuban flags, chanted and gave speeches for over an hour.

Showing resounding worldwide support for Cuba, the UN General Assembly once again overwhelmingly voted to end the US blockade. This critical vote comes at a time when the total oil embargo imposed by Trump in January 2026 is drastically undermining critical infrastructure and severely restricting access to necessities such as healthcare, food and water.

Cuba, which is notable for its robust healthcare system and advances in medical technology, now faces blackouts that can last 20 hours or longer, causing hospitals to struggle to keep lifesaving equipment operational.

Grace Gamble, a member of HOLA, told the crowd, “This vote was just a symbolic gesture and holds no actual authority over U.S. foreign policy. So, despite the majority of the world voting to end the blockade, it will remain until the U.S. Congress votes to end it.”

“We call on all nations, and all people here in the U.S. and around the world to stand in solidarity, fight for liberation and vote against U.S. intervention in Cuba,” added Gamble.

Nadiyah Salawdeh is co-chair of U.S. Palestinian Community Network’s Minnesota chapter, who recently traveled to Cuba. Salawdeh told the protest, “When I was in Cuba this summer, I heard several Cuban people refer to the U.S. blockade as a ‘silent Gaza.’ The U.S. blockade prevents hospitals from getting the equipment and medicine they need. Doctors and nurses are working heroically to perform miracles with no resources. Infant mortality is skyrocketing, reversing the extraordinary progress in maternal infant health that the government has made. Drinking water is making people sick. Food is getting scarcer and more expensive. Fuel is over $20 a gallon. Just like in Gaza, the U.S. blockade on Cuba is collective punishment and constitutes a war crime.” 

Salawdeh continued, “In Gaza, the Palestinian people are punished by Israel for daring to resist Israeli occupation. In Cuba, the Cuban people are punished for daring to maintain the Cuban revolution. This is not speculation. The empire has admitted this.”

Trent Fast from the MN Anti-War Committee stated, “Whether it’s Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine, or Minneapolis, the Trump administration is a rogue killing machine that needs to be stopped. We need to see through the lies coming from Washington about these countries. This is why organizing and developing a concrete analysis is so important. We need to focus on the fact that U.S. attacks, sanctions, and blockades are the primary reason for these countries’ struggles. Back in 2019, a Venezuela analysis report concluded that U.S. sanctions caused 40,000 deaths in Venezuela from 2017 to 2018 during Trump's first term. For years, they've denied Venezuela the ability to import lifesaving medicines, equipment, and food.”

Fast continued, “In Cuba it's long been a similar situation. However, in recent months the stranglehold has reached a new revolting level of megalomania from the Trump administration. And we know about the U.S. attempts to devastate Iran's economy through coercive economic measures. The Iranian Rial recently sank to a new low of 2.5 million to one U.S. dollar. In Iran the cost of everyday items continues to soar, and food prices have more than doubled since last year.”

During the protest, HOLA organizers also did a banner drop from the Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge over Interstate 94 in downtown Minneapolis, where motorists responded with many honks.

As the situation in Cuba becomes more dire, HOLA vows to ramp up the fight to end the brutal U.S. blockade. The committee’s next event is to hold a watch party for the Anti-War Action Network’s Cuba webinar on November 15 at 2 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue, in Minneapolis.

#StPaulMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Cuba #WAMM #HOLA

Chicago, IL – About 100 Chicagoans rallied at a press conference and picketed the Federal Plaza on Wednesday, October 28 to demand an end to the genocidal U.S. blockade on Cuba. Earlier that day, the U.N. General Assembly voted for the 34th time to condemn the economic embargo unilaterally imposed by the U.S. government as a violation of international law. 130 countries supported the resolution, while 17 countries – led by the U.S. and Israel – opposed.

A founding member of Cuban Americans for Cuba said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “is trying to make life unlivable in Cuba while preventing people from coming here; effectively trying to orchestrate a pressure-cooker situation to force an uprising and gain control of Cuba.”

“We won’t stand for it,” she said. “Rubio does not speak for us. Collective punishment is a war crime, and our families are not collateral.” Her words received applause and were followed by chants of “¡Cuba sí, bloqueo no!” and “ICE out!”

The rally, which was endorsed by over 25 faith, labor and social justice organizations, was organized by the Chicago Cuba Coalition and Venceremos Brigade in response to escalating aggression against Cuba and worsening conditions on the island. In January 2026, the United States government imposed a total energy blockade on Cuba, threatening any country that supplied the island with oil.

U.S. Congressman Jonthan L. Jackson, who represents the First Congressional District in Illinois, described his experience traveling to Cuba on a fact-finding mission in April. He said, “When I went into the maternity ward, I saw little babies with low birthweights who needed an incubator, but the incubators were blown out because they have power surges. I saw women in their last trimester not being able to use an elevator and not being able to have any air conditioning. I saw shortages of food.”

The congressman called for Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to be impeached, saying “what [Hegseth] is doing in the Caribbean is illegal: ‘tapping’ on boats, killing people. Those are military bombs hitting civilian boats. It’s simply wrong, and they’re doing it in our name, with our tax dollars.”

Vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, Jackson Potter, asked the crowd of protesters, “What if we funded our schools at home and fed our children here in this country instead of bombing them abroad or blockading them?”

25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who represents immigrant communities in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods, also condemned Marco Rubio for calling on Cubans to collaborate with the CIA to overthrow their government. He stated that Cubans, “don’t want to go back to the times of dictatorships like Batista – when Cubans were treated as pawns in their own country for casinos and corporations to gain.”

“We see actual terrorism and interventions throughout Latin America that are spreading terror, war, starvation, and chaos in the name of ‘democracy,’” the alderman said.

Kobi Guillory, a leader of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, closed out the press conference with the chant made famous by Black liberationist Assata Shakur, who passed away as a free woman in Cuba last year. “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” He added this important reminder to the end of the chant: “And we have a world to win!”

After the press conference, protesters picketed and chanted in front of the federal building.

Bystanders reacted by stopping to read banners, take photos, and ask questions.

Organizers called on protesters to be prepared to mobilize in the event the U.S. attacks Cuba and to join the No War on Cuba campaign. Organization can join the National Network on Cuba at their annual meeting in Portland, November 20-22 to help build an anti-imperialist Cuba-solidarity movement inside the belly of the beast. You can also see the conditions in Cuba for yourself by visiting the island with a legally licensed solidarity delegation, like the Venceremos Brigade.

“We have to tell our brothers, sisters, and siblings throughout the country what is truly going on, not only in Cuba, but throughout Latin America and the American continent,” said Alderman Sigcho-Lopez.

#ChicagoIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #Cuba #NoWarOnCuba #CubaBlockade

Des Moines, WA – On October 28, eight members of Seattle Against War (SAW) disrupted Adam Smith's Taste of the ninth campaign event to call out what they see as the gap between his words and actions. The group confronted Smith over his support for U.S. military aid to Israel and the war in Iran.

“Adam Smith, you should be ashamed of yourself! You’ve spent your entire career avoiding your constituents who are sick and tired of your war profiteering,” yelled Jordan Phillips, who bravely stood up and started the disruption while Smith was speaking.

Outside the venue, other members of SAW protested Smith with chants and banners calling him a warmonger. The group grew bigger as members inside the venue got kicked out, for disrupting the event.

They demanded an end to the war in Iran, an arms embargo on Israel, and investigations into U.S. and Israeli war crimes. They also highlighted the long history of U.S. intervention in Iran and the ongoing devastation faced by Palestinians. SAW members argued that Smith cannot claim to oppose these humanitarian crises while continuing to support policies that enable them.

As a powerful member of the House Armed Services Committee, Smith has the ability to push for change, and SAW is demanding that he use it.

“As the war in Iran continues to be waged, we will not forget the ongoing genocide in Palestine and siege of Lebanon. Israel is continuing its illegal expansion into Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank and Syria. Since the beginning of the genocide in Palestine, The Lancet estimates that over 100,000 Palestinians have been martyred by the Israeli occupation. Israel has destroyed over 90% of buildings in Gaza, systematically starved the population, destroyed any remaining public services, leading to a widespread rise in disease and disenfranchisement, and has crashed Gaza’s economy. Adam Smith, you are complicit!” says another disruptor, Kelson Knabble.

“As Seattle Against War, we demand you put a stop to the war in Iran. We demand that you use your power to put a stop to the genocide in Palestine. We demand an end to your war profiteering – more than half a million dollars from AIPAC, by the way. If you aren't doing everything in your power to meet these demands, then you are failing humanity, and Adam Smith you are failing,” stated Mira Hemaidan.

#DesMoinesWA #SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #AdamSmith #Palestine

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, October 24, the New Orleans Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) hosted a “U.S. Out of Korea” event with around 20 attendees. Speaker Meredith Aby discussed U.S. imperialism in Korea and her recent trip to the southern part of the peninsula as a part of the Jaju Solidarity Delegation. Aby is a Central Committee member of the FRSO and a seasoned anti-war activist who founded the Minnesota Anti-War Committee in 1998, and a steering committee member of the Anti-War Action Network.

The Jaju Solidarity Delegation was organized by Nodutdol, a Korean diaspora activist group. The delegation included international activists from the U.S., the Philippines, Guam and Hawaii. Participants joined demonstrations against U.S. occupation in Korea this past August. Aby reported on their visits to several U.S. military bases in the Republic of Korea (ROK), where they learned about the history and breadth of U.S. occupation in the country. She learned from local Korean activists about their various struggles for independence.

“What Americans refer to as the ‘forgotten war’ is called the ‘war that never ended’ by Koreans,” said Aby, while discussing the history of occupation.

Shortly after Korea gained its independence from imperialist Japan, the U.S. swooped in and divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, splitting the country, and separating families. The U.S. also enacted various laws which disallow ROK residents to visit the northern part of their country and forced dispossession of their lands for U.S. military base expansion. There are currently 80 U.S. military bases (or U.S.-controlled Korean bases) spread across the country.

Aby’s presentation focused on the consistent pattern of dispossession, physical and sexual violence, and environmental degradation caused by the U.S. presence and control over Korea. She also highlighted the various instances of communities, villages, political and workers’ groups rising up against the occupation. On August 15, the delegation joined tens of thousands of Koreans in the streets of Seoul on Korea’s national liberation day. The people demanded peace, sovereignty, reunification with the northern part of the peninsula and an end to U.S. occupation.

Aby also relayed that, shortly after the Jaju Delegation’s visit, the ROK government resisted pressure from the U.S. to send South Korean troops and other military assets to the Strait of Hormuz and Iran. When the public became aware of Trump’s demand, demonstrations and mass protests erupted in the streets. ROK President Lee Jae Myung refused Trump and suggested that what Korea needs is operational control over its own military – something that has never been said by an ROK leader. This defiance is a clear sign that the U.S. is a declining imperialist power.

The event ended with questions and comments from the attendees. “I’m inspired by the Koreans who continue to demand their freedom from the still-growing number of U.S. military bases and influence in their government. I believe that every American has a duty to support their cause,” said Augusta Elebash from New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #International #Korea #AntiWarMovement #NOSHIP #AWAN

On Tuesday, October 27th, University of Utah student Amber Grace was the victim of a transphobic attack by the Utah College Republicans. She was accosted by College Republican members after speaking out against the transphobic rhetoric they were pushing at their table. After she left the table, she was followed and harassed with transphobic attacks and recorded without her consent. Even though the College Republicans began this harassment, Amber is now facing misdemeanor charges of assault and property damage for resisting transphobia. Amber is a dedicated member of the Salt Lake community as an anti-war activist, and she did nothing wrong by speaking against hateful Republican rhetoric.

The UAWC calls on Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill to refuse the charges on Amber Grace! Speaking out against transphobia is not a crime.

Call and email Salt Lake DA Sim Gill and demand he refuse the charges:

DistrictAtty@saltlakecounty.gov

385-468-7600

“My name is ____. I am calling to demand that you refuse the charges on Amber Grace. Amber did nothing wrong by speaking out against a transphobic attack.”

The UAWC also calls on University of Utah president Taylor Randall to finally listen to his students and to ban the College Republicans from harassing marginalized students on campus.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #LGBTQ #AntiWarMovement #UAWC #Featured

Washington D.C. – On Friday, October 23, activists disrupted comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s show at the Anthem theater. Activists loudly criticized Seinfeld for his support of the Israel’s genocide in Palestine, yelling, “74,000 Palestinians have been killed” and “You support genocide!”

Seinfeld responded to disruptions with misogynistic comments, calling disruptors “sweetheart” and asking, “Are you married?” Community members responded by saying this was consistent with record of dating minors.

Seinfeld has long been a vocal supporter of Israel, despite community outrage. When approached after a New York Knicks game, Seinfeld was heard laughing and saying Palestine “doesn't exist.” Seinfeld’s wife, Jessica, donated to organizations enacting violent “counter-measures” against student encampments at UCLA.

The DC protest comes after a disruption at Seinfeld’s Chicago show this past month, where activists also criticized Seinfeld for his support of the ongoing genocide. Seinfeld responded to the activists by saying, “I’m a racist, it’s a genocide, I’m into it.”

While the disruption was taking place inside, community members gathered in front of the Anthem to protest. “Seinfeld, a billionaire, sends money to fund Israel and the ongoing genocide,” they declared. Several onlookers stopped to show support and throw shoes at an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Anti-War Committee DMV organized the protest and will continue to push back against genocide apologists performing in D.C.

“The people of this city stand with the people of Palestine. We’re not letting Seinfeld or any other genocide supporter profit here,” said Iain McNeely, a leader in the Anti-War Committee DMV.

#WashingtonDC #DC #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #JerrySeinfeld

New Orleans, LA – On October 3 and 4, the 20th National Convention of Students for a Democratic Society was held with great success. Over 240 student and youth activists gathered in New Orleans, Louisiana to say, “Keep up the fight on campus!” and “Build a movement against Trump!” Students from around 26 chapters across the country gathered to learn from seasoned activists, exchange experiences, vote on resolutions, and elect national officers.

Despite facing repression from their universities and the Trump administration, the organizers were united and steadfast in their drive to keep fighting. As SDS’ recently re-elected president, Erin Boyle, put it, “Before SDS, I felt pessimistic about what was going on. I don’t feel that way anymore!”

With the rampant and ongoing threat of ICE terror, SDSers spoke on their campaigns for sanctuary campus policies on the panel entitled “ICE Out Now! Sanctuary Campus Now: Immigrant Rights and the Student Movement.”

On that panel, Sasmit Rahman of the University of Minnesota recalled the noise demonstrations that SDSers conducted outside of ICE agents’ hotel rooms during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.

“There's a deep-rooted collective rage that our noise demos tapped into. You're seeing the kidnapping of immigrants all across the cities, and the kidnappers and occupiers are in the building in front of you. Trying to control that rage, actually, is not our job at all,” Rahman said.

Earlier in the day, SDSers and other activists spoke on the “Money for Education, Not for Wars and Occupation: Continuing the Tradition of Anti-war Student Activism” panel. It was there that Navya Prakash of Together United Louisiana (TUL) SDS spoke on her chapter’s strong anti-war and anti-Zionist efforts in spite of the rabidly pro-Israel administration of Tulane University.

“We don't hold these rallies every week only for solidarity, although solidarity is an important part of it. We do them, because every time they call Tulane police, every time they put up barricades around our campus, it's proof that we are making a change in our campus,” said Prakash “We can't allow them to see that the students will just take whatever they do lying down. We have to organize at these extremely reactionary places, because these institutions can be won.”

At the end of the first day, students and community members rallied in the convention center at a protest to demand the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The action was organized by New Orleans’ affiliate to the Anti-War Action Network, New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP).

On the second day of the convention, organizers voted on resolutions for National SDS and demonstrated great unity as they passed resolutions to combat gender oppression on campus, honor those martyred by racist violence and police brutality, reaffirm their commitment to defending free speech on campus, continue solidarity with the people of Palestine, demand the freedom of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and ultimately to resist attacks by the Trump administration and the ruling class wherever they may appear.

Above all, this convention demonstrated that the student movement continues to be strong and steadfast.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #SDS #SDSConvention #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement

The event took place at a community center that is part of a complex with a mile-and-a-half long perimeter, and that is run like a Zionist fortress, with ex-FBI and Mossad private security.

The coalition used multiple avenues of approach to disrupt this event. On the day before the event, the Zionist’s registration link for the event was flooded, and dozens of phone calls were made to the community center holding the event. Then an action took place at the entrance and around the compound.

”I felt outraged that this event was happening in Cleveland,” said Yaseen Shaikh of American Muslims for Palestine Cleveland, “an event that promotes the illegal sale of Palestinian land. This has no place in our city.”

The heightened security was evident. There were many checkpoints to even access the community center, let alone the event.

Dr. Shereen Naser of Cleveland Palestine Advocacy Community and Moms Against Genocide said, “The Zionist and police response was exactly what I would expect in a country that has been explicitly funding and supporting a genocide and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians for over 75 years.”

Around 30 people took part in the first portion of the action. Some stood on the side of the road with banners and signs, while others marched around the four corners of the intersection at the entrance of the community center. This small group was able to slow traffic, which was already slowed by the security checkpoint, causing traffic to back up and congest the main road.

“By being part of this action, carpooling others to it, and spreading the word,” said Shaikh “I was hoping to make holding such an event a pain for the organizers, and to let them know that the racist ideology of Zionism is not welcome in Cleveland. I wanted to materially inconvenience the organizers and the attendees of the event so as to make this land sale less successful and to make them reconsider ever holding such a program again.”

As the sun to set, a group of teenage boys left the community center and took up a position across the street from the protesters. These boys hurled insults and slurs at the protesters, members of local media, and the legal observers, all while one of their mothers filmed from a distance, evidently proud of thier sons’ behavior. As this continued, the boys felt bolder and bolder, surrounding people and following them to their cars.

As this is happening, the second phase of the action was already underway. Despite the police closing the advertised rally location, and mall security attempting to close the rally point, the organizers were able to pull off a car caravan. Around 40 cars participated in this caravan, which began as people would have begun to show up for the event. This, in conjunction with the on-the-ground protest, on top of the security checkpoints, slowed traffic to a crawl. Police then closed this major commuter road.

Shaikh stated, “I wanted to make the statement that our movement has no problem protesting outside the JCC [Jewish Community Center]. Zionists hold these events inside synagogues and Jewish community centers so that they can weaponize antisemitism against protesters, but we are crystal clear about what we are protesting. We want an end to genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine, and we love our Jewish brothers and sisters, many of whom led this protest.”

Shaikh continued, “Despite our moral clarity, we encountered backlash from counter-protesters, who hurled abuse at us, got into altercations with media and police, and threatened our safety. But our love for justice and humanity is stronger than their hatred for it.”

“I think this action helped us understand our own discipline and commitment to each other,” said Naser.

Naser continued, “We were certain before, but even more committed now, that we are on the right side of history. And what a blessing to have that clarity of purpose and to be in community with others whose values allow them to stand steady in the face of those who are morally corrupt.”

#ClevelandOH #OH #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #BDS

Orlando, FL – On October 19, over 30 people packed into Bookburn Cafe and Social in Orlando's Milk District to hear FRSO Central Committee member Chrisley Carpio give a detailed report back from her two-week solidarity trip to Korea.

The focus of the Jaju Solidarity Delegation to Korea, and of the subsequent North American speaking tour, was “U.S. out of Korea.” Participants at the event were eager to hear about the well-organized, high level of resistance by the people of Korea against U.S. military occupation.

Much of the presentation focused on the pattern of violence, exploitation, abuse and environmental degradation that the U.S. military has imposed on the people of Korea.

“Koreans are not just sitting back and allowing the U.S. to dominate their communities, their environment, and their daily lives. They are fighting back! There is an active and vibrant resistance movement that is fighting for peace, sovereignty, reunification and national liberation from the U.S.,” Carpio told the crowd.

#OrlandoFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #International #Korea

Minneapolis, MN – On October 17, the U.S. Out of Africa committee of Women Against Military Madness held its first protest at Mayday Plaza in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. The protest was part of the International Month of Action against AFRICOM, a month of actions focused on the withdrawal of U.S. military from Africa and bringing an end to U.S. involvement in African wars. AFRICOM is the U.S. military command that focuses on for Africa.

Protesters rallied in the predominantly East African neighborhood with signs that said, “Shut down AFRICOM” and “End U.S. drone strikes.” The neighborhood gave them a friendly response with honks and waves.

Lina Jebara, a member of the US Palestinian Community Network, spoke about the connection between U.S. imperialism in Africa and Israel’s genocide in Palestine and about how the Minneapolis Honeywell plan is contributing to these atrocities.

Jebara stated, “Today, we’re seeing the oppression of African countries subject to U.S. imperialist aggression converging and aligning with the oppression faced in the Middle East. The MQ-9 Reaper drone is yet another example that proves that the tools used by U.S. imperialism are one in the same, built and honed from centuries of plundering, colonizing and occupying nations.”

Honeywell makes the engines and navigational components for the MQ-9 Reaper drones used by Israel in its genocide of Gaza and by the U.S. in Somalia and Nigeria. Honeywell produces Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), a navigational component for the MQ-9 Reaper drones, at its navigation lab and production plant in northeast Minneapolis.

Protesters demanded an end to Trump’s racist war on Somalia. Trump has escalated U.S. air war in Somalia, increasing U.S. drone strikes and civilian casualties. Donald Trump has so far bombed Somalia 215 times in his second term as president and 434 times total. President Trump has bombed Somalia more than all the other presidents combined in the 20 years that the U.S. has been at war in Somalia.

Domestically, Trump is also engaged in a racist hate campaign against Somali people, and has called Somali people “garbage,” “low-IQ”, and “bad people,” and said that Somalia was “barely a country.” Trump has repeatedly attacked the Somali community in Minneapolis, using ICE during Operation Metro Surge to target Somali neighborhoods and most recently using ICE to raid Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s Washington DC house as part of the attempt to revoke her citizenship.

Speakers from Black Lives Matter Minnesota and the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice highlighted the connections between the U.S. intervention in Africa and police militarization, racist police violence, and mass incarceration here in the U.S.

Alissa Washington, the founder of the Wrongfully Incarcerated & Over-sentenced Families Council-MN, talked about the importance of international solidarity, stating, “Our experiences are different, but they compel us to stand together. We want an end to the killing and exploitation of Black people, wherever it happens. If I want people to care about my family, I have a responsibility to care about families in Palestine, in Sudan, in Congo, in Somalia, and across the whole continent of Africa.”

The U.S. Out of Africa committee is a new committee in Women Against Military Madness. The organization calls for the abolition of AFRICOM, withdrawal of U.S. bases, and an end to U.S. drone strikes in Africa. The U.S. Out of Africa committee is working alongside the Minnesota Anti-War Committee on a campaign to stop Honeywell from producing weapon components in Minneapolis.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #International #Africa #AFRICOM #WAMM #USPCN

Grand Rapids, MI – On Saturday, October 10, activists from across Michigan came together in Grand Rapids to unite their campaigns to divest from apartheid Israel and discuss the importance of such campaigns to the wider antiwar movement.

“These discussions around strategy and tactics are constantly on an organizer’s mind,” said Anthony Hegarty, the emcee for the panel. “The end goal is to get people moving politically, to build up the mass movements, to transform our society, and to strike blows against our enemies. These are not easy tasks. So how do we get there? What methods do we use? How do we respond to failures and successes? To sum it up, we learn by doing. By hitting the streets and fighting for our demands.”

Daanyal Syed from the Detroit Antiwar Committee told the crowd, “We are beginning to target the city of Detroit pension plan, which, across the separate plans, has a total of $6 billion in investments. At every step along the way we are denied information. So we're beginning with a disclosure campaign. We want to know what the city employees’ pensions are invested in. And if there are investments in Israeli companies, we are going to demand they drop those investments.”

Similarly, Libby Sinn and Nick Young from Grand Rapids spoke on their pension plan divestment campaign:

“There's precedent for this. Grand Rapids divested from apartheid South Africa in the 80s after a campaign forced the city to meet their demands,” explained Sinn. “We want them to repeat what was done in the past.”

Young explained the current day campaign: “Through FOIA requests we found out about a $1 million investment in an Israeli AI firm called N.i.C.E. We want the retirement board to drop this investment and to adopt an ethics statement that'd force them to drop any investments in countries being charged with genocide.”

City employee pensions weren't the only topic of discussion.

Matt Clark from the Michigan Divest Coalition spoke on their past wins and their current campaign.

“The MI Money Out of MIBA campaign wants to end the transfer of public funds to MIBA. And where to start with them? The acronym stands for the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator. They're an organization that promotes Israel's interests in Michigan that has been getting public money since at least 2018. As an organization, 70% of their funds come from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and in turn MIBA gets Israeli companies’ setup in our state.”

Clark continued: “Our demand is for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to terminate MIBA's current $650,000 grant and refuse to award any future contracts, loans, or grants to MIBA.”

All the panelists gave more details on their campaigns, their next steps, their successes and failures, and left the event ready for whatever struggles lay ahead them.

Attendees enjoyed coffee and snacks as the event wrapped up, ending with chants of “Free Free Palestine!” and “Michigan Divest!”

Follow Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (@palestinesolidarity_gr), the Detroit Antiwar Committee (@detroitantiwar), and Michigan Divest (@michigandivest) to learn more about all their campaigns.

PSGR and DAWC are proud members of the Antiwar Action Network, which can be found online at antiwaractionnetwork.org.

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #BDS

New York, NY – A group of eight activists attended the October 15 arraignment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in a show of support for the kidnapped Venezuelan leaders. The activists included representatives of the Anti-War Action Network, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and leaders of the New York City Latin American community.

At the hearing, President Maduro and Cilia Flores both entered the courtroom with chains shackled to their feet. Maduro waved to the crowd watching the trial, knowing a plurality of the crowd were U.S. federal agents and escualidos who supported his kidnapping and U.S. invasion.

The judge presiding over their case, Alvin Hellerstein, who is 92 years old, struggled to sit on his chair and to even read aloud the new charges of terrorism. Maduro and Flores confidently declared their innocence – claiming these charges as completely false and bogus.

Although the court documents do not name the alleged victims who are cited throughout the indictment, the descriptions given match some well-known figures who have worked to undermine the Maduro government. The person identified as “Official-3” matches the description of ex-General Raúl Baduel, arrested in 2017 along with two co-conspirators in a plot to massacre civilians at a political rally and blame the government in order to destabilize the Maduro administration. “Victim-3” matches far-right leader Leopoldo López, who attempted to organize coups against the Venezuelan government in 2002, 2014 and 2019. Finally, “Victim-7” matches Osman Khan, an American citizen who, since his release in 2022, has built a career speaking for pro-regime-change think tanks like the Atlantic Council.

One of the activists in attendance at Thursday’s arraignment, Ebtesham Ahmed of the Freedom Road Socialist Organizations, traveled to Venezuela for the International People’s Assembly for Sovereignty and Peace of our Americas in December 2025, shortly before the U.S. kidnapped Maduro and Flores in an illegal raid on January 3, 2026.

“When I was in Venezuela, I talked to people there from all different sectors – from students to workers to indigenous people and more – all of them demanded the U.S. respect their sovereignty and to take its hands off their country!” said Ahmed.

Lucy Pagoada-Quesada, a Honduran activist living in the U.S. and a retired NYC teacher added, “The case of the U.S. government against the constitutional President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros and the First Lady Cilia Flores has no legal grounds. It’s a clear case of lawfare, judicialization of politics. It’s a political case that has two major reasons: To take over Venezuelan oil and other natural resources and to destroy the Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution. The kidnapping of a president violates all international law, U.S. law and Venezuelan law. We, as taxpayers, cannot allow the government to perpetrate this or any other illegality or violation of the law.”

The activists reiterated their demand that the U.S. government drop the charges against Maduro and Flores and return the President and First Lady to Venezuela. They also shared that a New York City-based coalition of progressive organizations opposed to U.S. intervention abroad plans to rally outside the next hearing, scheduled for December 17, when Judge Alvin Hellerstein will hear oral arguments on the motion to dismiss the charges.

#NewYorkNY #NY #International #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement #Maduro

Chicago, IL – On October 9, members of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) and Anti-War Committee – Chicago (AWC) successfully disrupted the performance of racist, Zionist Jerry Seinfeld at the Chicago Theatre.

Both organizations have targeted Seinfeld to ensure that there can be no business as usual ever since the U.S.-supported Israeli genocide exposed him as a racist, genocide apologist who proudly supports Israel’s war crimes against Palestine.

Six protesters disrupted Seinfeld’s show at different points by standing up and shouting that he was a “genocide apologist” and “a racist” for supporting the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza.

The genocide is financed by U.S. taxpayer funds and over 74,000 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel, including over 22,000 children, while independent mortality research indicates that the true death toll is significantly higher. Despite the so-called ceasefires, Israel continues to bomb Gaza, as well as Lebanon, and intensify ethnic cleansing and apartheid in the occupied West Bank.

Seinfeld’s Zionist supporters responded to the protesters with hostility, threats and physical violence. One supporter threw her drink at a protester and scratched her in an attempt to seize her phone until the protesters’ hands were bleeding from several places. Another tried to charge a protester until she had to be physically restrained to stop. Fans screamed at the protesters, called them slurs, and demanded that they be removed and violently beaten.

The Chicago Theatre’s security followed suit by brutally dragging out the protesters. Security pushed one directly into the seats, causing her to fall and be injured. They threw another protester against a wall despite her already being removed from the performance hall. While being dragged out, protesters chanted, “Jerry Seinfeld, you will see, Palestine will be free!”

Seinfeld danced and joked about genocide, saying, “it is a genocide and I’m into it” and that he would send money from their ticket sales to Israel.

“Shame on the Chicago Theatre for violently removing and banning organizers from returning to their theatre for protesting against a racist, Zionist, pedophile who publicly supports genocide,” said Elinor Keener with AWC. “Israel’s cheerleader Jerry Seinfeld has used his platform to support the Zionist and genocidal state of Israel, and even stated that he prefers Ku Klux Klan members to pro-Palestinian activists and those who say, ‘free Palestine.’”

Seinfeld has stated that he “doesn’t care about Palestinians,” regularly visits Israel, publicly expressed support for the Israeli military, and is often seen pictured with IOF soldiers. Seinfeld and his family visited a military-style training facility in the occupied West Bank, where they participated in shooting exercises and watched combat demonstrations at a facility offering simulated attacks depicting Palestinians as targets. His wife has also donated thousands of dollars to pro-Israel counter-protests at UCLA.

“With the Chicagoland area being the home of the largest Palestinian community in the United States, and Chicago being the only major large city to pass a ceasefire resolution, we reject the normalization of genocide and all who defend it,” said Nazek Sankari with USPCN. “Friday's disruption sent a clear message: Those who defend Israel's genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza and throughout Palestine will be met with protest and are not welcome on Chicago's stages without opposition.”

Video of the disruption, made by USPCN, has gone viral, demonstrating that the world stands with Palestine in its just struggle against the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide and decades of brutal ethnic cleansing, occupation, and apartheid.

You can watch clips of the disruptions here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeS3ODutSlb/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeWzmghR1pw/?psln=MWtvbWE4bTNwNXp4dQ==

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1M7F5z8XgT/?mibextid=wwXIfr

RECAP: USPCN-CHICAGO & AWC DISRUPT JERRY SEINFELD AT THE CHICAGO THEATRE!

On Friday, 10/9, USPCN-Chi & @AntiWarChicago disrupted the performance of racist, genocidal zionist @JerrySeinfeld at the @ChicagoTheatre over his support for Israel & the U.S.-backed genocide in #Gaza. pic.twitter.com/BTZqSjQlej

— U.S. Palestinian Community Network (@uspcn) October 11, 2026

#ChicagoIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Seinfeld #USPCN

Portland, OR – On October 5, pro-Palestine activists disrupted a debate involving Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, the incumbent for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. They confronted her over her lack of action on behalf of her constituent, Tareq Zakarneh. Zakarneh is a Palestinian man from the West Bank, currently held in ICE detention – he faces deportation to Israel’s ongoing genocide.

“It is unfortunately unsurprising Gluesenkamp Perez is unwilling to take action for Zakarneh,” said pro-Palestine activist Kacey Desantis, “she voted numerous times to provide arms and funds to Israel as it carries out genocide against Palestinians. Now, one of her constituents is being deported to the genocide she supports.”

The disruption was put on by local organization Portland for Palestine. One of its members stood up and questioned why Gluesenkamp Perez had taken no action. Police immediately escorted the protester out. Gluesenkamp Perez then stated that she required a signed privacy release form before intervening in Zakarneh’s case.

Gluesenkamp Perez claimed her office had not received the document until “very recently.” However, her office had possessed the form since September 9, almost a month before her remarks.

In light of this factual inconsistency, Portland for Palestine followed up with the congresswoman on October 7 as she left a televised debate. The group asked about the discrepancy and once again asked if she intended to act on Zakarneh’s behalf. They also questioned her continued support for Israel’s crimes.

Portland for Palestine first raised Zakarneh’s case with Gluesenkamp Perez at a campaign event on August 15. During that encounter, she and her staff first mentioned the need for a signed privacy release form. On August 28, the group delivered a letter to her office in Vancouver, Washington, demanding that she act. The office was locked, forcing activists to communicate with a single staffer by intercom. The staffer called the police at one point before finally allowing a member of Portland for Palestine inside to deliver the letter.

As Portland for Palestine increased its pressure on the congresswoman ahead of the October 7 event, in a brazen attempt to shirk responsibility, her staff went so far as to claim that Zakarneh was not even one of her constituents. Even the Department of Homeland Security’s own legal documents acknowledge Zakarneh lived in Gluesenkamp Perez’s district when he was detained.

According to Track AIPAC, Gluesenkamp Perez has received over $500,000 from pro-Israel political action committees. Beyond repeatedly voting to fund Israel’s military, she was one of 22 Democrats who joined Republicans to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib for allegedly “promoting false narratives” regarding the defiant act of resistance undertaken by the people of Gaza on October 7, 2023.

The U.S. currently has a policy of deporting Palestinians to Israel, as the U.S. government does not recognize Palestinian statehood.

Zakarneh spoke out about the fate he faces if deported to Israel: “Israeli authorities will target me directly because they are well-informed by the U.S. authorities I have been falsely categorized.” Zakarneh states that Israel has incorrectly labeled him as a member of Hamas, and says, “I will be arrested, I will be tortured. Israel will imprison me as long as they can. This is well known in the West Bank.”

Portland for Palestine continues to advocate for Zakarneh’s release from ICE detention, and for an end to the genocide in Palestine.

#PortlandOR #OR #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #ImmigrantRights

New York, NY – On October 8, protesters gathered outside of the Southern District Court to demand the release of Cilia Flores. Chants of “Cilia, listen! The people are resisting!” rang throughout the courthouse plaza.

Participating organizations included Brooklyn Against War, Workers World Party, Code Pink, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The small but steadfast rally of around 30 people lasted from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., closing with a press conference.

Briony Smith, an organizer with Brooklyn Against War and an Anti-War Action Network steering committee member, witnessed as the motion for Cilia Flores’ release to home detention was denied.

Smith stated, “Cilia Flores is facing immense gendered violence. What I witnessed inside the courtroom was a room full of men making medical decisions for a woman.”

Smith continued, “We heard in the arguments today that she has suffered a probable heart attack. Now the judge seems to be under the impression that a heart attack, a heart catheterization, and the procedures that will follow are something that can be recovered from in general population detention among 40 other women, when Cilia is getting three to hours of sleep.”

Tom Burke of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization was also in the courtroom Thursday morning. Burke stated, “Trump is trying to kill the first lady of Venezuela here. He doesn’t care about her life. He doesn’t care about President Maduro. Trump doesn’t care about the Venezuelan people! He just wants their oil. If you think you’re going to find justice in a U.S. federal courtroom, you better think again.”

Speakers at the press conference continued to emphasize the inability of the Trump administration to grant Flores a fair trial.

Not only was Cilia Flores’ motion to be released on house arrest denied, but U.S. prosecutors also brought forward new charges of “conspiracy to commit torture” against Flores and Maduro. The original indictment of narcoterrorism conspiracy, for which there is no evidence, was used by the U.S. government to justify the illegal kidnapping of Flores and Maduro on January 3.

The conspiracy to commit torture indictment alleged torture of U.S. citizens. Five of these citizens include oil executives who were arrested for corruption, and two of them were U.S. special forces members who attempted to raid and overthrow the Venezuelan government. They were all freed later in deals with the U.S.

Ignoring this important context, the court is content to paint Maduro and Flores as dictators who torture U.S. citizens, all while the U.S. is subjecting them to a notoriously inhumane prison and refusing medical treatment to Cilia Flores. It is the goal of the prosecution to obscure who Flores and Maduro really are – leaders who refuse to sell out the resources of their country to the United States.

Despite the second indictment and the outcome of the motion for house arrest, activists remain ready to take to the streets to defend Flores and Maduro, and plan to be at the Metropolitan Detention Center on November 3, for the tenth month in a row, to demand their release.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #CiliaFlores #NicolasMaduro #Feature

Dallas, TX – Over 500 community members from across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex joined together Sunday, October 11, for a massive demonstration against the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

The protest started at Civic Garden Park in Dallas with community members chanting “Stand up, no fear, we don’t want no Zionists here!” aimed at two counter-protesters, who soon gave up and left. Attendees held large banners reading “We will return, hands off Gaza”, “Hands off Iran, hands off Gaza”, and “Hands off Palestine.”

The march was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement – Dallas, the Dallas-Fort Worth Anti-War Committee, DFW Shias for Justice, and others to “Honor the living, the martyred, and the land.”

As the march started off though downtown Dallas, Josh Rudd, a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Anti-War Committee, spoke on behalf of the Stop the Bombs Garland Campaign, remarking, “The Paligen bomb factory in Garland, Texas is responsible for decades of genocidal violence from Vietnam to Palestine. DAWC is working diligently to get our students out of this bomb factory and to shut down Paligen once and for all.” More information on the campaign at tinyurl.com/NoFamePaligen

The march continued to the Dallas Morning News headquarters, where representatives of the PYM called out the paper’s support for the U.S.-Israeli genocide on Gaza and for their biased reporting. The crowd chanted “DMN you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” and “DMN shame on you, your hands are bloody too.”

Mohammad Khan from DFW Shias for Justice told the crowd, “We are here to show our unwavering support for Palestine and to let the Palestinian people know that we will never abandon them and will always stand by their side. We believe that the liberation of Palestine from the Zionist entity, along with the right of return and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination in their homeland, is fundamental to ending global arrogance and oppression. As the late Hezbollah leader and martyr, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said, ‘We, the Shia of Ali ibn Abi Talib, will never abandon Palestine.’”

Shane Prichard with the DFW Anti-War Committee, commenting on why they came to the protest, said, “I’ve been supportive of the Palestinian cause for a while now; but to learn most of the bombs dropped on Gaza are from here in the DFW, it makes me feel partially culpable, in a way. I hate that my tax dollars are killing helpless people, and I needed to make it clear by showing up.”

Nosayba Mahmoud of the Dallas Palestine Coalition concluded the protest, “We keep organizing. We keep challenging the narratives that make genocide acceptable. We keep demanding that our tax dollars sustain life rather than fund the killing of our brothers and sisters. We keep giving, teaching, protecting, remembering and returning. Again, and again. Our hope is disciplined, but it is also anchored in certainty. We believe oppression does not have the final word. We may not know when liberation will come, but we trust the promise of God that injustice is not eternal.”

#DallasTX #TX #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #DAWC #PYM #DSJ #DPC

Grand Rapids, MI – On October 7, Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids held a vigil and rally to commemorate three years of genocide and three years of resistance. Over 60 community members gathered in Calder Plaza to mourn those killed in Palestine and to celebrate their ongoing struggle for liberation.

During the event, Zionist agitators attempted to disrupt the vigil but were met by organizers who successfully pushed them out of the plaza; far away from those in attendance. While the agitators sang the U.S. national anthem while flying Israeli Defense Forces flags, community members chanted over them, blocked their view, and passed around portraits of Palestinian martyrs while observing Salat as the sun set.

“Three years ago, Israel launched its most brutal assault on Gaza because Palestinians dared to resist 76 years of occupations and 16 years of a brutal siege,” Julliette Kibby, an organizer with Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, stated. “Since then, the Palestinian people have suffered a genocide; the final culmination of the Zionist project!”

A Palestinian organizer from Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids focused on their home and the loved ones they’ve lost, stating, “I want to go home! I want to sit under that almond tree again. I want to see my cousins at the beach and say: ‘See! We’re all here now!’ But some of the people I imagine standing there won’t be!”

Organizers also focused on divestment and their campaign to get the Grand Rapids Retirement System to divest from Israel.

Sam Tunningley of the Freedom Road told the crowd, “The United States government, with the backing of the most powerful and moneyed interests, will stop at nothing to silence all of our organizations and leaders who challenge the U.S. stranglehold on the Middle East.”

As the event wrapped up, all those in attendance chanted and drowned out the eight remaining Zionist agitators still lingering at the corners of the plaza.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #PSGR

Tucson, AZ – On October 7, dozens gathered outside of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to protest three years of Zionist genocide in Palestine. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held signs with slogans like “End U.S. aid to Israel” and “U.S. hands off Iran!” Vehicles passing by the protest honked their horns, and drivers rolled down their windows to shout in support.

During the speaking program, Moyheddin Abdulaziz, a Palestinian organizer with Arizona-Palestine Solidarity Alliance, spoke to the crowd, “The Palestinian people need your voice, need your power, need your determination. Three years ago, the Biden administration, with their junior partner called Israel, started a campaign for genocide and annihilation of our people that continues until today.” Abdulaziz then led the protesters in chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

“Today, October 7, marks the three-year anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood, a day of courageous resistance and a historic moment in the fight for the liberation of Palestine from their genocidal oppressor, Israel,” said Arlee Thwing, an organizer with Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “October 7, 2023, will be remembered as a day when Palestinian resistance exposed the weakness and vulnerability of Israel and their U.S. backers.”

Members of veteran organizations also joined the demonstration outside the Air Force base. One member of Veterans for Peace, Adrian Fernandez, led the crowd in shouting “Fuck Zionism!”

Maria Sohn-Hasman, an organizer with the Tucson Anti War Committee, said, “It’s the system of U.S. imperialism that is bombing children and families abroad and it’s the same system of U.S. imperialism oppressing us working people here at home.,” adding, “and we have way more in common with the people getting killed around the world by these evil fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles that are being sent from and built here in our city than we do with CEOs in the U.S.”

Defense contractor Raytheon’s facility in Tucson is the principal assembly site for Tomahawk missiles. It was a Tomahawk missile earlier this year that struck a school in southern Iran, killing 120 children and several teachers. The Tucson City Council recently approved conveying 212 acres to the U.S. Air Force to be used by Raytheon, the biggest employer in Tucson. This decision came after a $20 billion contract was awarded to Raytheon by the Department of Defense.

The rally was organized by the Tucson Anti-War Committee and sponsored by several progressive organizations including Arizona-Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (Tucson), Tempest Collective Tucson, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Veterans for Peace, Common Defense, and Communist Party USA.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #TAWC