The Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the unjust arrest and the U.S. Department of Justice’s extradition attempt of Fergie Chambers, a progressive philanthropist and steadfast supporter of the Palestinian cause. He was dragged away from his family in Spain on dubious charges ranging from money laundering to material support for terrorism. If extradited to the U.S., he could be facing decades in prison.

Chambers is a son of billionaires who made the legitimate choice long ago to direct his funds towards progress, from free medical clinics to legal defense for activists facing repression. Now, the Trump DOJ is fabricating a narrative of terrorist financing. They want to create an upside-down world and twist the legal system so that humanitarian aid and solidarity land you behind bars, but the architects of the ongoing genocide in Gaza walk free. Ultimately, they want to use every avenue to squash and punish the tidal wave of support for the cause of Palestinian liberation that has stretched to every corner of the globe.

We are in a period of intensifying repression, and the imperialists are constantly in search of new ways to crush resistance and silence opposition. And that means that people like Chambers who use their resources to amplify the voices that call for freedom and liberation become targets, too. All those who oppose the Trump administration’s crackdown on our movements and the erosion of democratic rights need to stand against this. Solidarity is not a crime!

#PoliticalRepression #InjusticeSystem #Palestine #AntiWarMovement #PeoplesStruggles

San Jose, CA – On Wednesday, July 8, around two dozen people rallied at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library against Trump’s relaunching of the U.S. war against Iran.

Signs depicting children murdered in the Minab school bombing by the U.S. were laid out on the steps in from of the library. Protesters held signs saying, “No war on Iran” and “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.”

Donna Wallach of San Jose Against War spoke to the crowd about how popular opinion is against the ongoing war in Iran, saying, “The great majority of Americans do not support this horrible, horrendous attack on Iran.”

Sharat Lin, board member of Human Agenda and the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, emphasized that the U.S. has always been the aggressor nation in the conflict, saying that the U.S. “must stop sabotaging the MOU. Stop trying to dominate the rest of the world. Stop trying to dominate Iran!”

Jack McCann, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, highlighted that Trump has no geopolitical leverage against Iran, yet continually lashes out. He said, “As Iran remains steadfast, Trump has two options: lose quietly or lose loudly and he’s choosing the latter.”

The chanting crowd drew supportive honks throughout the action.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Grand Rapids, MI – On the evening of July 8, members from the Grand Rapids Opponents of War (GROW) and others gathered at Monument Park to demand an immediate end to the U.S.'s attacks on Iran.

This rally comes as an emergency response to the Trump administration's escalation with Iran, which happened just earlier in the week. Rally attendees held signs that read “Hands off Iran” and chanted “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.”

Honks of support were heard from passing vehicles throughout the course of the rally, and some passersby even stopped in to take a photo of themselves atop the park statue holding a sign that read “No war on Iran.”

From the energy of the evening, it was clear that the recent attacks on Iran by the U.S. have sparked an outrage from the Grand Rapids community that will not be going away any time soon.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #GROW #Iran

Jacksonville, FL – While heat warnings shortened celebrations of the 250th July 4, the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network took to the hot Florida pavement to protest U.S. aggression both domestically and abroad, including its support for the genocide in Gaza.

The rally started at Memorial Park in the heart of Riverside, where members of organizations spoke on the injustices carried out by the U.S.

A member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) told the crowd, “Over the last three years, at least 75,000 Palestinians have been murdered in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which the United States government has been bankrolling, another 1200 citizens in Syria killed in the regime change in their country, and another 3600 Iranians killed in the senseless war against their country and as if that's not bad enough, we have another 100 civilians of Venezuela killed in the kidnapping of their president, Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.” The crowd yelled “Shame!” in response.

Focus was also brought to the attacks the Trump administration has made on immigrant communities. Crystal Aguilar of the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance stated, “250 years of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But for who? Certainly not for me, or for the millions of working-class people living in America. Not for the immigrants who die crossing the border every day to enter this country, those who have died in ICE detention, and those whose labor is being exploited by greedy corporations. Is this what we choose to stand for? Is this what we are going to continue to allow in our country?” The crowd yelled back, “No!”

The rally became mobile as the participants began marching down Riverside Avenue toward the bustling arts market hosted under the Fuller Warren Bridge. Patrons of the market could hear the marchers steadily approach as the chanting and drumming grew louder. Anyone in the vicinity could hear roars of, “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!”

The chants echoed across the market with the help of the bridge's acoustics. Ryan Delaney of the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) and a co-organizer of the march addressed the market’s attendees: “We are out here today as part of a national day of action called by the Anti-War Action Network. We are organizing in cities around the country, saying that we reject this idea of 250 years of freedom when we continue to take the freedom away from people around the world and in our own country.”

Most of the market patrons stopped what they were doing to see what was going on. They listened intently as a call to action was issued, “Everybody who's here at the Riverside Arts Market, I want you all to know that we are going to continue to fight for this. And we want all of you to get involved. We want every single person here to wake up and rise to this occasion and get ready for the real fight ahead of us. So for every single one of y'all out here, if you're with us, we want y'all to march with us. Because we are going to continue to march, and we're going to go back to Memorial Park, where we're going to continue our program.”

The march made its way back to Memorial Park with more people than it had started with. Upon returning, the attendees cooled down in the shade. Food and water were distributed as folks socialized and built community.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #JPSN

Minneapolis, MN – On July 8, Minneapolis City Council’s Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee held a public hearing on a proposal for a trial program for “drones as first responders” (DFRs). The drones are manufactured by Skydio, a California-based tech company that makes autonomous surveillance drones.

The Free Palestine Coalition (FPC) called for its supporters to pack the meeting, achieving this with both the meeting room and the overflow room at capacity. Over 40 people testified, all expressing opposition to the drone proposal.

One of the main concerns residents raised is that Skydio is a major producer of drones for the Israeli military. Sarah Martin, a member of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), testified on this point, saying, “300 to 500 Palestinians were killed every day and there's no question Skidio drones account for many of those deaths. You must decide to reject the contract with Skydio and continue to do the right thing, as you did when you passed one of the strongest if not the strongest, ceasefire resolutions in the country in 2024. Or when you voted not to use ZenCity, an Israeli surveillance company. We don’t want our tax dollars going to companies profiting from the genocide, and a company whose drones have been use to surveil protesters, including those opposing this vicious and evil genocide.”

The other main concern residents raised is that drones operated by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) would be used to violate the civil liberties of oppressed nationality communities, and to surveil protesters.

Mary Ford, member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC), testified, “I remember in late May, early June, 2020 during George Floyd [protests], the Blackhawk helicopter swooping low and loud over my house, breaking tree branches and scaring the neighbors that had banded together. The Minnesota State Patrol also flew a Cirrus spy plane over our city at this time. U.S. Customs & Border Patrol collected our data using a Predator drone during George Floyd. To track and pursue targets, both ICE and CBP have purchased Skydio drones. This is not the company that Minneapolis wants to keep. We want to demilitarize police work, not militarize police work to further ridiculous levels.”

Maddy Schwartz, also of the AWC, expressed similar sentiments in her testimony, saying, “This could 100 percent be used as a tool to expand state-sanction violence, surveil protests and dissent, Black and brown communities, and bring in huge amounts of visual data. I worry that this will be the next course of violence against unhoused people who, as a city, we’ve already decided don’t deserve privacy, dignity, or any space to exist. I wonder how this could affect community rapid response systems as we rely on community members to respond to ICE. I’d like to know how many of your immigrant constituents still living in fear, would feel safer with this expanded surveillance through this third party. When we make these investments in law enforcement, it gets harder to trust that council cares about privacy rights and over-policing of communities of color.”

The proposal is for the MPD to launch the Skydio pilot program in Ward 4 in the city’s Northside, which is a Black-majority neighborhood. Many residents came from the ward to address their councilmember, LaTrisha Vetaw, who authored the proposal and sits on the Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee.

At the end of the hearing the committee voted to “forward without recommendation” and the full Minneapolis City Council is expected to discuss it at their 9:30 a.m. meeting on Thursday, July 16.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #MNAWC

New Orleans, LA- On July 4, downtown in Lafayette Square, a crowd of about 100 people participated in an anti-imperialist rally and march. The action was organized by local anti-Zionist organization New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) and was endorsed and attended by several local New Orleans groups.

Speakers included activists from the anti-war movement, Indivisible, and the movement for police accountability. Although every speaker used their own words and language, every speech had one through-line, demanding an end to US wars for blood and oil.

The rally chanted and marched in 95-degree heat to Jackson Square to unveil a banner that read “250 years of imperialism, oppression & war” to passersby on the scorching Saturday afternoon.

Rosalie Framboise of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization declared to the crowd, “We are here on the 250th anniversary of the American empire, a hydra that has strung its tentacles all over the world, in pursuit of raising its stock price, and manifesting the destiny of the billionaire, monopoly capitalists who control it.” Framboise went on to decry how Donald Trump wants us to celebrate American wars and empire.

In conjunction with NOSHIP’s action, high school student activist groups Student Action Movement (SAM) and Students for Resistance (SFR) spoke against the development of a planned AI Hyperion data center along Louisiana Highway 183, emphasizing the threat that data center expansion poses to the environment.

“We are out here in the streets protesting imperialism, oppression and war that the U.S. has been engaging in for 250 years,” said one of the organizers of the action. “We’re angry, and it’s hot as hell but we’re fired up, we’re mad, and we’re not going to stop.”

Despite the incredible heatwave in New Orleans city, the locals came out in droves either to actively participate in the march, or clearly show solidarity with our united messaging.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #AWAn #NOSHIP

Portland, OR – For this year’s July 4 holiday, the United States’ 250th anniversary, Portland made it clear with a rally and protest that there was nothing to celebrate. The event aimed to establish that there is “No freedom in endless war” and demand that money be spent on human needs, not war and genocide, referring to the increase of U.S. aggression internationally over the last year and over 1000 days of genocide against the Palestinian people.

The event was hosted by Portland for Palestine (P4P), following the national call to action from the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN). P4P was joined by the Portland district of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD), Portland Extinction Rebellion, Brown Hope, and Veterans for Peace Portland chapter 72.

The event started off with a rally at Terry Schrunk Federal Plaza, where over 150 people gathered with Palestine flags, upside-down American flags and signs opposing war, ICE and President Donald Trump. Judas Graves of P4P addressed the crowd with a question for the crowd, “I heard there is a holiday today but do we have anything to celebrate?” to which the crowd responded with a loud and resounding, “No!”

The energy of the crowd was high from the very beginning, with Graves leading chants of “No more endless war!” and “No more killing kids!”

Samantha Ibarra, a Marine Corp veteran and organizer with PDXCD, spoke of her time in the military as she joined with the hope of fulfilling the “American Dream” for her family. She states that instead she found the truth about military service: “Black, indigenous and people of color, immigrants or not, sacrifice themselves and gain nothing. Countless siblings, parents and partners are being used as disposable property of the government while the rich line their pockets from endless wars.” Ibarra is currently facing charges from the Portland police after exercising self-defense against right-wing agitators who regularly attend Portland protests and assault attendees.

The very same right-wing agitators were in attendance on the 4th, all holding their phones on tripods and yelling obscenities at the crowd before being pushed to the perimeter of the event by event and drowned out by chants.

Cameron Whitten from Brown Hope evoked the words of Frederick Douglass from his speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” from 1852: “There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.” The weight of these words spoken nearly 175 years later was felt by everyone in attendance.

Whitten continued, “I am tired of having to see what is going on in this country on headlines with a degree of powerlessness. Because what I know is that we are powerful, we are a movement! We are a movement against war, against genocide, for education, for opportunity, for peace. We are here knowing that we have been trampled on, disgraced and insulted for far too long and enough is enough!”

After the rally, the sizable crowd embarked on a nearly two-mile march around the downtown Portland area. The group was followed by the city-famous “World on Fire” protest firetruck that was draped in banners that read “Stop the genocide, break the bonds” and “It will take all of us.” The group marched past the annual Waterfront Blues Festival that runs every Fourth of July weekend with chants of “Money for homes and education, not for bombs and devastation!”

Veterans for Peace Chapter 72 President Dan Shea, in a statement that was read aloud in his absence, pointed out “At 250 years, America does not need another hollow celebration. We need an honest reckoning: leaders who respect dissent, veterans who speak truth, communities that refuse fear, and citizens who know freedom is not proven by fireworks. Freedom is proven when the vulnerable are protected, war is restrained, power is accountable, and truth-tellers are heard instead of silenced.”

Portland for Palestine will continue to protest and speak out against unjust wars waged by the United States. The group maintains their demand to end all U.S. aid to Israel to stop the genocide of the Palestinian people.

#PortlandOR #OR #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #P4P

The Palestine Solidarity Committee of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) found out on July 7 from the Saint Paul Water Board website that they have selected Waterfall Security Solutions again for a contract.

Saint Paul provides water to Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Lilydale, Maplewood, Mendota, Mendota Heights, West Saint Paul, Roseville, Little Canada and Arden Hills.

Meredith Aby, the WAMM director, explains, “After a year of attending board meetings, meeting with board members, petitioning and calling, we are angered that, despite Waterfall being an Israeli company that works hand in hand with Israel in its genocide of the Palestinian people, Saint Paul wants to expand and extend their contract. The new proposed contract will be $153,611.74 and for five years. They proposed this knowing that their constituents do not support genocide.”

WAMM has been working on this campaign for a year as a part of the boycott, divest and sanctions (BDS) movement. WAMM chose this strategy because it was previously successful in pressuring the U.S. to stop supporting South African apartheid. The BDS Movement website says that the tech sector “feeds Israel’s war chest, making up 20% of Israel’s GDP (in 2023) and 53% of its exports (2023).” The goal of the BDS movement is to isolate Israel economically to pressure them to end apartheid and genocide.

Aby continued, “If you drink or use Saint Paul water, please call today – 651-266-6350 extension 7. And regardless of where you live, we need you to come out to the next Water Board meeting on Tuesday, July 14 at noon at Saint Paul City Hall, 15 W Kellogg Boulevard in room 300 to demand that they cut the contract with Waterfall!”

#StPaulMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Divestment #BDS #Palestine #WAMM

Washington, D.C. – Amid military displays celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, more than 120 workers, migrants, students and community members mounted opposition in the nation's capital.

Participants kicked off their activities with a banner drop on a Rhode Island Avenue overpass. Later they held a Peace Forum, then a protest on July 4 at the White House. Participants in the forum argued that the country's anniversary should instead be a moment to address ongoing impacts of militarism, political repression and economic exploitation.

“While we were shackled in detention, we learned the U.S. government is the real criminal, but that we also need to fight for justice not just for ourselves, but to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone again,” said Ana from Las Madres Unidas en la Lucha, a collective of migrant mothers. Group members were detained during a March 2026 ICE operation in Baltimore and were later transferred to detention in Tacoma, Washington.

David Black of the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR) said, “I spent 26 years in prison for a crime I didn't commit. What happened to me wasn't an isolated case, the sheriff who put me there harmed others too. This fight is bigger than my story. It's just beginning, and we're going to keep demanding justice for everyone who has been wronged.”

“Migrant workers are among the underclass in the countries they have migrated to because we are the scapegoats of economic crises, a source of cheap labor, and in times of crisis, we are abused by the government, as is the case today with Trump” said Jabi, a food service worker with Filipino Workers of Wheaton (FilWoW).

The Peace Forum brought together communities addressing issues such as ICE violence, police terror and wars of aggression that impact the people around the world. The gathering strengthened local fights to build a larger movement to address the root causes. Emerging from the Peace Forum, community members committed to advance campaigns against violence due to state agencies and expansion of weapons production.

Participants reconvened on the morning of July 4 for a protest at the White House, targeting Trump, who is responsible for attacks on the people domestically and abroad.

“We see this contradiction intensifying today, with Trump staging a military occupation right here in the belly of the beast, Washington, D.C., where Black, brown, and working-class neighbors are being kidnapped and terrorized by federal agents with the help of MPD. The National Guard occupation alone costs millions of dollars that could be used for healthcare, housing and human needs,” said Juliet Thomas from Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO-DC).

“Today, July 4, also marks 80 years of semi-colonial oppression of the Philippines by America,” says Marcel Castro from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN DMV). He condemned the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative for increasing land theft and exploitation of Filipino workers, as the U.S. aims to control the semiconductor supply chain. “1600 hectares of land were offered on a silver platter to the U.S., which will displace peasant and indigenous people. Large-scale mining operations will destroy water sources and agricultural land. The Filipino people are not pawns and sacrifices for U.S.-led war!” Marcel concluded.

“Whether it's detention centers, war profiteers, or the daily oppression we face under this system, this week of action shows that the most exploited and oppressed are organizing to fight back. Our fight is to unite workers, migrants, and all people struggling for sovereignty and liberation!” said Liz Park, secretary general of the International League of Peoples' Struggle – US (ILPS-US).

#WashingtonDC #DC #July4th #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarMovement #ILPS #Philippines

San Jose, CA – On Friday, July 3, around two dozen people gathered for a rally and march starting at Dr. MLK Jr. Library to stand against the U.S.’s endless investment and participation in war across the globe, currently including but not limited to, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and Palestine.

The crowd chanted, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation” and “Israel bombs, U.S. pays, how many did they kill today?”

Jack McCann, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about the U.S.’s priority of profits over people over the last 250 years saying, “It has never been about freedom and liberty and all the other lullabies the ruling class sings to us, the working people of this country.”

McCann continued, “We have watched as they use our money to fight their wars, killing people around the world while we go hungry at home, while we struggle to pay our bills, while we fight for the scraps that fall off of their table.”

Donna Wallach, of San Jose Against War told the crowd, “Using our tax money, U.S.-made fighter jets, and high tech weaponry, Israeli soldiers bomb Lebanese villages in southern Lebanon, murdering civilians, and specifically target medical professionals and journalists. Many areas throughout southern Lebanon are flattened, everything destroyed, much like in Gaza.”

Drusie Kazanova of San Jose Against War spoke of the U.S. aggression towards Venezuela. Kazanova brought attention to President Maduro and First Lady Flores’s kidnapping in January, saying, “The U.S. is currently holding hostage the kidnapped, democratically-elected president and first lady of a sovereign country.”

Kazanova also highlighted the resilience of the Cuban people under the 64 year embargo against Cuba, saying, “Cuba has the most advanced doctors and medical training in the world, they invent and manufacture their very own vaccines but are unable to administer them because the U.S. blocks imports of medical syringes.”

Akubundu Amazu of the All African People’s Revolutionary Party, brought attention to recent repression of organizers with the Communist Party, Marxist of Kenya. Amazu noted, “We cannot let them stop us from building international solidarity. The only way we’re going to defeat this international repressive machine is with international global resistance!”

Representatives from the League of Filipino Students (LFS) at San Jose State University and the San Jose Peace and Justice Center also spoke highlighting the U.S.’s increasing efforts to develop manufacturing and AI specifically for war and genocide.

After the speaker program, the crowd began the march through downtown chanting loudly, waving signs, and passing out zines.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #July4th #Palestine #Cuba #Venezuela #Iran

St Paul, MN – The Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) issued a national call to action for protests on July 4 weekend to highlight that the U.S. 250th birthday celebration also mark 250 years of nonstop genocide, war and imperialism.

Both the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) and Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) held actions to draw attention to the costs of U.S.-sponsored wars and genocides.

On July 3, WAMM held its weekly Free Palestine protest as a part of the call and to draw special attention to also mark 1000 days of genocide of Palestine by Israel sponsored by the United States.

Meredith Aby, the director of WAMM, explained, “This week the United Nations issued a report detailing evidence of Israel deliberately targeting Palestinian children during the conflict since October 2023. In fact, Israel continues to violate the agreement on a daily basis. The UN reports that 265 children were killed and more than 400 others injured since the ceasefire, which averages to nearly one child killed every single day. Children are starving to death in Gaza too. The world needs to be more outraged by this massive level of mass murder, especially towards children. Women Against Military Madness holds a protest at Summit and Snelling every Friday for a Free Palestine, but this week’s protest is important in our efforts to stop the normalization of genocide.”

On July 4, the AWC held a rally at Chute Square in Northeast Minneapolis to protest the insidious “holiday.” Dozens of protesters held signs with statements like “No blood for oil,” “Iran is not the enemy” and “Victory to the Palestinian resistance,” with a large banner that read, “No freedom in endless wars.”

Organizers say that the American flag was intentionally left out of the various flags flown as a display of international solidarity with Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, Lebanon and Palestine. They chose these countries’ flags because they are current targets of the Trump administration.

Organizations around the Twin Cities, such as American Muslims for Palestine, MN50501, U.S. Palestinian Community Network and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) were represented among the speakers at the rally. They reiterated that American taxpayer dollars are funneled into the $1 trillion military budget that goes towards attacking, sanctioning, decimating and invading sovereign peoples and sovereign nations.

Maumoon Slayhi from American Muslims for Palestine summed up the sentiment of the crowd by declaring, “Enough endless wars. Enough blank checks for militarism. Enough asking working Americans to fund destruction while our schools struggle, our families struggle, and healthcare becomes more and more out of reach.”

The irony of the Trump administration’s “Freedom 250” coming on the heels of the deadly Operation Metro Surge, when federal agents murdered, displaced, kidnapped and terrorized Twin Cities communities was also noted by speakers. In her speech, Montana Hirsch from MIRAC stated, “U.S. intervention leads to forced mass migration; sanctions and wars create conditions where people are forced to leave their homelands and come here only to be met with the deportation machine! Where is the freedom in that?”

Over 30 members of both the MN Anti-War Committee and WAMM will travel to Chicago for AWAN’s second national conference July 11 and 12.

#StPaulMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #MNAWC #AWAN #WAMM

Grand Rapids, MI – In the late afternoon on July 4, around 40 people gathered in Roberto Clemente Park to socialize, eat and condemn 250 years of U.S. war crimes. For many of the attendees, this was the first anti-war event they've attended.

In addition to food and drink, the event featured speakers, educational games and a piñata printed with Netanyahu and Donald Trump. The piñata was enthusiastically destroyed to close out the event. Flags of countries recently and historically repressed by the U.S. were displayed around the park, including Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and Palestine.

Speakers represented the following organizations: Grand Rapids Opponents of War (GROW), Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR), and the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).

Tyler Stalorites, a veteran of the U.S. Army and organizer with GROW, talked about his experience being recruited during high school: “At 17 years old, I was plucked from the small town of Bridgman, Michigan and shortly after placed in the 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment. I was driving a Humvee before I could vote, smoke or go to a bar.”

Stalorites then discussed how his world view started to change as he was deployed to Eastern Europe, “I noticed I felt a stronger bond with the Turkish construction workers or the Hungarian shop owners near our base than I did with my commanding officers.”

Tom Burke spoke for AWAN, and gave a shout out to a number of upcoming electoral campaigns: Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate, Lily Cheng-Schulting for State Representative, and Ivan Diaz for Michigan Senate.

Burke spoke to the public reception to Trump's war on Iran. “War is unpopular, and the Iran War is especially unpopular. When the loss in Vietnam struck the U.S., it took decades to launch another unpopular war. The loss in Iran will be an even more devastating loss for the U.S.”

Burke continued, “This country kidnapped the democratically-elected president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Very soon I will be traveling to the New York City courtroom to stand in solidarity with him and his wife Cilia Flores.”

The speakers closed out with chants like “No to war, yes to peace, U.S. out of the Middle East” and “Free, free Palestine!” The event was organized by GROW in response to the AWAN July 4 call to action.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #GROW #AWAN

Milwaukee, WI – Over the July 4 weekend, residents of Milwaukee held a banner drop and a social to commemorate 250 years of resistance by people fighting for freedom and liberation from oppression. The events were organized by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) and supported by other community organizations.

The weekend’s events were in response to the National Day of Action called by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN). As the Trump administration celebrates 250 years since the founding of the U.S., people are fighting against Trump’s ICE detention and deportation, against unjust wars and genocide funded by their tax dollars, and for basic rights such as healthcare, education and a living wage.

The banner drop, on the night of July 3, was strategically held at Brady Street Bridge just as a drone show was beginning.

As the drone show celebrated corporations and the U.S. military, MAC, joined by community members and CODEPINK Milwaukee, flew banners reading, “Money for human needs,” “Stop the U.S. war machine!” and “U.S. & Israel: Hands off Iran & Lebanon!” Passersby in cars honked and shouted “Free Palestine!” while people on foot stopped to offer support and thank the organizers for putting the message out.

The second event was held on July 4, a social event to mark People’s Independence Day. Students for a Democratic Society University of Milwaukee (SDS) and Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) co-sponsored MAC’s event, joining community members who came to celebrate People’s Independence. Around 20 people came to share food and listen to speeches about the history of people’s resistance, which countered lies about this country’s history.

Hayley Angel, one of MAC’s co-chairs said, “What is worth celebrating today is the fact that for every oppression that people have endured at the hands of the U.S. government, both domestic and international, they have resisted. We reject militaristic displays, and instead uplift the struggle of the people. We know we have so much more in common with people all over the world resisting the U.S. war machine than we do our government at home!”

“I’ve never seen this country be so unpopular. Locally, we see terror take many forms, like inviting multiple law enforcement agencies into Milwaukee, where one of these ultimately murdered Sam Sharpe Jr, or the police chief going to Israel to explore new ways to over-police Milwaukee, or the Sheriff’s Department lying about collaborating with ICE. Nationally we see my compañera Nadia Topete being subpoenaed down in LA for protesting ICE’s terror. Some of this may sound scary or intimidating. But one thing remains constant: the people are fed up with this country’s constant boot on our neck and we’re not afraid to fight back against the powers that be and we’re eager to take what’s rightfully ours!” said Diego Garcia, a co-chair of MAARPR.

The People’s Independence Day event also featured a potluck, lawn games and a piñata of Donald Trump.

Attendees of the two events in Milwaukee are not fooled by the false claim of independence and freedom as touted by the Trump administration. They used the weekend to protest, to come together, and to pledge to continue the fight for as long as it takes to truly win freedom for the people.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #July4th #AWAN

Salt Lake City, UT – On July 4, dozens of protesters gathered to demonstrate at the Raytheon Applied Signals Technology facility located in an industrial area on the outskirts of the city. Raytheon, a company long since linked to U.S. and Israeli war crimes, is the target of a new campaign by the Utah Anti-War Committee.

Protesters began the event chanting, “Not another nickel, not another dollar, we won’t pay for Raytheon’s slaughter!”

Speaking on behalf of the Utah Anti-War Committee, Nova Morra stated, “I am done being complicit in a genocide. I don’t know how I will leave the earth, I don’t know when, and I think I can tell you why, but I know that I will have lived my life with dignity and respect. I will die knowing I stand for the people of Gaza.”

UAWC member Amber Grace, while discussing the genocide of the indigenous population of the U.S., observed that “this dispossession is exactly what is being continued today when we manufacture weapons for land theft by Israel’s settler project.”

Delivering a speech for Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Sebastian Miscenich remarked, “Last year, Raytheon made nearly $90 billion in weapons sales to the U.S. and its allies, including a $1.25 billion contract for Israel’s Iron Dome system. A Raytheon Tomahawk missile killed over a hundred Iranian schoolgirls in February this year, mostly between the ages of seven and 12. Is this really what we want our public funds spent on?”

Miscenich continued, “250 years ago, the American Revolution won power for the richest white business owners, but today working and oppressed people in America need to take total power over our society.”

Adam Koritz from FRSO talked about the case of Nadia Topete, an immigrant rights activist In Los Angeles recently targeted by a subpoena to appear before a grand jury simply for speaking out against ICE terror in her community. “It is important to stand in solidarity with Nadia right now, as she would for any of us,” Koritz remarked.

While closing out the rally, organizers handed out leaflets and a petition that will be used to demand Raytheon’s removal from the Salt Lake City area.

The energetic demonstration was unfettered by the extreme July heat, as new contacts were brought into a growing coalition. Responses from motorists and cyclists at the rally were overwhelmingly positive.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Raytheon #Palestine

Brooklyn, NY – On July 3, dozens of activists rallied outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) to demand freedom for kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The picket also marked six months since President Maduro and First Lady Flores were kidnapped from Caracas in a United States military operation which killed 100 people, including 32 Cuban bodyguards.

Despite the oppressive 100-degree heat, energy was high. Bolstered by reports that Maduro had been able to hear last month’s protest, protesters chanted loudly, “Maduro, aguanta, el pueblo se levanta!”

Organizations in attendance included Workers World Party, Palaver Collective, Black Alliance for Peace, the International League of People’s Struggle, and Brooklyn Against War.

Michela Martinazzi of Brooklyn Against War spoke, connecting the heatwave with the U.S. military aggression against Venezuela. “The number one polluter in the world is the United States military. It is our responsibility as people living on this planet to fully dismantle the U.S. military and the system that upholds it. So today, we’re standing in record-high temperatures, and we know that war affects all of us. It affects every single one of us. And President Maduro and Flores, who haven’t done anything wrong except govern their country in a way that challenges the United States, are being held right here at the Metropolitan Detention Center. This is a war crime.”

The activists vowed to continue their monthly protest at the MDC until Maduro and Flores are freed. They will also rally at the federal courthouse in Manhattan on July 22, the next scheduled court date for Maduro and Flores.

#BrooklynNY #NY #International #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement

San Jose , CA – On June 30, San Jose State University Professor Dr. Sang Hea Kil of the Justice Studies Department held a victory rally after her arbitration allowing her to return go with full backpay. This came after a protracted campaign where she bravely resisted her firing due to her vocal disapproval of the U.S.-Israeli genocide in Palestine. She was the first tenured professor to be fired from a public university for speaking against the genocide in the wake of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

At the rally outside of the Martin Luther King Library, Dr. Kil triumphantly exclaimed, “This is an incredible victory for free speech, academic freedom, student protest, freedom of assembly and pro-Palestine speech on campus and beyond.” Rallying alongside a demonstration of allies and supporters, she encouraged others to continue the fight, “Let’s use this as a watershed moment to turn the tide against targeted repression on our campus and in this nation!”

For the courageous act of joining a march and rally with Students for Justice in Palestine to protest a Zionist speaker on campus in February 2024, Dr. Kil was arbitrarily suspended with pay the following May and subsequently fired in summer 2025. Despite winning her case under the public hearing option of Article 19 of the collective bargaining agreement between her union and the California State University system, which ruled that she would receive no charges, SJSU President Cynthia Teniente Matson unilaterally overturned the ruling and forcibly removed her in November. This is in stark contrast to the now-retired Professor Johnathan Roth, who received no charges for hitting a Palestinian student and sexually assaulting Dr. Kil during that same demonstration.

Regarding President Matson, Dr. Kil noted, “I think she is doing MAGA’s work in the attack on higher education by going against people who speak against genocide.”

Dr. Kil also listed others who impeded her reinstatement, including SJSU Provost Vincent Del Castino, Skelly Officer Jennifer Sclafani, former Director of Student Involvement (now Student Union Director) John Tucker, DEI Head Kristin Dukes, English Department Head Noelle Williams, State Senator Scott Wiener, and Governor Gavin Newsom.

SJSU admin’s claims included many falsehoods, such as the notion that the embattled professor ordered students to protest, which Dr. Kil vehemently debunked. They also claimed she chanted “Kill the Jews” in a public hearing, despite herself never saying such. The misinformation campaign represented a flimsy yet relentless effort to justify an attack on free speech when it comes to human rights for Palestinians, especially for longtime activists like Dr. Kil, who had traveled to the Occupied Territories in 2016.

“We are in the belly of the beast in Silicon Valley which is collaborating to genocidal oppression and the ICE raids that are terrifying our communities by using Israeli surveillance technology that is being used to control everybody,” Dr. Kil said. “We have rights and we have a duty as citizens and residents of this nation to unite and fight back!”

Among those who had supported her, she thanked San José Against War, San José Peace and Justice Center, Silicon Valley Debug, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), Palestine Action Network, Palestine-Arab-Muslim Caucus of the California Faculty Association, Bay Area Labor for Palestine, Switchboard, AP National and Anita Levy, California Scholars for Academic Freedom, Palestine Anti-Repression Network, Council on American-Islamic Relations – California, Palestine Legal, and the NAACP-SJ.

Wendy Greenfield of JVP recalled the original demonstration which took place. “I never heard anything like ‘Death to the Jews’, or to anyone, and I made it clear to SJSU admin that she was not involved with the students,” Greenfield reported. “One of the biggest points for JVP is that antisemitism is not related to anti-Zionism, and that JVP is in solidarity with all peoples who are seeking liberation, and we are so happy to see the unity; this is a huge victory for unions, faculty, students, and freedom of expression.”

Legal manager for the SF-Bay Area Branch of CAIR California Amith Gupta stated, “This is only part of the struggle; all throughout the Bay Area, students and faculty want to speak out in defense of the most basic and fundamental rights that all human beings have the right to protection from racist violence, the right to protection from genocide, the right of return to your homeland irrespective of your religion.”

Gupta continued, “SJSU decided that that right should be erased when it comes to professors, faculty and students that speak out, and we made it clear to them that that is not true, that we will fight back, that we will defend our right to speak out. It is our obligation to speak out, and when people speak out the way Sang Hea Kil does, they are censored, repressed, and fired from their jobs. It is our obligation to defend them, and we were successful.”

Jack McCann of San José Against War drew from his experiences as a student activist during the 2024 Student Intifada in Humboldt University stated, “The real criminals sit in their ivory throne in SJSU admin inviting genocide deniers and companies that are complicit into this campus, such as the AI Data Center for Civic and Social Good, which Students for a Democratic Society in SJSU says is more like, the AI Center for War and Genocide.”

Humboldt University is currently mired in its own scandal from its decision to file a case against activist Rick Toledo for his direct involvement in the student encampments and his victorious legal efforts to release his fellow protesters.

“I saw firsthand through my own university in Humboldt what professors go through in losing their jobs or coming under fear of deportation, and I want to thank Dr. Sang Hea Kil for what she is doing,” McCann stated.

NAACP-SJ President Sean Allen called out SJSU for spraying dirty water on student encampments which is, under the legal definition in California, assault and battery. “This case was never just about one professor,” Allen remarked. “It was about whether a public university can punish people, especially people of color, queer people and Muslim faculty and students for speaking out on matters of conscience.”

Allen continued, “This is not an isolated case. The NAACP had received at least two other complaints involving SJSU describing a consistent pattern: When people who support Palestinian rights, or who are Muslim or the Islamic faith speak out, they face extreme punishment. Why was one group subjugated and not treated equal as opposed to the other group?”

This is the question of the day, as the genocide continues under a nominal ceasefire, which has seen over 1000 Palestinians killed by Zionist forces, and the violence now encompasses the broader Middle East with the U.S.-Israeli wars of aggression against Iran and Lebanon.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #StudendMovement #SJSU #Palestine

Tucson, AZ – The Tucson Anti War Committee (TAWC) along with nine other organizations rallied outside the Mexican Consulate on June 27 to demand: U.S. hands off Cuba! U.S. hands off Mexico!

The crowd of nearly 30 people received numerous honks from vehicles passing by the busy street corner. The action joined the national Week of Action called for by the National Network on Cuba and endorsed by Black Alliance for Peace, UNAC, Resist US-Led War, Anti War Action Network (AWAN), and many others.

James Jordan of the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ) initiated the call for an action to support Mexico’s solidarity with Cuba and demand an end to the U.S. blockade of Cuba. Jordan wanted to raise the profile of U.S. interventions in Mexico, like the recent appearance of CIA agents in Chihuahua and the bogus indictments against elected representatives who are members of the Morena party.

Protesters held signs that read: “Let Cuba live!” “E.E.U.U. fuera de México!” “Bloqueo no! Cuba si!” and “CIA fuera de México!”

While not present for health reasons, James Jordan sent important talking points that Jim Byrne of TAWC shared in a speech, “There is a lot of U.S. activity in and on Mexico these last few months, like the CIA agents invited to Chihuahua by the PANista governor without telling the President Claudia Sheinbaum. The U.S. claims it has ten indictments, many of whom are members of the party of past president AMLO and current President Sheinbaum, the popular Morena party. Meanwhile, Trump pardoned a convicted drug trafficker, past Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. This ‘HondurasGate’ threatens any sitting progressive president in Latin America.”

Byrne continued, “Mexico has sent over 4800 tons of aid to Cuba during this U.S. blockade. They deserve our solidarity! Cuba is surviving a decades-long embargo and now an inhumane blockade, they deserve our solidarity!”

The action was endorsed by the immigrant rights organizations Coalición de Derechos Humanos and Paisanos Unidos, progressive veteran organizations Common Defense and Veterans for Peace, and political organizations CPUSA Tucson, PSL Tucson, Pima County Green Party, and FRSO Tucson.

#TusconAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Cuba #Mexico #AWAN

Chicago IL – Over 50 people gathered for a rally outside of the Illinois State Board of Investment (ISBI) quarterly meeting in downtown Chicago on Monday, June 22. As the start of the rally drew near, chants of “Free Palestine,” “Money for jobs and education” and “Israel bombs, Illinois pays!” reverberated through the air for the morning commuters to hear.

This was the seventh protest held by the Illinois Divest from Genocide Network, led by Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) – Chicago, a project of U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), and Anti-War Committee (AWC) – Chicago. Their demands: ISBI divest from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide in Palestine, divest from companies facilitating the U.S. attacks on immigrant communities at home and for State Treasurer Michael Frerichs to divest Illinois tax dollars from Israel Bonds. Members of the public waited in line for three hours before they were let in to give public comment.

This protest followed the Illinois Divest from Genocide Network’s recent announcement that ISBI quietly divested $33 million from various companies that were targeted by the BDS movement, the American Friends Service Committee, and the United Nations for their complicity in supporting the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the genocide in Gaza, and the illegal expansion of settlements in the West Bank, as well as the operations of federal raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the U.S. The ISBI concealed this information in a condensed version of its 2025 annual report, and it was only revealed after the Illinois Divest from Genocide Network filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the full annual report.

“Across the country, we have seen a massive wave of divestment victories because of the resolve and pressure of everyday working people organizing on the ground to hold their public officials accountable,” said Caeli Kean, co-chair of the Anti-War Committee Chicago.

Minnesota, Michigan, South Carolina, Maryland and Louisiana were among some of the states that have seen city councils and labor unions vote to either fully or partially divest public dollars from Israel. In Detroit, Michigan, the United Auto Workers (UAW) voted to amend their union’s constitution, prohibiting investments in Israel Bonds. Urbana and Champaign joined the list when its city council voted unanimously to revise their divestment policy

“We were the first city in Illinois to divest from war and genocide,” Jess Yasin, an organizer from Champaign Urbana Muslim Action Committee announced, shouting out organizational allies and Urbana’s mayor who helped to make it happen. “Today we’re asking [Micheal Frerichs] to follow suit with his home [town] and to go and divest. Do not renew, do not repurchase any more Israel Bonds!”

Doors opened before 9 a.m. and only 20 members of the public were allowed entry into the building. State police searched the attendees and their belongings, threatening arrest if anyone were to protest the meeting with chants, flags or noise-making devices.

Illinois residents, educators and paraprofessionals packed the public comment section and made impassioned speeches to the board’s use of state worker pension funds to invest in surveillance and weapons manufacturers while urging the board to reallocate tax-payer dollars ethically.

“Investigations confirm that torture, and specifically sexual torture, is a systemic practice in Israeli prisons. And Palantir software is used by ICE and CPD to fill prisons here too, where Black and brown people are subject to many of the same methods of torture,” Elinor Keener of AWC – Chicago said, speaking to the conditions of Palestinian prisoners unjustly held captive in Israeli detention. “This is what happens when government bodies like you invest in genocide. This would not be possible without U.S. funding, including via corporations like Palantir, and you are part of that. Nothing in this world justifies investing in genocide. It’s time to swallow your pride, summon your courage, and divest.”

Protesters rejoined the rally as the public comment section of the meeting wrapped up, emphasizing that the recent divestment victory is only a fraction of the divestment they are demanding.

“Israel continues killing Palestinians on a daily basis in Gaza, stealing and annexing more land in the West Bank, and has occupied swaths of Lebanese land,” said Husam Marajda, USPCN-Chicago chapter co-chair, “Israel is threatening to drag the entire region into war, and not holding it accountable only empowers it to continue to commit war crimes.”

Organizers ended the rally by announcing September 28 as the next scheduled quarterly meeting date and vowing to continue to show up until every last taxpayer dollar is divested from Israel.

#ChicagoIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Divestment

Seattle, WA – On June 26, the day of the World Cup Iran–Egypt match, the Hands Off Iran Coalition organized a flash action in the form of an anti-war “People’s Football Game” in the middle of a packed street within view of the main stadium.

The lively protest broadcasted the demand “Kick Israel out of FIFA!” through signs, banners, chants and song. In a press release sent out in the lead-up to the action, Hands Off Iran Coalition organizers condemned FIFA’s participation in Trump’s “Board of Peace,” where FIFA released an AI-generated video in February 2026 depicting football stadiums rising out of the rubble of destroyed homes in Gaza.

“From the streets to the stadiums,” the press release said, “the game of football was built by communities, fans and generations of ordinary people. We reject FIFA’s use of the game for ‘sportswashing’ to normalize oppression and injustice.”

The football pitch was erected by creating an unbroken perimeter of anti-war and anti-imperialist banners held by organizers and activists. Ad hoc teams of three players competed in a “queen of the hill” style tournament, with team names like “Right to Rebel,” “Strait of Hormuz” and “The People’s Team.”

Football fans passing the pitch stopped to watch the People’s Game, with many asking how they could sign up to play. New teams were created and joined the tournament on the spot, with some teams representing countries including Mexico and Italy.

The People’s Game was a new type of protest for Seattle, with an emphasis on meeting people where they are and reclaiming a sport that rightfully belongs to the masses and not to pro-imperialist, pro-Trump FIFA. At the same time, the event brought sharp anti-imperialist messaging, demanding an end to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and justice for the victims of Israel’s genocidal campaigns in Gaza and south Lebanon.

#SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #FIFA #WorldCup #PeoplesStruggles #Palestine #Iran

Salt Lake City, UT – On Saturday, June 20, at an event organized by the Utah Anti War Committee, dozens of community members gathered at an overpass to demand hands off Cuba.

This protest was called after recent escalations in the decades-long effort by the U.S. to destabilize the nation of Cuba through economic strangulation and covert means. The Trump administration recently indicted beloved Cuban leader Raul Castro and has made threats of more direct military confrontation. Other organizations quickly signed on to the protest, including the National Network on Cuba, Armed Queers SLC, The 71% Coalition, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Protesters held a large banner sporting the Cuban flag, reading “Hands off Cuba!” and received overwhelmingly positive reactions to their message from the vehicles passing by.

“The overall general trend in regard to U.S. imperial power is one of decline,” said Adam Koritz of the FRSO of the aggression on Cuba and the ongoing U.S. war on Iran. “However, we know a wounded beast is dangerous and prone to lashing out in its death throes.”

Mustafa Khader of the 71% Coalition condemned attempts to restore a U.S. backed dictatorship in Cuba saying, “You don’t care about the Cubans; you care about your pockets!”

Protesters chanted, “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!”

An activist with Armed Queers stated, “By being an unknowing accessory to an empire, we are forcefully kept from becoming fully human. This will continue to happen until we stand up, destroy the shackles of capitalism, and prove that we can build a system that does not rely on the subjugation of people based on race, gender, sexuality, or nation, the destruction of the environment, or the impoverishment of workers.”

Nova Morra of the Utah Anti-War Committee then called the crowd to join their July 4 protest at a local Raytheon Applied Signal Technology facility in West Valley City as part of their campaign to shut down the facility and protest Raytheon’s involvement in war crimes carried out by the U.S.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #International #UAWC #AWC #Cuba