News and Views from the People's Struggle
San Jose, CA – On March 15, over 40 people gathered in downtown San Jose to demand an end to the U.S. war on Iran. They chanted “Hands off Iran,” to supportive honks from people driving past the protest. Community members waved Iranian and Palestinian signs and held signs reading, “No war on Iran” and “San Jose: divest from genocide.” The protest was part of the Anti-War Action Network National Day of Action.
By Gabriel Quiroz Jr and Marisol Márquez
Los Angeles, CA — On March 12, after nearly a month of struggle by Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) the bogus charges on Sergio Flores were dropped. After CSO’s general meeting on February 18, Flores was violently arrested by LAPD Hollenbeck along with two other CSO members.
Los Angeles, CA – On March 8, over 150 people gathered at the Boyle Heights City Hall to attend Centro CSO’s ninth annual International Women’s Day celebration. This year’s event featured food vendors and a panel with speakers from Centro CSO’s different areas of work, such as immigration, education and police brutality. Dra. Rocio Rivas, an LAUSD school board member who defends the nation’s second largest district from privatization, served as the event’s keynote speaker.
Santa Ana, CA- On Saturday, March 7, about 50 community members rallied in El Salvador Park for International Women’s Day. Despite the intense gusts of Santa Ana winds, participants remained in high spirits. They condemned the many attacks on women and LGBTQ people by the Trump administration.
San José, CA – Over 100 people gathered on March 8 in downtown San José for a rally and march to Robert F. Peckham Federal Building courthouse. Protesters condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s brutalization of women throughout Trump’s second term, including Renee Nicole Good, who ICE fatally shot in Minneapolis.
San José, CA – This morning, March 8, a week into Trump’s war on Iran, I went to fill up the car’s gas tank. I had been meaning to do this for a few days, but in this case, I paid for my procrastination, with the price of gas at my go-to, independent, local gas station 40 cents a gallon higher, as compared to when I last got gas before the war started.
San Jose, CA – On the evening of Tuesday, March 3, about 40 people gathered in front of the steps of Dr. MLK Jr. Library in the heart of downtown San Jose to protest U.S. intervention in Venezuela, the intensified blockade on Cuba, and the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
A colorful array of flags for Cuba, Venezuela and Iran flew, along with signs saying, “End the blockade on Cuba,” “Hands off Venezuela” and “No war with Iran.”
Drusie Kazanova, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “It’s barely March, we’ve already seen Trump escalate his aggression against Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, three of the world’s strongest and most steadfast opponents of U.S. imperialism.”
Kazanova continued, “The decline of U.S. imperialism is accelerating. Trump is trying to preserve the dying U.S. empire, and control of the Middle East and Latin America is a part of that project.”
Nassim Nouri, an Iranian-American and member of the Green Party of Santa Clara County, said, “Every socialist country that has raised its fist, its hope, its humanity and its resources for the people, has been subjected to crushing attacks and sanctions and deprivation by the U.S. empire.”
Akubundu Amazu of the All African Peoples Revolutionary Party spoke to the crowd, “There is a common denominator between all these places that U.S. imperialism goes against and that is oil. They all have resources that this war machine desperately needs. But the people are organizing against this!”
Joan Simon of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center spoke about the difference in peoples’ rights in Cuba and the U.S. saying, “In the Cuban constitution everyone has the right to healthcare and education. Just think about how different our country could be if we prioritized people over profit. That is why Cuba is such a danger to the U.S.”
Dyon Capote, a Cuban-American and member of San Jose Against War said, “We will not be silent at the time when Trump launches wars of aggression, and justifies the kidnapping of Venezuela’s president. Nor will we remain silent when the U.S. intensifies a policy of economic warfare on Cuba!”
Sharat Lin, another member of the San Jose Peace and Justice speaking on their experience observing elections in Cuba and Venezuela and compared it to U.S. elections, saying, “The turnout in Cuba’s constitutional referendum was 90% whereas in the U.S. we’re lucky if we get 60% participation,” highlighting how much more confidence Cubans have in their democracy than their counterparts in the U.S.
Tim Phan of Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University stated, “We condemn the U.S. Israeli strikes on not just Iran, but on Palestine and the rest of the world!”
Phan continued, “From Mexico to the Philippines, to Palestine and Iran, we will stop the American war machine and say, ‘Hell no!’”
The rally ended with a call to action by San Jose Against War and their allies to mobilize at the San Jose City Council meeting on March 24 at 1:30 p.m. to demand the city pass an ethical investment policy which would divest and bar any further investment in companies with ties to Israel, ICE and the prison system.
Los Angeles, CA – On Sunday, March 1, community members gathered at the Metro station on Soto and First Street for a rally to demand no war on Iran. Centro CSO called for the protest after Donald Trump initiated military attacks upon Iran the previous day.
Los Angeles, CA – La noche del 18 de febrero, policías de la División Hollenbeck de LAPD agredieron brutalmente y arrestaron a varios miembros del grupo Chicano, Centro Community Service Organization (CSO). Sergio Flores, Sam Carrera y una menor fueron golpeados con bastones de mando, empujados, y sin aviso, arrestados.
Santa Ana, CA – Un gran mural que representa a Noe Rodríguez se encuentra ahora en el centro de Santa Ana. A unos 200 pies de distancia, Rodríguez fue asesinado por los agentes de policía de Santa Ana Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra el 1 de diciembre de 2024.
Santa Ana, CA – El miércoles, 18 de febrero, Erika Armenta y otros miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC) estaban celebrando una conferencia de prensa frente al Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD) cuando se les acercó el oficial Isaac Ibarra. Ibarra fue uno de los oficiales que disparó al desarmado Noé Rodríguez, de 31 años, el 1 de diciembre de 2024. Erika Armenta era la esposa de Noé. Los miembros de CSO OC siguieron a Ibarra para confrontarlo por sus crímenes.
San José, CA – On Friday, March 6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the jobs market took an unexpected fall in February, with a loss of 92,000 jobs.
The job losses were widespread, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and warehousing, information, temporary help, health care, leisure and hospitality, and government all shedding jobs.
Arcata, CA – Students at Cal Poly Humboldt are speaking out after a series of protests led to a sweeping crackdown by the university administration.
The protests began on February 20 when students held a sit-in demanding that the university divest from Israel and investments connected to war, adopt a real sanctuary campus policy protecting immigrant students from ICE, and publicly support striking Teamsters workers across the California State University system. The action forced administrators to agree to hold a public forum where students could present their demands.
San Jose, CA – On Sunday, February 15, more than 300 people gathered at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin to commemorate the signing of Executive Order 9066, which initiated the incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese-Americans into concentration camps during World War II.
Santa Ana, CA – On February 26, 20 community members marched along Civic Center Drive to confront the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD). Chants of “Jail killer cops!” and “La migra la policía, la misma porquería!” echoed throughout the neighborhood while passing locals honked in solidarity. Attendees waved signs about Noe Rodriguez that demanded justice, as well as other recent victims of police violence.
San Jose, CA – On Saturday February 28, over 100 people gathered on the corner of Stevens Creek and Winchester in San Jose to protest the U.S.– Israeli war on Iran. The emergency protest occurred less than 24 hours after news first broke about Israeli strikes on Iran, with the U.S. joining the bombing campaign shortly thereafter.
Santa Ana, CA – A large mural depicting Noe Rodriguez now stands in downtown Santa Ana. About 200 feet away, Rodriguez was killed by Santa Ana Police officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra on December 1, 2024.
Santa Ana, CA – On Wednesday February 18, Erika Armenta and other members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) were holding a press conference outside Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) when they were approached by Officer Isaac Ibarra. Ibarra was one of the officers who shot unarmed 31-year-old Noe Rodriguez on December 1, 2024. Erika Armenta was Noe’s wife. CSO OC members followed Ibarra to confront him for his crimes.
San Jose, CA – On February 17, a dozen San José State University students gathered outside the administrative building to protest corporate war profiters that were participating in the Career Center’s Job & Internship. Students held signs that read “No war with Venezuela” and “Free Palestine.”
San José, CA – On Friday, February 20, the Supreme Court of the United States, or SCOTUS, ruled by a 6-3 vote that most of Trump’s trumps tariffs were illegal.
The court singled out Trump’s use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, or IEEPA, to levy tariffs on almost all countries and particular tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – allegedly for facilitating the importation of fentanyl into the United States. The legal basis for the ruling was that the IEEPA makes no mention of tariffs.