Genevieve Richard, an organizer with FRSO who tabled at the event, states, “As bad as Trump is, he is ultimately a symptom of the broken system we find ourselves in. We've been fighting against capitalism long before Trump showed up, and we'll continue fighting once he's gone. We understand that we need socialism, and we need a party to get there.”

The FRSO table encouraged people to vote no on Colorado ballot measures 134 and 135, which would strip rights from transgender people, as well as no on ballot measure 81, which would increase collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement.

Brandon Rincon, another FRSO organizer who tabled at the event, states, “Socialists need to stand with the people when they stand up against reactionary attacks. We need a united front of all who can be united so we can fight back. We want to help illuminate the path forward for all those who are fed up with our current system and what’s happening around us but aren’t sure what to do about it.”

October 17 reportedly saw No Kings protests in over 2500 cities and towns across the country; all focused on opposing Trump’s agenda.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #FRSO #NoKings #PeoplesStruggles

Denver, CO, On Saturday, October 17, hundreds of community members gathered at Denver’s Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park for No Kings 4. The event, branded as “No Kings: Vote Early,” was one of around 70 similar events planned across the state of Colorado on Saturday.

The event was scheduled from noon to 4 p.m., though many attendees were already walking through the park and speaking with organizational tables well before 11:30. At 1:30, a march was held, starting on Lincoln Street next to Colorado State Capitol and completing a loop through downtown Denver.

Lasting roughly an hour, the march had several hundred attendees. Marchers held signs with slogans like “Taxes for healthcare, not bombing babies” and “The only minority destroying America is the billionaires.” Denver Anti-War Action (DAWA) carried a banner reading “200+ days of war, end Trump’s assault on Iran.” Several marchers carried signs condemning ICE terror.

Over a dozen organizations tabled at the event, including DAWA, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and both the Auraria and School of Mines chapters of Students for a Democratic Society. Food trucks and carts provided tacos, hot dogs, and more for attendees.

Some organizations gave speeches near the center of the park, keeping energy up throughout the afternoon.

Julia Swezy from FRSO was one who addressed the crowd, saying, “This two-party system doesn’t work for you and me, it works for the billionaire Epstein class.” Swezy continued, “Unfortunately, the oppression does not end with Donald Trump. The issue does not end with a Democrat in office. It’s only when the masses of working and oppressed people overthrow the system of capitalist exploitation that we are free of our chains.”

“Voting on key issues is important, but voting is not going to get us out of the oppressive system of capital that we're in,” Swezy said, and encouraged people to get involved in their communities by joining an organization like FRSO. “You can find an organization present here today that is fighting for your values and join!”

#DenverCO #CO #NoKings #PeoplesStruggles #Trump

Colorado Springs, CO – On October 16, the family and friends of Josh Ybarra gathered at El Paso Criminal Justice Center for a candlelight vigil after Ybarra’s wrongful death while in the custody of Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

The Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR), and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) helped the family organize the vigil. Over 30 people braved the cold to honor Ybarra’s memory and to demand justice for his death.

On September 30, Josh Ybarra was taken into police custody by CSPD. Officers were made aware of his health issues stemming from a brain injury he received while in prison. Despite being told by his family members that he needed medical attention, officers left him unattended in the backseat of a police cruiser in the Criminal Justice Center’s sallyport for over two hours. When they found him unresponsive, it was already too late to save his life. Now, CSPD is refusing to answer basic questions as to their conduct around his death, and the county coroner is stonewalling Ybarra’s family as well.

Several members of the Gomez family, whom Ybarra grew up with, gave speeches that called for an investigation into his death. Mateo Gomez, Ybarra’s childhood best friend, said, “There are serious questions about what happened while Joshua was in custody. What medical attention did he receive or did not receive? And ultimately what caused his death? And his family deserves these answers.”

James Gomez, Mateo’s brother, spoke on behalf of COSAARPR. Gomez said, “When we say we can’t trust you to police yourselves, please understand that is because of your lack of accountability in the past. We need independent oversight for Josh and so many others.”

Later in the vigil, Genevieve Richard, a member of FRSO told the crowd, “Do we want a system that disproportionately jails Black and brown bodies? Do we want a system that leaves brain injuries sustained in jail untreated? Do we want a system where people are left trapped in the back seat of a police car for hours on end? Josh Ybarra is dead because of the failures of the system he was born into. Deaths like his are nothing new in the U.S. and will continue unless we fight to stop them.”

The vigil ended with chants of “Say his name: Josh Ybarra!” and “Justice for Josh,” as well as a prayer calling for the autopsy to be released to the family. The family and friends of Josh Ybarra will continue to pressure city and county officials until they find justice for their loved one. COSAARPR remains dedicated to fully supporting them in the coming struggle.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InjusticeSystem #DeathInCustody #CSPD #JoshYbarra

Fort Collins, CO – On Saturday, October 17, the Denver district of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) traveled to Fort Collins to talk about socialism and revolution at the fourth iteration of the No Kings protests. No Kings is an event organized to stand against the Trump agenda and has consistently seen thousands of people taking the streets.

For the first two hours of the protest, Kacey Hicks, an organizer with FRSO, set up a table to speak with the attendees of the No Kings protest. Hicks said, “It’s important for us in Freedom Road, as we’re trying to rapidly grow our organization with a drive for General Membership, to explain to people that now is the best time to come together. We have to fight back against the system that Donald Trump and his lackeys stand for, to make real political gains for the working class in the United States.”

Hicks also encouraged people to vote against ballot measures 134 and 135, initiatives on the Colorado ballot that will strip rights away from transgender youth and adults throughout the state.

In the afternoon, the Fort Collins community took to the streets and marched. Around 500 people showed up, chanting, “This is what democracy looks like!” to voice their opposition around the decisions being made in the White House.

David Stakelin, a community organizer with Fort Collins Against War and member of FRSO stated, “It is crucial that socialists show up to events like No Kings and participate in the mass movement. Avoiding events like No Kings isolates us from the people.”

Stakelin continued, “No Kings provides the perfect opportunity to unite with broad sections of the working class through shared opposition of the disgusting attacks carried out by imperialists like Donald Trump and his administration. Whether we are participating in anti-war demonstrations, labor struggles, student organizing, or movements for Black and Chicano liberation, our responsibility as revolutionaries is to lead, learn from the masses, and connect immediate struggles to the broader fight against monopoly capitalism.”

No Kings events were held in at least 50 cities in Colorado, with up to 80 total locations holding individual rallies in opposition to Trump’s reactionary agenda.

#FortCollinsCO #CO #DenverCO #PeoplesStruggles #FRSO #NoKings

Fort Collins, CO – About 30 community members marched through downtown Fort Collins on October 7 to demand a free Palestine and an end to the U.S.-backed, Israeli genocide in Gaza. Organized by Fort Collins Against War (FCAW), the march and vigil were part of a nationwide day of action called by the Anti-War Action Network marking the third anniversary of Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

The action began at Oak Street Plaza with speeches and chants before participants marched toward Old Town Square. There, Hatem Teirelbar, a member of Denver Anti-War Action, led a moment of silence and read the names of some of the Palestinian children killed in the ongoing genocide.

As the march passed through Old Town Square, chants like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “From Palestine to Mexico, these border walls have got to go!” reverberated off the walls of Old Town Square. Other chants throughout the march connected the Palestinian resistance to other conflicts in the Middle East.

From Old Town Square, the march continued to Fort Collins City Hall, where participants chalked messages including “Long live Palestine” and “Keep my taxes out of Israel!”

At city hall, FCAW organizer David Stakelin told the crowd, “We understand that the forces of imperialism that continue to oppress and kill people in places like Palestine are the same forces that oppress and exploit people here.”

Stakelin highlighted the importance of sustaining the anti-war movement with action, saying, “Now is the time to let our government know that we will not sit by while it funds massacres overseas. Now is the time to join an organization, resist oppression, and forge a world where human life is valued above profit and empire.”

Throughout the action, FCAW tabled at Oak Street Plaza, providing community members with an opportunity to learn more about the organization and its work on local campaign building.

Stakelin closed the by saying, “When we finally see a free Palestine, the world will remember the Palestinian people as people who resisted. October 7, 2023, woke up millions of people around the world to the reality of Zionism, occupation and imperialism. We must stay awake. We must continue to organize and resist. And we must continue fighting until Palestine is free.”

#FortCollinsCO #CO #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

Denver, CO – In the afternoon on October 6, more than 30 people, led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the protest band Notes of Dissent, rallied and picketed outside the Tivoli Student Union building on Auraria Campus.

After over a year of campaigning for a sanctuary campus and a ban on ICE on campus, the Auraria Board of Directors still refuses to listen to the student body’s concerns about immigrant student safety if ICE were to come onto Auraria campus. While the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board initially collaborated with Denver SDS on drafting a popular policy, Policy 7.7, to ban ICE from Auraria, they backpedaled and decided to no longer support the modified Policy 7.7, which would have banned ICE from being anywhere on campus.

“Thus far, the Auraria administration has taken the cowardly approach,” said Meadow Dunne, a faculty member of the Community College of Denver (CCD) located on the Auraria campus. “They refuse to stand up for what is right. I am calling for the administration to immediately pass and enforce an anti-ICE policy here on campus. None of us deserve to live in fear.”

Despite the board of directors’ and the student advisory committee’s resistance to protections for the student body, Denver SDS is not backing down. On September 16, they marched inside the Tivoli Student Union building up to the Auraria Higher Education Center offices and chanted outside their door for almost an hour before being forced to leave by the Auraria Campus Police Department.

Two weeks later, on September 29, Denver SDS hung banners on the Tivoli’s third floor safety railings displaying a “Wanted” list of faces for Auraria administrators.

And a week later, SDS was joined by Notes of Dissent, a protest marching band, which played songs while the crowd chanted, “Say it once, say it twice! We do not fuck with ICE!” and “We want justice, you say how? ICE out of Denver now!”

“Denver SDS has been working hard on this campaign for over a year, and we still haven’t gotten our demands met!” stated Mel Medina, a member of Denver SDS. “They keep on trying to ignore us, but we keep on getting louder, bolder. The students are the backbone of this campus, and, if it weren’t for us, [administration] wouldn’t be here. So today we are going to make them hear us, whether they like it or not!”

On-campus support for Denver SDS’ campaign to ban ICE on Auraria is growing with each protest.

#DenverCO #CO #Auraria #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE #SanctuaryCampus

Aurora, CO – On Thursday, September 24, Terry Burnsed, Arnie Carter, Yoselin Corrales, and El Moss were notified that the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office would be filing a motion to dismiss all charges against them stemming from a protest at the Denver Field Office in Centennial, Colorado on July 20.

All four protesters were charged with obstructing a passageway, while Yoselin and El were also charged with obstructing a police officer. After their arrests, the Centennial protesters quickly gained legal representation from the Protest Defense Coalition, committed to solidarity, and vowed to fight against these charges together.

The first stage of the defense campaign required raising public awareness, so the Centennial protesters immediately issued a joint statement to share their perspective on what occurred and set up a page to raise funds for possible legal fees. Next, they hosted a nationwide call-in to the district attorney’s office to reiterate that the protesting is not a crime, that the people stand with the protesters, and to demand that the charges be dropped. While the community overwhelmingly supported the Centennial protesters, a month after their arrest, there had been no noticeable change on the legal front, so they knew they needed to increase public pressure.

In August, the Centennial protesters united to host the recurring weekly vigil at the Aurora GEO Detention Facility that honors all those detained inside and those lost to ICE violence. At this event, the protesters spoke about how there has been an increase in political repression while actively letting ICE get away with murder.

Anti-ICE sentiment has been growing across the country When the public could hear from the protesters themselves, it humanized the injustice and brought more people into the fight.

On September 9, the over 40 people show up to offer court support as the Centennial protesters held a press conference and faced their initial hearings, which resulted in arraignments for two of the protesters. Because the DA’s office was overbooked with four hearings, two protesters walked away without completing the first step in the process and were rescheduled.

At the press conference, Corrales’ attorney Victoria Dorn said, “It’s incredibly disappointing that Amy Padden, who ran as a progressive prosecutor, is choosing to file charges against individuals who are trying to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our community, instead of going after ICE agents who day after day violate state and federal laws, not just here in Denver but across the country.”

All four of the protesters were in the process of working with their lawyers and preparing for their next court date on October 20 when they received the good news.

“This is not just a victory for the Centennial protesters; this is a victory for organizers everywhere. It shows that when we come together and fight back, we can win! It also proves that developing connections and solidarity across movements, fighting back publicly, and strengthening people power is vital to building a successful defense campaign,” said Yoselin Corrales

Burnsed, Carter, Corrales, and Moss are still facing federal charges and will be returning to court on October 8 at the Alfred A. Arraj U.S. Courthouse in Denver for their first federal hearings and are inviting the public to attend.

#AuroraCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #

He spent over 13 months in detention waiting for the court to decide whether he'd be charged as an adult or a juvenile. During this time, he was described as a model inmate. The community organized and demanded Wilson be charged as a minor, but the judge decided to try the teenager as an adult.

Wilson was 14 years old when his best friend Jor’Dell Richardson, also 14, was murdered by the Aurora Police, who faced no consequences for that killing. This same system is now trying to put him in jail for years.

In the months leading up to the court date, local organizations have been putting pressure on District Attorney Brian Mason, who has the power to stop the charges now. The Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee organized a letter-writing campaign and call-in demanding, “Drop the charges on Lourease ‘ManMan’ Wilson! Stop trying children as adults! Community control over the police!”

During the trial, the prosecutors brought ten witnesses to the stand. Since the alleged incident happened over a year and half ago, witnesses often stated “I don’t recall” or contradicted their body cam footage. The verdict is still out in this trial; since there were so many witnesses, time ran over and a second court date was set for October 1, at 1:30 p.m. to finish the trial.

Miles Thompson, an organizer with the Denver Aurora Community Action Committee said, “We at DACAC, along with the community, are watching this case closely. We hope that District Attorney Brian Mason does the right thing and drops the charges against Wilson, and that he stops trying kids as adults. For a DA who campaigned as a Democrat under the guise of ‘Doing the Right thing no matter what,’ we will remember his decision in this case, come election season.”

#BrightonCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #DACAC

Colorado Springs, CO – On September 25, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered outside the Broadmoor Hall to protest the annual Medal of Valor dinner hosted by the Colorado Springs Police Foundation.

They were joined by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), as well as the family of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento, who was killed by Officer Connor Wallick of the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) last July.

This annual fundraising dinner claims to honor CSPD officers who have gone “above and beyond,” yet, each year, the majority of officers winning awards are killer cops. This year, 19 out of the 25 officers awarded were involved in fatal shootings within the last few years. Two of the Medal of Valor recipients have killed multiple people. Michael Dauchy was involved in killing Dean Ackerman in December 2024 and Benji Greenfield in April 2026; Nicholas Cassalisa was involved in three fatal shootings in 2024, those being Dean Ackerman, Tyler Jacob Ben and Michael Hurst.

The event has tickets ranging from $175 to $10,000-plus for seating at a table with a deputy chief or commander.

Protesters from COSAARPR and FRSO chanted from outside the hall, “No valor for killer cops! Cell blocks for killer cops!” and “When killer cops are on patrol, what do we need? Community control!” and held signs with messages like “19+ killer cops are winning awards here today” and “No valor in police terror.” One sign bore the names of those killed by officers winning awards, reading “Justice for Benji Greenfield, Jesus Ramirez, Dean Ackerman, Derrick Wardle, Tyler Jacob Ben, Michael Hurst, Cole Vennucci.”

There were several speeches highlighting the lack of accountability for the acts of violent police officers, and the shamefulness of killer cops being celebrated. COSAARPR member Jayden Berry spoke about his own experiences with repeated police neglect growing up with an abusive father. Berry noted that he felt like one of the lucky ones compared to those killed by the officer’s winning awards, saying “19 out of the 25 recipients were involved with recent police shootings. Instead of being held accountable for their crimes, they are being celebrated for destroying families and communities.”

According to FRSO member Jessie Proffitt, “What’s happening in there is disgusting. Cops who have hurt our community, who have killed people, are currently being paraded around like prized pigs for rich elites who paid more for their table than some of us make in a year!”

Saray Rocha, sister of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento, said, “I stand here today because I feel like my brother deserves justice and Connor Jacob Wallick should no longer be wearing a badge, and I’m afraid that he may win a medal next year. I want justice for my brother, and I want justice for everyone!”

CSPD officers and Broadmoor Hall managers attempted to intimidate protesters with repeated threats of arrest if anyone stepped off the sidewalk onto the grass, obstructed the sidewalks, or continued using amplified sound after 7 p.m. The Broadmoor managers also admitted that last year, they had to compensate several Broadmoor hotel guests as a result of the loud protest COSAARPR had. According to COSAARPR members, they intend to protest the event every year until it becomes untenable for the Broadmoor, or any other location, to host.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InjusticeSystem #KillerCops #CSPD #AlexMartinezSarmiento #ConnorWallick

Fort Collins, CO – On Wednesday, September 16, two dozen Fort Collins community members gathered at Oak Street Plaza for the first public rally organized by Fort Collins Against War, a new affiliate of the Anti-War Action Network. The demonstration was held as part of a nationwide day of action calling for an end to the U.S. war on Iran. September 16 marked 200 days since the beginning of the current attacks on Iran.

The protesters held signs, chanted, chalked sidewalks and spoke with passersby about the consequences of U.S. military intervention. Several people passing through the plaza expressed their support, with one individual ultimately joining the demonstration midway through the action.

The rally brought together both longtime Fort Collins organizers and people participating in anti-war organizing for the first time. Among those in attendance was a retired Iranian professor and activist who drove more than an hour to participate in the demonstration. The gathering comes amid a war that has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread destruction in Iran.

A member of Denver Anti-War Action (DAWA), Hatem Teirelbar, told the crowd, “We the working people of the U.S. are not one degree safer because of these wars. U.S. aggression and imperialism puts us all in danger. It endangers the lives of the people being attacked, and it endangers our livelihoods.”

Teirelbar continued, saying, “Our enemies are well-funded and well-equipped. The only way we win is by out-organizing them. We must fight the war machine on every front!”

Woodward, Inc., with global corporate headquarters locatedj in Fort Collins, manufactures components used in military operations and has multiple contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Teirelbar addressed Woodward Inc. in his closing demands, saying, “Shut down the Lockheed and Woodward plants! Divest our pensions from the war machine! Confront our elected representatives at their offices, town halls, at every opportunity.”

Fort Collins Against War members expressed excitement at the turnout of the action, and members were eager to make plans for future activity.

#FortCollinsCO #CO #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #FCAW #DAWA #Iran

Colorado Springs, CO – On September 15, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered outside the municipal courthouse to stand with community activist Brandon Rincon as he faced a trespassing charge and motioned to reschedule arraignment. They were joined by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). Supporters gathered outside the courthouse and chanted “Drop the charges now” and “Grieving death is not a crime.”

On May 2, Rincon and other members of the COSAARPR joined the family of Benjamin “Benji” Greenfield for a vigil in the parking lot of the McDonald’s where Benji was shot and killed by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD). The CSPD attempted to shut down the vigil, arresting COSAARPR members Rincon and Luna Lesterud, as well as a close friend of Benji, Flaca Archulea. All three were charged with trespassing, and Lesterud was additionally charged with interfering with a public official.

Rincon spoke out against the charges, saying, “Standing up against police violence is not violence itself. We did nothing wrong.” Rincon continued, “The only thing that is violent here is police that shoot our community members.”

“Police don’t protect us, they protect themselves, and the capitalist system we live under,” stated FRSO member Jessie Proffitt. Proffitt continued, “When we fight to change this system or change the police, we can expect to be attacked by the police.”

Other COSAARPR members spoke to the need for police accountability. COSAARPR member Cameron Hollins spoke on how too many oppressed communities “know what it feels like to lose someone, ask for answers, and be told that the system has already cleared itself.”

Hollins continued, “When people say, ‘There is no accountability,’ they are not speaking from nowhere. They are speaking from lived experience.” Hollins spoke on how the charges fit into a pattern, saying, “This is about more than one person, one family, or one incident.”

Rincon stated, “We know these charges are meant to instill fear in organizers and activists, but we aren’t afraid.” Rincon promised that he and other members were “going to keep showing up and keep fighting back.”

Rincon’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 15.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InjusticeSystem #BenjiGreenfield #BrandonRincon

Centennial, CO – On Wednesday, September 9, over 40 supporters arrived to support long-time activists: Arnie Carter and Terry Burnsed, student organizer El Moss, and Yoselin Corrales, an immigrant rights organizer and co-founder of Aurora Unidos CSO. The four were arrested on July 20 outside of the ICE Field Office in Centennial, Colorado. They face state and federal charges for protesting against ICE and the mistreatment inside the GEO Group detention facility.

The public and the press were invited to come out to hear from the protesters, the legal counsel of those facing charges, and community allies. With picket signs, breakfast pastries, and beverages in tow, community members joined together in high spirits outside of the Arapahoe County Justice Center. They reminded passersby that “protesting is not a crime!” and demanding that the charges be dropped for the Centennial protesters.

Arapahoe County Sheriffs pushed participants to the outskirts of the entrance and threatened additional charges on attendees for stepping over their invisible “free speech zone” line.

“I want to be very clear why we’re here: it’s because they protested. That’s it,” said Attorney Andy McNulty before court began. During the press conference, all four of the protesters' legal representatives proudly stood by in support before ushering their clients into the courthouse, with those attending for court support following closely behind.

Protest arrests have risen drastically in the past year, with large, targeted campaigns against the Minnesota’s Righteous 39 Cities Church protesters and the Minnesota 15 in the Twin Cities, and the egregious charges against the Prairieland Protesters in Texas. There have also been smaller groups of protesters targeted, such as the seven clergy who were recently arrested in Vermont for standing up against ICE, and even four organizers who were arrested for protesting against the proposed detention center (that the GEO Group received $529 million dollars from ICE to open) in Hudson, Colorado. Anti-ICE sentiment has been steadily growing across the country, and in turn, so has political repression.

Prominent immigrant organizer Jeanette Vizguerra was present Wednesday morning and reminded the crowd of her own struggle with political repression, including her detainment in the Aurora GEO Facility for over nine months in 2025.

“It’s important that we stand together,” Vizguerra stated after the protesters returned from inside. All four of the protesters will return to court on Tuesday, October 20 at 1:30 p.m. for their next court date.

“Free speech is not a crime, and that’s why we’re standing here today – to be able to defend our movements and stand in solidarity with our siblings that have been arrested,” shared Brandon Gehrke-Quintanilla, a immigrant rights organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO.

Organizers in the community committed to continuing to show up to support activists who are being repressed, and the movements that are being targeted.

#CentennialCO #CO #DenverCO #AuroraCO #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Denver, CO – On Monday, September 7, more than 80 workers gathered near the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment office for a Labor Day rally under the slogan “Workers Over Billionaires!”

Emcees Katherine Draken and Miles Thompson started the rally with a brief history of Labor Day and some historic strikes in the United States. They stressed that the struggle still exists to this day, and it is important to continue to fight in the face of continued repression from the Trump administration.

Union workers and other community organizations with the Denver Coalition Against Trump gave speeches throughout the day, the first of which came from Kyle Burroughs, a UPS Teamster and district organizer for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We take the risk every day. We work all the jobs and we get nothing!” Burroughs noted that the biggest risk billionaires ever take on is the possibility of becoming members of the working class.

While many workers face dangerous working conditions every day, they receive little in return for their grueling labor.

A rank-and-file Teamster, Burroughs advocates for workers to take on the boss instead of seeking solutions through corporate collaboration with the union. “I believe that the unions need to fight. I believe that there are two sides in this class war,” Burroughs said.

Burroughs envisions a different future for the working class, one under socialism. “Socialism is how workers will turn this ugly thing into its opposite,” Burroughs said, referring to capitalism. “Do we think life will be better under socialism? We know it will be.”

Participants later heard from Naomi Wilson, a union barista with Starbucks Workers United. Wilson spoke about how Starbucks workers started demanding better conditions five years ago and how they have already built a union with over 12,000 baristas across the country.

“Our CEO brags about charging $9 for a coffee as he rakes in millions and travels to work in a private jet,” Naomi stated, highlighting the stark contrast between the owner and the overworked and struggling baristas.

Starbucks has earned a reputation as a company with one of the highest counts of federal labor law violations in modern history. Wilson says workers are fed up and are building a movement to fight back. “Our bosses think that we don't have the grit and determination necessary to win, but I know that when we stand together, we will win!” In Wilson’s view, workers around the country can stand with striking Starbucks workers by joining them on the picket line and boycotting Starbucks.

The crowd then marched to the Denver Elections Division, chanting “Get up, get down! Denver is a union town!” and “Billionaires don't save the day! Tax the rich and make them pay!” among other fiery rallying cries.

Mar Melendez with Aurora Unidos CSO spoke outside the Elections Division about her organization's struggle for immigrant rights and Chicano liberation. By mobilizing working people to defend their neighbors, CSO has freed eight detainees from the nearby GEO detention center. Melendez paid homage to the history of Chicanos in the labor struggle and spoke to the decades of exploitation faced by the working class. “Our history reminds us that dignity is never negotiated. It is fought for and it is taken from below– for the people, by the people,” stated Melendez.

On the way back to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the protesters shouted more chants while local protest band Notes of Dissent played songs such as Bella Ciao and The Hand That Feeds, as well as some improvised music.

Dr. James Walsh, an educator at CU Denver and a member of the United Campus Workers, highlighted that the crowd at this Labor Day rally is the youngest he has ever seen. He feels this represents a shift in the labor movement, stating that rank-and file unions, or, in his words, “unions that don't need approval from officials,” are the future.

The final speech of the day was delivered by Kate Biester of the Sheridan Educators Association. After their contract expired in 2025, the union fought to expand their next contract to include all school faculty instead of just teachers. Bookkeepers, bus drivers, custodians, computer technicians and more were represented for the first time in the district. “We must envision a new labor movement,” Biester said. “One that unites white collar and blue collar and workers of all types as labor!”

The prevailing sentiment throughout the protest was one of powerful struggles against the ruling class and pride in the union movement. Kate Biester urged people to “make this Labor Day yours and ours! For all of us!”

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #LaborDay #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters

Denver, CO – On September 8, 75 people stood outside of the Frontier Airlines headquarters in Denver, Colorado with one message: give workers what they deserve. This group was composed of members from the community, various unions, and a group of flight attendants, all gathered to support the call for a better contract for flight attendants working for Frontier.

The flight attendants at Frontier are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union that represents around 50,000 flight attendants across the country.

Flight attendants are crucial for travel today, handling safety checks and passenger service, as well as facilitating a smooth flying experience for travelers. Despite this, flight attendants working for Frontier are operating under a contract that was negotiated nearly seven years ago. The fight to bargain a new contract started three years ago, with many workers feeling unsatisfied with what the company has offered them. Frontier flight attendants are the lowest paid of all the major carriers.

Jen Sala, AFA Frontier president, stated, “It is important to have events with our flight attendants, so we are all motivated to get to the same goal line. We know that we all need a livable wage. We all need Frontier to come to the table. Events like this help motivate everyone around us and show Frontier how important it is.” Sala added, “Talk to your stewardess whenever you are on board,” and concluded by saying, “We would love to hear from you and would love to know you are supporting us.”

The contract fight is ongoing, and there are more events the AFA is putting on around the country in the coming months, including ones in Philadelphia, Orlando and Atlanta. The AFA plans to continue this contract fight until they get a contract the membership can get behind and vote for.

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #FlightAttendants #Frontier #AFA #AFACWA

Colorado Springs, CO – On September 7, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) rallied with community members outside of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to demand equal protection for Black ranchers in the county.

They were joined by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), which also endorsed the action. Attendees waved signs reading, “Black lives matter” and “Justice for Freedom Acres” and chanted “Sheriff Roybal, stop the repression, we demand equal protection!”

In 2020, Courtney “C.W.” Mallery and Nicole Mallery moved from Houston, Texas to the countryside east of Colorado Springs to escape the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Both Black veterans, the Mallerys founded Freedom Acres Ranch, with a mission to fight food insecurity and bring food to families in need, something they wish they had had access to.

Shortly after moving to the 1000-acre property, the Mallerys came under attack by neighbors. “For years, the Mallerys have been subjected to endless threats, violence towards them and their livestock, and an exhausting legal battle,” said COSAARPR member Memphis Curry.

Instead of doing something about the neighbors responsible for the harassment, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office charged C.W. and Nicole Mallery multiple times over the years. In 2023, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office arrested C.W. and Nicole Mallery and charged them with felony stalking, misdemeanor tampering, and petty theft. During the arrest, El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy Emery Gerhart removed three of the Mallerys’ security cameras. The charges were quickly dismissed, and, in response, the Mallerys created a petition to fire Deputy Gerhart, which received over 12,600 signatures. The Mallerys allege Deputy Gerhart used the police department to instigate “racism, discrimination, terrorism, [and] denial of police service.”

At the action outside the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Curry stated, “I am tired of the narrative that any reasonable reaction to racism is an overreaction. The excusing of the targeted harassment that the Mallerys have been experiencing for years is simply exhausting.”

Curry further questioned the motives of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, saying, “Despite the Sheriff's department’s ‘reassurance’ that they would never stand for racist treatment of community members and [that they] have thoroughly investigated every report, this is the same institution that colludes with ICE and excuses every use of force case as reasonable and necessary.”

FRSO member Brandon Rincon spoke to systemic issues, saying,“Our local law enforcement agencies only protect and serve the interests of the billionaires who exploit Black and brown bodies for profit and terrorize us to keep us down.”

As the sun set on the office, members closed out the action by chanting “No justice, no peace, no racist police!”

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #Ranchers #Farmers #COSAARPR #Feature

Aurora, CO – On Saturday, August 29, 70 community members and activists gathered at Del Mar Park in Aurora, Colorado for the anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium and to oppose deportations. The event commemorated the anniversary of the original Chicano Moratorium in 1970. This anniversary, observed yearly by communities across the country, is also known as Chicano Liberation Day.

On August 29, 1970, 30,000 Chicanos mobilized in East Los Angeles to protest the Vietnam War and the disproportionate rate at which Chicanos were being drafted by the U.S. military and killed. The Moratorium was the culmination of a year’s worth of marches and rallies building up to the mobilization. Led by a broad movement of Chicano anti-war activists organized in the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, the organizers of the march included the Brown Berets and student activists.

The day of the Moratorium, the LAPD arrested hundreds of activists and murdered three people. Police murdered two Brown Berets, Lynn Ward and Angel Díaz. Police also murdered LA Times journalist Ruben Salazar, who was known for his fearless reporting on civil rights and police brutality.

Now, 56 years later, community members gathered at Del Mar Park to demand “Legalization for all!” and an end to deportations. About a half dozen vendors set up canopies and tables displaying apparel and artwork. The crowd watched as Kalpulli Yohualli Ehecatl, a local indigenous dance group, performed Danza Mexika. Many participated by facing the four cardinal directions in turn with the dancers, and many children joined in. Several organizations tabled, including FRSO, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and Denver Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC).

Gizell Garcia Palacio from SDS spoke to the crowd, “the U.S. government only wants Chicanos here when it becomes convenient for them.” Palacio asserted that the U.S. is now scared because “they know that we have power.”

Another speaker, Alex Riedle from Aurora Unidos CSO demanded that, “all individuals are allowed to live our lives without fear of political repression and persecution regardless of our citizenship status.”

The Chicano Moratorium at Del Mar Park was the first in the Denver metro area to be hosted in Aurora, which has a sizable Chicano and immigrant population. Immigrants make up over 20% of the population of Aurora.

Organizers with Aurora Unidos CSO foresee this year’s Moratorium as the first of many. They envision the Chicano Moratorium contributing to organizing the Chicano community in the city.

#AuroraCO #CO #OppressedNationalities #Chicano #ChicanoMoratorium #AuroraUnidosCSO

Colorado Springs, CO – On August 29, community members gathered with signs outside of an unmarked immigrant holding facility for the 56th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, and its second annual commemoration in Colorado Springs.

Members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), About Face, and the wider community held up signs reading “No ICE! Stop the deportations!” and “Killer ICE off our streets!” Angry chants rang through the air as the crowd pointed a megaphone at the holding facility, joined by supportive honks from drivers passing by.

The Chicano Moratorium is recognized as a key moment in the movement for Chicano liberation.

Chicanos today face many problems, such as racist police violence and ICE terror. On July 9, members of the Colorado Springs community watched as ICE agents led their family members out of the backdoor of an unassuming office building in shackles. The agents loaded the detainees into a GEO transport van to take them to the detention center in Aurora, Colorado. The office building, in reality a holding facility hidden from the public, became the target for this year’s Moratorium.

At the action, FRSO member Mel Medina spoke about who profits from Chicano oppression, saying, “The monopoly capitalists are constantly stealing the resources of Aztlán. They are depriving us of land that was once ours and using it for their own gain.” Medina connected this to ICE, noting that “they hire our people and use ICE as a tool to exploit workers; as soon as workers demand better pay and benefits, the monopoly capitalists threaten to call ICE.”

Veteran and About Face member Matt Mitchell spoke about the need to resist imperialism everywhere, saying, “We don’t want to see war abroad, and we don’t want to see a militarized ICE force acting against our Black and brown population here.”

FRSO member Brandon Rincon concluded the protest with a call for international solidarity, saying “We need to unite across national and color lines. We need to unite the many to defeat the few!”

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoMoratorium #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Fort Morgan, CO — On Monday, August 3, nearly 1500 Cargill workers in Fort Morgan voted on a proposed contract negotiated by Cargill Meat Solutions and Teamsters Local 455. The vote comes after the employer locked out the union workers for nearly three months. When the ballots were counted, the workers had voted to reject the proposed agreement by a margin of 25 votes, 749 to 724.

In anticipation of a strike, Cargill stopped processing beef on April 23 and later locked out the Teamsters Local 455 members on May 20. Before the lockout, the plant had already gone nearly a month without processing cattle, as Cargill directed cattle to other facilities. The Fort Morgan plant processed roughly 4000 cattle per day last year. Cargill reported $154 billion in revenue in 2025 and was ranked by Forbes as the largest privately-held company in the United States.

In contract negotiations, the workers had proposed $5 hourly wage increases over the course of a five-year contract. “If they truly respected us and cared about the work we do they wouldn't have a problem giving us a dollar a year raise. Without us they have nothing,” said Korin Turner, a Cargill meatpacker. The tentative agreement reached between Teamsters Local 455 on July 28 offered $2.15 total in wage increases, which was the same amount that Cargill had offered back in in May.

Guaranteed hours became a central point of opposition to the tentative agreement. Workers said the proposed agreement would increase the number of weeks in which they could be guaranteed only 32 hours of pay from ten weeks under the previous contract to 20 weeks. “For us to drive to work five days a week and only get 32 hours, that's barely enough to live. We have kids. We need to support our families,” said Sarah Webber, a Cargill fabrication worker. “Twenty weeks out of the year only 32 hours is a big slap in the face. Our previous contract only had ten weeks a year. They doubled it in this contract.” Some workers reported working even fewer hours.

“We weren't even getting the 32 hours, only 26 or 28 hours,” said Lucilia Fuentes, a Teamsters-represented trainer on the killing floor.

Safety was another concern raised by many Cargill workers during the lockout. Several picketing Cargill employees reported suffering serious injuries involving meat-processing equipment, and multiple workers at the picket had missing fingers or visible scars on their hands.

Don Wireman, a Cargill worker who sorts the meat after it's been packaged, said, “There's boxes stacked so high they fall over on people and they can't move until the person next to them is unburying them, digging them out.”

“We have three coworkers that are missing half their fingers,” said Makayla Wilson, a Teamsters-represented control room operator at Cargill.

During the lockout, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) paid workers $1000 per week, with an additional $250 per week coming from Teamsters Local 455. The union payments were substantially higher than the weekly earnings many workers reported receiving before the lockout. “We're getting $1250 a week right now,” said Fuentes, when interviewed one month into the lockout. “Before we were making four to five hundred a week.”

On July 20, Teamsters Local 455 stopped its $250 weekly payments and encouraged workers to apply for unemployment. “I'm getting $1250,” said Wireman. He explained that $1000 was coming from the IBT and $250 from Teamsters Local 455. “But starting the 20th, so, next week, we're only getting $1000 because they're not paying the $250.”

On August 4, one day after workers rejected the proposed contract, the IBT announced that the $1000-per-week payments would be reduced to five times each member's monthly union dues. Based on monthly dues ranging from $58.75 to $72.50, that would reduce weekly payments to approximately $294 to $363.

After workers voted down the agreement negotiated between Cargill and Teamsters Local 455 on August 3, a group of workers started a petition demanding a re-vote.

“We had a large group of members that felt like there was some misunderstanding through the language barriers,” said Chris Suazo, a Teamsters business agent representing the 1700 locked-out Cargill workers, among whom 27 different languages are spoken. “They took it upon themselves to start a petition,” said Suazo.”

“Over a thousand signed the petition,” said Servando Payan, another Teamsters business agent.

Suazo said Teamsters officials are taking a different approach to the second vote. “[We're] being very clear what a no vote would entail and what a yes vote would entail. We're now doing the ballots in their languages – Haitian Creole, Arabic, Spanish, French, Somali, Tigrinya.”

Teamsters officials defended the proposed agreement, saying they believed they had secured the best possible contract. “I believe our group has done the beef industry a great service,” said Suazo. “We've done everything possible to support them and put the workers first.” Payan said, “We feel comfortable saying we walked away from the table without any additional money on the table.”

Teamsters’ officials have scheduled a second vote for August 17, where workers will once again decide whether to accept the proposed contract while the nearly three-month lockout continues.

Editor’s note: The agreement was approved on August 17.

#FortMorganCO #CO #Labor #Teamsters #Cargill #Strike #TeamstersLocal455

Centennial, CO – At 8 a.m. on Monday, July 20, organizers and community members from across the Denver Metro area joined together for a protest at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Denver Field Office in Centennial, Colorado.

The protesters come together for a die-in scheduled by the Shut Down GEO Coalition to highlight detained immigrants' demands for freedom, humane conditions, and to end all contracts with GEO Group, the operators of a for-profit detention facility in Aurora, Colorado. GEO Group was also recently awarded over $528 million dollars to open up a shuttered correctional facility in Hudson, Colorado.

The rally began with speeches from organizers and family members of immigrants who have been impacted by the racist and brutal deportation system. Speakers touched on the longstanding history of medical neglect, insufficient and unsafe food, low wages, guard and staff abuse, and, most recently, a confirmed case of tuberculosis within the Aurora GEO facility.

Despite pressure from medical professionals, legal advocates and the local community, the GEO Group has still not met the demand for compliance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for contact tracing and a full health investigation. While GEO Group delays crucial investigations and treatment, they could ultimately be subjecting the entire city and state to unnecessary health risks.

After the speeches, protesters staged a die-in where they laid down on the ground in front of the ERO office, representing the lives stolen by ICE and private prison contractors GEO Group and CoreCivic.

While attendees were lying on the ground, listening to recordings of testimonials from families of those in detention, a group of protesters stood off to the side holding a large banner that read, “Dignity not detention, end deportations.”

Five Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers approached this group of organizers and called in additional officers for back up. Eventually, two officers returned to attempt to pull the banner away from protesters but failed. When the DHS officers were unsuccessful in threatening protesters to retreat, they called in the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, which brought less-lethal crowd control weapons.

Arapahoe County sheriffs pushed the group of protesters forward and into the public street, where they eventually targeted four protesters who were then pulled from the group, handcuffed, and detained for around two hours within the ICE facility under Arapahoe County and ICE supervision before being released with state and federal citations.

Upon the protesters’ exit, the remaining crowd was chanting for each organizer's release. The organizers arrested included longtime organizers in the community Arnie Carter and Terry Burnsed, as well as Yoselin Corrales, an immigrant rights organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO.

After taking a moment to regroup, Corrales addressed the crowd, stating, “It’s far past the time to send a strongly-worded email, we need to show up and be willing to put more on the line for those facing injustice in our community!”

#CentennialCO #CO #AuroraCO #ImmigrantRights #ICE #Feature

AURORA, CO – Protesters in Aurora, Colorado gathered outside of an ICE detention facility operated by GEO Group on Sunday morning, July 19. They rallied to raise a number of demands regarding conditions in the detention center, the recent ICE murders of Joan Sebastian-Guerrero and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and acts of repression against anti-ICE protesters Including Nadia Topete and 21-year-old Emma Landis, who was shot by a GEO Group employee after attending a protest outside the facility earlier in the week. Over 80 people attended the event where they heard speakers from various movements in the city and participated in chants against ICE’s continued attacks on their communities.

“We are gathered here today to demand justice for all victims of ICE’s violent terror across America,” said Miles Thompson, an emcee for the event and chair of the Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC). “We’re also here to say that protesting is not a crime! Hands off Nadia Topete!” DACAC called this event in conjunction with Aurora Unidos CSO as part of a national week of action for Nadia Topete called by the Legalization For All Network.

Topete, an immigrants rights activist in Los Angeles, has been a target of FBI repression in recent weeks. In addition to ending the harassment against Topete and her fellow activists, organizers across the country have used this week of action to call for justice in the cases of Joan Sebastian-Guerrero and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo who were murdered by ICE agents during separate incidents in the last month. The event was supported by other local organizations, including the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The Aurora ICE detention center, specifically, has made national news twice this week. The first was on July 16, when the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced that it had confirmed at least one case of tuberculosis inside the facility. While GEO Group denies any tuberculosis, community members detained inside claim at least a dozen cases have been identified. Tuberculosis is a preventable and treatable lung infection that can be contagious and deadly if not properly handled. In a facility already notorious for medical neglect, the community is concerned for the safety of those inside.

Yoselin Corrales, a Honduran immigrant and organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO said, “Our group has been working with immigrants inside to help document medical neglect, guard mistreatment, food insecurity, and the abuse of detention center staff for over a year now. Frankly, it was only a matter of time before something happened like what we’re seeing now.”

GEO Group, the private prison corporation that operates the Aurora ICE detention facility, was given until Friday, July 17 to submit to CDPHE inspection and turn over medical records to the state regarding tuberculosis. As of the writing of this article, GEO Group is completely refusing to comply with this investigation. Just last week, this for-profit corporation was awarded a half-billion dollar contract to open a new ICE detention center in rural Hudson, Colorado. This facility would almost double the number of people ICE could detain in the state and reduce visibility for these detentions by moving them far outside of the urban areas where Coloradans mostly live.

The news of the potential tuberculosis outbreak led to multiple protests against ICE and GEO Group this week but one, in particular, resulted in another national headline.

On Thursday, July 16, after a protest disbanded, a GEO group employee shot a woman in the foot while she was leaving the area. Emma Landis, the woman who was shot, was able to attend Sunday’s event where she expressed gratitude for her fellow activists and solidarity with those detained inside the facility. “It’s really nice to see my community come together in support of this and all I can say is ‘let’s keep doing this!’” She added, “ I don’t want to be a trend, I want to be an advocate for these people because they don’t deserve this at all. Nobody deserves this at all.”

The call to continue to fight and organize was common among all of the people who spoke. “We’re not here to write a strongly-worded letter or ask you to send an email,” proclaimed Corrales, “we’re here to commit to continuing to show up until the people inside these walls are free, and those who have contributed to this violent system are punished! Don’t do the enemy’s work for them and back down before the battle, join an organization and become part of a fighting force!”

#AuroraCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #ICE #DetentionCenter