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News and Views from the People's Struggle

ChicagoIl

By staff

Left to right: Eric Struch, an elder from the Cuba Sí Coalition, Aaron Dille, and Haki Drake Materre

Chicago, IL – Socialist Cuba has been in the news quite a bit lately, from its resounding victory at the recent UN vote condemning the blockade of the revolutionary island to its people-centered response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. What is it about the political and social system in Cuba that has simultaneously drawn the wrath of U.S. imperialism and also allowed it to resist and develop the revolution under the most difficult conditions? Over 100 activists and revolutionaries decided to travel to Cuba to find out.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Anti-War Committee of Chicago.

The Anti-War Committee of Chicago strongly condemns the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designation of Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network as a sanctioned entity and gross slander as a “sham charity.”

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By Kobi Guillory

Teachers at open bargaining between CTU and CPS on September 24. | Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago, IL – The resignation of the entire Chicago Board of Education on October 4 exemplifies a new phase of the fight for Chicago's public schools. Current contract negotiations are happening with a mayor who is a former teacher and Chicago Teachers Union organizer, and amidst school board elections coming up on November 5, both of which are unprecedented in Chicago's history. The Black and brown and working-class people of the city have an opportunity to undo the damage done to the public school system by decades of systematic defunding under neoliberal mayors, and to take further steps towards community control of the schools.

“None of the members leaving the current board planned to continue onto the hybrid board, and none are running for election,” the outgoing board said in a joint statement with Mayor Brandon Johnson. “With the unprecedented increase in board membership, transitioning new members now will allow them time to orient and gain critical experience prior to welcoming additional elected and appointed members in 2025.”

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By Kobi Guillory

Chicago, IL – Hundreds of Barclays employees were unable to enter their workplace on Thursday morning, October 10, after protesters blocked off all entrances to the bank's downtown headquarters. Barclays owns $2.5 billion worth of shares in eight companies that provide weapons, components and military technology to the genocidal state of Israel and provides loans worth $7.6 billion to seven of those eight companies. The protesters demanded that Barclays divest from these companies as part of the international Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

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By staff

Large crowd gathers behind a banner that reads “BIDEN, HARRIS YOU WILL SEE! PALESTINE WILL BE FREE! END US AID TO ISRAEL! STOP FUNDING GENOCIDE! FREE PALESTINE NOW!”

Chicago, IL - 7500 rallied in Chicago to protest the one-year anniversary of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people, and the bombardment of Lebanon. The protest then marched a mile to the home of billionaire Governor J.B. Pritzker, a well-known Zionist. The Coalition for Justice in Palestine went there to demand Illinois divest the $130 million in Israeli bonds held by the state.

This week, the movement in Chicago against the U.S./Israel war turned its attention to divestment as a tactic to escalate pressure on the Zionist regime. The Anti-War Committee-Chicago launched a petition and canvass campaign to pressure State Treasurer Michael Frerichs for divestment from Israeli bonds as well. Code Pink and other organizations also carried out protest actions aimed at Frerichs.

#ChicagoIL #FreePalestine #HandsOffLebanon #CoalitionForJusticeInPalestine #AntiWarCommitteeChicago #CodePink

By Merawi Gerima

Chicago protest demands freedom for the wrongfully convicted.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Chicago, IL – 75 people assembled outside of the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, September 30. One of the leaders of the protest was Jasmine Smith, a young firebrand organizer with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR). Smith shouted into a well-worn megaphone, “What do we want?” The crowd roared back, “Justice!”

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By staff

University of Illinois Chicago \[UIC\] students marching towards the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps building \[ROTC\]. |  Baitul Javid

Chicago, IL – On Wednesday, August 25, the New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS at UIC) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP at UIC), alongside other progressive student organizations at the University of Illinois Chicago, ended the month strong on campus by organizing a hands-off Lebanon demonstration following not only the terrorist cyberattack/bombings against Lebanon but the deploying of U.S. troops to the region.

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By staff

Chicago students march in solidarity with Palestine.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Chicago, IL – On Thursday, September 12, New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at UIC and a host of other student and progressive organizations participated in a National Day of Action called for by National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).

The Progressive Student Coalition at UIC had coalition members speak for their respective organizations at the protest including Students for a Revolutionary Union (SRU), SJP, Anakbayan, and SDS.

The group of about 50 students demanded Israel withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza and that the U.S. government stop funding the genocidal apartheid state of Israel. They also supported the demands of SJP at UIC to get the university to divest from Israel and cut ties with Israeli institutions.

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By Vince Olson

Dr. Nadia Ahmad.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Chicago, IL – On Monday, August 19, the Democratic National Convention (DNC) came to Chicago. As the Coalition to March on the DNC was marching with tens of thousands of protesters in the streets surrounding the United Center, Dr. Nadia Ahmad was being attacked inside.

An elected delegate from Florida, Dr. Ahmad was assaulted for unfurling a banner. The banner read, “Stop arming Israel,” the same demand on the signs and banners carried by the protesters in the streets throughout the week of the convention.

Dr. Ahmad is also a Florida delegation Democratic National Committee Interfaith Council co-chair and Women's Caucus executive committee member.

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By staff

Chicago student protest demands hands off Lebanon.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Chicago, IL – On Thursday, August 29, New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) started the week strong with a demonstration on campus, with about 90 students, demanding U.S. hands off Lebanon, an end of U.S. aid to Israel and to stand strong with Palestine.

Speakers from other progressive student organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at UIC, and Anakbayan at UIC, also spoke. The rally strengthened the students’ message of funding for education – such as cultural centers and student resources – not for genocide, war and occupation in Palestine.

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