Cleveland, OH – Anti-war activists took to Market Square in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, January 4, at noon to denounce U.S. imperialism and aggression towards Iran following the murder of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by the Trump regime.

Chanting slogans of “1, 2, 3, 4, we don't want your racist war! 5, 6, 7, 8, stop the killings, stop the hate!” and “We are people, we want peace! U.S. out of Middle East!” around 100 protesters rallied as prepared speeches were given by representatives from the Workers World Party, Cleveland State University's Middle East and Northern Africa student group, Peace Action Cleveland, and others, as well as several individuals who volunteered to give their own impromptu speeches.

“We are here, along with the people all over the county who have come out today, people all over the world who are demonstrating solidarity with the people of Iraq, the people of Iran, the people of Syria, Palestine, Yemen, people all over the world who are under attack by U.S. imperialism, of which Trump is just the current leader,” said Martha Grevatte of the Workers World Party.

The rally in Cleveland was part of a larger nationwide campaign of rallies, demonstrations and marches that day, which drew out tens of thousands across the country, all denouncing the continuous wars for profit and oil in the Middle East and across the globe.

#ClevelandOH #AntiwarMovement #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #DonaldTrump

Fight Back News Service is circulating the text of a speech by a leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Fernando Figueroa, which was delivered shortly before the July 18 march on the RNC in Cleveland, OH.

My name is Fernando Figueroa, and I am a proud member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. I became a revolutionary in 2008 while organizing students to defeat John McCain. I honed my theory and practice as an organizer during the 2012 March on the RNC in Tampa, Florida, where we said no to Mitt Romney. Today I am a rank-and- file Teamster active in the trade union movement, and I’m standing with you all to stop Trump and the system he represents.

History has shown us that there’s only one response capable of stopping bigots and billionaires like Donald Trump. The mass political movement we’re forming today as we march on the RNC is a firm step forward for poor and oppressed people. This is true not only in the U.S., but for people all over the world. This mass movement has the 1% and all of their backwards supporters terrified – as evidenced by the police they’ve sent to welcome us to Cleveland.

The 1% that rule this country are terrified of us, and they should be. Their system of protecting the rich and powerful at the expense of working and oppressed peoples is coming to an end. The age we’re living in is like a pathetic giant, lashing out as the working class and oppressed nations of Black and Chicano people organize. We’re organizing because we believe a better world is possible, a just society where people’s needs are taken care of and capitalist greed is abolished. By uniting today to stop Trump, we are delivering a blow to the 1% and their pathetic giant.

My friends, the road ahead of us is long and treacherous. It is fraught with attempts by the enemy to frighten and discourage us, but by uniting activists and supporters from across movements, across the country and across the world, we will overcome the obstacles that lay before us, like Donald Trump.

Our mass movement is growing by leaps and bounds as we build the fight of oppressed nationalities fighting for justice and an end to police crimes. Our movement grows as we build the struggle of queer people and women, and the fight for equality and liberation. It grows when we demonstrate solidarity with people oppressed by our government in places like Colombia, the Philippines and Palestine. It grows when we struggle to protect the environment and ensure everybody receives a good education and healthcare. The working class will realize it is the most powerful force ever created, and it will rise up to smash the political parties of the 1% including the Republicans and their figurehead, Donald Trump.

Victory is ours if we choose to work for it. This year, we are going to stop Trump, and it’s up to us to bring the lessons we learn here today back to our communities and workplaces.

There’s nobody I am happier to call my comrades than all of you assembled here today. The Freedom Road Socialist Organization is proud to stand among so many veteran and rising organizers. Together we will scale the wall that tyranny, backwardness and hatred are building to keep us from political and economic power. I’ll see you on the other side.

#ClevelandOH #AntiwarMovement #CapitalismAndEconomy #InJusticeSystem #US #PeoplesStruggles #RepublicanNationalConvention #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganizationFRSO #ohio #RNC #Antifascism #Elections #RNC2016 #FernandoFigueroa

Cleveland, OH – Speaking at the July 18 anti-Trump protest at the Republican National Convention, Tracy Molm, a leader of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, told the nearly 1000 people assembled at the rally about the need to build the fight to get justice for Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh.

Odeh, an icon in the Palestinian community, is facing jail and deportation on a trumped-up immigration charge.

Molm also read the following statement from Odeh, “I wish I could be with you today, because you are doing the most important thing that you could possibly do – protesting Trump, the Republican Party and their racist agenda of banning Muslims, criminalizing Mexicans and other immigrants and attacking the Movement for Black Lives. We want better for this country and for the world. You and everyone like you are the ones who will make change, who will defeat Trump and who will win all our fights for justice.”

#ClevelandOH #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #TracyMolm #CSFR #RasmeaOdeh #PoliticalRepression

Cleveland, OH – More than 1000 people rallied with the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC on the opening day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Cleveland on July 18.

Speakers and activists representing more than 40 groups from the immigrant rights, labor, anti-war, student and Muslim civil rights movements gathered in downtown Cleveland for a rally lasting longer than one hour. Activists from more than 20 cities were represented at the rally. Many of the activists and speakers had organized local protests in their home cities against the racist and xenophobic Trump/Republican Party agenda in the days leading up to the convention.

Local community members in Cleveland joined the protesters for the rally and march toward the convention center.

Tom Burke of the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC stated, “Today was a great day. We took our message to stop Trump right down to as close to the convention center as anyone will get. The Republicans, including the delegation from Texas who walked out of their hotel to see a thousand people taking a stand against the racist, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim attacks engineered by the Republicans and their presidential nominee, Donald Trump, were shocked to see throngs of protesters in the streets speaking out against Trump and the Republican Party’s agenda of fear and racist hate.”

#ClevelandOH #SDS #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganizationFRSO #RNC #DonaldTrump #DumpTrump #RNC2016 #Republican

Cleveland, OH – Organizers from the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC hit the streets of downtown Cleveland, July, 15, taking out the word about the national protest set for the opening day of the Republican National Convention.

Unfurling a large anti-Trump banner in Mall A, located on Saint Clair Avenue and Mall Drive, activists leafleted passersbys and gave many interviews to the media that is covering the upcoming convention.

Mick Kelly, of the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC states, “We let the people of Cleveland know that Mall A is the place and 12:00 noon is the time to rally against the bigot Trump and the Republican agenda.”

Danya Zituni of National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), who is in Cleveland to build for the protest said, “SDS has hosted ‘Dump Trump’ protests on campuses across the country. Trump has been a major rallying point for white supremacists, and we believe everyone should join this protest against him.”

The activists then moved to Cleveland Public Square where many people said they looked forward to the protest and posed for photos in front of the banner.

Also present in the Square were members of the immigrant rights activists from the Faith, Life, and Hope Mission, who, under the leadership of Father Jose Landaverde, were concluding a 26-day march from Chicago to Cleveland to show opposition to Trump and supporting legalization for all. They are planning on joining the July 18 march on the RNC.

#ClevelandOH #Elections #US #PeoplesStruggles #CoalitionToMarchOnTheRNC #Antiracism #Antifascism #DumpTrump

The demonstration will start at 12 noon, July 18, in Mall A, located at Mall Drive and St. Clair Ave in downtown Cleveland. Marchers will proceed to Cleveland Public Square and will then, marching on streets and sidewalks, head to the vicinity of the Republican National Convention.

Today’s agreement came at a meeting with City officials, where Coalition organizers were appealing a City decision to deny permits for the July 18 protest at the RNC. When the understanding was reached, organizers of the ‘Stop Trump’ protest withdrew their appeal.

Tom Burke, of the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC states, “We have every right to protest at the RNC. The City has been dragging its feet and we are looking forward to using Mall A in downtown Cleveland as a place to rally. We will take our message to Trump and the Republicans.”

Mick Kelly, also of the Coalition, stated, “We are grateful to all the people who called Mayor Jackson and put pressure on the City government. The whole world is going to see that we reject the bigot Trump and his attacks on immigrants and Muslims.”

About 40 organizations are backing the large protest organized the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC that will take place on July 18, the first day of the Republican National Convention. The protest will put forward the slogans, “Dump Trump, Say No to the Republican Agenda. Stand Against Racist, Anti-immigrant and Anti-Muslim Attacks. We Demand Peace, Justice and Equality.”

#ClevelandOH #CoalitionToStopTrumpAndMarchOnTheRNC #RNC2016