Tampa, FL – Starting on August 18, members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) will kick off a major, week-long effort to build for the August 27 protest at the Republican National Convention, by visiting college campuses in the Southern region of the U.S.

Tampa, FL – The Coalition to March on the RNC successfully obtained permits to rally and protest in Tampa, Florida. The permitted rally and march on the Republican National Convention will start at 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 27, at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, 1200 North Orange Avenue, in Tampa.

Tampa, FL – Over 30 supporters rallied here, April 10, in Joe Chillura Park to demand permits to march on the Republican National Convention and to slam the “Clean Zone” ordinance. The Clean Zone ordinance proposed by the city government of Tampa would place massive restrictions on any sort of demonstration against the RNC in August. Restrictions include what sort of everyday items protestors could bring to protests and would place any and all actions against the RNC far away from the convention center – effectively silencing any opposition to the Republican agenda of war and poverty.

St. Paul, MN – Even though the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC) has been over for a year, eight Twin Cities activists are still caught up in its aftermath. The weekend before the RNC, local police led raids on the Convergence Space and the homes of members of a group calling itself the RNC Welcoming Committee. Eight Twin Cities activists (Monica Bicking , Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, Luce Guillen-Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Max Specktor and Eryn Trimmer) were arrested pre-emptively and held for the entirety of the convention. Despite these arrests and other acts of intimidation, thousands of people turned out to protest all four days of the convention and a groundswell of community support has grown surrounding the group now known as the RNC 8.

A special issue of Fight Back! prepared for the protests at the Republican National Convention is now available online here along with other coverage of protests at the RNC.

St. Paul, MN – A picket line and press conference took place here Nov. 1, at the office of the police community service unit, to announce that the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War has submitted another application to demonstrate at the Republican National Convention. Permits for protests and demonstrations in Saint Paul are submitted to this office.

St. Paul, MN – Standing in front of the Minnesota State Capitol Building Aug. 13, organizers announced that the city of Saint Paul has issued a formal permit for the Sept. 1 anti-war protest set to mark the opening day of the Republican National Convention.

Minneapolis, MN – On July 16, Federal Judge Joan Ericksen, a Republican appointee, denied a motion for a preliminary injunction that would have ordered the city of Saint Paul to grant the permit originally requested by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War for a national demonstration on Sept. 1. Her ruling made no modifications to a permit issued by the city that would restrict demonstrators to a route along Cedar Street and require them to end the demonstration before the Republican National Convention begins.

Chicago, IL – People around the country are making plans to travel to Saint Paul, Minnesota on Labor Day to march on the Republican National Convention. In Chicago, buses have been reserved and tickets are going on sale, reports Joe Iosbaker, a local anti-war activist who is helping to coordinate for the local Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. “The chartered buses will leave Chicago at 3:00 a.m. on Sept. 1. We have to leave at that hour to be at the rally in Saint Paul at 11:00 a.m.”

St. Paul, MN – A lawsuit for damages totaling $75,000 will be filed in Federal Court, July 2, by attorneys representing Mick Kelly. Kelly is an organizer for the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. Kelly was arrested outside the Xcel Center June 5 while passing out leaflets at an Obama rally. He was promoting the Sept. 1 anti-war march at the Republican National Convention. Police placed him under arrest, then he was searched, put in a squad car and taken blocks away to the old police headquarters where he was cited for soliciting and peddling.

Minneapolis, MN – With the courtroom packed and many waiting in the hallway, attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union presented a case in federal court, July 9 on behalf of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. The Coalition is seeking a preliminary injunction requiring the city of Saint Paul to a issue realistic permit for the Sept. 1 anti-war march.

St. Paul, MN – More than 100 people marched here July 1, in the fourth and final march in a series of recurring demonstrations to pressure the city of Saint Paul to grant a permit for an anti-war march on Sept. 1, the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC). The event was organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War.

Minneapolis MN – Attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union returned to federal court on the evening of June 9, on behalf of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. The Coalition is seeking a preliminary injunction requiring the city of Saint Paul to issue adequate permits for the Sept. 1 anti-war march.

Minneapolis, MN – In a great display of unity and solidarity, activists from around the country gathered on the University of Minnesota campus, Feb. 9-10, for an organizing conference to plan the anti-war protests at the Republican National Convention.

Minneapolis, MN – Standing in front of the Federal Building here, March 24, leaders of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War and their lawyers announced they are seeking a preliminary injunction requiring the City of Saint Paul to grant the permits for their September 1 anti-war march. The attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in federal district court later that day.

St. Paul, MN – Standing in front of city hall, organizers of the massive anti-war march planned for the opening day of the Republican National Convention, and their attorneys responded to the permit issued by Saint Paul city authorities, March 3.

Minneapolis, MN – Video coverage is now available of the Feb. 9-10 Organizing Conference to prepare for RNC Sept. 1 anti-war protest in St Paul, MN. The planned demonstration will coincide with the Republican National Convention.

Minneapolis, MN – Carlos Montes, of Latinos Against War and veteran leader of the Chicano and immigrants right movements, along with Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee were among the many prominent activists who addressed the Feb 9-10 Organizers Conference here to prepare the massive anti-war march planned for the opening day of the Republican National Convention.

Organizers of the massive anti-war demonstration planned for the opening day of the Republican National Convention have won an important victory – permits have been secured for the Minnesota State Capitol building and grounds.

St. Paul, MN – Representatives from the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War meet with the Mayor Coleman, the City Attorney, and other Saint Paul city officials, Dec. 11 at City Hall to press their demands for permits to march on the Republican National Convention and for the city to observe the rights of protesters.