New York, NY – On February 23, approximately 300 New Yorkers took Wall Street in the Financial District to protest attempts at a U.S.-led coup against the popular and democratically-elected Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro.

The event was part of a global day of action where over 150 cities hosted events to demand “No U.S. War in Venezuela!”

The protesters gathered in front of one of President Trump’s multiple towers under a banner that demanded “No war in Venezuela” in English and Spanish. The lively crowd chanted, “Hands off Venezuela” and “Chavez presente! Maduro Presidente!”

Several of the groups involved had representatives give speeches about the current state of Venezuela, how the U.S. has plans to bring in arms, and the importance of our role protesting here in New York.

Jessica Schwartz spoke on behalf of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, stating, “The U.S. war machine claims Venezuelans don’t have the right to free speech, while the NYPD, through the Strategic Response Group, actively tries to suppress our own voices when we protest the government’s actions. CSFR-NYC supports Venezuela against U.S. intervention and those who support this cause, because fighting back is not a crime.”

Other organizations connected the ongoing attacks on Venezuela to other countries. The speaker from New York Boricua Resistance commented how the U.S. should not use Puerto Rico as a pawn to invade Venezuela, while a representative from Bayan USA demanded the end to the U.S. war machine from Venezuela to the Philippines.

Once the speakers were done, the march began towards Zuccotti Park – famous for being the park used during Occupy Wall Street. Despite the NYPD attempting to derail the march, the protesters made it to the park and had a round of chants and a few mic checks. They continued to the atrium of the World Trade Center. Voices rang out loud and clear demanding an end to U.S. involvement in Venezuela, as onlookers took pictures and stopped their daily routines.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC #Americas

Brooklyn, NY – Forty activists and community members gathered in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn on November 17 in response to the Palestinian protesters killed and wounded in Gaza this past week. The Palestinian protesters were part of the Great Return March, and were met by Israeli Occupation Forces at the border.

To start off the event, the names of seven murdered by Israel were read aloud, followed by a moment of silence. The crowd then chanted and heard from different speakers.

Despite the fact that numerous Palestinians were murdered, continuous protesting has resulted in some setbacks for Israel. Nerdeen Kiswani from Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine emphasized how Israel has been forced to make concessions because of the resistance, including a ceasefire on Palestinian terms.

“They were so humiliated that the Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman actually resigned,” said Kiswani.

Other organizations, such as Project Solidarity and Committee to Stop FBI Repression, made the connection between what’s happening in Palestine to U.S. wars abroad, the migrant caravan, and the NYPD. They also emphasized the need for continued organization for Palestine and other movements.

The call was put out by NY4Palestine, a coalition of Palestine and solidarity organizations.

#BrooklynNY #OppressedNationalities #Palestine #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #NY4Palestine #GreatReturnMarch #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC

New York, NY – Several dozen protesters gathered in Herald Square on October 7 to mark the invasion of Afghanistan and protest the other wars the U.S. waging abroad. The war on Afghanistan has lasted 17 years.

Spirited protesters rallied and listened to speeches about the damage caused by U.S. imperialism throughout the globe. A large group from the Yemeni American Organization attended. Their speakers highlighted the plight of Yemen, which is currently being attacked by the United States, Saudi Arabia and others.

In between chants of “Out of Afghanistan! Out of Iraq! Out of Syria, don’t come back!” and “U.S. imperialist! Number one terrorist!” organizers handed out flyers that detailed the casualties since 2001 and that the U.S. expended $5.6 trillion on war in 17 years.

Jessica Schwartz, an organizer from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression NY, gave a powerful speech about political repression when organizing against war. In her speech she said, “The United States doesn’t fight terror. In fact, the United States perpetuates and funds terror all around the world!”

Bernadette Ellorin, representing the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, spoke about fighting back against imperialism and how it’s vital to stay organized.

The protesters then marched to the Army Recruiting Station in Times Square. The event ended with a few more speeches as onlookers learned about the U.S. brutal war machine.

#NewYorkNY #NewYorkCityNY #International #AntiwarMovement #InJusticeSystem #Afghanistan #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #AfghanistanWar #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC

On Sunday, October 7, at 3 p.m., various anti-war and international solidarity organizations will be gathering to mark of the 17th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.

The event, titled “From Afghanistan to Yemen, End the Wars: NY Tour,” will be a rally in Herald Square, including chants and speeches relating to Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Korea and other places around the world being threatened by the U.S.

October 7 is an important date because it is when the U.S invaded Afghanistan after 9/11 in 2001. The U.S. remains there to this day. Since then, the U.S. has been at war with or threatened attacks on Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Korea and many others.

The three slogans of the rally are “End the Wars,” “U.S. Troops and Bases Out” and “Money for Jobs, Education, and Healthcare.”

The action is being co-hosted by Committee to Stop FBI Repression, International Action Center, and International League of Peoples’ Struggle, with many more endorsing and attending. For more information, go to the Facebook event here ( https://www.facebook.com/events/539642079814794/?ti=icl).

#NewYorkNY #NewYorkCityNY #International #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #AfghanistanWar #InternationalActionCenter #InternationalLeagueOfPeoplesStruggle #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC

New York, NY – Over 200 people gathered in New York City on Sept. 16 to protest against the U.S.-backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s government of the Philippines. The action was to bring attention to the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, the crackdown and murders of opposition leaders, poverty, and the martial law that is currently in place.

BAYAN is a national alliance of progressive Filipino organizations. The protest was the conclusion of BAYAN’s 6th Congress, which included their various affiliated groups from across the country.

The first part of the action took place in Grand Central, where there was a mic check and banner drop. The powerful chant took over the building as the words, “From Iraq, Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!” rang through the historic building. The crowd then walked to Pershing Square, a symbolic location because it was named after General John J. Pershing, the U.S. Army officer who oversaw the slaughtering of the Moro people during the Philippine-American War.

After some chanting, the crowd marched to the Philippine Consulate General. After arriving, various BAYAN organizations gave speeches about the conditions in the Philippines. Organizations represented included Migrante USA, Gabriela USA, Anakbayan USA, and Malaya Movement.

Along with BAYAN speakers, organizations in solidarity with the movement also spoke, which included Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), Within Our Lifetime, and International Action Center. Jake Holtzman gave a speech on behalf of CSFR.

“We need to do everything we can to protect and support the activists and revolutionaries who are doing the real work that will help liberate the masses in the Philippines,” said Holtzman.

The action ended with people hitting a Duterte effigy with their organizations’ flags and a determination to continue fighting back against Duterte and U.S. imperialism.

#NewYorkNY #NewYorkCityNY #AntiwarMovement #Philippines #Asia #BAYAN #Antifascism #RodrigoDuterte #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC

New York, NY – The Committee to Stop FBI Repression-NYC held its first general meeting, Sept. 10, at Project Reach, addressing political repression in New York after 9/11, leading up to the creation of the Strategic Response Group (SRG) within the New York Police Department.

The purpose of the meeting was to educate attendees on political repression, and specifically the SRG’s role in promoting it. The various topics discussed included the history of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression’s (CSFR) work on cases such as the Anti-war 23, Carlos Montes, and Rasmea Odeh; the political atmosphere after 9/11; the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (which funds the SRG); the Bureau of Special Services (a defunct unit within the NYPD that infiltrated anti-war, Black liberation, and communist organizations in the 1960s and 70s, setting a precedent for NYPD repression of activists), and the SRG’s practices of targeting, using surveillance against, and arresting people at protests.

The meeting ended with a list of demands and CSFR’s campaign statement against the Strategic Response Group, as seen below. CSFR will be having its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m. to continue strategizing on how to disband the SRG. Visit their Facebook page (facebook.com/csfrny) for more information.

If you are part of an organization that would like to sign on as an endorser of the campaign, please read the statement and follow the instructions below.

Disband the Strategic Response Group

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC and the endorsing organizations call on the New York Police Department (NYPD) to stop deploying the Strategic Response Group (SRG) to protests.

The SRG started developing in 2014 when Police Commissioner William Bratton determined that New York City needed a “special force” of rapid response police officers, and was formally introduced in 2015. By the end of 2015, the amount of officers within the SRG expanded to 800.

The criteria for when the SRG can be deployed include cases of civil unrest, disorderly conduct, and large-scale terrorist attacks. In practice, SRG officers have targeted and arrested activists peacefully exercising their right to protest. They come equipped with military-grade weapons and surveillance tools to intimidate and threaten protesters. The SRG will also target known leaders of movements for arrest, especially people of color.

The SRG’s purpose locally is connected to a larger system that represses activists and human rights. Along with receiving funding from the city, the SRG also receives funds from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS was founded in response to the 9/11 attacks, repressing people’s rights in the name of counter-terrorism. Both treat those who speak out against war and human rights abuses as terrorists. It is the same system that invades sovereign nations and bombs countries abroad that wants to silence those who speak out against injustices in the U.S.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC and the endorsing organizations demand the following:

-- Disband the SRG.

-- Stop targeting known activists and organizers.

-- Stop using surveillance technology and military grade weapons, such as long range rifles, machine guns, and Sting Rays on protestors.

Organizing is not terrorism and activism is not a crime. To get involved with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression’s campaign to Disband the SRG, contact us at facebook.com/csfrny or csfrny@gmail.com. If you witness the SRG targeting and harassing people at events, record video and photos and send them to us. If your organization would like to endorse this campaign, sign on and share this statement.

#NewYork #PoliceBrutality #politicalRepression #NYPD #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC #StrategicResponseGroupSRG

We in the Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC stand in solidarity with the NutriAsia workers, who are currently under attack by the Philippine National Police.

NutriAsia workers are facing unsafe conditions with temperatures reaching more than 40 degrees celsius (100 F) inside the bottling and packing stations, while the products are hotter than 95 degrees celsius (200 F); the safety gear and equipment are substandard and inadequate. Work-related accidents such as second-degree burns and bone fractures can lead victims to be fired, thus workers hide their injuries. 100 workers are regularly-employed but more than 1400 are contractual; the labor union is unrecognized and prohibited.

Organizers encourage people to boycott NutriAsia condiments, which are popular at Filipino dinner tables and households; these include UFC, Silver Swan, Datu Puti, Papa, Golden Fiesta, Jufran, Locally, and Mang Tomas brands, to be found in Asian supermarkets or stores here in New York. Joselito D. Campos Jr. is the owner of NutriAsia, the CEO of Del Monte Pacific, the son of UniLab founder Beatrice Campos, and his sister, Jocelyn, currently chairs UniLab; their family’s net worth is $650 million as of 2017.

NutriAsia employees work 12-16 hrs a day for just $7 (P380 per day); while the company earns $500,000 daily (P37 million) per product line, it pays just 5 minutes out of 12 hrs of work and only P3000 (< $60) as a Christmas bonus.

Workers have faced repression and violence in retaliation for exercising their right to picket against their own exploitation; at least nineteen protesters have been arrested in Marilao, Bulacan one week ago July 30th, with others going missing or unaccounted for, which include workers, youth leaders, journalists, and supporters. About 50 NutriAsia security guards and 20 PNP members violently attacked and injured hundreds in Marilao and Meycauayan.

As an organization that stands against political repression, we understand the importance of those who are oppressed to speak out. Our organization was started after the FBI raided and subpoenaed 23 anti-war and labor activists, and we are still defending current political organizers who are being repressed. Wherever there is push back against capitalism and US imperialism, there is repression of those who speak out, especially considering how much journalists are targeted.

It is no surprise that these actions have taken place under the Duterte government, in cooperation with the Trump administration. Duterte’s regime has been targeting, arresting, and murdering labor and human rights activists in the Philippines. All of this is funded by the US, because it is crucial for the imperialists to oppress workers both here and abroad.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC lends its support to the NutriAsia workers; we will continue to stand with workers and activists in the Philippines until they achieve liberation.

#NewYorkNY #NewYorkCity #AntiwarMovement #Labor #Philippines #Asia #WorkersAndGlobalization #strike #KilusangMayoUno #Nutriasia #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC