Hamtramck, MI – On May 10, hundreds assembled on the corner of Joseph Campau and Caniff Streets following a call put out by the Detroit Resisting Oppression by President Trump Coalition (DROPT Coalition) to push Jake Lang and other racists out of Hamtramck. Lang and his crew had publicly announced what they claimed would be the “largest book burning in American history,” including the burning of a Quran outside of Al-Islah Islamic Center.

On the day of, Lang and his followers began to back out of their book-burning in Hamtramck, posting on social media that he was going to Dearborn, while messaging his followers that he was going to Hamtramck. For over four hours, he repeatedly changed his arrival time, showing his fear of the community and the organizers who sought to chase him out.

Jackson Robak of Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “They are weak because they know they are not supported by the people.”

Afterward, Hamtramck community leader Dr. Mohammad Alam spoke on the pride immigrant families take in Hamtramck. “We came from all over, but this is our home here and abroad. Hamtramck is the beacon and hope for many of us; we cherish Hamtramck. We are law-abiding citizens, yet you come from somewhere and try to slam on our faith, we aren’t going to take it.” Showing the connection between these racist thugs and the Trump administration, Alam added, “Just like when ICE comes taking families, they are deporting, they are removing, they are destructing [destroying]! We do not want to see this!”

Minutes later, Jake Lang attempted to drive past the crowd in a U-Haul, but was hit with water bottles, flag poles, and other objects, forcing him to speed out of the city.

He would soon drive to Dearborn in the hopes of going to the Islamic Center of America, only to be pulled over for being on his phone while driving. While he was pulled over, dozens assembled on Evergreen Road in Dearborn to continue the attempt to chase him out of the communities he intended to intimidate. Even as he was protected by police, the protests got closer and louder to Lang, and saw him get his U-Haul towed and himself arrested for possession of psychedelic mushrooms.

The next day, he attempted to once again burn a Quran outside the ICA in Dearborn, only for the community and activists to once again assemble to stop him. This time, initially, the police used fire extinguishers to stop Lang’s attempted burning, but gave up, leaving the activists to use their own fire extinguishers to put out the fires and take books from his hands.

Lang, as well as three activists, were arrested. Shamefully, Lang was released quickly from the Dearborn Police Station, while protest organizers went to the jail to demand the timely release of the activists arrested. After hours, they were bailed out due to community support.

Jake Lang is a racist grifter who seeks to violently intimidate Arab and Muslim communities around Metro Detroit, Minnesota and New York. However, every time he comes, he gets driven out, arrested, and shown to be weaker than the last time. In Metro Detroit, these facts were once again made obvious by the communities and activists who he attempted to threaten.

#HamtramckMI #MI #PeoplesStruggles #Lang #RightWing #Featured

The rising costs of energy drove the increase in prices, on the backs of higher fuel prices as a result of Trump’s war on Iran. Gasoline prices were up 28.4% over a year ago. Electricity rates were up 6.1% from a year ago.

These higher prices mean that the purchasing power of workers’ incomes, or what economists call real income, fell in April as compared to March, and also fell compared to a year ago. Using another measure of prices paid by workers, the CPI-W, real wages or hourly earnings fell 0.3% in April from March, and fell 0.2% as compared to a year ago.

There were also signs that higher fuel and energy prices are spreading to goods and services that use a lot of energy to produce. With diesel fuel prices up over 60% from a year ago according to the AAA (American Automobile Association), transportation costs are showing up in the higher prices for food, up 0.5% in April as compared to no increase in March. Airline fares have soared, up more than 20% as compared to April 2025, as jet fuel prices have almost doubled.

While economists often refer to the “core” rate of inflation, which takes out food and energy costs as they are more variable month to month, this means that the actual rate of inflation for lower and middle income households is actually greater than the headline (total) inflation, since those consumers spend more of their income on necessities like food, gasoline and electricity.

With Trump polling at all-time lows, with 70% of people disapproving of him on the economy, Congress is proposing to suspend the federal gasoline tax. However, the tax is only 18 cents a gallon, or about 4% of the current national average price. But with gasoline up more than 40% since the war started, this would at most offset 10% of the increase. Further, the gasoline tax is an excise tax that the seller pays, so there is no way to ensure that the gasoline sellers pass on the tax cut to drivers.

With no end in sight to the war that is blocking the flow of oil, gas, fertilizer, sulfur (used in industry) and helium (used in a lot of tech industries), higher prices are likely to spread to more and more goods and services.

#SanJoseCA #CA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Inflation #Featured

Orlando, FL – An hour before the Orlando City Commission meeting, community organizers rallied outside City Hall to put police accountability back on the agenda. Activists and community members toughed it out in the heat. They crowded around a banner that read, “Say their names” and held “Bring back the Civilian Review Board” signs.

The action was called for by Orlando Against Police Crimes (OAPC), a local grassroots group that fights for justice for the victims of police violence. OAPC is advocating for the return of a civilian review board (CRB) as a step towards justice, accountability and community control over the police.

OAPC organizer Richard Thomas addressed the crowd, “in 2024, the Civilian Police Review Board was dismantled and in the years following there has been an immediate surge in police brutality and community victims.” Thomas went on to describe how that hasty decision was made unnecessarily after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis passed HB 601, a law designed to intimidate local governments into abandoning civilian oversight of the police.

Longtime community activist Lawanna Gelzer spoke passionately about the right of the community to have real oversight and accountability. Speaking about the long struggle against police crimes in Orlando, she said, “The city council is now debating ICE’s role in the community, but for years they have been acting like ICE in our community!”

Organizer Cassia Laham directed her comments at Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Right now, when the police kill a community member, the media repeats their false narrative, the FDLE [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] whitewashes the investigation, and everything is swept under the rug. The CRB can give families a voice. You have the power to bring it back.” Laham also referred to an ACLU study about the decision to abandon civilian review boards across Florida. It concluded that HB 601 cannot in fact prevent cities from establishing review boards. There are currently two ways that a new CRB could be created in Orlando: through a ballot referendum or mayoral decree.

As the action drew to a close, emcee Edmund Anglero led the crowd in chants of “Justice for Kaleb Williams,” a 20-year-old local tattoo artist who was killed in November by OPD in a botched SWAT raid. Standing alongside Williams’ family, it was a powerful reminder to all in attendance of exactly why the fight for justice must go on.

Afterward, the group attended the city commission meeting and participated in public comment. OAPC organizers vowed to continue their campaign to bring back the CRB. This may have been the first time that some commissioners heard about the fight for police accountability, but it will not be the last.

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #OAPC #Featured

The employment report, based on a survey of businesses, was strong relative to the weak hiring in 2025, with 115,000 new jobs created. There were still pockets of weakness, with government jobs declining by 8000, making April the seventh month in a row of job losses by government workers. Manufacturing also lost jobs, down by 2000 jobs.

However, the survey of households showed more weakness, with the labor force participation rate declining by 0.1%. Without this decline, the unemployment rate would have gone up. The unemployment rate was also held down by a big jump in self-employed workers, many of whom, like rideshare drivers, are really a new type of temp workers. Last, but not least, the broadest measure of unemployment, which includes people who gave up looking for work and people working part-time who can’t find full-time jobs, rose to the highest this year, at 8.2%.

Workers’ compensation, including wages, benefits and taxes paid by the employer, rose 3.1% in the first three months of the year (January to March) according to another BLS report issued Thursday, May 7. But prices rose even faster, meaning that real compensation, or the purchasing power of workers’ wages and benefits, actually fell by one half of one percent, or 0.5%, during these same three months.

This meant that the share of total output in the economy that goes to workers was only 54.1% in the first quarter, the lowest since these records began almost 80 years ago, in 1947. With more of the share of the economy going to corporate profits, rent, interest and small business income, it is no wonder that more and more people feel that the rich are getting richer, and the poor poorer.

The growing divide between haves and have-nots can also be seen in the contrast between the latest Consumer Sentiment report by the University of Michigan and the booming stock market. The Consumer Sentiment report, which covers the period of April 21 to May 4, fell to an all-time low of 48.2. This drop reflected consumers’ expectation of inflation to rise. Expectations are that inflation will jump over the next year from 3.3% over the last 12 months to 4.5% over the next 12 months. This will further reduce the purchasing power of workers’ wages.

In contrast, the stock market, as measured by the broad S&P 500 Index, is at an all-time high. The stock market is being driven by corporate profits and the fast-growing wealth of those at the top. In particular, semiconductor chip stocks have risen to about 15% of total stock market value, even higher than during the 2000 dot-com stock market bubble.

How have sales and business profits held up with so many working-class households struggling amid soaring gasoline prices? On one hand, more and more consumer spending is based on high-income households as the economic divide in terms of income and wealth continues to grow. On the other hand, lower and middle income households, mainly the working class, are borrowing more to make ends meet. The Federal Reserve report on consumer credit, released yesterday, May 7, shows that credit card borrowing increased at the fastest rate since the last bout of inflation, in 2022.

#SanJoseCA #CA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Jobs #Unemployment #Featured

Bozeman, MT – On May 1, around 50 students walked out of Gallatin High School during third period, joining a growing wave of protests against ICE and its impact on immigrant communities. The walkout was organized by senior Charlotte Haslam as part of her senior project and as an effort to mobilize students in what she described as a politically divided school environment.

As the bell rang, students streamed out of the building and assembled near the front entrance before marching toward a nearby park. While the demonstration remained peaceful, it drew visible opposition. A group of students briefly followed the group while mocking them with unrelated signs, while passing vehicles, one displaying a Trump flag, recorded the protesters.

For many participants, the issue of immigrant rights is very close to home. Some cited family ties to immigrants, while others pointed to broader political concerns and the growing fear in the national climate.

Haslam emphasized, “That’s what the government is trying to do to us at this point, scare us into silence and fearmonger people into compliance.”

Haslam continued, “I would tell students, you know, don’t be afraid. Don’t quiet yourself. Don’t make yourself smaller. Just do whatever feels right to you.”

“It’s just so devastating to see children being taken from their parents and seeing people get killed by the government,” Haslam said. “I have Hispanic friends whose parents are immigrants, and it’s so sad to watch them stay in their houses because they’re scared to go outside just to go shopping. It’s a horrible, horrible thing that we’re witnessing.”

At the park, Haslam addressed the crowd, calling for public resources to be directed toward healthcare, education, and working-class communities rather than immigration enforcement. She encouraged those in attendance to remain politically active beyond the demonstration.

School officials stated that students are permitted to exercise their First Amendment rights, though those who left class without an excuse would receive an unexcused absence in accordance with school policy. For the attendees, however, the consequences were secondary to the demonstration itself. The walkout, they said, was about proving that even in a conservative environment, students are willing to speak out.

Haslam encouraged students to continue organizing, and to continue fighting back against fear and silence. “If you have a passion for something and really believe in it, and really want to make a change, don’t let anything stop you,” she said.

#BozemanMT #MT #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #Featured #Highschool #Walkout

On International Workers’ Day, we uplift the past and present global struggles for a better world. We commit to carrying the torches of liberation forward, because there’s much to fight against, and much to fight for. Monopoly capitalism is built on exploitation, and it hands down needless suffering, environmental ruin and endless wars. The decay is obvious. Prices soar, families are bankrupted by medical costs, millions are saddled with crushing debt and working people who were already on the brink are being pushed into ruin. The system delivers obscene profits to the ones on top who are relentless in pursing profits. We should be even more relentless in building the united forces of workers and oppressed people that can take them down.

May Day is a reminder that the people organized can land blows against this system. It cuts right through the lie that nothing will change, or we can’t do any better.

The history of May Day itself is rooted in a great upsurge in the class struggle. It began in Chicago in 1886, where workers in the factories bore brutal working conditions and extreme hours. They said enough is enough and flooded the streets, clashing with the hired guns of the robber barons. The state then executed four of the strike leaders. The martyred working-class heroes became a rallying point for people power, and May 1 became the day for working people to advance our demands.

Under the banner of struggle, huge May Day demonstrations take place around the world every year. This year is the 20-year anniversary of the mega-marches – the immigrant rights struggle against the racist Sensenbrenner bill that brought May Day back to the forefront as a day of mass protest in the U.S.

Across the country, the great upsurge against ICE thuggery and the fight against mass deportation created a force that has pulled forward all the people’s struggles. These are the first major battles fought against the Trump agenda, bringing out a broad grouping of people and forging new fighters. From Los Angeles to Chicago, people rebelled with massive demonstrations and a show of force to push back Trump’s attacks.

ICE agents, emboldened and violent, have murdered members of the community, immigrants as well as the people standing up for them, in cold blood. In Minneapolis, a three weeks after the murder of Renee Good, Alex Pretti was killed, just blocks from where George Floyd was executed, in a community where a history of broad resistance to state violence reverberates. These crimes activated people in the tens of thousands to take to the streets. Trump and his ICE goons tried to swallow Minneapolis whole, but they ended up choking.

These battles became a “whose side are you on” moment. Whole sections of people were activated for the first time. In each upsurge, the outpouring of people who want to fight back shows that we’re living in different times than past decades. More and more people see that this system, monopoly capitalism, has no future. It’s a system sitting on a rotten and cracked foundation failing to meet the needs of the many while enriching the few.

In the era of imperialism, we stand in solidarity with workers and oppressed people everywhere. The U.S.-Israel war on Iran is indefensible. They want to destroy the camp of resistance that has been at the forefront of the fight for Palestine. We’re glad if Iran succeeds, not only because the war is wrong, but because we share a common enemy: the monopoly capitalists at the helm of the war machine.

U.S. imperialism is on the decline, and the rate at which things are coming apart in this country is picking up speed. The growth of the revolutionary movement is on the rise as well. We want to take every opportunity to bring more people into the fight.

Our movements are going to come out of this era stronger than they went in. People are changed forever by participating in these battles: their outlook, their views on what’s possible and their understanding of what it’s going to take to bring this system down. We’re not looking to keep things steady. We want to fan the flames.

On International Workers Day:

Fight for Workers & Immigrants’ Rights!

ICE Out! Stop the Deportations!

Down with Trump & the Billionaires!

No to War on Iran, Lebanon & Palestine!

#Statement #FRSO #Labor #ImmigrantRights #PeoplesStruggles #Featured

Havana, Cuba – Monday, April 27 marked the first day of the annual May Day Brigade in Cuba. Around 300 international delegates, with more expected in the coming days, officially began their visit to a conference of leading Cuban scientists.

The opening of the conference proudly celebrated Cuba's scientific achievements along with their struggles. For example, Cuba's healthcare system was able to immediately organize during the COVID-19 pandemic to create five vaccine candidates, three of which were successful at combating the virus but were inaccessible for use in the U.S. or Europe due to the U.S. blockade. While successful in medical developments, Cuba cannot access materials for vaccines, despite the ability to afford them, due to the U.S. blockade.

Speakers, including Fernando González, the president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples, thanked the international delegates for coming and stressed the importance of international solidarity during a heightened time of threats, especially those coming from the Trump administration.

González announced the official commencement of the 2026 May Day Brigade, telling them in Spanish, “The solidarity movement has been present and is still present; your presence brings forth that this solidarity is still alive.” González said that when threats of aggression increase, Cubans turn to the words of Fidel Castro for motivation and are safer with the presence of the solidarity brigadistas.

The overall sentiment shared by all is that Cuba is a country defending its sovereignty and its right to survive. “The Cuban people want to defend their sovereignty, the Cuban people do not want war, they want peace.” González said, “While the Cuban people know how to struggle for peace, they also know how to defend themselves.” He finished his speech with “La patría o muerte, veneceremos!” which was received with a standing ovation.

#International #Cuba #Blockade #Featured

Santa Ana, CA – On Tuesday, April 21, residents of Coach Royal mobile home park demanded Kingsley Management Corporation get out of their park. Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) joined them to demand the city council intervene against years of harassment, unjust evictions, home theft, and intimidation by the corporation. The abuse resulted in the suicide of resident Maria Pedraza, whose home was in the process of being taken after years of sacrificing to purchase it.

Karla Alvarado, one of the residents whose home was stolen, stated: “The city of Santa Ana has already met with 45 residents who can testify to this. 45 residents and counting. We have spoken to people across multiple parks. The stories are consistent, the tactics are consistent, and the outcomes as well. That is the definition of a systemic issue.”

Lupe Barragan, a resident and organizer, looked at and pointed directly at each council member as she spoke. “You need to respond! Phil Bacerra, you tried to intimidate us when we came to your office. You, Jonathan Hernandez, we need you to respond to us too. You came to support us and we need more of that. City manager, we need your help. Valerie Amezcua, I know my presence doesn’t please you, but you told us you were going to get out the big guns. We are waiting for you!” As she walked away, Mayor Amezcua laughed at her. Barragan turned around, pointed at Amezcua and scolded her for being disrespectful.

Sylvia Ayala, another resident, told the council, “I’ve lived here for 40 years and I’ve never gotten any help from you. Because you don’t care about the people; you only look out for yourselves. You work, but we have to work more than you. The humiliation that people with money have done to us is not fair.”

While the residents spoke, CSO OC and residents unfurled a banner reading “Kingsley fuera!” The camera began frequently changing angles to avoid showing the banner on screen. At one point, four Santa Ana Police Officers approached the organizers and told them they must move to the back if they are going to hold a banner, despite nobody complaining about an obstructed view.

When Rain Mendoza of CSO OC went up to make public comment, she first held up the banner and told the council to look at it and show it on camera.

Mendoza responded to the council’s frequent response that they cannot do anything because the park is private property, stating, “You sued El Centro Cultural de Mexico, a pillar in this community, so you can use your cops to toss homeless people’s belongings in the trash and push them out of a place where they were allowed to stay by the private property owners. So, you can do all that and use the courts, the police, and all your resources to terrorize a very vulnerable community, but you can’t lift a finger when there is a company that operates in Santa Ana that acts like thugs? Shame on you!”

Diana Terreros of CSO OC reminded the council that the residents of Coach Royal are mainly working-class immigrants whose homes are their refuge during the Trump administration. Terreros stated, “Kingsley’s actions go against the spirit of the entire sanctuary city ordinance. They are exploiting the fear of the immigrant population in Santa Ana. They are hoping the fear will be enough to force the residents to keep their heads down and their mouths shut. They are exploiting this community and their fear to increase their profits by stealing their homes. This is a multi-million dollar corporation from Utah. Why are we allowing them to exploit Santa Ana like this?”

Another member of CSO OC summarized the hundreds of thousands of dollars that groups representing mobile home park owners have donated against the campaign for the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance that was passed in October of 2021. They have also donated to council member’s campaigns. He asked council members, “Is this what’s influencing your frequent responses that there is nothing you can do to enforce what you know is unjust and illegal acts by Kingsley against the Coach Royal residents?”

#SantaAnaCA #CA #CSO #OC #OrangeCounty #PeoplesStruggles #CoachRoyal #Eviction #Featured

Toledo has been wrongly charged with misdemeanor assault, battery and false imprisonment. Another charge, “conspiracy” to commit a crime, is still being weighed by the district attorney. It’s clear that administrators see this as an opportunity to try to take down an effective organizer who has been a thorn in their side for the last three years and as revenge for the 2024 Siemens Hall occupation since they failed to successfully charge the students who were involved at the time.

After entering the courtroom, Toledo pleaded not guilty. A trial date has been set for July 13.

About 25 supporters of Toledo gathered with protest signs for a rally outside the courthouse around 12:30 p.m. in preparation for the 1:30 hearing. Supporters marched in beside Toledo with their protest signs and joined him in the waiting room. Before the hearing began, court officials announced new restrictions, including a ban on protest signs and cell phone use. Supporters say court staff also attempted to limit how many people could enter the courtroom. When that proved difficult, Toledo’s case was called first.

Toledo was represented by attorney Matthew Kellegrew of the Civil Liberties Defense Center. When he approached the judge he quickly entered a plea of not guilty. Three bailiffs were stationed inside the small courtroom during the proceedings, an unusual show of force. Supporters also reported that a university administrator was present to observe who attended the hearing and left after the case was called.

“Cal Poly Humboldt has been trying to silence student organizers for years,” said Toledo. “These charges are an attempt to criminalize protest and scare people into backing down. It won’t work.”

Supporters say the court’s response shows the impact of organized pressure and the power of the people.

“The fact that they suddenly changed the rules and packed the courtroom with bailiffs shows they’re nervous,” said supporter Kyle Berryman at the courthouse. “They see that people are paying attention, and they know we’re not going away.”

Another attendee, Pat Kanzler stated, “Students stood up for Palestine and now they’re being targeted. This is what happens when you challenge institutions that support war and oppression.”

Toledo, who has organized at Cal Poly Humboldt with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) for three years, says the fight is bigger than one case.

“This is about defending the right to protest,” Toledo said. “It’s about standing against repression and standing with Palestine. We’re going to keep organizing until these charges are dropped.”

During the hearing, hundreds of people from all over the country called the court in support of Toledo demanding that the charges be dropped immediately. Supporters say they will continue mobilizing ahead of the July 13 trial and are calling on people across the country to continue to speak out against these repressive politically motivated charges and fight back until the charges are dropped!

#EurekaCA #CA #Humboldt #StudentMovement #RickToledo #InjusticeSystem #SDS #CalPolyHumboldt #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Featured

St. Paul, MN – At 7 a.m., April 20, over 300 nursing home workers from five nursing homes walked off the job and began a three-day strike. The striking workers are represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa and have been in negotiations for their next union contracts.

The strike includes workers from Cerenity Care at Humboldt, which is owned by the Benedictine Living chain, as well as workers from Estates of Saint Louis Park, Estates of Fridley, Estates of Roseville and Estates of Excelsior, all of which are owned by Monarch Healthcare Management.

The workers are striking for higher wages, safe staffing, better benefits and because that management has not bargained in good faith throughout contract negotiations, for which the union has filed unfair labor practice charges.

Rhonda Little is a striking worker and lead cook who has worked at Cerenity Care at Humboldt for ten years. Speaking on the picket line, Little said, “We want more money. We want safe staffing and we want to keep our PTO. We are bargaining for a new contract and it is not going very well because our management doesn’t want to move, they don’t want to do anything, they want to just stay at 1.5% [pay increases] and we’re worth way more than that.”

Little has been on strike three times in her ten years at Cerenity but says that this time, “The entire management team are different, even corporate are different. So it’s a whole different way of fighting now and their answers to everything is just ‘no’ instead of trying to compromise to a deal. Our strike, I think a lot of it is about respect. Care for your employees as much as we care for the residents. We have been called heroes, during COVID right, we are called heroes because we care for people, we are taking care of human beings, but we are paid like we are dog walkers, so yes it its about money but the bottom line is respect.”

This strike is a three-day strike set to end on Wednesday April 22, however when asked what they will do if management doesn’t come back to the table and bargain in good faith Little said, “Push for another strike and push them for more!”

#StPaulMN #MN #Labor #Healthcare #Nursinghome #Strike #SEIUHCMNIA #SEIU #Featured

Fight Back News Service and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression are circulating the following call to action from Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network.

On May 27, 2025, three organizers, including two Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network members, were unjustly arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) after being targeted during a city council meeting. Conor Cauley was violently attacked by JSO officers, and is facing up to 10 years in prison for felony charges of resisting arrest with violence and battery of a law enforcement officer. Activists Leah Grady and Dragon Belloit were also arrested.

Videos of the arrest clearly show that the only violence came from JSO officers. These are trumped-up, bogus charges. Sheriff T.K. Waters publicly stated he wants to make an example out of these activists in order to silence people who use their right to protest Jacksonville’s involvement in the genocide of Palestinians.

With one week to go before Conor’s trial, we need to be louder than ever to demand that these charges get dropped. Every single call helps!

Please call and email the office of State Attorney Melissa Nelson and Prosecutor Kelli Lynn Shobe at (904) 255-2500 – press 0 to reach the front desk and ask to leave a message for Nelson or Shobe.

You can email them at SAO4th@coj.net and kshobe@coj.net

Here is a sample script for calls or emails:

Hello, my name is [FIRST NAME, LAST NAME], and I am a resident of [CITY, STATE]. On May 27, 2025, three community members, Conor Cauley, Leah Grady, and Dragon Belloit, were arrested and brutalized during a city council meeting simply for speaking up against the genocide of Gaza. Thousands witnessed the viral video in which one member of the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, Conor, was violently grabbed by the neck and flipped over a row of benches. Yet, the State Attorney’s Office has persisted in launching a campaign of clear political repression by targeting Conor with two felony charges. No jury of our peers would convict someone who JSO threw over a row of chairs and the State Attorney’s Ofice is wasting taxpayer time and money by refusing to drop these charges. I am calling to demand that sheriff T.K. Waters fire both the arresting officers, Maykel Aliaga-Ruiz and Donovan Davis, and that State Attorney Melissa Nelson drop all charges against Conor Cauley, Leah Grady, and Dragon Belloit immediately.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #CSFR #Featured

New Orleans, LA – On April 17, 30 community members gathered outside of the New Orleans immigration court to protest the detention of two immigrants after their hearing on the morning of April 16. The emergency rally demanded an end to ICE presence in the immigration courts and respect for immigrants’ due process rights.

The detainees, a mother and father, were present for a routine hearing. They were detained in front of their children in a traumatic display of aggression by ICE agents.

“People heard screaming and crying. When they went to investigate, they saw the mother and father being taken away and their children were left behind,” said Rachel Taber, an organizer with Union Migrante, who called the emergency rally.

Protesters held signs that read, “Say no to deportations” and chanted “ICE out of NOLA now!” as tourists walked by, pumping fists and waving in support.

The immigration court is located in the same mall as Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton, a cruel reminder that the exact same place can mean wealth and privilege for the few and incarceration and deportation for the many.

“We’ve had people here observing the immigration hearings, every day without fail, since ICE agents started coming to the court last spring. This is the first arrest at the 365 Canal Place court we’ve seen in a long time. If you don’t come to court, there's an automatic order for deportation, so it's like you're damned if you do, damned if you don't,” said Taber.

Ordinary people continue to engage in court watch and ICE watch activities in New Orleans. One attendee at the protest noticed two suspicious men taking pictures of the crowd and promptly confronted them.

“I followed them as they walked to their vehicle and asked what they were doing. They told me to mind my own business and fuck off. So, I took a picture of them and their license plate, so we can share with other ICE observers in the city,” he said, immediately notifying the crowd to be on the lookout for plainclothes agents.

Speakers emphasized the need for our movements to continue to demand full democratic rights for immigrants in the United States. “As we keep rallying and keep fighting, we need to demand justice and legalization for all,” emphasized Deborah Alvarenga, an organizer with Union Migrante.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #Featured

Justin, TX – In a bold show of unity, workers at the Volvo Parts Distribution Center in Justin marched on management, April 13, to demand union recognition, escalating their fight for respect, safety and a real voice on the job.

Warehouse workers walked into the boss’s office together, delivering their message directly, stating, “We are organized, we are militant, and we expect their union to be recognized.” The action marks a turning point in an organizing drive that has seen workers put aside their differences in the interest of collective power.

The warehouse, operated by Volvo Group, is a critical link in the company’s supply chain. Workers there handle the constant flow of parts that keep trucks and heavy equipment moving across the country. But those doing the work say they’ve been pushed to the limit – dealing with exhausting schedules, rising production demands and ongoing safety concerns.

Workers describe a job where speed is everything and injuries are an ever-present risk. Short staffing has made conditions worse, forcing longer hours and heavier workloads. Many say management has ignored their concerns for years, leaving them little choice but to organize.

The action also builds on momentum beyond Texas. Just months ago, Volvo workers at a parts distribution facility in Joliet, Illinois voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 179, showing that workers across the company’s network are beginning to move in the same direction. That victory helped demonstrate what’s possible and gave workers in Justin added confidence to step forward.

By marching on the boss as a group, workers made clear that this effort isn’t coming from a handful of individuals, it’s a collective demand backed by growing support across the warehouse.

Marching on the boss is a tactic with a long history in the labor movement – workers acting together, presenting their demands directly, and demonstrating their unity in a way management can’t ignore. It’s often a key step in winning recognition and building the confidence needed for the contract fight.

The demand is straightforward: union recognition and the right to negotiate a decent contract. Workers want better pay, safer conditions, reasonable workloads and an end to the disrespect they say has defined the job.

For the Volvo workers who acted, this is just the beginning. Management now faces a choice. They can recognize the union and respect the workers’ decision or face the power of their workers’ solidarity.

Either way, the message from the shop floor is clear. Workers are organized, they are militant and they’re ready to fight for what they deserve.

#JustinTX #TX #DallasTX #Labor #Teamsters #Volvo #Featured

Whiting, IN – On Saturday April 11, members of Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Jobs with Justice Chicago (JwJ Chicago) traveled to Whiting, Indiana to stand in solidarity with the over 800 United Steelworkers (USW) Local 7-1 members who have been facing an illegal lockout by British Petroleum (BP) since March 19.

USW members warmly welcomed the supporters and were anxious to share their story about a fight with one of the most powerful corporations in the world. Despite the vast wealth of the bosses at BP, the locked-out USW members are confident that worker solidarity will prevail in the end.

BP and USW Local 7-1 have been bargaining over a new contract since January 2026. On March 2, BP came to the table with an offer that USW says showed they were not negotiating in good faith with the union. BP’s offer would expand managerial rights significantly, reduce hourly wages, replace seniority-based promotions with promotions only granted after training given by management, and eliminate other bargaining unit rights. The contract proposal from BP would also eliminate around 100 jobs.

BP’s offer was rejected by the USW members through a 98% no vote on March 12. On March 13, BP came back to the table with a revised offer that the USW members say was worse than the March 2 offer. This new offer was also rejected by the union’s negotiating committee on March 17.

On March 19, the BP responded by illegally locking out the USW members. Since the lockout began, BP management has since been making statements to the public about the negotiations and lockout that USW members say have been misleading, and has refused to return to the table and negotiate in good faith.

USW District 7 Director Mike Milsap said, “In its drive to lower staffing levels and implement wage cuts, BP is choosing confrontation and gambling the community safety on inexperienced replacement workers. The lockout is a direct attack on workers’ rights and an attempt to weaken the bargaining power of the very people who can make this facility successful. We are standing united and will not back down from securing a fair agreement.”

BP has brought in hundreds of out-of-state scabs who lack the training and experience of the USW members who regularly run the refinery, posing a risk to public safety for the community of Whiting.

What stood out as the largest concern in BP’s unreasonable offer was the expansion of managerial rights. This would increase BP’s ability to undermine the contract if it was ratified and would defeat the purpose of that contract entirely. USW members say that if they signed that contract they would become a union only on paper with no real rights inside the massive BP oil refinery.

USW Local 7-1 members are preparing for a long fight ahead. In 2021-2022, USW Local 13-243 in Beaumont, Texas faced a ten-month lockout and a campaign by ExxonMobil management to try to push employees to decertify the union. Management from the Exxon refinery in Beaumont have been brought into the BP Whiting refinery during the current clash.

Despite BP’s history of attacks on unions, USW International President Roxanne Brown was defiant and said, “Generations of union members have kept this refinery running safely and efficiently, and they deserve a contract that reflects their value – not intimidation tactics designed to force concessions.”

USW is accepting donations at United Steelworkers Local 7-1, Inc., Strike and Defense Fund, 2045 Schrage Ave, Whiting, IN 46394

#WhitingIN #IN #Labor #Lockout #USW #USW71 #Featured

Los Angeles, CA – In the early morning hours of April 1, East Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed 29-year-old Erik Torres while he was going through a mental health crisis. Although Torres was unarmed and needed help, deputies murdered him.

Local media outlets incorrectly reported that an exchange of gunfire occurred between Torres and deputies, resulting in an hours-long standoff. However, this initial report that Torres was armed, and that an exchange of gunfire occurred with deputies has been proven false.

The case is now being investigated by the California Department of Justice and Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant under California Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), which requires the department to investigate, “all incidents of an officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state,” per the Office of the Attorney General website.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department deputies have even had to admit this: Eric Torres did not have a gun when he was shot and killed, and there was no “exchange of gunfire.” The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department murdered Erick Torres in cold blood.

In the aftermath of the fatal shooting, members of Centro CSO made contact with the family, who immediately dismissed the narrative being pushed by the media and the department. Torres’ brother made it known that deputies from the Sheriff's Department had routinely responded to calls at the Torres residence, and were aware of his brother’s mental health struggles. The night of the incident, the family made it known to deputies that Torres was unarmed, but deputies disregarded this information and killed him anyway.

Chicanos on the Eastside know all too well that the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station – home of the Banditos gang – is infamous for officers’ aggressive, violent behavior and long history of killing young Chicano men. Deputies out of the East LA Station have killed those experiencing mental health crises in the past, instead of getting them the help they deserve.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #EastLA #InjusticeSystem #LASD #OppressedNationalities #Featured

The Anti War Action Network (AWAN) called for a national day of action on Tax Day, April 15, to protest Trump’s costly war on Iran. President Trump has asked Congress to authorize an additional $200 billion for his war on Iran while at the same time cutting funding to scientific research, environmental protection, and various social programs including housing assistance, Medicaid and SNAP.

From the AWAN post on their Instagram @antiwaractionnetwork, “Organize an action in your community for Tax Day – April 15th – to show that we want our tax dollars spent on human needs like education and healthcare instead of bombing schools and destroying hospitals in Iran!”

Rae Minji, an organizer with Seattle Against War (SAW), said, “Mainstream media constantly lies to Americans the extent to which their tax dollars have been used for purposes that have nothing to do with national security and everything to do with the interests of the billionaires. We have a right to have a say in how our taxes are invested, and in order to make that a reality, we need to expose the actors responsible for the constant flow of our taxes dollars to bombs and genocide.”

Minji continued, “In SAW, we are flyering commuters in Washington Congressional District 9, which is the seat of Representative Adam Smith, one of the politicians who has been saying a lot about stopping Trump’s war on Iran, but hasn’t done anything meaningful. And no wonder: he personally benefits from war. His campaign funding almost entirely comes from AIPAC, Palantir, and other war-profiteering companies, and he operates the U.S. Military and Defense PAC. The hypocrisy is laughable.”

Cities participating include New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Tucson, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Washington D.C., Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Tulsa, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Grand Rapids.

#AWAN #AntiWarMovement #TaxDay #Iran #NationalDayofAction #Featured

Portland, OR – On April 4, angry protesters marched to Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s house, demanding he revoke the conditional land use permit for the ICE detention facility. The protest, organized by Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), began at Wilshire Park and drew a crowd of over 50 in front of the mayor’s home.

The city of Portland issued a land use violation of the permit to the facility on Macadam Avenue in September 2025, after public pressure as the city faced threats of the deployment of the National Guard. Since then, Wilson has allowed landowner Stuart Lindquist to stall the process and appeal the violation to delay any consequences.

In March, the ICE facility landowner, Lindquist, rescinded his appeal to the city’s upholding of the land use violation, meaning Portland officials can begin enforcing the fine at any time. Protesters condemn the lack of enforcement by their city leaders.

During this time, Portland has faced increased immigration enforcement with violent detentions peaking in the fall of 2025. In January 2026, two immigrants were shot by ICE in Portland, and many others faced unlawful and brutal kidnappings.

Andrew Nourie with Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “For the last year, Portland has been under attack by the federal government. The people have demanded action from our mayor and the city government, and in response we’ve received silence and a clear commitment to business as usual.”

PDXCD has sent over 1000 emails to the mayor requesting he take action and heard nothing from him for months. After protesters marched to his home in early February, his team reached out to the organization to coordinate a meeting.

Isabella Shepherd, one of the founding members of the campaign to Revoke the ICE Permit, said at the rally: “He insisted on bringing 15 other people [to the meeting] from other groups to argue with the four of us he allowed us to bring, so he wouldn’t have to say any of his own vile opinions out loud himself.”

Members of the campaign say the meeting made it clear the mayor is committed to keeping the ICE facility open, which is why they’ve returned to protest at his house.

The crowd chanted, “Keith Wilson, do your job!” as they occupied the street in front of his home for over an hour. Cars driving by honked their support, and a small crowd of supportive neighbors and passersby formed on a nearby street.

Activists dumped spent munitions ICE used on protesters during this last year on the front porch of the mayor’s house, yelling “No justice, no peace!” saying there will not be peace at home for Wilson while immigrants are terrorized by ICE in their homes.

Sage Joyce with PDXCD said the group brought the canisters because “Keith Wilson should not have freedom from chemical munitions he allows to be used against Portlanders who dare to stand up to ICE!”

Organizers said they are determined to keep up pressure on the city of Portland to move forward in the land use violation process for the ICE facility.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #PDXCD #KeithWilson #Featured

Englewood, CO – On April 1, teachers and faculty across five schools of the Sheridan School District went on strike demanding union recognition and the reinstatement of their contract. Over 100 teachers, faculty and community members walked the picket lines demanding that the school district come back to the table for negotiations.

Tensions rose earlier this year when the school district passed a policy that stated they would not recognize staff without licenses in the union. That means school custodians, paraprofessionals on staff, bus drivers – workers who all keep the district’s schools running and operational – were not able to join. When contract negotiations fell apart, 98% of members voted to strike. While the Sheridan School District initially claimed that schools would stay open while the strike was ongoing, the school district was forced to cancel classes through the end of the week due to low staffing.

Kate Biester, president of the Sheridan Educators Association, reflecting on the start of the strike, said, “When we lost our contract for the teachers, it also lost what the district was giving in good faith to the rest of their workers – and we decided that wasn't good enough anymore. And we need to fully enfranchise all of the workers in our school district and give them all bargaining rights.”

According to the union, students and the local community have been very important every step of the way. Earlier this year, high school students in Sheridan School District walked out in support of the teachers, and elementary school students helped chant alongside their teachers.

“There's always been kind of like an undercurrent of community members, parents, students, really trying to make significant change in this community,” Biester said, ”And I feel like right now it's just all coming to a head, all the work we've done in different spaces over the last few years is showing up all at once.”

On day two of the strike, organizers hosted a car rally, driving by the district’s administration building with a truck from members of Teamsters Local 455 leading the way in solidarity.

Members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) showed up in solidarity as well, decorating cars for the car rally. Circe Conway, an FRSO general member and former Starbucks Workers United organizer pointed out, “The more people that join the union, the more people that are eligible for and benefit from the union, the more powerful it’s going to get, and that builds a lot of worker power.”

After the car rally, workers went back to their strike shifts one more time before closing the day out in high spirits.

#EngelwoodCO #CO #Labor #Sheridan #Educators #Strike #Featured

New York, NY – On March 26, around 100 people gathered at 8 a.m. across the street from the Southern District of New York courthouse in solidarity with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

Government officials and the defense appeared before a judge to determine whether or not the two could use their own lawyers. The defense argued that the kidnapped couple have a right to due process, and that the entire trial is unconstitutional, violating the 6th Amendment.

The action was organized by a coalition of anti-war organizations in New York City that have been organizing around the Maduro and Flores case since January 3.

Michela Martinazzi of Brooklyn Against War led the protest. Martinazzi told the crowd, “We do not want our tax dollars to go to war, plunder and genocide. We do not want our tax dollars to go to illegal kidnappings of foreign government officials. The Venezuelan people have a right to decide their own future and destinies. It is not up to the United States. We demand that all charges are dropped and that President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores are returned safely to Venezuela.”

The crowd in the plaza chanted, “From Venezuela to Iran, no more sanctions, no more bombs!” and “Free the prisoners, free them all! Free Maduro from these walls!”

The opposition and anti-Maduro forces showed up as well. They brought with them an effigy of Maduro and hung it from a tree – a disgusting show of cruelty and racism. Many of the opposition resorted to name-calling and slurs as they attacked the pro-Maduro forces. There were a few instances where the opposition tried to enter the protest and disrupt, but the pro-Maduro forces were organized and prepared. They easily pushed out the counter-protesters.

Tom Burke, the organizational secretary of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said, “Trump’s trial of President Maduro is a political trial meant to portray the upstanding and righteous leader of Venezuela as something else. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being punished for standing up to the U.S. empire interfering in their country. The whole world sees Trump and Wall Street attempting to dominate Venezuela’s oil, minerals and economy.”

The protest ended with a march out of the area to end on a high note. While the hearing didn’t determine whether or not Maduro and Flores can use their own funds for their defense, the protesters were resolute in their determination to keep fighting to get the charges dropped.

New York City protesters will be at the Metropolitan Detention Center on April 3 for the three-month anniversary of the kidnapping of President Maduro and First Lady Flores.

#NewYorkNY #NY #International #AntiWarMovement #Vemezuela #Maduro #AWAN #FRSO #BAW #Featured

Seattle, WA — On March 26, eight members of Seattle Against War (SAW), along with allies in the anti-war movement, staged a sit-in at the office of Representative Adam Smith (WA-09). At time of writing, the sit-in is ongoing.

Representative Smith, who claims to oppose Trump’s attacks on Iran, has a track record of voting in favor of every war initiated since entering office in 1997.

“In keeping with this pattern,” wrote Seattle Against War in a press release issued simultaneously with the start of the action, “[Smith] has yet to back up his empty words of opposition with so much as a single piece of action.”

As the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Smith is a critical player in the approval of military spending, meaning there are real levers of power he holds but does not pull. With the sit-in, SAW emphatically demands that Smith no longer avoid his responsibilities, but put actions behind his empty words and do everything in his power to halt the flow of money to Trump’s war on Iran.

To date, Smith has avoided SAW and refused to address the issues that the group has been bringing to his doorstep.

The United States and Israel’s attack on Iran, which has already cost $31 billion, eats up nearly $12,000 per second.

“The people of the 9th District will not stand idly by while their tax dollars are spent on the slaughtering of others, nor will they let a warmonger like Adam Smith work undisturbed to facilitate it,” said SAW in their press release.

Smith was in Washington D.C. at the time of the sit-in, but SAW members refused to let him off the hook so easily, demanding that his staffers get him on the phone so the group could present him with the following demands:

“Block all spending for Trump’s war on Iran, effective immediately.

“Exercise any and all power held, whether as the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee or as the Representative of Washington’s 9th Congressional District, to end the war on Iran.

“Exercise any and all power held to end the flow of arms to Israel and support an arms embargo.

“Immediately call a hearing for an investigation into U.S. and Israeli war crimes and demand accountability for all responsible.”

Rae Lee, chair of Seattle Against War said, “It is time for Adam Smith to stop talking about opposing Trump and start actually doing it,” adding, “To date, he has not shown himself capable. We demand action and an end to Representative Smith’s continued political and financial support of the illegal war on Iran as well as Israel’s ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people!”

#SeattleWA #WA #Iran #AntiWarMovement #SitIn #SAW #SeattleAgainstWar #Featured