Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

InJusticeSystem

By staff

LA event for the Tampa 5. | Fight Back! News/staff

Los Angeles, CA – On October 28 two events were held to educate and fundraise for five women who were brutally arrested on University of South Florida (USF) campus for protesting against Governor Ron DeSantis’ attacks on public education and diversity. These women, who are now facing felony charges for their activism, are called the Tampa 5.

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By staff

Tampa 5 speaking tour in Orange County, California. | Fight Back! News/staff

Orange County, CA – On Friday, October 27, over 30 students and community members gathered across two events to listen to Gia Davila of the Tampa 5 on her stop of the Justice for the Tampa 5 speaking tour. The Tampa 5 are a group of students, workers, and community activists who were violently arrested while protesting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ racist attacks on education at the University of South Florida. They are facing up to ten years in prison and are on a speaking tour to call for these unjust charges to be dropped.

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By staff

Participants in a panel against the repression of progressive speech on campus chant, "Protesting is not a crime!"  | Fight Back! News/staff

Salt Lake City, UT – On October 23, members of the Salt Lake City community filled a room on the University of Utah campus for a panel against the repression of progressive speech on campus. Chrisley Carpio of the Tampa 5 was the keynote presenter and was joined by MECHA at the University of Utah and Armed Queers SLC.

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By staff

Gia Davila of the Tampa 5 | Fight Back! News/staff

Seattle, WA – On October 23, Gia Davila of the Tampa 5 spoke before an enthusiastic crowd of 50 people at the University of Washington’s Ethnic Cultural Center. The Tampa 5 are charged with felonies for protesting against Governor Ron DeSantis’s assaults on education. The five, three student organizers, a union member, and a community activist – are currently on a tour of the United States to raise awareness of their case, and how to resist political repression.

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By Jake Holtzman

Event to defend the Tampa 5 in Austin, Texas. | Fight Back! News/staff

Austin, TX – Laura Rodriguez of the Tampa 5 came to the University of Texas at Austin on Tuesday, October 24, to speak about political repression, defending diversity programs and ethnic studies in schools, and the call to drop the charges on the Tampa 5.

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By Serena Sojic-Borne

Speaking event participants pose behind Loyola SDS banner. | Fight Back! News/staff

New Orleans, LA – On Monday evening, October 23, close to 100 people gathered in a lecture hall at Loyola University of New Orleans to listen to Laura Rodriguez of the Tampa 5. The Tampa 5 are three student organizers, a community leader, and a union member facing up to ten years’ imprisonment on felony charges. The charges came after their brutalization and the arrests of four of them, while they participated in a protest against DeSantis’ attacks on education at the University of South Florida. The state later charged a fifth. Members of the Tampa 5 are touring the U.S. to raise support for their case.

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By staff

Laura Rodriguez of Tampa 5 speaking at NYC action in solidarity with Palestine.  | Fight Back! News/staff

New York, NY – Around 300 students and community members gathered outside the steps of the CUNY grad center in Midtown, October 18, to protest CUNY's involvement with Israel and to support the Palestinian resistance.

Organized by CUNY 4 Palestine, the energetic crowd was loud in their chants and vocal in their support for the Palestinian cause.

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By staff

Eugene Nelson, an anti-recidivism activist with Project Return, speaks during a prison reform action in Madison. | Fight Back! News/staff

Madison, WI – On Tuesday, October 10, nearly 100 concerned Wisconsinites came together in Madison, joining Wisdom Wisconsin, a non-profit organization bridging the faith community with prison reform efforts, in order to demand an end to inhumane lockdowns that have been enforced in correctional facilities across the entire state.

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By staff

Community rallies against brutal beating carried out by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Community Action Committee rallied alongside concerned community members to demand justice for 24-year-old Le’Keian Woods. Nearly 100 people gathered in front of the Police Memorial Building on Sunday, October 1.

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By Lo Cross

Public testimony on conditions in Milwaukee County Jail. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Thursday, September 28, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors held a Committee of the Whole meeting. Among the agenda items for discussion was an informational report by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) regarding conditions in the County Jail and a possible audit.

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