Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

JacksonvilleFL

By staff

Students and community members released after arrests at Palestine solidarity encampment.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – The 16 student and community activists who were arrested Thursday evening, May 2, after taking part in the Gaza solidarity encampment at University of North Florida were all been freed from the Duval County Jail in Jacksonville on Friday at 6 p.m.

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Police surround Palestine encampment in Jacksonville, Florida.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Students for a Democratic Society at the University of North Florida began a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza on Tuesday, April 30. They set up on the UNF Green to demand that UNF divest from any partnerships with the racist state of Israel, and to show solidarity with college students across the country protesting for the people of Gaza.

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Palestine solidarity encampment in Jacksonville, Florida demands divestment from apartheid Israel. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Student activists and others, led by University of North Florida Students for a Democratic Society, started a Palestine solidarity encampment on UNF campus, demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel as well as complete divestment from Israel financially and breaking of academic ties. SDS activists are also demanding UNF end its partnerships with weapons manufactures like Raytheon and Boeing, all responsible for creating weapons being used by the racist Israeli apartheid state.

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Jacksonville rally follows arrest of killer cop.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Community Action Committee along with other organizations rallied at City Hall on Wednesday, April 3, after two-time-killer cop and serial brutalizer and former JSO officer Josue Garriga was arrested by Clay County Sheriff’s office. Garriga was caught engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Josue Garriga had been involved in the death of FAMU student Jamee Johnson and most recently was involved in the brutal beating of Le’Keian Woods.

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International Women's Day celebration in Jacksonville, Florida. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – On March 9, Jacksonville community members gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day and demanded freedom for Palestine. The Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, UNF SDS held the event.

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Jacksonville, Florida rally against bill that would ban civilian review of police crimes. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – A few dozen community members and activists rallied to demand an end to a proposed state legislative bill meant to end civilian review boards investigations into police misconduct.

SB 576/HB 601 is legislation designed to disband civilian oversight in Florida. Currently a few dozen cities and counties have some form of civilian oversight boards. This legislation as designed seeks to stop any civilian investigations into officer misconduct and concentrate civilian oversight appointment into the hands of police chiefs and sheriffs.

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Jacksonville, FL – Charges against Diamonds Ford, a woman who was accused of shooting a law enforcement officer in 2020, have been dropped.

After Diamonds' arrest, local organizers launched the “Justice for Diamonds Ford” campaign, which included rallies, cultural events and weekly call-ins to demand the state attorney drop the charges.

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By staff

Jamee Johnson. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – The city of Jacksonville settled a lawsuit with the family of Jamee Johnson for $200,000, November 10.

In 2019, Jamee Johnson, a FAMU student who was home for Christmas break, was killed by Officer Josué Garriga.

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By staff

Jacksonville, FL – On Saturday, November 11, over 1500 people gathered with the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN) to rally for Gaza. The gloomy weather did not stop community members from gathering at a major intersection at Brightman Boulevard and Town Center Parkway in the busy shopping hub of the city.

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By staff

Jacksonville stands in solidarity with Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Over 500 people took the streets, October 14, to march in support of the Palestinian liberation movement against Israeli occupation. Demonstrators held Palestinian flags and chanted “Free free, Palestine.”

While the crowd was majority Arab, people from all backgrounds and ages joined the fight. The crowd was energetic and steadfast in their demands to end the occupation. During the march, cars honked in support and displayed Palestinian flags and keffiyehs.

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By Fernando Figueroa

Protesters marched around the courthouse in downtown Jacksonville. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Over 100 people rallied in support of Palestine, October 9, in front of the Duval County Courthouse in downtown Jacksonville.

A large portion of those who attended were members of Jacksonville’s Arab community, including many Palestinians. They were motivated to attend the demonstration after recent events in Palestine, where the movement to defeat Zionism is growing stronger. People around the world are watching as Palestinians are fighting for liberation and the end to Israeli apartheid.

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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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Jacksonville protest against racist terror attack that killed 3 Black people.

Jacksonville, FL – On Monday, August 28, over 1000 community members and organizers hit the streets of Jacksonville to fight back against white supremacy and racially motivated hate crimes in the city. This emergency call to action arose after the murder of three Black Jacksonville residents – Angela Michelle Carr, Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, and Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr. – at the hands of a 21-year-old white supremacist on Saturday, August 26 at a Dollar General store.

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Jacksonville protest demands justice for the Tampa 5.

Jacksonville, FL – Over a dozen community members and students organized by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) and University of North Florida SDS gathered as part of an emergency National Day of Action to demand Justice for the Tampa 5. Rallying on August 9 during rush hour traffic of busy State Street in downtown Jax, the protesters withstood record heat to raise the banner and chants, demanding “Drop the charges.”

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Protest in Jacksonville, FL against more money for the JSO.

Jacksonville, FL – On Wednesday July 20, local organizers rallied in favor of a People’s Budget, and against the proposed increase in the budget at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). They gathered outside of a townhall meeting scheduled by JSO Sheriff T.K. Waters at the Prime Osborn Convention Center.

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By staff

Practice picket at UPS Hub in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jacksonville, FL – 40 members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) rallied near the Jacksonville United Parcel Service Hub on the morning of July 12. Officials from IBT Local 512 called for members to hold a “practice picket” like others held around the country. These practice pickets are part of the overall Teamster campaign to win a good national contract at UPS. Teamsters around the country are prepared to go on strike come August 1 if their demands for higher wages and better working conditions in the new contract are not met by the company.

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By staff

Protesters in Jacksonville, Florida in support of the Tampa 5.

Jacksonville, FL – As part of a coordinated effort across the country, the activist community in Jacksonville stood in solidarity with the Tampa 5. On July 11, 65 people gathered in front of the Duval County Courthouse to demand legal charges be dropped against the four members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and a union worker who were arrested in early March. Laura Rodriguez, Gia Davila, Lauren Pineiro, Jeanie Kida and Chrisley Carpio are facing felony charges.

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By staff

Ben Frazier

Jacksonville, FL – Hundreds gathered Tuesday afternoon, June 27,in downtown’s James Weldon Johnson Park across from City Hall to remember Ben Frazier, a well-known civil rights activist and elder in Jacksonville, Florida who passed away this past Saturday, June 24, after a bout with cancer.

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Jacksonville protest against Governor DeSantis' attacks on immigrant communities

Jacksonville, FL – On June 1, over 300 members of the immigrant community in Jacksonville came together as part of a statewide day of action to oppose the signing of Senate Bill 1718, discriminatory anti-immigrant legislation that targets individuals still navigating the country's complex immigration system. Organized by Latino news and radio personalities with the help of many of their supporters, the protest showcased the community's commitment to fighting against policies that attack immigrants.

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By staff

Jacksonville, FL – Progressive forces are cheering the election of Donna Deegan for Jacksonville mayor. She defeated Daniel Davis, the Republican and Governor Ron DeSantis-backed candidate, becoming the first woman mayor in Jacksonville history.

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