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News and Views from the People's Struggle

MilwaukeeWI

By staff

Jacob Flom of FRSO speaks about anti-imperialism and international solidarity during a "Hands off Yemen" protest in Milwaukee. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, January 13, hosted an emergency protest in front of City Hall following the U.S. and UK airstrikes on Sanaa, Yemen.

Sara Onitsuka, the chair of Milwaukee Anti-war Committee, spoke to the courageousness of Yemen’s efforts in blocking ships heading towards the Zionist entity in response to the genocide against the Palestinian people. Onitsuka explained that despite Yemen experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world at the hands of Saudi Arabia and the U.S., they are still taking their streets in the millions and standing in solidarity for the self-determination of their Palestinian brethren. Further, Onitsuka believes that U.S. imperialism and propaganda continue to falter through its support of Israel.

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By Tom Burke

Milwaukee protest organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – The Coalition to March on the RNC is hosting an organizing conference on February 17 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Activists from across the U.S. will gather at the conference to unite around a plan to rally on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15.

“We are looking to consolidate plans with all forces that are against the Republicans’ racist and reactionary agenda. We are also looking to inform leaders across the country as to what the situation on the ground in Milwaukee looks like as we prepare to march to within sight and sound of the front doors of the convention,” said Omar Flores, spokesperson in Milwaukee for the Coalition to March on the RNC.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution adopted by AFSCME Local 526.

AFSCME Local 526 Stands with the Palestinian people against Genocide

AFSCME Local 526 dedicates itself to improving the lives of working people, and fighting for a world where all people can live with dignity, justice, respect, peace, and equality. We consistently stand against Islamophobia, antisemitism, and racism in all its forms.

We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, Palestinian trade unions, anti-Zionist Jewish people, and millions of others who are demanding an end to Israel’s colonial violence and genocide.

We condemn the active role of the U.S government in supporting Israel’s system of occupation and apartheid, illegal settlements, and forced displacement of Palestinians, which is the root cause of the conflict.

We mourn all loss of life resulting from the conflict and call for an immediate end to Israel’s aggression against Gaza that has killed over 23,000 Palestinians and displaced 85% of Gaza’s population, 1.9 million people.

U.S. support for Israel’s war has caused a humanitarian disaster, and is risking a deadly outbreak of famine, disease, and a wider war. The billions of U.S. tax dollars spent on weapons for Israel every year should be reallocated to fund programs that help poor and working people, like healthcare, education, and childcare.

AFSCME Local 526 commits to taking the following actions in support of peace and justice:

1. We will send letters to our Congressional representatives, asking them to endorse bills such as H.R. 3103 and others that take meaningful action to end the genocide and occupation.

2. We will join over 900 unions, governments, and popular organizations who have endorsed South Africa’s Genocide Convention case against Israel at the U.N. International Court of Justice.

3. We will petition our employer, the Milwaukee Public Museum, to correct the large map in the “Crossroads of Civilization” gallery that includes a label for Israel, but not Palestine.

4. We will send a copy of this resolution to AFSCME leadership, encouraging them to join the many union internationals who have already called for a ceasefire.

5. We will continue to support and participate in actions led by the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, Wisconsin Labor for Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, Milwaukee Anti-war Committee, and others.

Passed unanimously at the AFSCME Local 526 membership meeting on January 11th, 2024.

#MilwaukeeWI #International #Palestine #AntiWar #Labor #AFSCME #AFSCME526

By Kayla Patterson

Milwaukee protest demands end to U.S.aid to Israel. | Fight Back! News/Aurelia Ceja

Milwaukee, WI – A spirited crowd marched on U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore’s doorstep Saturday morning, January 6, to “keep the pressure up!” in ending U.S. aid to Israel.

Undeterred by the snowfall, activists called for Moore to sign on to HR 3103 as a bare minimum step in ending the genocide. The neighborhood at large was also engaged, as door-hangers circulated the area that directed to an online petition initiated by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee.

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By staff

Large protest marks Biden's visit to Milwaukee. | Fight Back! News/Omar Flores

Pro-Palestine protesters stand ground against police during Biden's visit to Milwaukee. | Fight Back! News/Sabine Wolter

Milwaukee, WI – U.S. President Joe Biden paid Milwaukee a visit on December 20 to deliver remarks at the Black Chamber of Commerce as part of his “Bidenomics” talks. Details of his visit were kept minimal until Tuesday evening, but that did not deter members and supporters of the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine from assembling outside of the security perimeter set up around the venue.

For the Biden campaign, it was a strategic visit, as Wisconsin will play a key role in the presidential elections next fall, and if Biden can’t win Milwaukee, odds are small for winning Wisconsin.

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By staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, December 17, the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee co-hosted a commemoration of International Human Rights Day alongside the Freedom Road Socialist Organization . International Human Rights Day, observed annually on December 10, marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations in 1948. The event featured speakers and the 2nd annual Lucille Berrien Humanitarian Award, given to Janan Najeeb of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition.

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By Samia Saeed

Milwaukee SDS rally demands library named for Zionist be changed. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Monday, December 11, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), alongside other students and community members, gathered at the Golda Meir Library to launch their Divest from Israel campaign and to honor the Palestinian martyrs.

The event began with speeches from the representatives of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Muslim Students Association and Un-PAC. Then SDS representatives officially announced the launch of the Divest from Israel Campaign and congratulated the Tampa 5 on their recent victory against political repression. This was followed by a Muslim prayer.

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By staff

Milwaukee, WI – Nearly 50 people attended a rally in support of the efforts to keep Next Door Pediatrics open, December 8. Next Door Pediatrics, operated by Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, is one of the only pediatric care centers that serves the vulnerable population on Milwaukee’s predominantly and historically Black North Side.

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By staff

Activists hold up banner that reads "Stop Trans Genocide."

Milwaukee, WI – On December 6, members and supporters of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee chapter of the New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) led a disruption of a speaking event featuring local anti-trans personality Laura Becker.

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By staff

Milwaukee protest in defense of reproductive rights. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – Nearly two dozen people gathered in front of the Farwell Women’s Care Center on Milwaukee’s East Side on the morning of Saturday, November 18, to raise awareness of local crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) throughout the state. Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee hosted the picket and chalk-writing action to raise awareness and highlight the risks these centers pose to reproductive healthcare, by the CPCs masquerading as legitimate health facilities.

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By staff

Members of Milwaukee SDS protest Zionist speakers. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On November 21, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administration put together a panel event featuring two speakers who oppose the genocide in Palestine and two Zionists. Pro-Palestine organizations across the city put out a call to mobilize people to the talk and pack the house with anti-Zionist elements. UWM Students for a Democratic Society was one of them.

The Zionist speakers included Rabbi Josh Herman, the executive director of the Milwaukee branch of the far-right Zionist group Hillel, and a political science professor at UWM named Shale Horowitz. They started off with a fictitious recounting of history, claiming that the blame for the genocide and occupation rests with the Palestinians and their unwillingness to “compromise.”

The comments from the two Zionists only got worse from there, including claiming that the Palestinian liberation chant “From the river to the sea” is a call for Jewish genocide; that a people who were victims of a previous genocide could not be perpetrators of a new genocide; that the Zionist state should be commended for its efforts to “prevent civilian casualties,” and that Muslims are the most successful colonial forces in the history of the world – especially, as stated by Horowitz, compared to Europeans.

To their credit, the other two panelists – Othman Atta, leader with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee; and Dr. Caroline Seymour-Jorn, professor and director of International Studies at UWM – responded to the genocide apologism with sharp rebuttals, reasoned positions, and factual accounts of the history.

The crowd, largely pro-Palestinian, responded more frankly, with jeers and laughter at the absurdities being put forward by the Zionist speakers. Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) took it a step further and held up red-painted hands whenever one of the Zionists would speak, symbolic of the blood on their hands and the hands of the government which they defend. The silent protest had begun to wear on them both as the event went on, with more and more frequent allusions to their detractors in the crowd. Horowitz in particular seemed to direct his vitriolic comments at the student demonstrators.

As the panel was coming to a close, the moderator pointed to UWM's chancellor, Mark Mone, and said that he had the unenviable task of figuring out how to navigate the challenges of creating a safer and more welcoming campuses from students of all backgrounds. He then turned to the panelists to provide advice for the chancellor, but before any of them could answer, a member of SDS shouted out, “Change the name of the library!” The SDSer was referencing the UWM library named after Golda Meir, an infamous former prime minister of the Zionist state. Most in attendance cheered and clapped. There was no response from administration.

SDS will be initiating a campaign in the coming weeks to pressure campus administration to make that change. Efforts are underway to unite other organizations around this project, particularly the Muslim Student Association and the UWM chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.

#MilwaukeeWI #International #Palestine #AntiWar #StudentMovement #SDS

By staff

Kayla Patterson with UWM SDS speaks outside the campus administration during a rally and march on November 15. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – A spirited group of more two dozen student protesters gathered outside the Golda Meir Library on the afternoon of November 15 for a rally called by UW-Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). The assembled group chanted and heard speeches before beginning a march throughout campus.

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By staff

Milwaukee postal workers fight for decent working conditions. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, November 5, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 2 hosted an energetic rally outside the United States Postal Service city headquarters in downtown Milwaukee. 150 NALC members and supporters joined the rally to raise public awareness about the poor working conditions at USPS.

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By staff

Panelists in Milwaukee speak about the connections between Cop City, the war machine, police repression, and Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – 40 people gathered in Bolton Hall on the UW-Milwaukee campus to hear a panel of speakers talk about the connections between the Cop City project in Atlanta, Georgia and other current political situations, specifically the uprising in Palestine.

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By staff

Milwaukee protest against APEC. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, November 11, the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) held a banner drop over a Milwaukee freeway to say “No to APEC!” The bannering was held in solidarity with the People’s Summit counter-protest on the same date in San Francisco, where the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit is being held.

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By staff

Community members kneel near a collection of candles while other hold signs that read "Justice for Joel Acevedo"

Milwaukee, WI – After a five-day trial, a jury acquitted former Milwaukee police officer Michael Mattioli of first-degree reckless homicide on Friday, November 10. Mattioli was on trial for the murder of Joel Acevedo, which took place in April 2020 and was one of the central cases during the 2020 uprising in Milwaukee.

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By staff

Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors convened on Thursday, November 9, to adopt the 2024 County Budget. Included in this year’s budget was an amendment package that included $250,000 for a third-party audit of the County Jail. The adoption of the amended budget marks a step towards securing transparency and accountability in the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

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By Patricia Fish

Nada Moubarak of SDS condemns Israel and calls on the UW-Milwaukee to rename its library. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On November 2, over 50 students at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) rallied then marched for the National Students for a Democratic Society Day of Action to demand justice for Palestine. The event began and ended in front of the university library, named after Zionist and former Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir.

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By staff

Provost Andrew Daire avoids answering a question about what he's going to do to address UWM's abysmal Black enrollment rate. | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – 30 students, faculty and others attended a town hall meeting with the new Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Andrew Daire, at the Fireside Lounge on the campus of UW-Milwaukee (UWM) on October 31. Some of those in attendance were mobilized to the meeting by the UWM chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

The purpose of the talk was to present on the current enrollment situation at the university. Numbers have declined steadily since 2010 with nearly 7000 fewer students attending UWM in 2023 than a decade ago. One of the most glaring enrollment statistics is that UWM’s student body is only 6% Black. For context, Milwaukee has a population that is roughly 40% Black, and Milwaukee Public Schools has a student body which is 50% Black.

“The discrepancy between enrollment numbers of Black students at UWM and the population of Milwaukee and the public schools is despicable. It demonstrates that there is an overall lack of commitment from the administration at this university to live up to their claims of being a diverse and inclusive campus,” said Patricia Fish, a leader in SDS.

SDS members grilled the provost with questions about what he and the administration were going to do to address the situation, but Daire proved skillful in spending a lot of time saying nothing of substance and passing the buck on to others, claiming that he “has no power” to make the changes he wants.

The efforts around holding Daire’s feet to the fire are a part of SDS’s broader campaign to increase Black enrollment at UWM, which also includes demands around increasing the hiring of Black faculty and staff, the targeted recruitment of Black students from Milwaukee Public Schools, an increase in the scholarships and other financial aid offered to incoming students as well as for those students already attending UWM to assist with retention, and defending and expanding the funding for the Black Student Cultural Center.

#MilwaukeeWI #IncreaseBlackEnrollment #SDS

By Paris Miller

People's Budget demanded at Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors meeting.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On Monday, October 30, the County Board of Supervisors held their annual public hearing to discuss the proposed 2024 county budget. One of the proposals within this budget was an increase to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) of $7 million. Although people attended the public hearing to discuss a wide range of issues, such as taking into account the safety of Milwaukee County Transit System’s drivers or better accessibility for the disabled community within the county, the majority of public testimonies demanded increased spending for public goods and services rather than continual increase to the MCSO.

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