Chicago, IL – Preparations for the March on the DNC are well underway, with tens of thousands of people slated to march within sight and sound of the United Center on August 19 to demand that the Democratic Party helmed by Joe Biden end the genocide on Gaza and end U.S. aid to Israel.

Recently, the Democratic Party announced, to comply with shifting Ohio laws, that it will virtually nominate Biden before the convention, meaning that some business of the convention might be resolved before the August in-person convention.

Fight Back! is circulating this alert from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. We urge all our readers to call the Humboldt County district attorney when the office opens on Tuesday, May 28.

Call the prosecutors May 28

On May 28, the Cal Poly Humboldt pro-Palestine protesters – who are students, faculty and community members – have their first arraignment court appearance in Eureka, CA. Each of the 30 protesters is being charged with 4 misdemeanors and thus are each facing up to 4 years in prison just for standing with Palestine and saying no to genocide. It was the police and the university who were the aggressors that day. We have a First Amendment right to free speech and protest that must be protected.

Chicago, IL – “This is only a pinch of what we're going to do in August,” Merawi Gerima said to 150 people who rallied outside the 18th District police station on the Near Northside of Chicago, May 19.

Atlanta, GA – On May 18, a Nakba Day protest took place outside of the CNN headquarters, as part of the global commemoration of the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, marking the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TAARPR).

The Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression is delighted to announce that all charges on Antwan Glover have been dismissed! This victory would not have been possible without Antwan fighting with us against these false charges. We thank all who participated in the call-ins, email-ins, and attended his court date protests in Bartow.

Grand Rapids, MI – On Wednesday, May 8, an educational event on the link between policing in the United States and the occupation in Palestine was held before a march and die-in to stand against a ground invasion of Rafah.

The event hosted by the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (GRAARPR) and Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR) took place at the East Congregational Church.

Washington, D.C. – On May 4, the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR), hosted its first local conference. A first of its kind for a branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), the conference brought about 50 organizers, activists and community members together for a discussion on police accountability and community control. Many of the attendees were Black, Latino, Arab, Asian, and Pacific Islanders.

Atlanta, GA – The Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression hosted a May Day panel May 4 focused on fighting back against political repression.

Over 40 people attended to hear speakers from the Atlanta Alliance, Black Alliance for Peace, AUC (Atlanta University Consortium) Students for Justice in Palestine, AUC Student Intercommunal Coordinating Committee, GSU (Georgia State University) Students for Justice in Palestine, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Minneapolis, MN – On Wednesday May 1, Minneapolis 4 Community Control of the Police (M4CCP) held a press conference in the Public Safety Center, the temporary home to city hall offices, to turn in their petitions to put community control of the police on the November ballot.

Chicago, IL – At an April 30 press conference, speakers announced that a motion for a preliminary injunction has been filed in federal court by the Coalition to March on the DNC. They are asking a federal judge to block the city of Chicago from enforcing its ordinance regulating parade permits, as it violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Speakers at the press conference included Chris Williams, Attorney; Hatem Abudayyeh, US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN); Faayani Aboma Mijana, Coalition to March on the DNC; and Liz Rathburn, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) – University of Illinois at Chicago.

Denver, CO – On Saturday, April 27, the Auraria Encampment for Palestine entered its third day. Despite police violence and the arrest of 44 protesters the day before, campers were in high spirits to continue.

The encampment is organized by Students for a Democratic Society with community support from the Colorado Palestine Coalition. Throughout the day, hundreds of students, faculty and community supporters spent time at the camp. At 1 p.m., there was a rally featuring speakers from SDS, supportive city council members, and veteran organizers from groups such as the American Indian Movement.

Tampa, FL – Protesters converged in solidarity with the struggle in Gaza to denounce Joe Biden’s visit to the Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry campus on April 23. Nearly 400 protesters thronged the sidewalks surrounding the entrance, chanting and waving Palestinian flags.

Chicago, IL – The Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) met in Chicago the weekend of April 13. Speaker after speaker testified with fire in their eyes about the need to march against the genocide in Gaza. Along with the speeches, people got down to the tasks needed to bring tens of thousands to Chicago in August to protest the DNC.

The 450 in attendance were overwhelmingly youth. Many are brand new to protest movements, having been thrown into motion by the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movement.

Chicago, IL – More than 450 people representing 75 organizations gathered in Chicago, April 13, to plan a massive march at the Democratic National Convention, which will stand with Palestine and promote a people’s agenda.

Kobi Guillory of the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression told conference participants, “We will counterprotest the DNC starting on August 19 to demand an immediate end to the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide, and that no more of our tax dollars are used to fund the massacres of Palestinians.” Guillory also talked about the fight to get permits for a large-family friendly protest, but said that organizers were going to march to within sight and sound of the convention, permits or not.

Hollywood, CA — A protest of 60 people gathered, March 10, near the Oscars to disrupt, chanting, “From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!”

Milwaukee, WI – On February 15, about 30 community members gathered at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee for a teach-in and discussion on Black and Palestinian liberation. Led by Kobi Guillory, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, this event highlighted the commonalities between the Black and Palestinian fight against oppression and how they have historically helped each other in this fight.

Seattle, WA — On Friday, February 23, the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held an emergency rally in front of Seattle's West Precinct police station. Two days before, the office of King County prosecutor Leesa Manion announced that they had decided not to prosecute SPD officer Kevin Dave who, over a year ago, struck and killed 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula with his patrol car while she was walking through a crosswalk.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

The National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) condemns attacks by Governor Ron DeSantis and the right wing dominated legislature in Florida. During this current legislative session, the Florida Legislature is poised to pass legislation targeting the movements for police accountability, the labor movement, the movement to end white supremacy and remove confederate monuments, attacks on the right to organize for a free Palestine, as well as continued attacks on LGBTQ students, and a continued onslaught on the immigrant community and all oppressed peoples.

Tallahassee, FL – On February 24, about a dozen community organizers and students mobilized to the Florida Historic Capitol building to rally against SB 576, as well as attacks on the pro-Palestinian movement and attacks on the LGBTQ community.

The mobilization was part of a larger week of action called by National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

SB 576 seeks to limit police oversight by restricting the ability of cities to institute police review boards as a means to provide any form of accountability for local police departments.

Chicago, IL – On February 18, the Chicago Freedom Road Socialist Organization hosted over 50 members of the community at the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) office to celebrate Black History Month.

The event featured a panel on the historic solidarity between Black and Palestinian organizers in Chicago as well as how that solidarity shows up in practice today, and it was followed by a poetic cultural performance from FRSO and CAARPR member Brian Young, Jr.