NYC, NY – On April 26, a dedicated group of rank-and-file organizers from the MORE Caucus, the opposition caucus within the United Federation of Teachers, held their annual “State of Our Union” event, in the City University of New York Grad Center, where they sum up the year of union organizing and prepare for what’s to come.

Issues discussed were the specific struggles that MORE members are waging in their union chapters, a report from the MORE steering committee, and the new 2027 contract campaign.

Regarding the growing contract campaign, MORE members strategized around how to use the new contract battle as a way to organize rank-and-file coworkers, do political education and contract education, how to involve the community that they serve in their contract struggle, and how and when to engage in a struggle against UFT leadership to meet the demands of rank-and-file unionists. They also discussed the possibility of struggling for some form of open bargaining, as opposed to the UFT’s current very closed bargaining strategy.

The “State of Our Union” event served as a positive review of what was accomplished, and a critical look at what can be improved in the caucus’s organizing in the future.

#NewYorkNY #NY #Labor #UFT #MORE #Teachers

NYC, NY – Over 100 NYU students and community members gathered at the Third Rail in Brooklyn to participate in a concert organized by the NYU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). The concert raised funds for Make the Road NY, an immigrant-led nonprofit that provides legal services and other aid to immigrants in the city. The concert raised $748 through ticket sales to donate to the organization and $396 through merchandise sales to help send members out to the SDS national convention this fall.

Levi, Badger Hunters, Bullseye, and Oldseye all performed sets varying in genres from anti-folk to country rock to punk. Outside of the venue, there was a campfire where people made smores and cooked hotdogs to eat while conversing. SDS members were at a table selling merchandise ranging from shirts to buttons. In between sets, speakers from various student activist groups spoke to the importance of fighting ICE, standing in solidarity with immigrants and fighting for a sanctuary campus.

Ebtesham Ahmed from the NYU Students for a Democratic Society emceed for the night, rallying the crowd with chants, introducing speakers and bands. Ahmed led the crowd in chanting “It is right to rebel! ICE and Trump go to hell!” and “We want justice you say how? Sanctuary right now!”

Calvin Kellenberger from the NYU Students for a Democratic Society stated, “Tonight, though, we have been given a rare opportunity. Tonight, resistance just so happens to be fun. All the proceeds from this show are going to support immigrant defense work being done right here in New York; and so tonight, resistance is movement, rhythm and melody. We’ve got a great set ready for you all tonight, and some more great speakers throughout, so relax, let loose, and let’s have a great night!”

Andres Luke from the NYU Young Democratic Socialists of America told the crowd, “So be it through YDSA, SDS, another other organizing body, a local community, be it through attending events, canvassing, promoting legislation, participating in walking groups, attending a deportation defense training, printing flyers, or even just taking them we must keep going. Change is possible but only through collective action and any effort towards moving the needle forward is worth it. We must fight to bring those 60,000 home. We reject ICE now and always. Make NYU a sanctuary campus, make New York a sanctuary city and make the United States a sanctuary nation.”

Sophie Franklin from the Students for International Labor Solidarity said, “Right now SILS is launching a campaign called DROP ICE! and we hope you’ll join us. We are calling on the university to urgently cut its direct monetary ties with corporations that house and transport ICE agents, such as Hilton and Enterprise and to promise and enforce a sanctuary campus.”

To end off the speeches for the night, Ahmed read the letter that was delivered to the university administration on February 20 alongside their petition, which now has 1000 signatures. Ahmed stated, though the administration has not yet responded nor met with SDS, they are confident they will have a sanctuary campus because the student group will continue to struggle and fight to win their demands. They led the crowd with the chant “Dare to struggle! Dare to win!”

Wrapping up for the night, eventgoers were encouraged to participate in a May Day student contingent happening to stand in solidarity with immigrants and workers. In addition, eventgoers were notified of the attempt to create a Turning Point USA chapter at NYU, with a promise from organizers to work hard to shut it down.

#NewYorkNY #NY #ImmigrantRights #SDS #YDSA #StudentMovement

New York, NY – Filipino community organizations and their allies rallied outside of the Philippine Consulate in New York City, April 20, to call for an end to U.S. military involvement in the Philippines.

The protest marks the beginning of the month-long Balikatan joint military exercises between the United States, the Philippines, Japan, Canada, France and New Zealand. The organizers included the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP), Malaya Movement, and BAYAN. Speakers also included members of Anakbayan as well as Filipino residents whose families are still living in the country.

An unconscionable waste of needed fuel

In the midst of crisis-level fuel prices, criminalization of labor organizing and protest, and exorbitant military spending, these war preparations come at a steep price for the average Filipino family, and should be terminated immediately.

The United States and Israel’s war on Iran has spiked fuel prices across the globe and has had a devastating effect in the Philippines. The average price for one liter of fuel currently exceeds the daily minimum wage in the country, and many Filipinos are unable to pay. Filipino workers and parents are having to skip meals and make other serious sacrifices in order to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the Marcos-Duterte regime has stockpiled enough fuel for an entire month of military drills—fuel that is desperately needed by the Filipino people.

No support for immigrant workers

Community organizers denounced Marcos’ bid to join the United Nations Security Council, as well as the UN’s decision to use the Philippines’ migrant worker policies as a model for the rest of the world. Those policies have caused severe harm to the Filipino people and should not be emulated.

Speakers denounced the ways that the Marcos-Duterte regime has turned its back on immigrant workers, including by refusing to support Filipino immigrants kidnapped by ICE and detained for months without a trial. The Philippines supplies more than 20% of the world’s seafarers, including commercial shipping workers as well as cruise workers. Right now, many of those same Filipino workers are stranded on oil tankers in or near the Strait of Hormuz as a result of Trump’s illegal war. Those workers are not being paid but are unable to return home, while their government continues to support the United States and Israel’s war.

The expansion of U.S. military presence and the campaign to kick Cerberus out of the Philippines

NYCHRP members also announced a new campaign targeting Cerberus Capital Management (CCM), a Manhattan-based private equity firm that has unjustly acquired 300 hectares of land on a former U.S. military base in Subic Bay, in the Philippines. The U.S. Navy was expelled from Subic Bay in 1991 after massive community uprisings against human rights abuses and environmental destruction by the U.S. military. Now, CCM is leasing that same land to U.S. weapons and defense contractors, and plans were recently announced to build the world’s largest munitions factory on that same land in Subic Bay, which will be the first U.S. ammunition plan in Asia.

The presence of CCM in Subic Bay has additional devastating effects on the local working-class communities: peasant communities are subject to bombings and displacement, fisherfolk are not permitted to fish during military drills, including the Balikatan exercises, and women and children living near U.S. bases are frequent victims of sex trafficking and assault.

NYCHRP and BAYAN members who visited Subic Bay in November 2025 reported: “Fisherfolk whose livelihoods depend on fishing near Subic Bay now face more and more problems with more coastal guards, maritime guards and militarization of the sea. The areas they are able to fish are now heavily restricted. There have been incidents of fishermen venturing out to get better catches and the Chinese Coast Guard is shooting water cannons at them. They can’t even pass close by to Cerberus’s complex because private security will point guns at them.”

This issue is especially pertinent for New Yorkers because the New York City Employees Retirement System and the New York State Teachers Retirement System have invested funds in Cerberus. To join NYCHRP’s campaign against Cerberus, email nychrp@protonmail.com.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #Philippines #Bayan #International #NYCHRP #AntiWarMovement

New York, NY – Organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression held a speakout outside New York City Hall on Friday, April 18, to protest the dramatic rise in police violence against Black men across the city since the beginning of April.

New York Alliance Chair Shivani Ishwar noted that, in April alone, the NYPD has shot three Black men – Lucien Colon, Carlos Santiago and Anthony Griffin – and maimed another, Timothy Brown, in a racist attack in downtown Brooklyn.

The speakout began on the corner of Center and Chamber Streets, where members of the New York Alliance handed out flyers, gave fiery speeches, and connected New Yorkers to their campaign for community control of the police.

Organizers staged their protest near a busy subway station, where they were able to take advantage of rush-hour traffic to educate the community about police violence and the struggle for community control.

“We are here today because we demand justice for Lucien Colon, Carlos Santiago and Anthony Griffin,” NYAARPR organizer Quinn Hughes. “We are here to say that we refuse these conditions. Our demands are clear. We call on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to fire and arrest these officers, justice for all victims of police violence, and community control now.”

In her speech, NYAARPR organizer Ruby Doswell said there are “no excuses for the police to kill a man.”

“Police should not feel comfortable enough to kill a person in any circumstance,” Doswell said. “It’s no coincidence that Black and brown men are consistently met with violence and force instead of de-escalation, care, or support.”

Organizers likewise observed this isn't a new phenomenon. They noted that the case of Eudes Pierre, another Black man shot and killed by the police in December of 2021, follows the exact same pattern of racist violence. As organizers wrapped up the action, they affirmed their commitment to continue the struggle for community control of the police, a fight which takes on renewed urgency under the recent wave of NYPD violence.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #NYAARPR #NAARPR #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #KillerCop #EudesPierre

NYC, NY – Anti-war activists from the five boroughs came together on April 15, to protest the waste of U.S. taxes on war, sanctions and oppression. The protesters targeted the U.S. Post Office – a historic location that has been the target of Tax Day protests for decades. The April 15 protest was part of a larger National Day of Action called for by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).

Brooklyn Against War hosted speakers from Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Workers World Party (WWP), Black Alliance for Peace, Bronx Anti-War, United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), and Vox Ummah. The Tax Day protest was also endorsed by the Venezuela Solidarity Network (VSN), PALAVER Collective, Diaspora Pa’lante Collective, CUNY for Palestine, ProLibertad Freedom Campaign, Labor for Palestine, and the U.S. Peace Council.

Speakers harshly criticized the Trump administration’s ongoing war of aggression against Iran, and devastating illegal sanctions against Venezuela, Cuba and other countries. These costly campaigns of death and destruction are funded at historic levels, while infrastructure and human needs in this country are neglected.

Bárbara Larissa, from Brooklyn Against War stated, “In 2025, the average taxpayer paid $4049 for weapons and war, compared to $2492 for Medicaid, which provides healthcare to 68.5 million Americans. The recent costs of the war on Iran $35 billion, the average taxpayer will pay $130 for that war alone- that’s eight times more than the $16 spent on heating and energy assistance, which helps nearly 6 million households, including seniors, people with disabilities, and families with young children.”

Briony Smith, from FRSO, told the crowd, “The truth is that the United States is the world’s most dangerous liability – the Trump administration is a government of billionaires, thieves, and war profiteers, enriching themselves while the rest of the world and the American people pay the price. Shame!”

The crowd held Iranian, Palestinian and Venezuelan flags, and alternated between chants including “Our work, our pay! Not for war, not today!” and “From Venezuela to Iran! No more sanctions, no more bombs!” As gas prices, housing, healthcare and education continue to cost more for the average American, protests against the Trump administration’s wars and oppression continue to gain momentum.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Iran #BAW #AWAN

Brooklyn, NY – On the early evening of April 3, a dozen people gathered outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center to observe Good Friday. The vigil was called by Black Alliance for Peace on what is also the three-month anniversary of President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores’ kidnapping.

On January 3, the Trump administration launched an attack on Caracas, Venezuela to kidnap the two government officials. In the process, they murdered over 100 people. Some of the people murdered couldn’t even be identified because all that was left of them was a melted body.

The protesters took turns giving speeches, saying the names of the deceased, and lighting candles to honor those who had been martyred.

The speakers expertly connected the religious overtone of the day to martyrs in Venezuela and Cuba. They brought up the ongoing war for oil, the blockade in Cuba, and how U.S. imperialism is teetering on the edge of self-destruction.

The protesters are part of a loose coalition of solidarity for Venezuela who will continue to show up on the 3rd of every month until President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores are free!

#NewYorkNY #NY #Venezuela #Maduro #CiliaFlores #Cuba #AntiWarMovement #PeoplesStruggles

Brooklyn, NY – Dozens of community members gathered for a picket at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct in Brooklyn on March 31. In December 2021, 26-year-old Haitian American Eudes Pierre dialed 911 while experiencing a mental health crisis. Instead of assistance or care, officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez from the 71st Precinct followed him in and out of a train station and to his home before shooting him ten times.

The murder of Eudes Pierre demonstrates how the NYPD continues to kill and brutalize the people of New York with near-impunity. Their violence falls disproportionately on Black, brown, immigrant and unhoused New Yorkers, as well as those experiencing mental health crises.

Abreu-Gerez continues to work at the 71st Precinct. The New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR), along with Eudes Pierre’s family, organized the picket to confront Abreu-Gerez along with his associates and demand that he be immediately fired and prosecuted.

Daniel Koh of the New York Alliance described Abreu-Gerez’s history of violence before and after the murder of Eudes Pierre. Around eight months earlier, he was part of a mob of police officers who brutalized Isiah Day, fracturing his spine. Since the murder of Eudes Pierre, the NYPD awarded Abreu-Gerez five times for “excellent police duty” and once for “meritorious police duty.” Over the same period, he has had five additional complaints ranging from police brutality to abuse of authority.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) ruled that Lan and Abreu-Gerez had acted “within NYPD guidelines.” Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue charges against them. James is running this year for reelection to a third term. Her website calls her “the People’s Lawyer” and the “guardian of the legal rights of the people of New York.”

In their speech, NYAARPR Chair Shivani Ishwar addressed James directly, “You cannot be the People’s Lawyer if you don’t truly represent the people! You cannot win our vote while ignoring our demands!”

Attendees carried signs with a picture of Eudes Pierre on one side and a wanted poster of Conrado Abreu-Gerez on the other. Officers from the 71st Precinct watched the picket from the other side of their barricade, showing visible discomfort at the signs, speeches and chants which included “Fire killer cops!” and “How do you spell murderer? NYPD!”

To maintain and build pressure on the NYPD, the New York Alliance will continue to picket the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of each month. The next picket will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Along with Eudes Pierre’s family, the New York Alliance continues to fight for justice for Eudes Pierre and for community control of the police.

#NewYorkNY #NY #BrooklynNY #NYAARPR #EudesPierre #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop

New York, NY – On March 23, the Contract Faculty Union at NYU (CFU-UAW) called a strike at 11 a.m. after contract negotiations failed to advance by the strike deadline. Over 200 faculty, students and community members convened at the John A. Paulson Center to picket in response to the strike call. Several classes were cancelled, which created a massive disruption amongst the university community.

Before the strike call, the NYU administration stated their intention to hire substitute professors to replace striking professors, which would make these substitutes scabs. In response, the CFU-UAW called on non-contract faculty to not take on struck work. Student groups such as YDSA, SDS and SILS called on their student peers to not attend classes with substitute professors.

The picketing went on for two days, from March 23 to March 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

During the picket, hundreds of students, faculty and community members joined in to express solidarity with their striking professors. Protesters chanted “What do we want? Contract! When do we want it? Now!” and “Get up! Get Down! New York is a union town!”

Politicians, faculty and student organizers spoke to the crowd about the importance of standing in solidarity with striking professors and why the administration should provide them with a fair contract. Student organizers from YDSA, SILS, SDS and Yecao Collective organized “Freedom Schools” that took place alongside pickets, which spoke on different topics related to NYU campus, labor or immigration.

At around 3 a.m. on March 25, the bargaining committee of the CFU-UAW announced that a tentative agreement between the administration and the union was reached. There will be a vote to ratify the contract from March 31 to April 6. If ratified, the contract will mark a major victory for faculty after years of organizing.

#NewYorkNY #NY #Labor #NYU #UAW

New York, NY – Over 350,000 New Yorkers convened at Central Park on March 28 to join the No Kings protest. The No Kings protests have been called to oppose the Trump administration and its policies. Protesters convened on Saturday to oppose the Trump administration’s attacks on the people, ICE detentions and deportations of immigrants and the ongoing war on Iran.

Protesters carried signs, wore frog and Trump costumes, held upside down American flags, and more to express their opposition to Trump. Several organizations had their own contingents, including the NYU and Columbia chapters of Students for a Democratic Society. The SDS contingent held flags with their organization’s logo and a banner reading, “Student power!”

As protesters marched downtown, they chanted “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Donald Trump has got to go!” “ICE, ICE go away! Immigrants are here to stay!” and “Money for jobs and education! Not for war and deportations!”

As the march ended, protesters were encouraged to do more by getting organized. The next No Kings protest is planned for May 1, International Worker’s Day.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NoKings #PeoplesStruggles #ImmigrantRights #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement

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

New York, NY – On March 14, outside the Martin Luther King Educational Campus in Lincoln Square, unionized teachers, parents, students and community members, led by the Movement of Rank and File Educators/United Federation of Teachers Caucus (MORE Caucus) in collaboration with the organization Climate Families, held a protest against the NYC Department of Education’s push for AI in public school curriculum.

Inside, Kamar Samuels, the new chancellor of NYC Public Schools who is part of the push for more AI, was holding a community town hall meeting with parents, students and teachers.

Outside, teachers, students and community members led a speakout, and were met by a gathering of NYPD cops who outnumbered them. Department of Education (DoE) officials, representing the teachers’ employer, came out and instructed the police to make the protesters move across the street, and to put them behind barricades.

The protesters fought back. Brooklyn elementary school teacher and leading MORE caucus member Martina Meijer stood up to the cops, saying “We won’t be putting kids in cages.” The police then allowed them to remain in their original location, outside the entrance.

The DoE appeared to be attempting to pre-emptively enforce a proposed bill that would create “no-protest buffer zones” outside of places of worship and schools.

Inside the town hall, a middle-school student who participated in the protest presented a petition signed by over 1300 people calling for a pause on the implementation of AI in NYC public schools. The chancellor responded by saying that he agreed with the contents of the petition, but teachers and community members expressed that “actions speak louder than words,” and that his feet need to be held to the fire.

Outside, the protesters passed out flyers educating people on the harms of the unchecked use of AI on education and on students, as well as on its threat to the occupation of teaching. They also sang songs set to well-known themes that replaced the words of the song to criticize the use of AI in schools. Their signs read, “Less AI, more teachers” and “Pause AI in NYC schools now!”

The MORE Caucus, the United Federation of Teachers main reform caucus, is leading the charge fighting against the unchecked push for AI in schools. They view it as a de-skilling of teachers’ labor. DoE mandates the use of scripted curricula that relies on AI; it is a threat to the education of their students (in particular because of the racism inherent in AI), as well as a threat to the environment.

Martina Meijer said, “We need to resist AI. It impacts our professional work, and AI can’t unionize. We need to preserve education as a human profession…and the DoE isn’t fighting this.” She also said, “This money should be put toward lowering class sizes, and hiring counselors” and “I’m also deeply concerned about the racism embedded within AI.”

Meijer also mentioned the financial interest of big ed tech companies, which “turn DoE officials into lobbyists for these companies, and then push it on teachers and students.”

Meijer concluded, “These officials are feeling very tenuous in their positions, they feel how little impact they are making, so they rely on pushing these ed tech interests so they can secure a position for themselves.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #Labor #PeoplesStruggles

New York, NY – On March 12, around 20 NYU students and faculty picketed at the front of the Kimmel Center, where the university senate was set to take place. The Students for a Democratic Society at NYU organized the picket to demand a sanctuary campus.

The picket comes after the organization’s petition delivery on February 20, where students rallied and delivered a petition with over 600 signatures demanding the administration implement a sanctuary campus. The administration has yet to provide any response to SDS’ demands.

Protesters chanted “NYU, hear our call! Sanctuary for all!” and “Say it once, say it twice! We will not put up with ICE!” as they picketed. Protesters also held signs reading, “Sanctuary campus now!” and “ICE murders, ICE lies! We can see it with our eyes!” As people passed by, they joined along with the chants, clapped in approval, and took photos of the picket. NYPD and NYU campus security officers stood by watching as well.

Andres Luke from the NYU Young Democratic Socialists stated, “NYU has a clear political allegiance. That being said, student safety is not political! No matter what Linda Mills and her administration may claim. We are not asking them to violate the law to protect our students, we are asking them to protect our students from violations of the law.”

Sonya Posmentier from the NYU Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine told the crowd, “I’ve seen our students and colleagues put their bodies on the line to stop federal agents from taking our neighbors on Canal Street and at Federal Plaza. And I’ve seen our students provide accompaniment and detention support. I’ve seen you set up rapid response networks, community defense, and alert systems when the university failed to do so.”

A member from the NYU SDS read a statement from Latinos Unidos Con Honor y Amistad (LUCHA), “The targeting of immigrant communities is our reality in 2026; it is a direct assault on human dignity. When families are separated, when students disappear from their classrooms and dorms, when communities live in fear, we cannot turn a blind eye and deny these human rights violations. LUCHA calls on NYU to align its actions with its stated values of inclusion, equity, and global citizenship.”

Patrick Reddy from NYU SDS stated, “NYU has done irreparable damage to its relationship with its students by bending to the will of a federal administration whose values directly contradict the diverse community this university proudly advertises in its promotional materials. Why? To avoid legal battles? To protect funding? At what point do you decide that protecting students matters more? The student body has had enough of being ignored. You may choose to back down and cower, but we will not. We will stand up for each other.
We will protect our peers.
And we will keep fighting until our university does the same.”

Protesters continued to picket after speakers – with their chants being heard from inside the meeting room of the university senate. Afterwards, protesters dispersed with a promise to continue taking action until their demands are met.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #NYU #StudentMovement #SDS #ImmigrantRights

New York, NY – on the afternoon of Friday, March 13, hundreds gathered in Times Square to protest the war in Iran and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The protest was called for by the Al-Quds Committee to mark Al-Quds day. Several organizations participated including, Workers World Party, December 12th Movement, CUNY4Palestine, Pal-Awda and Brooklyn Against War.

Chants of “Free free Palestine!” and “We will honor all our martyrs” could be heard through Times Square.

Sara Flounders from the Workers World Party told the crowd, “It is Iran's right to defend itself and it is Palestine's right to defend itself. That resistance deserves the support and solidarity of people worldwide.”

Jacob Muldoon from Brooklyn Against War said, “Trump’s attacks on Iran have a grave consequence – hundreds of Iranians killed and billions of dollars spent on the war machine. Money spent on war and bloodshed and not on the actual needs of working people. We stand with the people of Iran and Palestine in their fight against U.S. and Israeli aggression.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Palestine #AlQuds

Brooklyn, NY – Organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a speakout in Sunset Park on Saturday, March 14, just blocks away from the Metropolitan Detention Center, where up to 200 immigrants are being held by federal agents. The event was part of the group’s recently-launched “ICE Out” campaign, continuing the momentum established at mass rallies earlier in the year.

The speak-out began on the corner of 36th Street and 4th Avenue, where members of the New York Alliance handed out hundreds of flyers, delivered fiery speeches, and spoke to passersby about the campaign to kick ICE and federal agents out of the five boroughs.

A nearby subway station meant there was a steady stream of residents and families to engage with, the vast majority of whom reacted positively to the campaign. Some chose to stay and help hand out flyers, while others gathered on the sidewalk to take up chants and listen to speeches about the deplorable conditions at the MDC, the relationship between immigration enforcement and imperialism, and federal police oppression.

For many passing by it was their first time learning about the federal detention complex.

“I lived here for years at this point, I had no idea that prison was right here in my backyard,” Raqael Vasquez, a resident of Sunset Park, told one organizer. “That’s actually crazy. Seriously.”

After spending some time by the subway station, organizers moved to Industry City, a shopping complex on the same avenue as the MDC. Though the crowd here was composed mostly of young professionals and tourists as opposed to residents of Sunset Park, many onlookers took flyers and raised fists in solidarity. Drivers passing from the Gowanus Expressway underpass likewise honked in unity with the organizers’ message, which was audible from two blocks away.

Though the MDC is situated in an inaccessible and industrial corner of Brooklyn, the speakout drew attendees from all over the city, some of whom had learned of the New York Alliance from previous ICE Out campaign events. People from as far away as Staten Island and Bay Ridge gave up their Saturday afternoons to take part in the speakout, indicating the popularity of the campaign, and the frustration from New Yorkers that such a place is, indeed, operating in their backyard.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #NAARPR #NYAARPR #Prison

Brooklyn, NY – On March 8, close to 80 people marched to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) to commemorate International Women’s Day and demand the kidnapped First Lady of Venezuela, Cilia Flores, be released by the Trump Administration. Cilia Flores was kidnapped alongside her husband, Venezuelan President Maduro, in the January 3 U.S. attack on Venezuela.

Michela Martinazzi of Brooklyn Against War opened the rally by saying, “Today, we’re going to march onto the Metropolitan Detention Center where First Combatant Cilia Flores and President Maduro are being held waiting for their sham trial. But I also want to shout out BAYAN, who across the river, in Manhattan, are giving the Philippines President Marcos hell for even daring to show his face!

“Both the Philippines and Venezuela have been ravaged by U.S. imperialism and endless wars. Both nations should be free from the evil clutches of the U.S. war machine and be able to determine their own destinies!”

The rally began with chants of “Free the prisoners, free them all! Free Cilia from these walls!” before taking up the entire sidewalk and marching to the front of the Metropolitan Detention Center.

The attendees held flower signs reading “Free Cilia Flores” and held yellow flowers made of paper, a symbol often associated with International Woman’s Day. Banners were affixed to the chain link fence adjacent the prison reading “Justice for Cilia Flores” and “Free President Maduro and Cilia Flores.”

Sara Flounders of Workers World Party gave a passionate speech about who Cilia Flores is and her role in the Bolivarian Revolution.

Shivani Ishwar from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “So no, the U.S. does not care about women. The empire cannot even understand what it means to care about women. Because true liberation for women, just like true liberation for all of us, can only be born from socialism – the antithesis to the capitalist, imperialist machine.”

The rally was organized by Brooklyn Against War (BAW), alongside the Venezuela Solidarity Network, Workers World Party, Students for a Democratic Society NYU, New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Black Alliance for Peace, Palaver Collective, Bronx Anti War, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The next major action for Venezuela will be the hearing for President Maduro and First Combatant Cilia Flores on March 26 in New York City.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela

New York, NY – On March 3, around 25 NYU students and faculty gathered in the rain at Washington Square Park to oppose the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The rally was organized by the NYU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), NYU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), NYU Jews Against Zionism (JAZ) and NYU Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP).

Protesters chanted, “We want justice, you say how? Hands off Iran now!” and “From the belly of the beast, hands off the Middle East!” Organizers held a banner reading “Money for jobs and education! Not for bombs and occupation!” As the protest continued, people from the community stopped to take photos and videos of the event.

A representative from JAZ stated. “As Jews Against Zionism, we recognize Israel's involvement in the bombing as a blatant act of imperialism. We reject the Jewish supremacist state and its American collaborators! We condemn the U.S.-Israeli war machine and NYU's active role within it. We stand in solidarity with all peoples of the world in the struggle against American imperialism.”

Ebtesham Ahmed spoke for NYU SDS. “It is our duty as people residing in the belly of the beast to oppose this war. However, it is not just our moral duty, we have an objective material interest in opposing this war. Because as I said, we, the people did not want this war. But you know who clearly did: the billionaire class of this country. They want to take hold of Iranian oil for themselves; they want their overseas unsinkable aircraft carrier called Israel to be able to carry out its settler colonial efforts unopposed. They want this war – we don’t.”

Arang Keshevarian from NYU FSJP spoke, “Donald Trump and his cronies are using, instrumentalizing and abusing the bravery of the Iranian people to confront their oppressors. They’re using this to justify and try to legitimate this war effort. And we cannot let them do that”

Ahmed encouraged people to continue to take action to oppose this war effort with Iran. They stressed the importance of getting organized, as it was more crucial than ever with the attacks the Trump administration launches here and abroad.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYU #SDS #Iran #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement

Brooklyn, NY — On the rainy and blustery evening, March 3, around 50 people gathered in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

The protesters hailed from various antiwar organizations, such as Brooklyn Against War, Workers World Party, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Venezuela Solidarity Network, Black Alliance for Peace, and Bronx Antiwar.

March 3 marks the second month since President Maduro and First Lady Flores were kidnapped by the U.S. government. They are currently awaiting trial based on sham charges at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

The action was part of a day of action called by the UNAC, and the Antiwar Action Network.

Despite the frigid temperatures and rain, the protesters were passionate in their chants and speeches. Chants included “We want justice, you say how? Free Maduro right now! Free Cilia right now!”

Michela Martinazzi, a member of Brooklyn Against War, opened the action by saying, “We’re here because the U.S. government feels like they have a right to kidnap a democratically-elected president of a sovereign nation. This is wrong! This entire case is wrong!”

Sara Flounders of the Workers World Party spoke of the importance of showing solidarity with the people of Venezuela, stating, “We are joining thousands of people around the world. We are joining thousands of Venezuelans who want their president back.”

The rally continued with powerful speeches and with a message from Roger Waters, of Pink Floyd, who called into the rally to deliver a message of solidarity.

The action ended with Martinazzi reminding the crowd to continue showing support for President Maduro, Cilia Flores, and Venezuela on March 8 for International Women’s Day, and March 26 for their next court appearance.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #Maduro #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement

New York, NY – On Saturday, February 28, hundreds gathered in the center of Times Square to protest the bombing campaign being carried out by Israel and endorsed by the United States. One of the supporting organizations was Brooklyn Against War.

Brandon Orr, a member of Brooklyn Against War, said, “We’re here to demand an end to U.S. and Israeli aggression. We demand to end the war and hands off Iran!”

Max Gurman, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said, “While Israel and the U.S. continue bombing other cities across the country, Iran has already struck back against U.S. military bases and Israel. The U.S. will not get away with starting a regional war.”

The rally participants marched to Columbus Circle, right near Central Park and Trump Tower.

Many organizations have been calling for continued protests and have doubled down on their efforts to fight against endless wars.

Brooklyn Against War will be joining forces on Tuesday, March 3 at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn where the calls for solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela are being answered.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Iran #BAW

Brooklyn, NY — On Saturday, February 28, 30 community members gathered at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Macon branch to attend a justice for Eudes Pierre panel, organized by the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR).

Eudes Pierre, a young Haitian American man, was 26 years old when he was murdered by the NYPD in December of 2021. Pierre had called 911 himself while experiencing a mental health crisis, and the officers who responded to his call met him not with compassion but with violence. Despite understanding that Pierre was in distress, the officers harassed him, escalated the situation, and ultimately shot him ten times.

Over four years after Pierre’s death, his family continues to fight for justice, working closely with the New York Alliance. The panel focused on what justice can look like years after a loved one’s death at the hands of police, and how to change a system that continues to treat Black and brown lives as disposable, while allowing cops to get away with murder.

On the panel of speakers were Sheina Banatte, Eudes Pierre’s cousin and the managing director of advocacy of the Justice for Eudes Pierre Coalition; Joshua Lopez, the nephew of John Collado, a man who was killed by an undercover NYPD officer in 2011; and Sharif Hall, organizer and treasurer of the New York Alliance. The conversation was moderated by Shivani Ishwar, the chair of NYAARPR.

The panel opened by discussing the cases of Eudes Pierre and John Collado, and the ways in which the current system failed to deliver justice for them and their loved ones, or consequences for the officers responsible for the murders.

“We had to fight to change the narrative around Eudes’ death,” said Banatte, speaking about her cousin’s case. “The media was calling it a ‘suicide by cop.’” She went on to discuss how Pierre didn’t deserve to be dehumanized just because he was in distress. His death was not a suicide, but a murder at the hands of the NYPD.

The speakers then discussed the demands for justice, and how the fight continues years after a loved one’s death. NYAARPR’s Justice for Eudes Pierre campaign demands that the officers who killed Pierre be fired and prosecuted for murder; that police are removed from mental health crisis response; and that a system of community control over the police be implemented citywide.

Speaking on the importance of community control of the police, Hall said, “In the 60s, the Black Panther party advocated for community control. The Black liberation struggle at that time called for a lot of ways to give Black people control over different aspects of their lives.”

The panel closed on a call to action, reminding attendees to go beyond education to join the fight for justice. “Learning about these cases is just the first step,” Ishwar said. “We need to fight for our demands, and change the system that allows [the NYPD] to get away with murder.”

NYAARPR will be holding a Justice for Eudes Pierre protest outside of the NYPD’s 71st Precinct, the precinct responsible for killing Pierre. The protest will be held on March 31, the anniversary of the date of New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ refusal to pursue criminal charges against the officers.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #NYAARPR #EudesPierre

Brooklyn, NY- On Friday evening, February 27, dozens of Brooklyn community members gathered for a special screening of the 2003 documentary The Revolution Will Not be Televised—a film that captures first hand the failed, U.S.-backed coup attempt in 2002. The event was held in collaboration with the venue, The Boyfriend Co-op, a queer leftist organizing space and cafe.

The film showed the role that anti-worker media played in enabling the failed coup, and the importance of mass mobilizations and community organizing in rescuing Venezuelan sovereignty and defending the Bolivarian Revolution.

Members of Brooklyn Against War discussed the continuity of Venezuela’s democratic governance from Chávez to Maduro and emphasized the importance of standing up and holding the Trump administration accountable for its renewed attacks on the Venezuelan people and their democratically elected government.

Brooklyn Against War member Michela Martinazzi stated, “Whether it’s an attack on Venezuela, Palestine, Cuba, Iran, or any other country, those billions of dollars are being spent to bomb and murder people, and to steal their resources and destabilize their countries. The U.S. has no right to do that, and that money should be spent on programs that working people need.”

Brooklyn Against War will continue mobilizing against the U.S. aggression towards Venezuela, and has announced a march for First Lady Cilia Flores in honor of International Women’s Day, on March 8. Organizers and community members will march to the jail where Cilia is being held and host a speak-out in her honor.

#BrooklynNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #BAW