Gainesville, FL – On Oct. 8, about three dozen Gainesville activists held a rally to protest the 11th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Florida (UF), Occupy Gainesville and Gainesville Veterans for Peace gave a round of speeches in Turlington Plaza, demanding the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan and the end of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and other parts of the Middle East.

The walls surrounding Turlington Plaza rang with the sound of students and Gainesville residents chanting, “Troops out now!” Speakers also addressed the devastating costs of the war and the resulting cuts to public education and social services.

“Every week, Washington spends $2 billion on the occupation of Afghanistan. That's billion with a capital 'B',” said SDS organizer Pamela Maldonado, as protesters chanted, “Up, up with education! Down, down with occupation!”

This action also officially launched Gainesville SDS's campaign to end the expansion of drone manufacturing in Gainesville. The Gainesville-based company Altavian, Inc. revealed in late August that it is officially the first company in U.S. history to receive a federal contract solely for expanding drone production. It is accompanied by Prioria Robotics, also based in Gainesville, which actively hires recently graduated UF students.

This protest occurred a week after a successful student-led discussion of Syria, U.S. intervention, and the human rights atrocities committed by the Syrian rebels. About 40 students filled the room, and before the event was over, a consensus was built around opposing all forms of Western intervention and the U.S.-backed rebels. All students present called for Syrian self-determination instead.

This sentiment reappeared during speeches at Monday's protest of the War in Afghanistan. “Sept. 11 may have been an excuse to go into Afghanistan, but no Afghanis were actually involved in the terrorist attacks,” said Maldonado. “The only reason we invaded was to consolidate the U.S.'s control over the Middle East's resources, and the only people who benefit is the top 1% of this country. Thousands of people are dying, so that a few hundred can live like royalty.”

Speakers also emphasized the importance of staying in the streets and protesting the war from our own country, rather than staying content with the ballot box. The same millionaires who stand to gain from these wars have compromised both the Democrat and Republican parties.

Eric Brown, another SDS organizer, said, “Even though Bush sent in the first troops, the Obama administration has stepped up these unmanned attacks to unprecedented levels and redefined the potential destruction of U.S. imperialism. It is more urgent than ever that Americans protest these wars where they can, locally, here at home.”

#GainesvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #Afghanistan #Syria #AfghanistanWar #UniversityOfFlorida #OccupyGainesville #drones #GainesvilleVeteransForPeace

Gainesville, FL – Occupy Gainesville has witnessed a healthy level of involvement from people here, with recent protests against Wall Street. Rallying at the central downtown location of Bo Diddley Plaza Oct. 13, community members were pleased to see Bo Diddley's son, Ellas Anthony McDaniel, speaking out in support of Occupy Gainesville and Occupy Wall Street.

However, occupiers were not so pleased to see police arresting the 56-year old McDaniel in the early hours of Oct. 14 on a trespassing charge. “This is my father's park,” McDaniel said. Around 50 protesters held signs reading “Where's our bailout?” as they watched the police arrest McDaniel.

“For them to arrest me in that plaza is ludicrous,” said McDaniel. “I'm an American. This is freedom of assembly,” he added.

#GainesvilleFL #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyGainesville #BoDiddly #EllasAnthonyMcDaniel

Gainesville, FL – The ongoing Occupy Wall Street protests finally reached here on Oct. 5. Working people and students from across Gainesville converged on the downtown farmers market to hold the first Occupy Gainesville assembly.

With a crowd of more than 120, participants stood up and gave speeches about the demands that Occupy Gainesville ought to raise. Overwhelmingly, the assembly agreed to place an emphasis on local issues, particularly the demand for good-paying jobs.

During a speech, Jeremiah Tattersall, a statewide organizer with Fight Back Florida, reminded the assembly of “the importance in making labor and jobs the central focus of this movement.” His suggestion to demand that the City Commission adopt a local hiring preference, which would create jobs for Gainesville workers through city projects, was met with widespread applause.

After a half hour meeting, the entire assembly marched to City Hall and continued to make speeches denouncing corporate greed at the city, state and national level. Dave Schneider, an activist in Students for a Democratic Society, said, “The 1% of corporate America may center itself at Wall Street, but it’s also here in Gainesville, represented by the City Commission and the big commercial developers who put them in power. Enough is enough!”

As the first meeting came to end, participants signed up for committees focusing on direct action plans and internet outreach.

The Occupy Gainesville participants agreed to make the downtown Bo Diddley Plaza the central hub for the movement and announced that occupations would begin on Oct. 12.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #FightBackFlorida #OccupyGainesville #OccupyWallSt #OccupyWallStreet