Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

OccupyWallStreet

By staff

St. Louis, MO – From March 15 -18, over 100 organizers from the Midwest Occupy movement met here to discuss future plans and actions.

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By Caleb T. Maupin

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following article from Workers World.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On March 8, President Obama signed the Federal Restricted Building and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011. This bill has been called the “anti-Occupy bill” and it specifically targets protests at national security events where the Secret Service is in charge.

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By Kosta Harlan

A former prisoner who spent 20 years in jail holds a sign

Durham, NC – Holding signs and shaking noise-makers, about 50 people gathered outside the Durham County Detention Facility on Feb. 20. The protest brought out a diverse group of people, who held banners that read “No more prisons” and “Solidarity with prisoners everywhere.” Others held placards saying, “End prisoners abuse and solitary confinement.” Dozens of people honked their car horns in support as they drove past the demonstration.

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By staff

Longview, WA – On Friday, members of the ILWU and the labor community named the Occupy Movement as key to the settlement reached Thursday between ILWU Local 21 and the Export Grain Terminal (EGT). The contract finally provides for the use of ILWU labor in the grain terminal at the Port of Longview. After staging the December 12 port shutdowns in solidarity with Local 21, the West Coast Occupy Movement planned coordinated action together with labor allies for a land and water blockade of the EGT ship in Longview, should it attempt to use scab labor to load. Occupys in states where EGT's parent company Bunge has its growth and operations were also planning actions against the company on the day of the arrival of the ship.

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By staff

Occupy Coalition at Milwaukee City Hall

Milwaukee, WI – While 300 foreclosed homes were being auctioned off Feb. 6 at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, over 50 protesters stormed Milwaukee City Hall, Feb. 6 demanding an end to foreclosures, evictions, plant closings, school closings and layoffs, as well as transparency with the federally-funded Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).

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By Kelly O'Brien

Protest against NDAA at Obama campaign headquarters, Feb. 3

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 people rallied here, Feb. 3, as a part of the National Day of Protest against the provision of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allows for indefinite detention without trial. The protest occurred outside the Obama campaign headquarters. President Obama signed this unconstitutional bill into law Dec. 31. According to Anh Pham of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), “This law allows the government to continue to oppress anyone who doesn’t agree with them.”

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By B.J. Murphy

Occupy Congress on Supreme Court steps

Washington DC – In response to a call for a nationwide Occupy presence in Washington D.C., thousands joined Occupy Congress, Jan. 17.

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By Tom Burke

Occupy Grand Rapids protest at bank with octopus, representing the corporate ten

Grand Rapids, MI – Occupy Grand Rapids protested big banks with a march here, Jan. 27. Twenty-five Grand Rapidians gathered in the snow under the Union Soldier Monument downtown. They marched with a giant orange octopus, representing the corporate tentacles reaching into all aspects of American life. Members of Occupy Grand Rapids read speeches revealing the racist, undemocratic and abusive practices of each corporate bank. Stopping outside each of the six corporate banks branches including PNG, Bank of America and Fifth Third Bank, speakers exposed the banks’ role in home foreclosures, predatory lending and student loan debt.

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By Fight Back! Editors

Ron Paul

Ron Paul is attracting a lot of attention, including some attention from some people in the anti-war movement, because of his views on foreign policy. Paul has demanded that the president “bring the troops home.” He reflects popular opinion when he says that President Bush overstepped his powers in starting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without a declaration of war. In general, Paul is known as an isolationist, rather than a pro-war candidate. However, Ron Paul supports assassinations and other ‘covert actions,’ acts, which are both illegal and anti-democratic, against other countries. In the Republican debates, his campaign tends to put little emphasis on his anti-war stances. Still, to find a candidate of either party who is against the wars is viewed by some as refreshing.

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