Orlando, FL – On April 3, the Knights Against Genocide Coalition held its first day of action at the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus to present its demands to university administration and mobilize students against UCF’s continued support for the genocide and occupation of Palestine. The day of action began at Millican Hall with a delivery of the coalition’s demands to UCF President Alexander Cartwright.
Orlando, FL – On Tuesday, April 8, Orlando Against Police Crimes and UCF Students for a Democratic Society held a press conference in support of Chris Gibson, a pro-Palestine student activist and member of UCF SDS who is facing felony charges for protesting Israel’s genocide against Palestine. Gibson was arrested and brutalized by Orlando Police Department officers outside of City Hall on October 7, 2024.
Orlando, FL – On April 10, organizers with Orlando Against Police Crimes (OAPC) attended the Orange County Sheriff’s Civilian Advisory Committee to demand justice for Luis Lopez, a recent victim of a deadly police shooting in his own home.
“They killed an innocent person who was supposed to be helping,” explained David Porter, a member of OAPC. He continued, “if Sheriff Mina reached the absurd conclusion that deputies acted within policy, then your policy sucks, your training sucks.”
Orlando, FL – On March 31, University of Central Florida (UCF) Students for a Democratic Society, Young Poet Society, and Young Democratic-Socialists of America came together to hold an open mic and fundraiser for Trans Day of Visibility, with all proceeds going towards Central Florida Mutual Aid’s Trans Safety Fund.
The goal of this event was to platform trans and queer voices on campus amid attacks on LGBTQ rights, including the recent unanimous decision by the UCF board of trustees to make it a conduct charge to use a bathroom that does not correspond with one’s “sex assigned at birth.”
Orlando, FL – On March 16, over 50 people gathered at Lake Ellenor Park to celebrate the life of Luis Lopez and to demand justice for his murder. Attendees watched Lopez’s team win their soccer match before gathering for a vigil and press conference.
Orlando, FL – On March 8, the Orlando district of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) held a spoken word and trivia fundraiser to commemorate International Women’s Day and gather the Orlando community in the face of recent attacks on women. The slogans raised at the event were “Defend Women’s and Reproductive Rights,” “Stand with the Women of Palestine” and “Stop the Deportations! Keep Families Together.”
On Thursday, March 6, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office released the bodycam footage detailing the events that took place on the evening of February 8, 2025 resulting in murder of 26-year old Luis Lopez by Orange County deputies.
El Noticiero ¡Lucha y Resiste! está circulando el siguiente comunicado de Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales sobre el asesinato de Luis López, publicado originalmente en inglés el 13 de febrero de 2025.
Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales condena enérgicamente el asesinato de Luis López, de 24 años, a manos de agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange la noche del sábado 8 de febrero en el vecindario de Pine Castle.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Orlando Against Police Crimes.
Orlando Against Police Crimes strongly condemns the murder of 24-year old Luis Lopez by Orange County deputies on the night of Saturday, February 8th in the Pine Castle neighborhood.
Officers arrived following reports of a burglarized home. In a statement to WFTV, a close friend of Lopez, Loida Zunun, said “Some guy was trying to get in his house, and he called my mom,” Zunun said. “He was scared, and he told us, hey, there’s somebody trying to come inside my house.”
Orlando, FL – From November 18 -26 students at the University of Central Florida (UCF) participated in a week of action that featured multiple protests for Palestine, and an observance of the Trans Day of Remembrance.
Orlando, FL – On Monday, Nov 4, despite the rain, ten students gathered in front of the Ferrell Commons building on the University of Central Florida campus to demand UCF’s Office of Student Conduct & Academic Integrity (SCAI) drop their conduct charges against Chris Gibson, a UCF student, a member of Students for a Democratic Society and the Divestment Coalition.
Orlando, FL – On Wednesday, November 6, more than 40 community members, students and activists rallied at the George C. Young Federal Court House to protest Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election. The rally was organized by the Orlando District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).
Orlando, FL - On Monday, September 23, several student and community groups rallied at the University of Central Florida (UCF) to demand justice for a Palestinian protester targeted by university administration.
Orlando, FL- Thirty activists gathered outside of City Hall in downtown Orlando for a vigil to mourn and remember the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. This was the second of several events being organized each day as part of a week of action to mark one year since Israel began bombing Gaza.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization of Orlando stands in solidarity with the eight pro-Palestine solidarity activists who were brutalized, assaulted and arrested by the Orlando Police Department [OPD] on September 21.
The protesters were all members of Central Florida Queers for Palestine and Orlando for Peace, two local grassroots organizations dedicated to justice in Palestine. Around 20 activists had gathered at Lake Eola Park as part of an emergency action denouncing Israel’s illegal and immoral bombing campaigns against Lebanon and demanding an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the University of Central Florida Students for a Democratic Society (UCF SDS) in Orlando, Florida.
On June 18, an appeal was filed by UCF student and SDS member Marcus Polzer regarding the Formal Panel hearing that found Polzer in violation of two counts of Disruptive Conduct. Students have the right to appeal the findings of the hearing only on the basis of one or more of the following:
Orlando, FL – On June 27 and 28, the Florida board of governors held a meeting in the Student Union of the University of Central Florida. On June 27, various subcommittees met to discuss actions that would be up for vote the next day, including giving the UCF football department $100 million in funding despite teachers and faculty receiving news last semester that they would not be receiving a pay raise.
Orlando, FL – On July 1, 15 activists confronted U.S. House Representative Darren Soto at a meet-and-greet event, where they condemned his legislative track record of supporting the genocide in Palestine.
