Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By staff

Filipino youth celebrate Anakbayan gala in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA – On November 30, members of Anakbayan, the Filipino youth activist organization, hosted a fundraising gala. They were celebrating the five-year anniversary of their Philadelphia chapter.

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By staff

Philadelphia protest against U.S. aggression towards Venezuela.

Philadelphia, PA – On Saturday, November 15, over 100 people gathered at City Hall to denounce the U.S. war moves towards Venezuela. Organized by anti-war and community groups, the event was part of a nationwide week of action responding to the recent U.S. military escalation, missile strikes on maritime vessels in the Caribbean and open calls by the Trump administration for regime change.

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By Kyle Cansler

Philadelphia marches in solidarity with Palestine on October 7.

Philadelphia, PA – On October 7, 300 protestors marched through Center City to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation which reasserted the global cause for Palestinian liberation and struck a massive blow against the Israeli occupation.

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By staff

Marching for Palestine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh, PA – On October 10, the Pittsburgh BDS Coalition led hundreds into the streets to speak out against Howmet Aerospace, a locally headquartered company manufacturing aircraft parts for Lockheed Martin. The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement works to isolate Israel for the crimes it is committing in Palestine.

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By Zainab Almehdi

Activists line the entrance to the Hanwha Philly Shipyard.

Philadelphia, PA – On August 26, upon learning that Republic of Korea President Lee Jae Myung would be speaking at Hanwha’s Philadelphia shipyard, anti-imperialist activists quickly mobilized to oppose the war-mongering, $5 billion investment into Philly shipbuilding. This investment is a condition of the recent trade deal brokered by Lee and Trump, who met the day before in Washington, DC.

The deal entailed the lowering of the U.S. tariff rate for South Korean goods from the proposed 25% down to 15% in exchange for a direct investment of $150 billion into the U.S. shipbuilding industry, a deal proposed by Lee as “MASGA” or “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.” $5 billion of that $150 billion will be spent on developing Hanwha’s shipbuilding venture in Philadelphia.

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By Cas Casanova

PAARPR members and Aaron Rainey’s family in the district attorney’s office, demanding answers regarding Rainey’s case.

Philadelphia, PA – On the morning of Thursday, August 14, about a dozen members of the Philadelphia Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (PAARPR) held a press conference at the Philadelphia City Hall to demand justice for Aaron Rainey and shed light on his case.

Aaron Rainey, a 36-year-old Black man, was shot and killed in March of this year by Philadelphia police officers while experiencing a mental health crisis. The names of the officers involved have not been released.

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By Olujimi Alade

Philadelphia march demands justice for Robert Jones.

Philadelphia, PA – On May 3, around 40 community members and activists came together to commemorate the half year anniversary of Robert Jones’ killing by Detective Christopher Sweeney. The rally took place at the south side of City Hall in the afternoon.

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By Anna Nunes

Abortion rights activists block harassers from reaching Planned Parenthood clinic.

Philadelphia PA – On April 18, an anti-abortion religious group called Mission Youth Philly planned to obstruct access to the Planned Parenthood at 12th and Locust Streets in Philadelphia’s gayborhood. In response, over 100 abortion rights activists and community members led by the Philly Abortion Rights Coalition gathered to prevent the anti-abortionists from intimidating patients accessing care and to show solidarity with the clinic-goers.

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By Kyle Cansler

Marching on International Women's Day in Philadelphia, PA.

Philadelphia, PA – Drawn into the streets by the Trump administration’s broad attack on women’s and LGBTQ s rights, nearly 1000 protesters marched through Center City for International Women’s Day on March 8. The march disrupted traffic along the busy shopping district of Rittenhouse Square.

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By Kyle Cansler

Rally against imperalist intervention in the Congo.

Philadelphia, PA – On Tuesday, February 18, dozens of Philly activists gathered outside city hall to rally against Rwanda’s escalation of the war against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The evening rally, organized by Free Congo Philly, included the support of groups like Drexel Palestine Coalition, Black Alliance for Peace, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, the Philadelphia Alliance Against Imperialism, and others.

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By Kyle Cansler

Family members speak out about Robert Jones' murder in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, PA – On a chilly November 2 afternoon, nearly a month after off-duty homicide detective Christopher Sweeney shot and killed Robert Jones, activists and community members joined the friends and family of Jones at City Hall to demand justice and march on the Philadelphia Police Department headquarters.

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By staff

Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Philadelphia PA – On October 16, over the objections of students, Temple University Beasley School of Law adopted anti-protest policies mandated by the American Bar Association. In the spring of 2024, the American Bar Association (ABA) adopted a mandate forcing all law schools to adopt policies designed to prevent the student protests that have taken place since October 7, 2023.

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By staff

Philadelphia Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression Members join United Here stadium workers picket.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Philadelphia, PA – On September 26, the Philadelphia Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression members joined the UNITE HERE Local 274 picket line as Philadelphia stadium workers struggled for healthcare and a living wage.

The strikes were a culmination of negotiations which began in January of this year. Despite Aramark making over $18 billion in revenue last year, workers are still getting the shaft. At $14.11 an hour, the wages that Aramark food service employees earn are among the lowest in comparison to concession workers in other parts of the country.

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By Kyle Cansler

Hundreds gather at Philadelphia City Hall before marching on the presidential debate.  | Joe Piette/Fight Back! News

Philadelphia, PA – On the evening of September 10, The Philadelphia Palestine Coalition led a march of 750 community members and activists through the streets of Center City to protest at the National Constitution Center, the venue of the first Harris-Trump debate.

United in their anger at the two candidates, protestors marched for over three hours, covering 18 city blocks to make their message clear: when it comes to the genocide in Gaza, both the Democrats and Republicans are united.

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By Kyle Cansler

Philadelphia pro-Palestine marchers surround the quad with banners and signs, shielding the encampment. | Photo: Amber Kahn

Philadelphia, PA– On May 18, hundreds of people gathered outside Philadelphia City Hall to rally and march in remembrance of the 76th anniversary of the Nakba. Protesters marched west throughout the city, eventually arriving at Drexel University. With the support and protection of the people, student organizers established a new encampment on Drexel’s Korman quad.

Nakba Day commemorates the violent displacement of Palestinians that occurred during and after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which resulted in the establishment of the state of Israel. The term “Nakba” means “catastrophe” in Arabic and reflects the mass exodus of 400,000 plus Palestinians from their homes and homeland, and the subsequent loss of 15,000 Palestinian lives.

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By staff

Pro-Palestine workers pose after disrupting Kamala Harris's speech.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Philadelphia, PA – During the North American SEIU convention on May 21, around 50 union members and staff led a walkout against Vice President Kamala Harris. The International hosted around 4000 people including delegates, guests and staff.

About ten minutes into Harris’ speech, about 50 delegates, guests and staff stood up and started chanting “Free Palestine!” Harris paused and stuttered for a moment, and some delegates broke out into “Four more years.” Protesters soon overshadowed them. They walked to the entrance and pulled out hidden cloth signs, reading “Workers of the world unite” and “Free Gaza.” They chanted “Harris, Harris you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” and sang the union anthem Which side are you on? .

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By staff

Marchers stop to listen to speakers on May Day in North Philadelphia   | Fight Back! News/staff

Philadelphia, PA – Over 70 people took to the streets of North Philadelphia on May 1, International Workers Day. Community members and political organizations rallied together at the Philadelphia Peace Park, an area that has been liberated by the community from the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s racist management. It is now the site of a community garden where Peace Park volunteers are building a structure to hold community and educational events.

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