News and Views from the People's Struggle
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.
Madison, WI – In a show of student power, nearly 50 protesters marched into the UW board of regents meeting Thursday, December 5, to put Palestine and divestment on the Finance Committee agenda.
This latest militant action comes after a large-scale administration failure to uphold the Madison and Milwaukee encampment agreements on disclosure and divestment from apartheid Israel.
Tacoma, WA – More than 20 students rallied at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma on November 22, to condemn Donald Trump’s win in the presidential election and demand justice for Palestine. Protesters headed to the entrance of the school, where campus tours were being held. Students and community members voiced their anger and demanded justice.
San Jose, CA – On the evening of Saturday, November 23, around 30 community members gathered at Saint James Park to honor members of the trans community who are no longer with us, as well as the Palestinians who have been martyred over the past year. The action was organized by the San Jose People’s Pride coalition.
Denver, CO – On Friday, November 29, approximately 200 people gathered at James N. Manley Park in Denver for a rally and march in recognition of International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is an annual UN-recognized observance that calls for sovereignty for the Palestinians as well as freedom from Israeli occupation. In the U.S., this there were protests against the U.S. government’s continued support of the Israeli occupation and its crimes against Palestine, especially the ongoing genocide in Gaza where over 40,000 people have been massacred.
After listening to speeches from organizations leading the march, protesters took to the streets and marched around the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
Due to Black Friday, the Cherry Creek shopping center was busier than usual. While protesters were marching outside, several dozen activists started a disruption inside the mall with chanting, signs and Palestine flags. Many shoppers joined in the chanting and some even joined the march as it left the mall and joined the larger demonstration outside. Once outside, the march continued back to the park, stopping along the way for more speeches.
“Students have a long history of fighting alongside those resisting oppression,” said Lucia Feast, an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society, “We have fought with those resisting the Vietnam War, and demanded divestment from apartheid South Africa. Today we continue this liberation struggle by standing with Palestine!”
The message from protesters was clear: there will be no business as usual while the United States continues to aid the genocidal Israeli occupation.
#DenverCO #CO #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #StudentMovement #SDS
Tampa, FL – On Monday, November 25, a group of students and community members held a rally to demand free speech on campus. The University of South Florida’s (USF) administration continues to deny students the right to free speech and assembly, with police saying they cannot hold events or even leaflet.
Appleton, WI – In the biting cold of a Wisconsin evening, over 100 community members gathered on November 20 at Houdini Plaza with cider and a shared revolutionary spirit to keep them warm. As trans and gender fluid voices rang out, their message echoed through Outagamie county with unmistakable clarity: “Trans sanctuary now! We won’t back down!”
Tampa, FL – On Friday, November 22, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally to say no to Trump as part of National SDS’s Day of Action on November 19 against Trump’s agenda.
Milwaukee, WI – On November 21, the UWM Popular University for Palestine (PUP) Coalition took bold action to rename the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Golda Meir Library. As part of the National Students for Justice in Palestine’s International Strike for Palestine, students hand-delivered a petition signed by over 500 students, alumni, faculty and community members. The petition, denounced UWM’s dehumanizing language and policies toward Palestinians, and was brought to Chancellor Mark Mone’s office. The protest ended in a banner drop at the campus library, and a call for renaming the building to Electa Quinney Library.
New Orleans, LA – Protesters gathered twice at New Orleans Municipal Court during the week of November 18, as six activists who were arrested during the student-led Popular University for Gaza encampment attended their first days of trial.
They all face misdemeanor charges, ranging from trespassing to battery on an officer. The activists were all arrested by Tulane University Police Department in the first hours of the Encampment, which was held for two nights in April and May this year.
New Orleans, LA – On November 15, students from the University of New Orleans gathered outside of the Administrative Annex to protest the school’s sudden decision to charge students for an entire semester’s worth of parking decals, with only three weeks of the semester left in the year.
Tallahassee, FL – On Wednesday, November 19, students at Florida State University came face to face with the horrors of Zionism when they went to class. Outside FSU’s largest classroom building, 15 members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) from Tallahassee and Jacksonville laid on the ground, standing in for the corpses of Palestinians murdered by Israeli forces. They held signs documenting the names and stories of martyred civilians, while speakers condemned FSU’s partnership with arms manufacturers which supply t state of Israel.
Austin, TX – On Wednesday, November 20, a group of around 40 pro-Palestine students and community members rallied to demand that the University of Texas (UT) divest from the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The rally was held outside the UT Systems Building in downtown Austin, where the UT board of regents quarterly meeting was taking place.
Aurora, CO – On November 17, around 40 members of the Aurora community gathered in front of Aurora Police Headquarters to hold a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Kory Dillard and to speak out against the system that unjustly ended his life.
New Orleans, LA - On November 13, students packed a room to hear about their university’s difficult financial future and anincreasingly bloated and unaccountable administration.
Tampa, FL – In response to Trump’s recent election, on November 9 the Tampa community took a stand against Trump and his racist policies. Dozens of community members showed up to raise their voices on such topics as LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, police crimes and more.
Tallahassee, FL – On Thursday, November 7, around 50 protesters joined Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) to protest the racist, pro-Israel agenda of President-elect Donald Trump. The students and community members made it clear that the people’s movements would not stand down in the face of Trump’s reactionary repression, and that they would continue to demand an end to all U.S. aid to Israel.
Tampa, FL – On November 8, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, along with community members and students, rallied in defense of free speech on campus, after facing repression by the University of South Florida (USF) and not being allowed to host events on campus.
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.
Minneapolis, MN – On November 8, the Twin Cities-based Free Palestine Coalition rallied outside Hennepin County Government Center in support of student arrestees who face both university disciplinary action and potential criminal charges for protest action.