News and Views from the People's Struggle
San Jose, CA – On Thursday, November 6, dozens of people attended the Santa Clara County Finance and Government Operations Committee (FGOC) meeting in support of an ethical investment policy that would bar the county from investing further into fossil fuel companies.
San Jose – On Thursday, August 2, dozens of people attended the Santa Clara County Housing, Land-Use, Environment, and Transportation (HLUET) subcommittee meeting and the San Jose City Council Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support (PSFSS) subcommittee meetings to demand that they divest from companies complicit in genocide.
At the HLUET subcommittee meeting people spoke to the County Supervisors Margaret Abe-Koga and Sylvia Arenas, calling on them to divest from fossil-fuel companies and to introduce and pass an ethical investment policy.
Tim Samson, member of San Jose Against War, spoke to the supervisors saying, “Chevron is one of the largest producers of fossil fuels for Israel with a significant stake in Israel’s energy sector. As a resident of this county, I see the human rights abuses of Palestinians as a local issue. The county has a moral obligation to divest from companies such as Chevron.”
A dozen more in-person and a handful of virtual attendees spoke of the people’s demand to divest from Chevron and their desire to see an ethical investment policy introduced and passed by the county.
At the San Jose PSFSS subcommittee, around two dozen people showed up to give public comment that is only available in-person. San Jose City has upwards of $50 million invested in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide in Palestine including Alphabet, Microsoft and Caterpillar.
This mobilization was a follow up from a previous city council meeting where Councilmember Peter Ortiz directed Finance Director Maria Oberg to provide report to present at the PSFSS meeting.
Drusie Kasanova, a member of San Jose Against War, spoke to the subcommittee saying, “I’m disappointed to hear the investigation on the city’s investment portfolio were not presented. But we are still here to mobilize and raise that concern and express our support for divestment in-line with the city’s ethical investment policy and to support divestment from Alphabet, Microsoft and Caterpillar.”
San Jose community member and Palestinian American Dina Saba stated, “The 2% of the city’s funds in these companies are investments supporting genocide, the mass slaughter of over 20,000 children, and intentional starvation by Israel and that is 1000% unacceptable.”
Saba continued, “I don’t want my beloved city’s investments supporting the mass slaughter of my family and my people.”
Two dozen more people spoke on supporting the moral obligation of divestment from companies complicit in enabling genocide in Palestine.
There are plans to continue the divestment campaign through applying pressure to the finance director and councilmembers to support divestment.
San Jose, CA – On Saturday, July 12, 50 people gathered to hear Nora Barrows-Friedman speak at an event hosted by San Jose Against War. Barrows-Friedman is an associate editor for Electronic Intifada and co-host for the live show with the same name. She has been a reporter and broadcaster focusing on Palestine for more than 20 years and is the author of In Our Power: US Students Organize for Justice in Palestine.
San Jose, CA – On Saturday, June 28, anti-war activists filled a classroom to learn about the U.S./Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people and the climate crisis. The presentations shed light on U.S. corporations that support Israeli genocide, including Alphabet, Caterpillar and Microsoft.
Activists are demanding the San Jose City Council pull its investments from corporations aiding Israel’s war machine or doing business there. In addition, activists are demanding Santa Clara County divest from oil company Chevron for its role in fueling the genocide in Palestine and the climate crisis.
San Jose, CA – On Sunday, June 22, the day after the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran, about 150 people gathered at the Dr. MLK, Jr Library in downtown San Jose in protest.
Iranian flags, Palestinian flags and signs reading, “No war with Iran!” were held by protesters as they chanted, “Stop bombing Iran!” “U.S. out of the Middle East” and “U.S. out of Iran!” accompanied by many supportive car honks.
San Jose, CA – On Thursday, May 15, around 50 people gathered in downtown San Jose in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library to commemorate the 77th year of the ongoing Nakba.
Chants of “Free Palestine,” “BDS is our demand, no peace on stolen land” and “Stop bombing Gaza!” were heard throughout the streets of downtown.
By Sebastian Salinas and Philip Nguyen
San Jose, CA – On May 1, over 1500 people gathered in San Jose for the annual International Workers Day march and rally. The event, organized by the San Jose May Day Coalition, called for a “Day Without an Immigrant” in response to recent attacks on workers and immigrants under the Trump administration.
San Jose, CA – On March 28, community members gathered at the Arab American Cultural Center in San Jose for an evening of education and discussion on Land Day, the Palestinian day commemorating the 1976 deaths of six Palestinian protesters who were marching against Zionist seizure of Palestinian land.
San Jose, CA – About 20 community members gathered at the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, December 10, International Human Rights Day, to honor Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement leader and political prisoner of almost 50 years.
San Jose, CA – On October 6 – a day before the anniversary of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood – 250 people gathered in front of San Jose City Hall to show their solidarity with the resistance in Palestine and their commitment to the movement for a free Palestine.
Signs bearing slogans such as “San Jose divest from genocide,” “Divest from Alphabet and Microsoft,” “Silicon Valley has blood on their hands,” “End U.S. aid to Israel,” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” were held by participants. Despite the record-breaking heat, the community came together with energy and determination.
San Jose, CA – On September 28, about 50 people gathered in front of San Jose City Hall to protest U.S. involvement in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and the ongoing genocide in Palestine. People joined together demanding end all U.S. aid to Israel and for San Jose to divest from companies directly tied to Israel.
Portland, OR – On September 21, the Anti-War Action Network presented a webinar on divestment campaigns for Palestine and the anti-war movement. The event featured speakers from New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports, Minneapolis Anti-War Committee, San Jose Against War, and UW Milwaukee SDS.
San Jose, CA – On Friday, September 6, over 80 people came together in San Jose to honor the activist and martyr Aysenur “Aisha” Ezgi, who was murdered by Israeli authorities on the occupied West Bank. Protesters also denounced Israel’s invasion of the West Bank cities and the U.S.’s role in funding Israel’s genocide.
Protesters held signs reading “Victory to the Palestinian Resistance,” “End U.S. aid to Israel,” “Zionism = racism; justice for Palestinians,” and “I support Palestinian human rights.” The crowd could be seen by drivers, with honking in solidarity throughout the entire action.
San Jose, CA – On Saturday, July 6, around 20 people gathered in San Jose for a protest in solidarity with the national mobilizations against NATO and RIMPAC that are occurring in Hawaii, San Diego and Washington D.C.
San Jose, CA – On Monday, June 24, over two dozen protesters gathered in Sunnyvale to protest against weapons manufacturer Northrop Grumman and to demand that the war industry be shut down. The protest was called by San Jose Against War as part of Anti War Action Network’s national Week Against Weapons.
San Jose, CA – On February 27, over 100 people gathered at a candlelight vigil in San Jose to honor the life and sacrifice of Aaron Bushnell.
Aaron Bushnell was an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force who self-immolated on Sunday in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. His death was an act of protest against the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.