San Jose, CA – On Sunday, February 15, more than 300 people gathered at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin to commemorate the signing of Executive Order 9066, which initiated the incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese-Americans into concentration camps during World War II.

Nihonmachi Outreach Committee has held the San Jose Day of Remembrance annually since 1981. The theme for this year’s event was “Neighbors, Not Enemies”, and began with an aspiration by Reverend John Oda of Wesley Methodist Church. Reverend Oda called for solidarity with the communities under attack from the Trump administration, including LGBTQ and immigrant communities. He highlighted the popular resistance to ICE activity in the Minneapolis area as an example of the action needed to protect our communities.

Vanessa Hatakeyama, emcee, said that the event is not only to honor and remember, but is also a call to act. Various local organizations had resource tables at the event, including San Jose Against War and Community Service Organization (CSO).

Keynote speaker Masao Suzuki drew a connection between the violence inflicted by ICE at home and the recent extra-judicial killings by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea and emphasized the responsibility of the masses to struggle against oppression.

Hatakeyama invited ten guests of honor to the front of the room, people who were incarcerated under EO 9066 or served for the U.S. during WWII. After this, Jake Shimada, a local musician, played an original piece on ukelele that he has composed over the past three years. The song represents resilience in the face of hardship and was dedicated to his family

Athar Siddeqee, chairman of the South Bay Islamic Association, was introduced to the stage to give a speech. He drew attention to the shared history of racist oppression endured by Japanese and Muslim Americans. Siddeqee spoke of the friendship and solidarity expressed by the Bay Area Japanese community following the events of September 11, 2001. At a time when Muslims faced increased racism, the Japanese community came to their doors and said, “We are here to support you and we have your back.” This story reflects that this year’s theme, Neighbors Not Enemies, is an integral part of the community’s values and actions and has been for generations.

After the speakers, the program moved to a candlelight vigil. Participants held electric candles and joined in a procession walking through the heart of Japantown before returning to the church.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #OppressedNationalities #SJAW #SJCSO

San Jose, CA – On Saturday February 28, over 100 people gathered on the corner of Stevens Creek and Winchester in San Jose to protest the U.S.– Israeli war on Iran. The emergency protest occurred less than 24 hours after news first broke about Israeli strikes on Iran, with the U.S. joining the bombing campaign shortly thereafter.

Protesters filled the sidewalks in the heart of one of San Jose’s busiest shopping districts, waving Iranian flags and chanting, “Hands off Iran.” They held signs that read, “No war on Iran” and “Silicon Valley has blood on its hands,” referring to Silicon Valley corporations like Alphabet and Microsoft, which provide technology to the Israeli and U.S. militaries.

Philip Nguyen of San Jose Against War kicked off the program, saying, “The bombs being used to murder the men, women, and children of Iran are paid for by our tax dollars.”

Nguyen continued, “San Jose Against War and other organizations are pushing an ethical investment campaign, targeting the city of San Jose to divest and bar any further investments in companies complicit in genocide, companies enabling ICE, companies who profit from prisons, and more.”

Drusie Kazanova of Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke about U.S. and Israeli retaliation against Iran for Iran’s support of Palestine, saying, “Iran is the strongest and largest member of the Axis of Resistance, providing logistical, military, and many other forms of support to the Palestinian Resistance.”

Kazanova continued, “Iran represents a real challenge to Israel’s genocidal apartheid regime and to U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. Iran thwarts U.S. imperialist control of the entire region by continuing to assert their sovereignty, despite U.S. attempts to control the region.”

Emer Martin of Vigil4Gaza stated, “The empire wants us to believe that Iran, Cuba and Venezuela are irrational, untrustworthy actors. But what these countries have in common is not extremism, it’s resistance.”

Martin continued, “Capitalism feeds on extraction, on domination, on endless war. The war industry is our enemy. The war industry has poisoned the earth and sacrificed our future for profit, and today it has littered a schoolyard with the bodies of 108 young girls.” Iranian media and officials reported that Israel bombed a girls’ elementary school in Minab.

Nassim Nouri, Iranian-American and Green Party member, spoke about U.S. sanctions, saying, “For 50 years, economic sanctions have crippled and have tortured the people of Iran. What other countries have been suffering from that? Cuba, Venezuela – there are many countries that are being persecuted through an economic war.”

“U.S. interventions, economic sanctions, manufactured coups have riddled the history of many countries,” Nouri continued.

Donna Wallach of San Jose Against War stated, “The United States has been an imperial power since the late 1800s, and the government has been stealing land and resources since the Europeans set foot on this continent.”

“We must stop this current illegal war,” Wallach continued. “People power is the answer. Our use of our money is the answer. It is time for us, the people, to realize our power, come together in our millions, come together as communities, and shut this system down!”

John Duroyan of Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University stated, “It’s important now more than ever to stand in solidarity with the people of Iran as its government fends off one of the cruelest, most nightmarish regimes in human history, the regime of Israel, backed by our taxpayer dollars, backed by war profiteers here in the United States, here in Silicon Valley.”

Duroyan voiced support for divestment both at the university level and at the municipal level, saying, “We are urging our local leaders, our elected officials to grow a damn spine and fight against these criminal, predatory wars that we the people want no part in.”

“We need to fight ceaselessly until each and every single one of these companies are divested from,” Duroyan continued.

San Jose Against War and their allies will be mobilizing to the San Jose City Council meeting on March 10 at 1:30 p.m. to demand that the city pass an ethical investment policy, banning investments in corporations with ties to Israel, ICE, and the prison system.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #SJAW

San Jose, CA – On February 19, community members gave public comment at the San Jose Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support Committee meeting to demand that the city pass an ethical investment policy.

The PSFSS Committee consists of five city councilmembers and oversees the city’s finances, including its investments. Over a dozen people called on the city to divest more than $115 million in city funds from corporations with ties to ICE and Israel, including Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Microsoft, Caterpillar, Honeywell and Amazon.

Community members held signs reading, “Ethical investment now” and “Divest from genocide” as they stood at the podium to give public comment. People spoke on behalf of organizations including San Jose Against War, Showing Up for Racial Justice, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Students for a Democratic Society.

Philip Nguyen, a SEIU 521 steward, stated, “We have investments in companies that have historically aided and facilitated the tearing apart of families, the killing of people at home and abroad, with Alphabet having a partnership with Lockheed Martin, to make their war machines kill more effectively, as well as CBP to make their tactics of surveilling the border more deadly.”

Nguyen continued, “Then there’s Microsoft, who has supplied their Azure cloud software to the Israeli military, to more efficiently track and kill Palestinians, commit war crimes against Palestinian men, women and children. Microsoft is also enabling ICE’s terror operations that have killed innocent people: Keith Porter, Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the people who have died in ICE’s detention centers.”

Wendy Greenfield of the South Bay chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace said, “These ongoing attacks, this genocide, is opposed by the majority of people in San Jose, in this county, and around the nation.” Greenfield continued, “The attacks also cause climate pollution, principally in Palestine, but also worldwide, producing over 31 million tons of carbon emissions in just the first 15 months.”

Dina Saba, a longtime Palestinian-American resident of San Jose, drew the connection between ICE terror and Israel’s genocide against Palestine, asking the councilmembers, “Did you know that the IDF trains ICE? Did you know that there are 121 ex-IDF soldiers that have been hired by ICE?”

Anthony Aguilar, who served as a Green Beret in the U.S. army for 25 years and became a whistleblower against the U.S. military’s atrocities through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, also spoke, “While I was in Gaza, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation utilized Palantir Gotham, software powered by Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet, to target unarmed civilians. The same technology that is now being leveraged here in our cities through drones, biometric data collection, policing, security operations. U.S. citizens are now the target of these operations, and I have seen their lethal effect firsthand in countries around the world. The terror that we export, the oppression that we export, is coming home and it is coming home to our streets, here in California.”

Shaena Reyes of San Jose Against War spoke about the city’s 2020 decision to ban investments in fossil fuel companies, stating, “The precedent has been set regarding letting justice and equity guide investment decisions.”

Reyes continued, “I’m calling on the city to be consistent on our city’s clear values by introducing and passing an ethical investment policy against companies that support Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, against companies that are funding and directly involved in the terrorism in our own country, in our own state, by ICE.”

The city’s investment policy will come up for its annual review by the full city council at the San Jose City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at 1:30 p.m., where community members and organizations plan to show up again to give public comment supporting ethical investment.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #SJAW

San Jose, CA – On Saturday, January 17, San Jose Against War (SJAW) demonstrated against Trump’s second term and one year of Project 2025.

The group gathered at a busy intersection in the heart of Silicon Valley, leading chants and holding banners and signs as afternoon commuters looked on, many honking and waving as they passed by. Protesters carried signs reading, “Legalization for all!” “Silicon Valley has blood on their hands!” and “San Jose divest from genocide.”

After more protesters joined the group, they marched together across the intersection towards Santana Row, a popular mixed-use residential shopping center – one of the only of its kind in the U.S. As the protesters marched into the commercial center, their thunderous chants drew the curious attention of nearby patrons and workers, as well as many waves, smiles and nods of support as they continued on.

The march came to a halt in the heart of the outdoor mall as SJAW organizers introduced the first speaker of the day.

Drusie Kazanova, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “All working and oppressed people share a common enemy in Trump and the billionaire class. From Palestine, to Venezuela, to Los Angeles, to Minneapolis, to San Jose, we are fighting for our liberation from the very same oppressors.”

Ethan Phan of SJAW gave a speech at the protest after attending an event commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.‘s 97th birthday. He quoted a speech from 1967, by which time Dr. King had come to “see the [Vietnam] war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such.”

Phan continued, saying, “It is clear that if Dr. King were around today he would agree that sending asinine amounts of military aid to bomb and starve civilians and children in occupied Palestine is unacceptable! I am certain Dr. King would also vehemently denounce and decry the current U.S. military escalations happening with Venezuela, Iran and with ICE right here in our backyard.”

After speeches, protest organizers led the crowd back to the corner they started from and thanked everyone for coming out, and called on people to show up for an upcoming protest against proposed ICE operations during the Super Bowl, which is being hosted in San Jose, on February 8.

#SanJoseCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #AntiWarMovement #SJAW #FRSO

January 4 – Over 200 protesters gathered at Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose on Sunday in response to the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The action was organized by local activist group San Jose Against War (SJAW) to demand “Hands off Venezuela!”

The protest began with chants of “No blood for oil!” and “No U.S. war!” Protesters held paper signs reading “Stop U.S. war on Venezuela!” and “Free Maduro now!” As the rain dampened the paper signs, the protesters stuck the signs to their rain jackets.

Richard Hobbs, of Human Agenda, noted an absence of historical context in mainstream journalistic practices, and described the attacks on Venezuela as “similar to the golpe de estado in Guatemala in 1954, the golpe de estado in Chile in 1973, in Brazil in 1966, and also the soft coup that just happened in Honduras.”

Hobbs shared that when he served as an election observer in Venezuela 18 months ago, he witnessed “hundreds of thousands of supporters of Maduro in the streets, not a single picture made the New York Times, the Washington Post or Le Monde.” Hobbs also noted how the opposition that raised alarms over electoral fraud provided no evidence.

John Duroyan, of Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University, said, “We're sick of the lies pouring out of news pundits, out of three-letter agencies, the CIA, the FBI, all their lies and propaganda!”

Duroyan continued, “Trump makes the same fatal error as his predecessors. Like Bush in Iraq, like Nixon and Johnson in Vietnam, he'll sink billions of dollars, and lives, into the destruction of a people. But the American people are having none of it!”

Jose Solorio, a teacher and lifelong resident of San Jose, stated, “It seems that the United States does all of the things that we should fear from the fictitious drug cartels who supposedly pull the strings in Venezuela.”

Solorio continued, “The United States does not care about Venezuelans. It hardly cares about its own people, as seen by the ICE raids and rampant homelessness we see in our own city of San Jose. All my Mexican siblings know that the same cartel rhetoric is peddled against our own people. We know that the real cartels are here in the United States. The U.S. has never cared about stopping drugs or helping those whose lives are ruined by the drug trade. The U.S. has only ever cared about its bottom line.”

Drusie Kazanova spoke about San Jose Against War's divestment campaign, explaining how the fight for Palestinian liberation, the fight for Venezuelan sovereignty, and the fight for liberation here in the U.S. are all connected.

Kazanova stated, “We are pushing for ethical investment. That means the city would divest all funds from war profiteers, from border militarization, from ICE, from detention centers, from private prisons, from all of the industries that we know abuse and terrorize our people here at home and around the world.”

Protesters then took to the streets, occupying a lane of traffic while chanting and marching over a mile in the rain to the intersection of Story and King.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #SJAW

San Jose, CA – On December 14, San Jose Against War gathered dozens of people to commemorate International Human Rights Day. The U.S. has been a primary facilitator of human rights violations, including selling weapons to Israel, bombing fisherpeople off the coast of Venezuela, and a host of sanctions imposed on countries striving for national sovereignty.

Protesters held picket signs reading, “San Jose divest from genocide,” “U.S. hands off Venezuela” and “Stop the deportations.”

Philip Nguyen, co-chair of San Jose Against War, said to the crowd that the struggles are connected and that human rights such as “Food, housing, healthcare, education are a second priority for the ruling class; second only to the profit motive especially through war profiteers!”

Nguyen continued by elevating San Jose Against War’s divestment campaign targeting the city of San Jose saying, “The precedent is there – Hayward and Richmond have divested from Israel! Dublin and Alameda County have already passed an ethical investment policy. Now, it is time for San Jose to pass theirs as well.”

Drusie Kazanova of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “From Palestine to Venezuela, people are fighting for self-determination and liberation from the chains of imperialism. And here at home, from San Jose, to Los Angeles, to Chicago, to Portland, we are fighting for our liberation from the very same oppressors, the imperialist class!”

Lyla Salinas, member of Community Service Organization San Jose, highlighted Trump’s year full of human rights violations including, but not limited to, deportations, saying that, “Trump continues to push a racist agenda aimed at oppressing immigrants and Chicanos. We say no more!”

Salinas continued, “Trump’s administration has continued his attacks on women, trans and queer people, Black people, students, on workers, on Palestine and now on Venezuela. We must not let this stand!”

Megan Sweet, member of Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University addressed the crowd, saying, “The people of Venezuela cannot wait for suggestions or proposals, they need the people from within the belly of the beast to rise up and demand from their government: ‘Hands off Venezuela!’”

Sweet said that SDS at SJSU continues their campaign to demand the school administration disclose their investment portfolio, divest from all corporations that facilitate human rights violations and the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and to cut ties with Lockheed Martin.

The crowd marched up the busy Market Street and along the annual Christmas in the Park installation, chanting to the tune of Jingle Bells, “Palestine, Palestine. Free, free Palestine! From the river to the sea ‘til Palestine is free!”

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #ImmigrantsRights #CSOSJ #SJAW

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.

Signs held by attendees read, “Divest from genocide” and “Divest from fossil fuels.”

At the meeting people spoke to the County Supervisors Susan Ellenberg and Betty Duong, calling on them to forward the Sustainability Commission’s guidance to divest from fossil fuels with a positive recommendation.

Organizations such as Council on American-Islamic Relations San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA), San Jose Against War, Democratic Socialists of America Silicon Valley, San Jose Peace and Justice Center, Sierra Club, Climate Reality and more were represented in the public comment section.

Drusie Kasanova of San Jose Against War spoke to the committee saying, “This recommendation is sorely needed because in the past, the county has chosen to invest in Chevron and Exxon, both of which accelerated the climate crisis and profited from the genocide of the Palestinian people.”

Wendy Greenfield, a Jewish social activist, advocated for divesting from Chevron saying, “Adopt a policy not to invest in fossil fuels and companies complicit in genocide.”

Greenfield continued saying, “The values of justice and the sanctity of life must be the way of life for citizens and officials that represent us.”

Philip Nguyen, an SEIU 521 steward, spoke to the committee saying, “Please advocate for working families worldwide and not invest in companies that are actively burning away a future that families want to raise their families in.”

After the in-person and online comments were made, the subcommittee unanimously passed the consent calendar item containing the positive recommendation for sustainable investments which would bar the county from investing in fossil fuel companies.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #CAIR #SJAW

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.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SJAW

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.

The main theme of the event centered on contextualizing the Axis of Resistance, which consists of forces in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Iran, to better understand how these forces are fighting back against the U.S.-backed apartheid state of Israel.

The event began with a structured conversation between members of San Jose Against War and Vigil 4 Gaza and Barrows-Friedman, which was followed by a question and answer session with attendees.

Barrow-Friedman highlighted that the Houthi resistance forces in Yemen are one of the most moral forces in the region with their humanitarian intervention via an economic blockade of the Red Sea, saying, “You want the siege on ships to stop? Then lift the siege on Gaza. It’s that simple.”

She addressed the question of dispelling the lie that the Palestinian and other resistance forces are acting on behalf of the Iranian government, saying, “It is an orientalist, racist claim that belies the most basic facts that Palestinians are fighting on behalf of themselves, their children, their land and their inalienable right to exist.”

Addressing the role that Iran plays in the region and how becoming a nuclear power is a method to ward off U.S. intervention, Barrows-Friedman responded, “There has to be deterrence and unfortunately that’s nuclear deterrence. It is Iran’s right to develop whatever they need to develop to maintain a level of deterrence.”

Answering the question of how to respond to political repression of activists in the U.S. in reaction to the growing Palestine solidarity movement, Barrows-Friedman said, “They can’t arrest everybody. There is strength in numbers. We cannot let state repression intimidate us into silence when this is the time that we need to be the loudest.”

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SJAW

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.

Hamza Mahmoud said, “During the first 60 days of aggression after October 7, 281,000 metric tons of CO2 were emitted from Israel’s jets, tanks and bombs alone. This is the equivalent of 150,000 tons of coal burned.” Mahmoud is a member of Bears for Palestine, a UC Berkeley student organization, and presented on the destruction of buildings and the environment in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Chevron is the largest producer of fossil fuels for Israel and the largest multinational corporation with a significant stake in Israel’s energy sector,” said Drusie Kazanova, a member of San Jose Against War. They also highlighted how Chevron pollutes the Bay Area with their Richmond refinery.

Serena Myjer, also with San Jose Against War, made the connection between Microsoft’s pursuit of AI and its contribution to the Bay Area’s environmental destruction. Microsoft is proposing to build extremely energy and water intensive data centers at the cost of the local burrowing owls’ natural habitat.

“Cloud and AI are the bombs and bullets of the 21st century and Microsoft has a footprint in all major military infrastructure in Israel,” said Abdo Mohamed with No Azure For Apartheid. Mohamed explained how these services accelerate the targeted killings of Palestinians and cement Microsoft as a war profiteer.

San Jose Against War’s divestment campaign also targets Alphabet and Caterpillar. Alphabet works directly with the Israeli military, through Project Maven, offering cloud services and data centers to monitor the West Bank and Gaza. Caterpillar provides construction equipment for Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign in the West Bank.

Sign the petitions for these divestment campaigns at bit.ly/sjdivest and bit.ly/sccdivest.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Environment #SJAW

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.

Donna Wallach of San Jose Against War told the crowd, “Our tax dollars should stay here, not to funding countless U.S. military bases overseas! There’s no reason for it other than that the United States wants to occupy the world and control all the resources.”

Noble Mushtak, member of Silicon Valley DSA stated, “The people are no longer accepting the lies of the U.S. war machine! For over a century, corporate elites have bullied the whole world through wars, genocide and regime change. They have intervened in almost every country in the world just so they can keep extracting oil and resources and exploiting workers domestically and beyond.”

Philip Nguyen, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, reminded everyone of the role Iran plays in the region, saying, “While the U.S. arms Israel’s genocide, Iran arms the resistance. Iran has been a critical ally of Palestinian liberation, training and equipping resistance forces in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen to defend the Palestinian people against Zionist occupation.”

Nguyen continued, “Everyone who prefers peace to war should stand with Iran, and all forces of resistance against imperialism and Zionism. Stand with the Palestine Resistance! End U.S. aid to Israel! No to war in the Middle East!”

The protest was called by San Jose Against War as part of the Anti-War Action Network's call to action following U.S. attacks on Iran.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #SJAW #Palestine #Iran

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.

77 years ago, the Zionist movement began its brutal ethnic cleansing campaign forcefully removing more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homes to make way for the creation of the apartheid state of Israel.

The rally had a program of speakers from organizations such as San Jose Against War, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslim American Association, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Santa Clara County Green Party, and Defending Rights and Dissent.

Nassim Nouri of the Green Party reminded the attendees of the U.S. role in the Israel’s ethnic cleansing saying, “No one can deny that it is our tax dollars that are being used to commit genocide.”

Tim West, a member of San Jose Against War, spoke about how AI, which big tech companies such as Microsoft invest heavily in, is also used for, “retrofitting Israeli weapons with guiding capabilities, missile with tracking and radar, computerizes weapons systems used to maximize use of lethal force on kids in Gaza.”

West continued highlighting the connection to the San Jose city’s investments, “All to the tune of $31 million from our very own San Jose city council.”

Musa Tariq of Center for American-Islamic Relations reflected on the repression of students and activists saying, “Even with the undeniable truth of the most well-documented genocide in history, our government is doubling down suppressing and criminalizing voices of peace more aggressively than ever. The louder the truth becomes the harder they press down.”

Tariq continued, “But our resistance will not end, not until we see a free Palestine in our lifetimes in a world liberated from oppression!”

Serena Myjer, of San Jose Against war, highlighted that the 97% of water in Gaza is contaminated and the bombs used to kill people in Gaza also leave the area as a toxic wasteland saying, “Israel is committing genocide and ecocide. the connection is quite clear, Palestinian Justice is environmental justice!”

Myjer also pointed out that a San Jose city council divestment target is Microsoft, which is providing AI and cloud services to Israel, is behind a proposed plan to build an AI data center on the habitat of the beloved burrowing owls.

Myjer continued saying, “There is no adapting to climate change and the biodiversity crisis when there is militarism and unkempt capitalism. If we want a livable future for all, we need to take a hard look at the cruelty and we need to stand up and fight back!”

Fadi Saba, vice president of Defending Rights and Dissent, reiterated to the crowd that our right to free speech is under attack saying, “Without dissent, there is no democracy! We must fight for our right to dissent!”

Donna Wallach of San Jose Against War said to the crowd that we should be filled with rage and to be stirred into action from what is happening in Palestine saying, “The time has come to right the horrendous wrongs done to the Palestinian people! Arms embargo now! End the occupation now! Tear down the apartheid walls now!”

Nuha Khan of the Muslim American Alliance, said, “Silence is simply a way for the media to stay away from the truth. Silence is siding with the oppressor and ignore the cries of our brothers and sisters in Palestine.”

Khan continued saying, “One thing I will ask of you all is to continue to speak up and show up!”

The evening continued with chants and calls onto the crowd to get involved in San Jose Against Wars divestment campaigns targeting Santa Clara County and San Jose city council.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #NakbaDay #SJAW

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.

The march and rally began at Story and King – a location significant for its role in the 2006 Mega Marches and the original Day Without an Immigrant – and ended at San Jose City Hall. Participants demanded protections for workers and an end to deportations and attacks on immigrants and the Chicano, Mexicano, and Centro Americano communities.

During the rally at Story and King, local grassroots immigrants and worker rights groups from the San Jose May Day Coalition spoke in regards to the Trump administration's recent escalation.

Uriel Magdaleno of the Silicon Valley Immigration Committee said to the crowd, “Trump has promised a campaign of mass deportations threatening deportations of entire families including U.S. citizens.” Magadeleno continued, “ICE attacks on Chicanos, Mexicanos and Central Americans in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Minnesota and San José.” A recent example is Ulises Pena Lopez, a husband and father from the San Jose area who was recently detained and brutalized by ICE.

Repression of immigrants is not a new development in the U.S. Tess Brillante, organizer with the Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants (PAWIS) said, “Particularly for a migrant woman like me, we also face exploitation and harm due to society looking down on women, especially if you are a woman migrant worker with brown skin.”

Tarentz Charite, a transgender organizer with Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University, addressed the crowd, saying, “Trans organizers have long advanced the political battles for our right to exist and the rights of working class people. Without the work of trans activists, millions more poor, Black, and Latine men would have died from HIV/AIDS in the wake of an epidemic ignored by our government.”

Charite continued, “We cannot afford to lose our best fighters in the movement for a more powerful working class, and we must all unite and fight back against Trump’s transphobic agenda.”

Allie Chen, organizer with San Jose Against War, also spoke in the program, saying, “The billionaires rob us of our well-being by denying us affordable healthcare, education, housing, transportation and daycare – all to enrich the war profiteers and the military industrial complex.”

Chen continued, saying that the billionaires created “a world that prioritizes profits over people – that values warfare over welfare and our wellbeing. It's engineered a culture of fear, so that the American people are distracted by potential enemies, foreign and domestic, instead of the true enemy of the working class: the ruling class.”

Fadi Saba, a Palestinian American teacher and union member, spoke about attacks on education, saying, “Right wing isn't just a label for Republicans. When it comes to ethnic studies, a group of Californian legislators don't want students to learn about certain struggles against colonialism — namely, the Palestinian struggle for liberation.”

After the speaker program, the march began and the people filled the streets. All along the three-mile march, chants such as, “Si se puede,, “El pueblo unido, jamas sera vencido,” “Stand up, fight back!” and more could be heard. Workers and oppressed people from San Jose and beyond are uniting to fight for the justice and rights that the working people deserve.

#SanJoseCA #CA #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #SJAW #SDS #SVIC

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.

First to speak was Cody Orouke, of the Good Shepherd Collective, a nonprofit that was formed in 2017 in response to the restrictive NGO system and its inability to meet the needs of the Palestinian people. Orouke encouraged the audience to continue to “have the audacity to believe that justice is still possible for the Palestinians” and to know “that the space that you’re creating helps create the hope that justice can happen.”

Hamza Mahmoud, representing Palestinian Youth Movement, then facilitated a conversation that touched on various topics including the environmental impact of the genocide, the indigeneity of Palestinians, the agricultural and environmental methods of colonization, greenwashing methods such as the use of plants to disguise the impact of the genocide, cutting off Palestinian access to land and agricultural resources, deprivation of water, and other ways the contradictions of the genocide of Palestinians by Zionists are expressed through environmental symptoms.

Reflecting on the conversation, Druzie Kazanova of San Jose Against War was struck by “how much the Zionists tell on themselves. It’s so obvious that they don’t have any connection to the land, they’re not trying to be stewards of the land – no indigenous group acts like the Zionists towards their land. It becomes so clear that they are on a mission to exterminate Palestinians, by any means necessary and no matter the consequences that it has on the land that they claim is their homeland.”

Next was a screening of the short film Yom al-Ard, a documentary on Land Day. In the film, director Monica Maurer described Land Day as “not a spontaneous uprising, but a long term struggle for Palestinian land.”

The gathering also included Iftar with pizza from a local Palestinian-owned restaurant, as the community socialized and discussed the educational content of the program.

The event was organized by San Jose Against War and the Arab American Cultural Center of Silicon Valley as part of the Anti-War Action Network's week of action for Land Day.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #AWAN #SJAW

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.

The event was emceed by Donna Wallach, chair of Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley and a staunch and lifelong community organizer. Dan Battaglia, an active member of Leonard Peltier Support Group of New York City, and Paulette Dauteuil, board member of the Jericho Movement and Official Leonard Peltier’s Ad Hoc Committee, both called in to the event. They described the FBI misconduct that led to Peltier’s wrongful arrest, trial and imprisonment since 1978. They also emphasized the importance of the continued struggle for his freedom.

Julie Dominguez, ambassador of Muwékma Ohlone Tribe, led a land acknowledgement on behalf of the tribe. Dominguez stated the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe is alive, doing well and continuing the struggle for federal acknowledgement.

Philip Nguyen of San Jose Against War spoke about one of the organization’s pillars being solidarity with indigenous peoples’ resistance against colonialism and land theft. Nguyen mentioned that Peltier’s continued survival while wrongfully imprisoned is resistance itself and a “signal to steel our resolve to fight like hell for the living – for Leonard, for the Palestinians and all other oppressed peoples.”

John Paul Amaral, president of the Native American Student Organization at San Jose State University read a poem that he authored called, Tenderness in Smoke, which described their rage and sorrow upon the discovery early last year of the unmarked mass graves of Native American children who were forced into boarding schools, a common practice to oppress and culturally erase Native Americans.

Brian M. Smith, member of Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley, read Peltier’s statement from the National Day of Mourning.

John Duroyan of Freedom Road Socialist Organization highlighted that “imprisonment is one of the many tools that the ruling class uses to suppress our movements, sabotage our leaders and intimidate people everywhere that we must strongly resist,” and he continued, “Freedom Road Socialist Organization stands in solidarity with Leonard Peltier and his fight for freedom and justice.”

After the program, Wallach gave the call to action to call President Biden to pardon Leonard before he leaves office. The national community will continue to mobilize to free Leonard Peltier, be in solidarity with indigenous communities everywhere and resist political repression.

#SanJoseCA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #InJusticeSystem #LeonardPeltier #AIM #LeonardPeltierSupportGroupSiliconValley #JerichoMovement #MuwékmaOhloneTribe #SJAW #NativeAmericanStudentOrganizationSanJoseStateUniversity #FRSO #Feature

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.

A member of San Jose Against War, Jay Marcos, spoke to the crowd about the people’s collective role in resisting the genocide, stating, “What is our duty in the belly of the beast? To shut it down! We as a united people can choose what game to play!”

Wendy Greenfield of Jewish Voice for Peace reiterated the U.S. government’s role in powering the genocide, “As long as the federal government continues to [fund Israel], there will be no justice. We say no more weapons to Israel!”

An organizer with San Jose Against War, Philip Nguyen, pointed out the relation between victims of recent Hurricane Helene and the people of Gaza saying, “The parallels are one-to-one. While people are decimated by a hurricane with no assistance from the government,” with FEMA claiming a $9 billion shortfall for recovery efforts, “people’s lives in the Middle East are decimated by courtesy of U.S.-funded bombs and planes!” Earlier in the week, Israel announced that it had secured $8.7 billion in U.S. military aid.

Drusie Kazanova, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, highlighted the inherent right of Palestinians to their land and saying, “The struggle of the Palestinian people is fundamentally one of national liberation against U.S. imperialism. Palestine is entitled by its very existence to freedom and self-determination. Palestinians have the right to resist Zionism by any means necessary!”

Andy Schaefer, another organizer with San Jose Against War, brought attention to the organization’s divestment campaign, “According to the city of San Jose’s most recent quarterly investment report, tens of millions of dollars of our city’s funds are currently invested in corporations with direct ties to Israel,” adding, “As residents of the diverse and multicultural city of San Jose, we refuse to be complicit in genocide. San Jose city council, divest from Israel’s genocide against Palestine!”

The rally and march were led by San Jose Against War with support from other local organizations including Freedom Road Socialist Organization, San Jose State University Students for a Democratic Society, South Bay Jewish Voice for Peace, and Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SJAW

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.

Signs bearing the slogans “All victory to the Palestinian resistance,” “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “End U.S. aid to Israel” were carried by the crowd.

San Jose Against War activist Jay Marcos described how Israel is using “the same lies that the United States and Israel have propagated to manufacture consent for their genocide in Gaza, to now justify their crimes against humanity on the people of Lebanon.”

Elle Maíz, an organizer with San Jose Against War, stated, “I’m so proud of every single person here because together we are all standing up to these evil empires and saying, ‘Enough!’ We will never be defeated and we will never be silent!” Maíz ended by giving the crowd a call to action: “Together we will continue escalating and demanding better because we all deserve better!”

Thai Nguyen of San Jose Against War noted, “One look at history tells us that an empire in decline will commit its most heinous attacks before collapse. But for those of us living in the imperial core – the belly of the beast – what can we do to meet this moment?” Nguyen reminded the crowd to support San Jose Against War’s divestment campaign for the city of San Jose – which has upwards of $50 million in investments in companies with direct ties to Israel.

San Jose Against War, along with eight other local organizations, has called for rally and march at City Hall on October 6, 12 noon to answer the national call from the Anti-War Action Network to mark one year of genocide, and one year of resistance.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Lebanon #Palestine #SJAW

Activists from cities across the country, including Portland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and New Orleans joined the webinar to learn how to carry out divestment campaigns in their area.

Finn Cunningham, an attendee involved in Palestine solidarity work in Portland, Oregon, said “It was very helpful to hear the specifics from each presenter on what tactics worked in their cities. We will be taking these lessons and applying them to our work at home.”

The Anti-War Action Network plans to host more educational events and is calling for national days of action for Palestine on October 5 through 7. Those interested can follow them on Instagram at @antiwaractionnetwork.

#PortlandOR #OR #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #Palestine #NOSHIP #AWCMN #SJAW

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.

Andy Schaefer of San Jose Against War described Israel’s invasion of the West Bank and siege in Gaza as “collective punishment, which is a war crime.” Schaefer continued, “What we see in the West Bank is the same tactic that was used in Gaza. End the siege on Gaza now! End the siege on the West Bank now!”

Nadine Mansour, a Palestinian activist who has been on humanitarian missions to the West Bank, emphasized the impact of our actions, saying, “All of it is necessary, all of it is valuable, and the reality is no singular [action] is enough. It takes all of us to pull at any and every thread of injustice, to undo the thick fabric to imperialism and capitalism. Now is not the time to stop, now is not the time to rest, now is the time to fight for the living and to keep resisting for Palestine and all who are oppressed!”

Mansour also led a moment of silence for Aisha Ezgi – who was martyred on a humanitarian mission in the West Bank – and offered a few words on Ezgi's bravery and staunch support for Palestine.

Thai Nguyen, an organizer with San Jose Against War, stated, “Both Democrat and Republican parties are fully committed to continue funding Israel’s genocide and the U.S. military industrial complex. I think of the saying that we must not panic, that we must organize – strategically, locally as well as nationally.”

Schaefer also emphasized the need to organize, saying, “We need to build our local fighting capacity. San Jose Against War is gathering support for the city of San Jose to divest from Microsoft, Alphabet and Caterpillar, all companies complicit in the genocide, all companies the city is invested in.”

The vigil and rally was called by San Jose Against War, a grassroots anti-war organization in San Jose.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SJAW

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.

RIMPAC, which stands for the Rim of the Pacific, is a series of maritime military exercises held by the U.S. and its allies in Hawaii. This year it is being held from June 27 to August 2, while the NATO summit being held in Washington DC from July 9-11. Both RIMPAC and NATO are examples of the U.S.’s military encroachment on the rest of the world, ranging from its use of the Philippines as a military outpost to its warmongering acts against China and Russia.

Organizers from San Jose Against War set up a table at the corner of Stevens Creek Boulevard and Santana Row, in the middle of one of Northern California’s busiest shopping districts. Attendees passed out flyers to people demanding that funding for NATO be redirected to meet people’s needs here at home.

The protest began with chants of “From Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!” and “No more U.S. war, no more NATO war!” Andy Schafer from San Jose Against War gave a speech explaining NATO’s history as a vehicle for the U.S. to consolidate its power and weaken the Soviet Union after World War II. Members of the new San Jose State University chapter of the League of Filipino Students then spoke about how the U.S. exploits and oppresses the Philippines in order to use the nation as a de facto military outpost in its aggression against China. 

Joshua Cardoza from California United described NATO and the U.S.’s role in ushering in imperialist exploitation in oppressed nations, saying, “Whether it’s United Fruit Company installing right-wing dictatorships in South America, or the Shock Doctrine used throughout Eastern Europe and Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, [resulting in the sale of] their manufacturing and natural resources to oligarchs. It has evolved into endless wars in the Middle East”

Philip Nguyen from San Jose Against War then spoke about the role that the U.S. military has played in the exploitation and national oppression of Hawaii, saying, “The military operations held in U.S.-occupied Hawaii have poisoned their water, destroyed their land, and is the cause of a huge uptick in sexual violence on the island.” 

Nguyen continued, “U.S. imperialism and the monopoly capitalists demand that our tax dollars fund their wars that steal land and resources and exploit people for cheap labor to generate massive profits, rather than using it here to fund housing, healthcare and education.”

The protest was called by San Jose Against War and California United in solidarity with the organizers of the national mobilizations, Cancel RIMPAC and the Resist NATO Coalition.

#SanJoseCA #CaliforniaUnited #SanJoseAgainstWar #SJAW #CancelRIMPAC #ResistNATOCoalition #NATO #ResistNATO