Fight Back! News

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SJP

By staff

Chicago students march for immigrant rights.

Chicago, IL – On Tuesday, February 11, over 70 students rallied and marched at the University of Illinois at Chicago to defend immigrant rights after a rise in ICE raids.

The protest was called by New Students for a Democratic Society at UIC (New SDS at UIC) in coordination with the emergency national week of action called by National New SDS. Some of the endorsing campus organizations included Anakbayan, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Mexican Students de Aztlán (MeSA), Jewish Student Collective (JSC), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and Radical Public Health (RPH).

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By staff

Protesters gather in a snowy park with signs reading things like “Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win @NYUSDS”.

New York, NY – On January 24, over 50 NYU students gathered at a rally called by the NYU Students for a Democratic Society (NYU SDS) to protest against Trump’s backwards agenda for his second term as president. The rally took place at Garibaldi Plaza at Washington Square Park, a popular rallying spot for NYU student organizations. 

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By staff

Panelists speak to crowd at anti-Zionist evert at University of New Orleans.

New Orleans, LA – During a visit to New Orleans, Dr. Rabab Abduhadi held an evening talk addressing students, community members and activists about the dangers and impacts of institutional Zionism and ways to combat it in academia and beyond.

On January 11, at the University of New Orleans, Dr. Abdulhadi shared her decades-long experience battling institutionally embedded Zionism, its various modes of operation, and tactics it uses to repress Palestinian activism.

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By staff

Police arresting a group of pro-Palestine protesters.

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.

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By staff

Student holds sign that reads “Victory to the Palestinian Resistance” while standing in front of a UWM building door covered in petition signatures.

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.

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By Rory Macdonald

Students occupy St. Charles Avenue.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Students hold puppet of Loyola University president.  | Fight Back! News/staff

New Orleans – On October 7, students walked out of classes at three campuses in New Orleans to protest their universities' ties to Israel. Chapters of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) organized demonstrations for students at Loyola University of New Orleans, Tulane University, and the University of New Orleans. Rallies of about 20 people took place simultaneously outside of Tulane and Loyola campuses at noon.

By 12:30, the rally led by Tulane SDS marched around their campus to join the rally outside Loyola. Students from the two schools combined forces with local allies like New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). Together the crowd of 40 sat in on Saint Charles Avenue, a major road in the area. The students chanted and read the names of Palestinians killed by Israel since October 7 while blocking traffic. The sit-in successfully held the street for over an hour. During the sit-in, students celebrated one year of global resistance to Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.

“Palestinian liberation won’t happen on a college campus. No liberation movement will. But the Boycott Divest Sanction National Committee is calling on us to fight for divestment!” said Silas Gillette, speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Loyola students carried a large puppet depicting their university’s president Xavier Cole. Cole, who, according to students at Loyola, has refused to meet with them about their demands. Loyola student Juleea Berthelot joined the sit-in on Saint Charles, wearing a red “Popular University for Palestine” t-shirt. They described being fired from their job earlier this year for protesting.

“Two students were fired, and our school newspaper wrote about it, but my boss lied,” said Berthelot. “Those students chose to leave their jobs. I sat in her office and begged for my job because I loved it. But she fired me.”

Another Loyola student, Nour Saad, joined the celebration of the resistance in a black Palestinian Youth Movement shirt. “I honor our warriors in Palestine because I know what it feels like to have the world against you when you’re just trying to fight for your freedom.”

Students at the University of New Orleans (UNO) also walked out in solidarity with the axis of resistance. Students from Xavier University joined the action on UNO's campus. The action was led by both the Palestinian Youth Movement and Students United, a chapter of national Students for a Democratic Society, who demanded an end to weapons manufacturers on UNO's campus. General Dynamics, one of the largest weapons manufacturers in the country, has an IT development center on campus.

“Human rights organizations repeatedly say General Dynamics is a pivotal company in the violation of human rights and war crimes,” said Lucas Harrell, an organizer with UNO Students United. Further confrontation is guaranteed as General Dynamic's role in the Gaza genocide is unfolded to the students.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #StudentMovement #SDS #NOSHIP #SJP

By staff

Crowd marches behind banner that reads “Victory to the Palestinian Resistance”.

Philadelphia, PA – On October 7, an energetic coalition of university students and community members gathered at Drexel Square Park in Philadelphia to commemorate one year of resistance against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The march attracted a sizable crowd of a couple hundred passionate participants, united in their call for justice and solidarity with the Palestinian people. As the group made its way towards the University of Pennsylvania’s “Pennovation Works” research facility, chants for liberation echoed through the streets, reinforcing the message that the struggle for Palestinian rights continues unabated.

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By staff

Huge pro-Palestine demonstration in New York, October 7. | Aminah Hamawy/Fight Back! News

New York, NY – Thousands took to the streets to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Palestinian resistance Operation Al Aqsa Flood. The people of New York have been marching militantly throughout the weekend, and on October 7 the last wave went block by block to mark the momentous event of resistance.

Protests began at 12 universities. Chapters of Students for a Democratic Society and Students for Justice in Palestine organized walkouts and rallies on their campuses. The students, many who had been involved in the encampments walked out of class chanting in support of the demands: disclosure and divestment from all companies aiding Israel in its genocide, cutting ties with all Zionist institutions, NYPD off their campuses, and protection of pro-Palestinian speech on campus with amnesty for all students who have been punished for their rightful activism.

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By staff

University of Illinois Chicago \[UIC\] students marching towards the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps building \[ROTC\]. |  Baitul Javid

Chicago, IL – On Wednesday, August 25, the New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS at UIC) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP at UIC), alongside other progressive student organizations at the University of Illinois Chicago, ended the month strong on campus by organizing a hands-off Lebanon demonstration following not only the terrorist cyberattack/bombings against Lebanon but the deploying of U.S. troops to the region.

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By Annie Russell-Pribnow

Minneapolis students protest at the inauguration of new University of Minnesota president demanding divestment from apartheid Israel.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Minneapolis, MN – On Wednesday, September 18, over 700 protesters rallied outside Northrop Auditorium as the new University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham was inaugurated inside. As university workers prepped the Northrop Mall for the massive celebration set to begin in just two hours, students walked out of class, joining the rally to demand that the University of Minnesota divest from Israel.

As the crowd chanted, “Neutrality is a lie! You’re supporting genocide!” nervous low-level administrators fidgeted with their clipboards and took photos of the protest. The rally was a campus-wide effort, called for by the UMN Divest Coalition, AFSCME 3800, and Educators for Justice in Palestine.

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By Merlin Van Alstine

Minneapolis, MN – In the evening of September 5, 100 students, staff, faculty and community members, led by the University of Minnesota chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, gathered at McNamara plaza to demand the University of Minnesota divest from Israel and all entities complicit in war crimes and human rights violations.

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By staff

Chicago student protest demands hands off Lebanon.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Chicago, IL – On Thursday, August 29, New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) started the week strong with a demonstration on campus, with about 90 students, demanding U.S. hands off Lebanon, an end of U.S. aid to Israel and to stand strong with Palestine.

Speakers from other progressive student organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at UIC, and Anakbayan at UIC, also spoke. The rally strengthened the students’ message of funding for education – such as cultural centers and student resources – not for genocide, war and occupation in Palestine.

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By Merlin Van Alstine

University of Minnesota students continue to press for divestment from apartheid Israel.  | Annie R-P. /Fight Back! News

Minneapolis, MN – On August 30, 150 University of Minnesota students, staff, faculty and community members rallied and marched from Morrill Hall to McNamara Plaza in response to the Board of Regents vote that happened earlier this week.

The Board voted on a resolution that would impose political and institutional neutrality on the university’s endowment fund. This vote was pushed by new University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham. It effectively makes any sort of divestment from Israel, or weapon manufacturers and other entities complicit in war crimes and human rights violations, impossible. It takes away any accountability that administration has to its students, to its staff, or to its faculty.

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By Chrisley Carpio

SDS marches for Palestine at the Democratic National Convention.

Chicago, IL – On August 19, hundreds of students from across the country traveled to Chicago to march on the Democratic National Convention. Wrapped in khaffiyehs, holding banners, signs and Palestine flags, they gathered as early as 8 a.m. at Union Park for the noon rally and march.

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By Allison Gunderson

Protesters on the Marshall/Lake bridge over the Mississippi River.

St. Paul, MN – On Friday, August 2, the Free Palestine Coalition held a rally on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge and marched to Governor Tim Walz’s residence to commemorate 300 days of genocide in Palestine and to demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and a free Palestine from the river to the sea.

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By Mick Kelly

Chicago, IL – Chicago activist groups are mobilizing in big way for the July 15 march on the Republican National Convention, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Many of the protesters coming from Chicago are students,” said Joe Iosbaker of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Iosbaker recalled, referring to Trump, “In 2016, students in Chicago were the first to move against his hate tour.” In March 2016, 5000 protesters rallied and confronted Trump at the University of Illinois at Chicago, stopping him from speaking.

“The same organizations – Students for Democratic Society, Students for Justice in Palestine, Mexican Students of Aztlan – are mobilizing to confront him again,” says Iosbaker.

#ChicagoIL #RNC2024 #SDS #SJP #MexicanStudentsofAztlan #FRSO

By Rain Mendoza

Anaheim, California vigil for those killed in Israel's genocide in Gaza.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

Anaheim, CA – On June 22, over 50 community members and activists gathered at Twila Reid Park for a vigil honoring Palestinian martyrs who have been killed during the ongoing genocide. The vigil was organized by the Palestinian American Women’s Association.

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By Drake Myers

No Minnesota money for weapons manufacturers banner at Honeywell Aerospace protest.  | Ashley Taylor-Gougé/watch me rise mpls

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, June 25, around 100 people gathered as the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition led a protest of the Honeywell Aerospace Building in Northeast Minneapolis. Cars honked in support and many people who were just passing by brought bulk packs of cold bottled water for the protesters unprompted, just to show their support on the sunny day.

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Activists pose proudly with their citations that ban them from the building at UWM where they disrupted a UW board of regents meeting to get Palestine on the agenda.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On June 6, the student movement steadfastly continued their efforts to get the University of Wisconsin System to disclose its funds and to divest from the apartheid regime of Israel.

At the June UW System board of regents meeting, approximately 15 students and community members entered the open-session financial meeting to disrupt the scheduled programming.

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By Ryan Spalt

Students march against LSU's ties with Israel

Baton Rouge, LA- On May 3, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Louisiana State University co-hosted a walkout and rally for Palestine. The protest was in response to the university’s involvement in the Go-Med Consortium, an initiative with the goals of developing oil drilling practices in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of occupied Palestine, with the eventual goals of bringing the developed technology to the Gulf of Mexico. The consortium includes Louisiana universities as well as Israeli universities.

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