Salt Lake City, UT – More than 1000 people marched through the streets of downtown here, March 31, with Trayvon Martin posters and peace signs waving. Marchers raised their fists in the air and shouted, “Justice for Trayvon, justice for everyone!”

Salt Lake City, UT – On March 9, six students from five clubs met with the Utah Valley University President Matthew Holland. The students were demanding the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in the school anti-discrimination policy. Students also want policy changes in hiring and education opportunity.

Salt Lake City, UT – Activists marched here in solidarity with Oakland’s general strike, Nov. 2. The marchers were angered by the extreme police brutality against peaceful demonstrators in Oakland, California.

Salt Lake City, Utah – Activists gathered here, July 16, for an emergency action outside the National Governors’ Association Conference, protesting the Grand America Hotel’s attack on immigrants. Last year Utah legislators passed SB 251, which requires all businesses with more than 15 employees to use the E-verify system to track workers. However, the Utah state government refused to include any penalties for businesses that refuse to use E-verify, in part because the politicians did not want to hurt big corporations that exploit immigrant labor. The Grand America Hotel bosses set a July 6 deadline for all of the employees. The bosses require that all workers reapply and either show the necessary documentation or face immediate termination. However, the bosses extended this deadline one month, to Aug. 6 in order to ensure staffing at the Governors’ Conference.

Salt Lake City, Utah – A group of students and anti-war activists protested a visit by Alvaro Uribe – Colombia’s former president here May 26. Zions Bank invited Uribe to speak at a Trade and Business Conference. Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch welcomed Uribe as he promoted a free trade agreement with the U.S., claiming human rights in Colombia are improved. The U.S. Congress and President Obama are unable to pass the free trade agreement due to the terrible human rights record of the Colombian government.

Salt Lake City, UT – Students, military veterans and anti-war activists rallied here March 19 for the National Day of Action Against War.

Salt Lake City, UT – More than 1000 people gathered here, March 5 to fight for immigrant rights. United for Social Justice called for the rally and protest march in response to the many repressive bills attacking immigrants that have been proposed by Utah lawmakers.

Salt Lake City, UT – The United for Social Justice Coalition rallied at the State Capitol building here, on the evening of Jan. 24. Immigrant rights activists are fighting back against proposed bills that will further criminalize undocumented immigrants. 250 people braved the cold weather to show their support for the undocumented immigrants on the first day of the Utah legislative session. The crowd chanted slogans such as, “No human is illegal!” “Fund education not deportation!” and “They say ICE attack, we say fight back!”

Hundreds protest at Utah State Capitol

Salt Lake City, UT- 200 protesters filled the Utah State Capitol Building in solidarity with undocumented immigrants on July 29. Their chants rang through the capitol, expressing outrage at Arizona’s latest piece of racist legislation aimed at Mexican and Chicano people. On the day that SB1070, the anti-immigrant law, went into effect in the neighboring state of Arizona, groups such as the Salt Lake Autonomous Brown Berets and the Revolutionary Student Union (RSU) joined with Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA) for a rally. The coalition sent a clear message to Utah’s legislators, “Racist legislation not welcome here!”

Salt Lake City, UT – Taylorsville Park became the site of heated exchange between the right-wing Patrick Henry Caucus picnic and a wide coalition of progressive organizations protesting them, June 4. Gregory Lucero from the Revolutionary Students Union coordinated the protest along with the Autonomous Brown Berets of Salt Lake City. They targeted the Patrick Henry Caucus because it supports bringing the Arizona apartheid immigration bill SB1070 to Utah.