San Francisco, CA – On the afternoon of August 15, 100 people gathered in front of the San Francisco Federal Building for a national day of action to demand, “U.S. out of Korea” and “No to a Pacific war.”

Protesters chanted, “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!” and “From Korea to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!”

Many held signs reading “Stop U.S.-Korea war games” alongside giant cartoon heads of President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae

A speaker from Bayan explained the Negros 19 Massacre, where the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) claimed to kill 19 New People’s Army fighters. However, family and the people’s movement clarified that nine were civilians, including teens, college students and journalists. U.S tax dollars go to arm and train the AFP who commit these human rights violations in their war.

They further explained, “Marcos Jr. and his cronies sell out the Filipino people in service of U.S. imperialism and giving foreign monopoly capitalist like American Sugar Refining, the parent company of C&H Sugar, unbridled access to plunder our rich resources by keeping peasant farmers from asserting their right to land.”

The C&H factory workers in nearby Crockett, California, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 6, recently went on strike. That factory is connected to sugarcane sources from the Philippines.

“We will fight for our dignity and our right to determine our own future!” said Heath Lee from Nodutdol, reflecting the growing trend against U.S. military forces occupying bases in Korea.

Lee continued, “Our demand is clear: the United States must leave Korea, like it must leave the Philippines, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Guam, Panama, Okinawa and everywhere else!”

A representative of Palestinian Youth Movement expressed the unity and solidarity between the liberation struggles of Palestine, Korea and the Philippines.

The rally alternated speeches with singing performances as well as militant and energizing drumming performances. The program included speakers from Nodutdol, Bayan, Gabriela, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, and the Palestinian Youth Movement.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #International #Korea #AntiWarMovement

San Francisco, CA – On July 27, a crowd surrounded the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco for the People’s State of the Nation Address to protest against the reactionary Bongbong Marcos Jr. This comes after a torrent of nationwide protests which have rocked the Philippines in the wake of economic disasters and armed attacks on workers and farmers.

The action began with the song Kapangyarihan honoring the martyrs who died resisting Duterte’s “War on Drugs,” which extrajudicially killed 30,000 people.

Che Lodico from Kabataan Alliance stated, “This past June I participated in the Bayanihan disaster response trip and peasant integration to the Philippines. During our trip, we were able to integrate to the province of Camarines Sur, which is one of the richest provinces and yet the people there are the poorest in the Bicol Region.”

Lodico continued, “Just like most of the countryside in the Philippines, many of the farmers do not own the land they are tilling on, so they are hired by the landowners as farmworkers for only 250 to 500 pesos a day.” This follows a pattern in the Philippines as victims of poverty and man-made environmental disasters are met with neglect, red-tagging, and even extrajudicial killings by the Marcos regime for demanding welfare and repairs.

“Why is the NTF-ELCAC investing 24 million pesos in constructing dams, flood control dams, water systems, road constructions in indigenous people’s communities of Mindanao? Because they only want to attack the activist youth and peasants. They also take away their livelihoods by creating man-made disasters in the countryside!” continued Lodico.

Tree Aquino from Pilipino Laban sa Korapsyon (PILAK) stated, “Currently, Vice President Sara Duterte made history for being the first Filipino politician to be impeached twice, and this trial must continue without fail. She must be held accountable for the misuse of 600 million pesos in public funds, and we demand that she be transparent with her bank and tax records!”

Aquino also recalled attempts made by the organization to call on the Philippine Consulate and its consulate general, Arnel Talisayon, to protect Filipino migrants, only to find they had lopsided priorities.

“When we tried to schedule a meeting with Arnel Talisayon to discuss the pressing needs of Filipinos and undocumented migrants in our area, he left his scheduled meet-and-greet early and did not address any of our concerns,” Aquino lamented. “Meanwhile, he happily takes time to meet with big tech and sell out the Philippines to the highest bidder!”

Isa Patoto made a tearful plea on behalf of the Defend Negros Island Campaign to seek accountability and justice for the Toboso 19 and victims of extrajudicial killings. “On April 19 and 20, the 79th Infantry Battalion from the Armed Forces of the Philippines did a forced evacuation of 653 people from Toboso, Negros Occidental and did an illegal strafing on their community killing 19 including two beloved Filipino American activists, Lyle Prijoles and Kai Sorem.” This comes as one-third of all extrajudicial killings by the Marcos Regime are committed in the “Sugarbowl of the Philippines” alone.

“The massacre was a direct result of the organized peasants and farmers who resisted under the NTF-ELCAC and under the guise of counterinsurgency. And what did Bongbong Marcos do? He congratulated the 79th Infantry Battalion and treated them to a feast, and also had a bid for the UN Security Council!” said Patoto, highlighting the absurdity of the government’s response to the AFP’s violation of international human law.

The action ended with a performance of the song Lahat ng Sangkot, Dapat Managot, while protesters destroyed effigies of Trump and Bongbong Marcos Jr. as the crowd cheered on.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #International #Philippines

San Francisco, CA – On June 1, the International League of People’s Struggle spearheaded an action against two war profiteers in San Francisco, Scale AI and OpenAI. The action drew attention to the complicity that AI tech companies in the Bay Area have with genocide, U.S. warmongering and national oppression abroad.

Scale AI has a $500 million partnership with the Department of War, and OpenAI has a similar contract. Both companies have headquarters located in San Francisco not far from one another, and, due to their considerable ties to American militarism and intervention abroad, they were chosen as the chief targets of the demonstration.

The march and rally served as a conclusion to the weekend-long ILPS conference. There was also a smaller mobilization demanding justice for the Nergros19 outside the Filipino consulate that took place that morning at 8 a.m. The conference and protest marked the 25th anniversary of ILPS's founding.

The march began with a gathering downtown that marched over to Scale AI’s company headquarters. There, activists drawn from across the country spoke on issues from around the world, all tied together by the common thread of U.S. intervention, meddling and violence, and companies like Scale AI willingly aiding and abetting that violence.

Chants included “People of the world get ready to fight, no tech for war, no genocide!” as well as “No more AI for war, we're fired up, won’t take it no more!”

After opening remarks from Brandon Lee, a veteran organizer and International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines chair, the program included speakers representing different parts of the international struggle, from local labor leader Mike Casey to representatives of the struggle in Haiti. All of them attacked AI companies like Scale as complicit in the targeting and surveillance of activists, the repression of people’s struggles, and the perpetuation of U.S. imperialism.

The march continued past several streets over to the headquarters of OpenAI.

There, the program went on with a speech from BAYAN USA member Andan Bonifacio, who stated, “We’re here to protest the war and suffering these tech companies bring upon our people. And we know that this is not a new thing. More than 120 years ago, when the U.S. first landed in the Philippines, they brought new technology with them … waterboarding, cameras to surveil our communities, they massacred our people, and took photos to use as psychological warfare. 120 years later and look at where we are.”

Bonifacio continued, saying that the imperialists “are very good at hiding the severe exploitation, the severe oppression behind capitalism, with words like innovation, and the future. What do we think about that?” The crowd responded with a single word, “Lies!”

Bonifacio ended his speech with a poignant tribute to the martyrs of Negros. “No matter how technologically advanced, no matter how sophisticated, no matter how well funded this imperialist machine is, they mean nothing in the face of the people,” he said. “Remember that today, we must all know that. It is something that our comrade, Lyle, knew, that the Negros 19 knew, that all our people’s martyrs knew.” Bonifacio was referring to the 19 people murdered by the U.S.-backed Armed Forces of the Philippines in Tobosos, Negro, including Filipino-American activist Lyle Prijoles.

Arab Resource and Organizing Center director Lara Kiswani stated, “Companies such as OpenAI and Palantir profit from developing technology that facilitates warfare abroad,” she said. “We understand the struggle of the people of the Philippines is one and the same as the struggle for working people in Haiti, Iran, in Sudan, in Lebanon, in Palestine, and right here in the United States.”

The program closed out with a brief speech from ILPS US’s recently elected chair. Final chants included “Defend, defend, defend the people’s struggle! Advance, advance, advance the people’s struggle!” This closed out the successful three-day ILPS convention with a reaffirmation of their commitment to opposing U.S. intervention and war profiteers in all their forms.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #ILPS

San Francisco, CA – Over 500 people gathered in the Bay Area, May 30 and 31, for the U.S. chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) Third National Assembly and Political Conference. The theme of the action-packed weekend was “Advance the Peoples’ Struggle.”

On the first day, the general assembly was marked by momentous debate, resolutions, and the election of the new steering committee. They will lead the league for the next three years. The first day set the tone for the weekend: unity, militancy and dedication to the fight.

The evening was closed with a Peace Forum organized by ILPS, Resist US-Led War Movement, and the United National Antiwar Coalition. Speakers include Lala from Honor the Earth, Carlos Sirah from Black Alliance for Peace, Rhonda Ramiro from Resist US-Led War Movement, Laulani Teale from Ho’opae Pono Peace Project, Nieves Delgado from BAYAN USA, Laith Adel from Palestinian Youth Movement, and Meredith Aby from the Anti-War Action Network.

On the second day, allies and organizations gathered to discuss and share political ideas, struggles and victories. There were two keynote speakers: ILPS Secretary General Azra Sayeed, and FRSO Political Secretary Mick Kelly.

Kelly told the crowd, “Taken as a whole, the objective conditions provide extremely favorable conditions for revolutionaries, progressives and anti-imperialists to greatly expand our mass base and organizational capacity.”

The keynote addresses were followed by three plenaries: “Fight back against fascism! On peoples resistance against state attacks,” “All workers united! On the fight to end exploitation and plunder!” and “Peoples’ resistance for peoples peace! On ending imperialist wars and liberating our homelands.”

The afternoon welcomed workshops from all different areas of the movement, and attendees wrapped up the day with a lively solidarity night.

The entire weekend, attendees and organizers honored the Negros 19. These were 19 organizers, revolutionaries, peasants and others who were killed in the Philippines by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in April.

On Monday, June 1, forces gathered at 8 a.m. outside the Philippines Consulate in San Francisco to demand justice for the Negros 19. Speakers called the crowd to remember Lyle Priojles, Kai Sorem, and the others massacred in April. The organizers vowed to continue demanding justice for the Negros 19 until the Filippino government paid for its crimes.

This incredible weekend marks a momentous time for ILPS, and their future is bright!

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #International #AntiWarMovement #Philippines #ILPS

San Francisco, CA – El miércoles 8 de abril, cientos de residentes del Área de la Bahía se reunieron en la estación de BART de la calle Powell para protestar contra Trump por las amenazas que él hizo el 7 de abril, de que “una civilización entera morirá esta noche” si Irán no reabría el estrecho de Ormuz.

Irán cerró el estrecho tras los incesantes bombardeos de Estados Unidos e Israel contra escuelas, hospitales, universidades, centros de investigación médica y zonas residenciales. Según la Federación Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja, estos ataques han matado al menos a 1,900 personas y herido a más de 20,000 en Irán.

Los manifestantes coreaban “No a la guerra contra Irán” y “Fuera EE.UU. del Medio Oriente”.

La protesta ocurre mientras los bombardeos estadounidenses-israelíes en Irán han contribuido a un aumento en el costo de vida. En algunas partes del país, el precio de un tanque lleno de gasolina ha llegado a los $120. En el Área de la Bahía de San Francisco, el precio promedio de la gasolina ha alcanzado los $6 por galón en la mayoría de los condados, y una gasolinera en Menlo Park llegó a cobrar hasta $7.69 por un galón de gasolina regular.

El 8 de abril, Irán obtuvo una victoria histórica al obligar a Trump a aceptar un plan de diez puntos como base para futuras negociaciones con Teherán. El plan buscaba garantizar un alto el fuego de dos semanas, detener los ataques de EE.UU. e Israel contra Irán, Líbano, Palestina y todo el Medio Oriente, y poner fin a las décadas de sanciones estadounidenses que han afectado la calidad de vida de los iraníes, a cambio de reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz. Sin embargo, horas después, Israel rompió el acuerdo de alto el fuego con bombardeos contra vecindarios y otras zonas civiles en Beirut y en todo Líbano, matando al menos a 254 personas e hiriendo a más de 1,165.

En respuesta a estos ataques de Israel, que recibe el 70% de sus armas a través de ayuda estadounidense, Irán volvió a cerrar el estrecho de Ormuz.

El cierre del estrecho debido a los ataques de EE.UU. e Israel muy probablemente afectará otros aspectos de la vida cotidiana más allá del combustible, incluidos precios más altos en alimentos, fertilizantes, la fabricación de microchips y otros productos de alta tecnología, como señaló el profesor de economía Masao Suzuki en su artículo “Precios crecientes de gasolina provocan aumento de inflación en marzo” (Rising gasoline prices lead inflation surge in March).

“Estamos cansados de las guerras interminables. La gente está en las calles, el BART está siendo desmantelado y los alimentos cuestan más cada día. Irán nunca nos ha hecho daño. Pero Wall Street y D.C. nos siguen dañando todos los días. Necesitamos un sistema mejor, uno que ponga a la gente a cargo en lugar de estos multimillonarios belicistas”, dijo Brandon Cavins de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad.

El creciente número de protestas refleja la creciente frustración entre estadounidenses ante otro conflicto iniciado por Trump en el Medio Oriente. El Pentágono ha solicitado más de $200 mil millones adicionales para continuar los ataques contra Irán – la mayor parte de ese dinero terminaría en los bolsillos de los fabricantes de armas o quedaría sin justificar, como se ha visto en las ocho auditorías anteriores que el Pentágono ha reprobado.

Mientras tanto, las necesidades y servicios esenciales enfrentan recortes o falta de financiamiento. Por ejemplo, el BART planea cerrar entre 10 a 15 estaciones y reducir un 63% de sus servicios, lo que incluye tiempos de espera más largos de hasta 30 minutos (en lugar de los 10 a 20 minutos actuales), horarios reducidos (cerrando a las 9 p.m. en lugar de la medianoche), aumento en las tarifas de estacionamiento y el despido de entre 600 a 1,200 trabajadores, debido a un déficit presupuestario de $376 millones causado por la reducción del financiamiento federal.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Lebanon #Palestine

San Francisco, CA – On Wednesday, April 8, hundreds of Bay Area residents gathered at the Powell Street BART transit station to protest Trump’s April 7 threats that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran closed the strait after relentless U.S. and Israeli bombardment of schools, hospitals, universities, medical research centers, and residential areas. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, these attacks have killed at least 1,900 people and injured over 20,000 in Iran.

Demonstrators chanted “No war on Iran” and “U.S. out of the Middle East.”

The protest comes as U.S.-Israeli bombardments on Iran have contributed to a rising cost of living. In some parts of the country, the cost of a full tank of gas has reached $120. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the average price of gas has reached $6 per gallon in most counties, with one station in Menlo Park reaching as high as $7.69 for a gallon of regular.

On April 8, Iran secured a historic victory, forcing Trump to agree to a ten-point plan as the basis for future negotiations with Tehran. The plan was intended to secure a two-week ceasefire, halt U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Palestine and across the Middle East, and end decades-long U.S. sanctions that have harmed Iranians’ quality of life – in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, within hours, Israel broke the ceasefire agreement with bombardments on neighborhoods and other civilian areas in Beirut and across Lebanon, killing at least 254 people and injuring 1165 more.

In response to these attacks by Israel, which receives 70% of its weapons through U.S. aid, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz once again.

The closure of the strait due to U.S.-Israeli attacks will likely impact other aspects of daily life beyond fuel, including higher prices for groceries, fertilizer, chip manufacturing, and other high-tech goods, as stated by Professor of Economics Masao Suzuki in his article Rising gasoline prices lead inflation surge in March.

“We're tired of endless wars. People are on the streets, BART is being gutted, and groceries cost more each day. Iran has never hurt us. But Wall Street and DC keep hurting us every single day. We need a better system, one that puts people in charge instead of these warmongering billionaires,” said Brandon Cavins from Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The growing number of protests reflects rising frustration among everyday Americans over Trump launching another U.S.-instigated conflict in the Middle East. The Pentagon has requested more than $200 billion additional funds to continue attacks on Iran – most of which would either go to the pockets of arms manufacturers or remain unaccounted for, as seen in the eight previous audits the Pentagon has failed.

Meanwhile, essential needs and services face cuts or underfunding. BART, for example, is looking to close 10 to 15 stations and cut 63% of services, including longer wait times of 30 minutes (up from 10 to 20 minutes), reduced hours (closing at 9 p.m. instead of midnight), increased parking fares, and the layoff of 600 to 1200 employees, due to a $376 million budget deficit caused by decreased federal funding.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #Iran #Lebanon #Palestine #AntiWarMovement

San Francisco, CA – On November 30, over 120 Filipino American activists from a variety of organizations including Bayan USA, Kabataan Alliance, Anakbayan, the Malaya Movement and League of Filipino Students held a joint action in front of the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco.

The action was part of an international call for demonstrations in solidarity with Filipinos around the world, in the wake of a series of devastating floods in the Philippines killing dozens and displacing hundreds more. The top political and economic leaders of the country, including President Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior and former Vice President Sara Duterte, have been involved in a vast corruption scandal in which over $10 billion worth of funds meant for flood control infrastructure were instead funneled into “ghost projects” and the pockets of corrupt politicians and businesspeople.

Demands calling for the resignation of President Marcos, and demands for Marcos, Sara Duterte and all other involved parties to face accountability have spread rapidly among Filipinos, in their homeland and in the diaspora alike. The establishment of a provisional people’s council to replace the current administration is also another growing demand.

The San Francisco protest echoed many of the slogans that protesters back in the Philippines have taken up, including “Ikulong na yan, mga kurakot! Magnanakaw, mga pahirap, Tanggalin sa, kanilang pwesto!” meaning “Lock up the corrupt! Thieves and oppressors! Remove them from their posts!” as well as “Hindi, hindi! Magpapagapi! Ganyang kami, mga Pilipino!” meaning, “No, no we won’t be defeated! That is how we are, us Filipinos!”

The speakers advanced demands, both from the homeland and diaspora, calling for the resignation and prosecution of all corrupt officials, as well as for the freeing of Filipino migrants in detention centers, like Ya’akub Vijandre and Kuya Ricky. These demands being connected demonstrated the strength of international solidarity.

Patrick Racela of Migrante NorCal gave introductory remarks, “Historically we know, November 30 is the birthday of Andres Bonifacio, the revolutionary leader from the working class who built up and organized the Katipunan, who defeated the Spanish colonialists and ended 300 years of Spanish rule.”

Racela continued, “We want to combine these fights against corruption back home. We want to combine these fights to protect Filipino migrant workers. We want to free those held captive in ICE detention centers. That is why the resounding call from even our community back home, is for Marcos and Duterte to resign.”

The program featured student organizers, faith leaders and workers sharing their experiences and how they connect with the ongoing struggle. Mike Casey, San Francisco Labor Council president stated, “The corruption in the White House is no different than the corruption in the Philippines. And in fact the oppression and the kidnapping of working people off our streets is no different than the oppression and red-tagging of workers in the Philippines.” Red-tagging refers to the practice of the Philippine government designating activists as communists in order to manufacture an excuse to arrest or kill them.

Casey continued, “Working people in the U.S. have a lot more in common with workers in the Philippines than we do with the elites here in the United States.”

Midway through the program, Anakbayan Daly City held a cultural performance, playing the song Awit ng Kalayaan, meaning Song of Freedom.

The vice-chairperson of Migrante San Francisco, Ate Leigh, told the crowd about the Marcos regime, “Korrupt ang ama, korrupt din ang anak,” meaning if the father is corrupt, so too is the child (referencing the prior corruption of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, father of current president Bong-Bong).

Leigh condemned the complicity of Sara Duterte and ended her speech with a call to action; “Burukrata kapitalismo, ibagsak! Ipaglaban ang gobyerno ng taong bayan, makibaka para sa bansang demokrasya!” meaning “Down with bureaucrat capitalism! Fight for a people’s government! Struggle for national democracy! Marcos, Duterte, resign!”

Bonifacio Day is a time for Filipino activists to hold protests that hearken to Andres Bonifacio’s revolutionary legacy. With broad discontent and anger rising among the Filipino community the world over, this year’s Bonifacio Day has witnessed large mobilizations against the rotten systems oppressing the Filipino people, both in their homeland and abroad.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #International #Philippines

San Francsico, CA – On July 28, over 350 activists rallied outside the Philippines consulate in San Francisco for the People’s State of the Nation Address. The PSONA is an annual event meant to contrast with the state of the nation address given by Philippines President Ferdinand “Bong-bong” Marcos Junior. The PSONA addresses the struggles faced by Filipino workers both at home and abroad, and the neglect that the Marcos administration has for the people it claims to protect.

This year’s PSONA focused heavily on how the consulates have failed to support Filipino migrant workers facing deportations and ICE attacks, along with President Marcos’ close collaboration with the racist, warmongering, anti-immigrant Trump administration. The Philippine consulate in San Francisco was blasted for its refusal to aid migrant workers, even encouraging many to self-deport.

The program of the PSONA included speakers from the Tanggol Migrante movement, BAYAN USA, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), Gabriela, Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students and the Malaya movement.

Chants and slogans emphasized the complicity of the comprador Marcos regime, such as “Marcos, traydor, tuta ni Trump!” Meaning “Marcos, traitor, lapdog of Trump!” as well as “Sino, sino, sino ang terrorista? Si Marcos, si Trump, sila ang terrorista!” meaning “Who, who, who are the terrorists? Marcos, Trump, they are the terrorists!”

Patrick Racela of Migrante NorCal gave an introductory speech to start out the program, calling out President Marcos directly, stating, “How is it that you can come to the United States and claim that you are serving the people, when in essence what you have done is bow down to Trump, and sell out our homeland? Shame!”

Brandon Lee, chairperson of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, a longtime activist and fighter in the Filipino activist movement, also joined the program. Lee was the target of an assassination attempt from the Philippine military, which had left him crippled. He has continued to organize for justice and human rights in the Philippines and participated in the PSONA to call out the Philippine consulate in SF. Lee criticized the consulate for its refusal to allow him into the building to deliver letters from the community demanding that the Philippine commission on human rights reopen his case.

“The Philippines has long been one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid in Southeast Asia, for bombs, ammunition and other equipment, supposedly to counter external threats. However in reality, this has been used for its internal military operations, to bomb and strafe communities, and kill Filipinos,” said Lee. “Across the Philippines, many communities are losing their livelihoods, and homes, in the name of so-called ‘development projects,’ causing environmental destruction.”

Other speakers shed light on the difficulties faced by Filipino migrant workers, who received no help and support from the Philippine consulates on their arrival to the U.S. Kuya Jay, chairperson of Migrante San Francisco shared his personal experiences. “Many of us left the Philippines to support our families. But what we found when we got here was far from what we hoped for. I slept in a storage room. We didn’t have proper meals. We didn’t receive overtime pay. We worked day and night – and were treated as if we didn’t deserve rest, or even a voice.”

“Why are Filipinos forced to leave our country in the first place? It’s not because we want to leave, it’s because we are forced to,” said Rachel Lucero, an organizer with Malaya SF. “It’s because of the conditions in the Philippines. Since Marcos Junior took office, 3 million more Filipinos are living in poverty. The number of hungry families has doubled. And when our people try to fight back against their conditions, they are met with violence! Shame!”

KC Avilla, an organizer for Malaya San Francisco told the crowd, “Marcos Jr. is protecting himself, and his own family's power. He knows that the next person that we will come after for corruption is him.“

Andan Bonifacio, chairperson of Bayan USA, closed out with a speech reaffirming the Filipino people’s dedication to fighting back. “Real change will never come from the likes of Marcos. Real change will never come from the likes of the Dutertes. It’ll come from us, the people. It won’t come trying to serve the interests of the foreign imperialists. It’ll come from us, learning and fighting to stand on our own two feet.”

Although attacks against Filipino migrant workers escalate under the Trump administration in the U.S, whilst the Marcos administration continues to oppress and exploit the Filipino people while acting as a puppet for U.S. interests, the Filipino people are not sitting idly by. Filipino organizations are ready to struggle and fight for victory over reaction, whether it is found in the puppet Marcos regime in the Philippines, or in the tyrannical Trump administration here in the U.S.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #International #Philippines #Bayan #Marcos #BongBong #PSONA #Malaya

Corporate CEOs and state leaders, including President Joe Biden, planned to meet to discuss so called “free trade” deals designed to further enrich the world’s financial elite at the expense of oppressed nations and workers around the world. In response, the No 2 APEC Coalition called for a week of demonstrations to once again shut down the summit, just as it had been shut down in Chile in 2019.

Anti-imperialist, women’s, migrant, LGBTQ, student, youth, labor and other social justice groups answered the call under the banner of “People and Planet over Profit and Plunder.” The protest began at Embarcadero Plaza with a land acknowledgment. San Francisco sits on the ancestral and unceded land of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples, from whom organizers had been given permission and support to host the anti-APEC demonstrations. There were cultural performances, including poetry and song, followed by speakers from different organizations.

A member of the International Women’s Alliance condemned APEC for proposing false economic solutions that only exacerbate the super-exploitation of women workers. An organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement denounced the U.S. imperialist leaders participating in APEC for also profiting off the ongoing genocide and oppression of the Palestinian people. They affirmed the fearless and unwavering struggle of the Palestinian resistance, asserting that through international solidarity in the anti-imperialist movement, liberation for Palestine in our lifetimes is possible. An organizer with Nodutdol exposed APEC as a vehicle for the further militarization of the Asia-Pacific region, including the Korean peninsula, which contributes to the obstruction of the Korean movement for reunification and national liberation.

Protesters marched from the plaza down Market Street, shutting down one of the largest main streets in downtown San Francisco. Multilingual chants filled the air, including “From Palestine to the Philippines, shut down the U.S. war machine!” “Up, up with liberation, down, down with militarization!” and “We are unstoppable! Another world is possible!” The march was rerouted due to a heavy police and FBI presence, but protesters stayed strong and gathered at the end for a final rally.

Rhonda Ramiro, chair of BAYAN-USA, reminded the crowd what they had gathered to fight for: “We are fighting for a world where all workers have pay and workplace protections, where all working people have the right to unionize and organize, for collective and community control of the land, consistent and unconditional access to food, livable housing and shelter for all, for a stabilized climate, and protection of biodiversity and the natural world.”

Kobi Guillory, co-chair of the Chicago chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, emphasized that all our movements are connected through the common enemy of U.S. imperialism, stating, “We are here protesting against APEC because imperialism always violates the right of self-determination of oppressed people.” He reminded the people that we have power in our numbers, and that through solidarity in our struggles, we will one day overthrow the entire global system of capitalist exploitation and oppression.

#SanFranciscoCA #CapitalismAndEconomy #APEC #ILPS #BAYANUSA #NAARPR

San Francisco, CA – On November 11, close to 900 people gathered at San Francisco State University for a counter-summit against the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit later that week.

The day was convened by the “No To APEC Coalition,” which had 160 endorsing organizations. The counter-summit was the first action leading up to a week of activity against APEC.

APEC is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. While the rhetoric that APEC pushes seem to benefit the member economies, the No to APEC Coalition states that it’s a forum for corporations and institutions to push so-called “free trade” to exploit their workers and put the benefits of corporations over the rights of nations and peoples.

The day began at 9 a.m. with opening remarks that reviewed what APEC and IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) were, and why it’s important to mobilize against them.

The keynote speaker was Brandon Lee, who came out to a standing ovation and chants of “Justice for Brandon Lee!” Lee is an indigenous rights activist who in 2019 was shot in four places by the 54th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, rendering him paralyzed. Lee continues to organize for human rights and is a member of the San Francisco Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines.

During his keynote speech, he spoke about how he became an organizer, and the current fight against Chevron. He also joined the chorus to mobilize against APEC and IPEF, “I will continue to fight as long as I breathe. My story is one of many. There are 1000 people here today, diverse and multi-generational, each with their own journey, all united against APEC. And we will not go gently into the night. We will rage!”

After Lee’s speech there was a plenary with speakers from different movements, including organizers from Palestine, Starbucks Workers United, Myanmar, and others.

The afternoon saw two sets of dozens of workshops for people to choose from.

The evening ended with a call to action for November 12 and the march against APEC. It closed out with agitating speeches, that fired people up!

#SanFranciscoCA #NoToAPEC #APEC #Capitalism #Economy #ILPS

San Francisco, CA – On October 8, upwards of 3000 people from across the Bay Area marched in San Francisco to show solidarity with Palestine. They rallied to support the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom from Israeli occupation.

The Bay Area protest, like demonstrations around the United States, support the Palestinians’ united effort to take back occupied land seized by Israel since 1948. Israel has a decades-long record of oppression and brutal human rights atrocities. The recent campaign of resistance is named “Al-Aqsa Flood” after the historic Al-Aqsa mosque in Al Quds, which has been the target of Israeli attacks in recent years.

The protest began at the San Francisco Israeli consulate building, where thousands gathered with Palestinian flags. The crowd unapologetically cheered for the liberation of Palestine with repeated slogans such as “Free, free Palestine!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

During the initial rally, police in riot gear were present in front of the Israeli consulate, separating protesters from the building. Meanwhile, the Palestine coalition’s security kept a small contingent of pro-Israeli reactionaries away from the crowd. Despite tensions, the leadership of the pro-Palestine rally and its security encouraged the crowd to not engage with the Zionists.

After the starting rally, the crowd marched from the Israel consulate to Embarcadero Plaza. Taking to the streets, the protesters flew the Palestinian flag. They also displayed depictions of Ghassan Kanafani, a Palestinian revolutionary with the PFLP, and Che Guevara, a revolutionary icon who has inspired many such as Kanafani. As the protesters marched, an unidentified man tried to infiltrate the crowd. Protest security confronted him and prevented the man from getting closer, while the march continued.

At Embarcadero Plaza, the coalition began its program with speakers. The theme throughout the different speeches was the condemnation of the U.S. government for aiding Israel in the oppression of Palestine. Another theme was the hypocrisy of the Western media for ignoring the brutal Israeli bombing campaigns and massacres against Palestinian people.

Protesters defended the Palestinian right to self-determination and demanded an end to the occupation. They refused to label Palestine’s united front of resistance arising from Gaza as “terrorists.” In San Francisco and around the world, the people are demanding, “Solidarity with Palestine!”

The protest was organized by a coalition of Palestinian and socialist organizations such as the Palestinian Youth Movement, U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Al-Awda Coalition, Palestinian Feminist Collective, Party for Socialism and Liberation and others.

#SanFranciscoCA #Palestine #NationalLiberation #Israel