San Jose, CA – Over 1000 protesters marched and rallied during the Super Bowl LX, February 8, to demand Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of San José. Activists, community organizations and unions rallied against the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) threat to conduct immigration enforcement during the Super Bowl LX.

Since Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem first announced in October that ICE would be “all over” the Super Bowl, DHS and ICE have backtracked on their statements that the federal agencies will take part in immigration enforcement during the game. The Community Service Organization San José (CSO SJ) says the backtracking is the result of the grassroots preparation led by a broad coalition against Trump’s Agenda, which put ICE on the retreat.

CSO SJ, along with a broad coalition including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), San José District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, The Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) and Working Partnerships USA (WPUSA) and other local community organizations and unions, stayed firm in their decision to protest, emphasizing that officials’ assurances of “no mass raids” did not ensure safety from families being torn apart and arrests still occurring.

The rally took place near a local church, then took over the streets to march to an intersection near the stadium. The march included “Ice out” and “End the deportations” banners as well as signs bearing slogans such as “Killer ICE off our streets” and “Legalization for all.” Most notably, the protesters held portraits of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, demanding justice for the community legal observers who ICE shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“We saw resistance bloom last month in Minneapolis,” said John Duroyan of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Duroyan noted the mass upsurge and resistance of the immigrant rights movement throughout the country, after ICE’s escalation of attacks towards Chicano, Mexican and Central American communities regardless of their legal status.

CSO SJ member Pan Breceda, as part of the Legalization for All network (L4A) stated, “CSO SJ fights for reforms like ‘legalization for all’ which will eliminate all basis of discrimination based on legal status.” Braceda noted the anniversary of the Treaty of Guadalupe of Hidalgo and its failures to secure civil and economic rights of Chicanos.

Amongst Braceda’s demands of no more money for ICE and no more deportations, CSO SJ announced the formation of the new San José Coalition Against Trump as an “action-based coalition that will not allow ICE, DHS, CBP or any federal agency to kidnap or harass our immigrant community members during the Super Bowl game and local events.”

The protest was attended by students ranging from high school to university, after an upsurge in student walkouts. Megan Sweet of Students for a Democratic Society SJSU stated that group, “has continued to demand San Jose State University divest from funds withholdings in companies that directly facilitate and profit off of deportation services, border security and mass surveillance.”

SEIU members from Local 521 and United Healthcare Workers, Seema Patel and Tammy Danhota, spoke about Trump’s attacks against workers and oppressed people’s movements.

“I’m here to say that’s not going to happen under our watch; we want ICE to stop all of their deportations,” Danhota stated. “We demand for legalization for all and an end to the criminalization of immigrants,”

Philip Nguyen, a San Jose Against War (SJAW) member, condemned ICE’s use of Israeli surveillance technology against undocumented immigrants. He noted the collaboration between ICE and Israel and similar tactics used in Gaza and called on the city of San Jose to divest from companies involved with Israel.

The march continued after the program, heading towards the stadium while protesters chanted “Stand up, fight back!”

#SanJoseCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #SJCSO #SuperBowl #Featured

New Orleans, LA – On February 9, roughly 200 people took to the streets in downtown New Orleans for a rally and march against President Donald Trump’s visit to the Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome.

The protest was called by New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police, alongside a broad coalition of organizations. After Trump’s recent attacks on the most oppressed, protestors came out to demand Trump end ICE raids and deportations, stop attacks on trans people, and keep out of Gaza.

The rally began at Armstrong Park around 4:30, with speakers. The crowd chanted, “Donald Trump has got to go!” and “Un pueblo unido, hamas sera vencido! The people united, will never be defeated!” Community members brought signs and flags, reading “Nadie es ilegal!”, “Trans liberation now!” “Defend women’s and reproductive rights!” as queer flags, Mexican flags, and Palestinian flags waved above.

“A lot of us are here to resist Donald Trump, but some of us are here for other reasons,” said a member of New Orleans for Community Control of the Police (NOCOP). “I’m here because my friend’s dad got deported a couple of months ago, before Trump was even in office. I’m here because my last interaction with the police ended up with a police officer’s arm around my neck, and me sitting in jail. I’m mad, and I’m not forgetting any of that!”

“More than fear, I’m angry!” declared Molly Dayle, a member of the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP). “He’s attacking our immigrant siblings, our Black and Brown siblings, and he’s coming after unions. We are only going to be able to fight this together.”

“Immigrants are the ones who build up this city after every hurricane!” said Martha Alguera from the Southeast Dignity Not Detention Coalition. “Right here in Louisiana, we have the largest amount of for-profit detention centers in the country. Thousands of people who were just taken asylum are sent here, and have to deal with medical neglect and abuse.”

During the rally, it began to rain heavily. As clothes and signs got soaked, the energy of the crowd remained high. After the speakers finished, the people took the streets marching from Armstrong Park down S Rampart Street all the way up to just outside of the Superdome’s security perimeter. Police presence buzzed around the protest, but because of an excellent security plan and experienced police liaisons, the march concluded with no arrests, injuries, or major disruptions. The crowd cheered, “Rain will not take us down! Trump out of NOLA now!”

When the march returned to Armstrong Park, the crowd chanted and cheered “I believe that we will win!” Bright smiles and hugs congratulated the successful protest as the action came to a close.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #Sports #SuperBowl #LGBTQ #ImmigrantRights

Tampa FL – IBEW Local 824 Frontier workers and supporters gathered near Raymond James Stadium before Super Bowl LV to hold an informational picket raising public awareness about Frontier's ongoing attempt to gut workers' retirement benefits and healthcare and its attempts to double the amount that active workers have to pay for health insurance.

The decision to demonstrate outside the Super Bowl was strategic, not just because it was a major national event that happened locally, but because Frontier has corporate partnerships with the Buccaneers and Raymond James Stadium.

In an open letter to members, IBEW Local 824 President Keith LaPlant stated: “Our plan is to send a clear message to Frontier and their corporate partners like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Raymond James Stadium that taking retirement benefits from our essential workers is unacceptable.”

Due to heavy traffic, demonstrators met at the union hall and were bused back and forth from the stadium. At peak, there were roughly 500 people holding signs with slogans like “Fair contract now!” and yelling chants, such as “Go Bucs! Frontier sucks!” A good portion of passing cars honked and cheered in support. Meanwhile, an airplane flew overhead pulling a banner that read, “Frontier fails essential workers. IBEW824.org.”

Frontier workers have had to make great sacrifices to maintain the essential internet infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first months of the pandemic, workers had no choice but to continue to go into homes, businesses and even hospitals without any PPE.

Frontier Communications is currently going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, for which they've received billions of federal dollars for debt relief, while top executives collect over $60 million from bonuses. “If Frontier can make their executives whole with over $60 million in bonuses, they can make their dedicated employees whole,” President LaPlant said.

IBEW Local 824 and Frontier have until April 16 to reach an agreement before the current contract expires, otherwise, the union may need to go on strike to win a decent contract that workers desperately need, especially during a pandemic and economic depression.

#TampaFL #PeoplesStruggles #SuperBowl #IBEWLocal824

After a ceremony by the Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue danzantes, a brief rally with speakers and chanting will be followed by a march. Behind those marching on foot, many protesters will take to warm cars and tailgate to the stadium, where there will be a few speakers, and protesters will ‘take a knee’ under the slogans: “Justice for stolen lives, jail killer cops! End police violence! Economic justice for all, stop the attacks on workers! End the exploitation! Invest in people, not in corporations! Stop building playgrounds for billionaires! No racist USA, take a knee and fight-back! End racist oppression!”

Sunday’s SAAC march to US Bank Stadium is the culmination of a week-long fight to stand up the racist oppression and corporate greed represented by Super Bowl 52.

“Super Bowl 52 is a disaster for the people who live here,” says Loretta VanPelt, of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J). “This is the largest police force ever deployed in Minnesota, and the largest for any Super Bowl ever. None of this makes us safer. Community members from Black, brown and indigenous communities, from immigrant communities, we are much less safe! Millions are being thrown at so-called security measures, displacing homeless people from streets, shelters and even downtown hotels; our public transit has been turned over for exclusive use of Super Bowl ticket holders.”

When asked about claims that the Super Bowl will be good for the local economy, VanPelt responded, “The Host Committee estimates all this will bring in less than $30 million in tax revenue, but Minneapolis paid $150 million for the stadium they’re playing in, and the state contributed $348 million. Regular poor and working people are taking a big loss. But we’re not taking it lying down. We are fighting back.”

The Super Bowl Anti-Racist & Anti-Corporate Coalition (SAAC) includes over 20 participating organizations fighting against police brutality, defending immigrant’s rights, indigenous rights, women rights, labor unions and students. These include: AFSCME 2822; AFSCME 3800; American Indian Movement; Anti-War Committee; Asamblea de Derechos Civiles; Black Lives Matter – MN; Black Lives Matter – Twin Cities; Black Saint Paul; Blue Lies Matter; Communities United Against Police Brutality; Filipinx for Immigrant rights and Racial justice in Minnesota; Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Twin Cities; Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee; MN Neighbors for Justice; Women's March Minnesota; Native Lives Matter; The New North; Rise Up Times; Students for a Democratic Society at the UMN; Showing Up for Racial Justice MN; Take A Knee Nation; Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar; Welfare Rights Committee; and Women Against Military Madness

#MinneapolisMN #SuperBowl #SuperBowlAntiRacistAntiCorporateCoalition

Organized by a host of progressive organizations that have come together as the Super Bowl Anti-racist, Anti-Corporate Coalition (SACC), demonstrators will gather at 3 p.m., Feb. 4, at a location that will be announced soon.

Jess Sundin, an organizer with the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J), states, “On Feb. 4 we are going to step into the national spotlight at the 2018 Super Bowl with a clear anti-racist message. Football players have been protesting racism and police brutality, and on Feb. 4 we will be doing that as well.”

#MinneapolisMN #Sports #Antiracism #SuperBowl