Tallahassee, FL – On February 18, the Tallahassee City Commission’s meeting marked a win for organizers, who were allowed to wield signs protesting the city’s collaboration with ICE in defiance of the commission’s attempts to repress them. At the previous meeting in January, the city commission and Tallahassee Police Department tried to illegally confiscate the signs of attendees, and conservative Mayor John Dailey ended the meeting early when they refused to comply.

Even though the city commission only gives each attendee three minutes to speak, the huge crowd that packed the January 14 meeting still managed to talk to the commission for almost three hours about the overwhelming public opposition to TPD’s 287(g) agreement with ICE and the city’s decision to sell land containing the unmarked graves of enslaved people to a notoriously racist country club. That should have taught Mayor Dailey that the city needed to listen to the people of Tallahassee, but instead he decided the problem was letting the public speak at all.

At the start of February’s meeting, the commission voted to limit public comment to 30 minutes, only hearing the first ten speakers who sign up, even though public comment comes at the end of a full day of meetings. To make sure that you can speak to the city commission, you now have to show up at 2 or 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, in the middle of the workday, and sit through hours of bureaucracy until around 6 p.m. to be allowed to talk. This effectively bans working-class people from being heard by their city government and represents a clear escalation in the struggle between the commission’s conservative majority and Tallahassee’s growing immigrant rights movement.

Organizers and community members continued to stand up to the commission’s attacks on free speech. Residents hid 8.5 x 11 signs in their pockets denouncing the 287(g) agreement, pulling them out when speakers finally came up.

Mayor Dailey, shaken by the presence of journalists in the room, was forced to back down and allow the signs rather than threaten to arrest attendees again for expressing their anger with the city’s inaction. Visibly exasperated, he tried to play this weakness off as generosity, saying that these signs were “fine, because they’re a regular sheet of paper.” Speakers wasted no time in calling out his hypocrisy, pointing out that the signs hadn’t changed at all – what had changed was the unpopularity of the city’s repressive tactics.

“We’ve seen an outpouring of civic participation in local government. In a city this small, you guys should be excited to see this level of participation if you cared about democracy,” said Joelle Nuñez, president of the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance. “But instead your response to people being upset at what you’re doing is to keep pushing more unpopular measures to restrict free speech. We’re trying to open the gates for people to participate, and you’re here actively shutting them. We want a public town hall to talk about 287(g), where we have more than 30 minutes to speak, and we want y’all to listen to us. That’s all.”

Nonprofit founder Stanley Sims, a longtime critic of the commission, pointed out that at a previous meeting a group of white suburbanites had been allowed to bring much larger signs without pushback to protest a planned gas station in their neighborhood, yet the government was silencing citizens who were concerned about issues predominantly affecting Black and Latino people.

Commissioners seemed willing to waver on the 30-minute speaking time limit, at least while the cameras were rolling. Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, a progressive and Dailey’s main competitor in the race for mayor, pressured the conservative majority into relenting and giving all of the registered speakers for this meeting their three minutes.

Commissioner Jack Porter, another progressive, proposed a resolution to revisit the time limit in a public meeting, denouncing the fact that the previous decision was made behind closed doors without public input. This time the conservatives stood their ground, and Commissioners Diane Williams-Cox and Curtis Richardson joined Mayor Dailey in voting the resolution down, citing the same tired complaints about “decorum” that they used to justify shutting down the last meeting.

Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, replied, “I’m so tired of the word ‘decorum’, that word that’s just used as an excuse to repress the community. You get to be isolated from the problems that people are facing, but the people who are being murdered by ICE and the people in Tallahassee who are watching graves being built over don’t have time for ‘decorum’ in their lives.”

Pierre continued, “Banning public comment isn't a sign of strength – it’s a sign of your internal weakness. It's a sign that you know that people will show up again and again to call you out because you represent the interests of the Trump administration in Tallahassee, and it’s time that everybody knows about it.”

TIRA will join other community organizations on International Women’s Day, March 8, to march for justice for immigrant women. For more information, visit TIRA’s pages on Facebook or Instagram (@tlh_ira).

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ICE #CityCouncil #TIRA #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On February 7, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) led a second protest against the sale and privatization of the Capital City Golf Course now owned by the Capital City Country Club (CCCC). The land itself is the site of at least 17 known, unmarked graves of formerly enslaved people, has never been thoroughly surveyed, and is marked only by a small memorial.

The CCCC only opened its membership to the public in 2015, having maintained private membership for years as a loophole to remain segregated.

Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) member Regina Joseph, identifying the Black community’s struggle as one for Black liberation, said, “The city of Tallahassee does not care about Black people. It only cares about profit over people. We insist on our liberation.”

FAMU Students for a Democratic Society President Justin Jordan expressed similar frustration with the Tallahassee City Commission, saying, “these people cloak themselves in our communities when it’s convenient for them – when they need votes, And if you think these people have your best interest at heart, they voted against a motion to do further examination of these unmarked graves.”

Speeches were held at Country Club Park in the southwest corner of the property, then the group marched to the memorial site for more speeches. While speaking at the site, a group of golfers drove up, teed up, and hit shots over the heads of speakers, an act that directly endangered multiple people. With plenty of other open areas, golfers knowingly drove over grave sites the course is built upon as the protesters demanded they respect the lives of the people buried. The golfers and owners called the police, but they were unable to trespass marchers, as the memorial site is open to the public.

TCAC President Delilah Pierre described this as an illustration of the difficulties of negotiating the reversal of the sale, “I’ve heard people ask, ‘Have you tried to talk to the commissioners? Have you tried to talk to the golfers?’ In my opinion they’re all to be held accountable because they all know what they’re doing.”

Tallahassee SDS and Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA) also participated in the action, connecting the struggle for students on campus and immigrants in the community to the continual erasing and whitewashing of Black people’s history.

Participants were encouraged to attend the city commission meeting on February 18 to demand the reversal of the sale, which occurred despite widespread opposition from Tallahassee residents, as well as demand a full archaeological survey and a town hall meeting. Additionally, TCAC has been canvassing in nearby neighborhoods and circulated a petition to reverse the sale, which has currently gathered nearly 200 signatures.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #TCAC #FRSO

Tallahassee, FL- On Saturday, January 31, the Tally Coalition Against Trump rallied outside the Florida Capitol building with more than 450 people.

They were joined by groups like the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society, Power Up People, and others to demand an end to the city’s 287(g) agreement and stand in solidarity with protesters in Minneapolis and around the country.

“We are fighting for something greater than us. We are fighting against the brutality of ICE,” said Justin Jordan, president of FAMU SDS.

Minneapolis has been a hotspot for ICE violence, being the crime scene of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti’s murder. ICE and Border Patrol in Minneapolis have taken children, such as five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, whose photo of him in a blue bunny hat while being detained by ICE went viral, as bait to detain their parents. Inspired by the bravery of the citizens of Minneapolis, the Tallahassee Coalition Against took immediate action.

Brandon Beckett, the secretary of Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance, stated, “Through these tragic events, the people of Minneapolis have not responded with silence, they have responded with strength.”

Tallahassee has been getting used to emergency actions for some time now. The Trump administration and ICE’s increasing violence have meant that there have been murders and kidnappings across the country, and not just in big cities like Minneapolis, but also here in Tallahassee. These emergency actions show no signs of slowing down as the violence against our community continues.

The large crowd chanted, “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!”

In May, an ICE raid targeting construction workers in Tallahassee detained over 100 people. Tallahassee State College and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University have signed 287(g) agreements, allowing their police departments to work with ICE. The largest college in Tallahassee, Florida State University, has done the same behind closed doors.

The city of Tallahassee has signed its own 287(g), allowing the Tallahassee Police Department to collaborate with ICE. Despite massive public backlash, the motion to rescind the agreement in October 2025 failed on a narrow vote. On January 14, city commissioners ended the meeting during public comment, and capitol police harassed members who were holding 8 x 11” signs denouncing the sale of land containing enslaved people's graves to the Capitol City Country Club, repressing their freedom of speech. The commissioners refused to hear their constituents' detestation of ICE and 287(g).

With Florida’s legislative session beginning and a slew of repressive bills on the way, organizers in Tallahassee know that the struggle is not waning but reaching its most critical point. Bills like CS/HB 17 that increase criminal charges for battery on law enforcement officers, and HB 49, which suppresses political activity on campus, aim to slow and repress the anti-ICE and legalization for all the movement.

On the other hand, bills like HB 419, which would prohibit ICE and other law enforcement from using face coverings, also being heard in the upcoming legislative session.

The Tally Coalition Against Trump will continue to advocate against ICE brutality and violence.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KillerICE #TIRA #TCAC #SDS

Tallahassee, FL – On January 24, over 600 people marched and rallied at the Florida Capitol building, led by the Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump. Protesters took to the streets in an act of resistance against Trump’s racist and reactionary agenda, with demands of, “ICE out now!,” “End 287(g)!,” “No more U.S. intervention!” and “Stop FBI and DOJ repression!”

Speaking on behalf of the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA), Brandon Beckett said, “I’m sick and tired of seeing children’s lives terrorized! I’m sick and tired of seeing chaos carried out by the state. And I’m sick and tired of having a president who claims peace but advances terror with every action he takes.”

This protest took place as ICE continues to attack immigrants across the country, and on the same day as ICE agents in Minneapolis murdered Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was brutally killed while helping a woman attacked by ICE

Connecting the struggle against ICE to the fight for community control of the police, Regina Joseph from Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) said, “The police should be working for us, not the other way around. We should be holding them accountable for what they do wrong, and right here in Tallahassee the police are working with ICE through 287(g)!”

The 287(g) program is a partnership between ICE and the police that allows officers to perform immigration enforcement and collaborate with ICE terror. Organizers in Tallahassee have been demanding that the city commission terminate the Tallahassee Police Department’s 287(g) agreement, which was signed voluntarily by Police Chief and killer cop Lawrence Revell.

After some speeches, community members began their march around the Florida State Capitol. Despite attempts by capitol police to repress the protest, the people took to the streets. As cars honked in support, the crowd chanted, “Legalization for all!” and “Who’s streets? Our streets!” In marching, the Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump showed that even with oppressive state laws, the people of Tallahassee would not back down.

Addressing the crowd after the march, Katy Kurzweil from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) said, “The system is broken! We can no longer believe the lie that Trump is the sole reason for all of this repression. This goes way beyond Donald Trump! Step one will be to get rid of Donald Trump, but what do we do when he’s gone? Are we gonna twiddle our thumbs? Are we gonna wait for someone good to come along? No! We are done waiting, we are tired of waiting! We have all the power we need right here.”

Those in attendance say more actions are planned for the near future, and many of the organizations involved will be at the city commission meeting on February 18 to make their demands heard locally. For updates on upcoming events, follow @tallyagainsttrump.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #TIRA #TCAC #FRSO

Tallahassee, FL – On January 14, Tallahassee locals gathered at the city commission meeting to demand accountability. Those in attendance had three main goals: the reversal of the 287(g) agreement, the reversal of the sale of the public golf course containing the graves of formerly enslaved people, and that the commission vote no on the sale of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital to Florida State University.

Instead of listening to the people, Tallahassee Police Department officers tried to illegally confiscate the signs of protesters, and Mayor John Dailey ended the meeting early when they refused to give in to the unlawful demand. Despite this attempted repression, locals continued to rally, first inside the commission chambers, then directly outside the building.

Speaking on the action, Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) said, “They choose to break the law for their own purposes but let me tell you something! If our city commission won’t enforce the law, we will!”

Over the past year, Tallahassee organizers have been fighting against a commission that continuously sides with wealthy developers and caves to the racist demands of the Trump administration. Just last month it sold public land containing the graves of at least 17 formerly enslaved people to Capital City Country Club, and in October, they refused to revoke TPD’s 287(g) agreement that allows them to collaborate with ICE. Their latest meeting continues that trend, with the commission voting 3-2 to advance the sale of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, a deal composed of shady backroom meetings and almost no community involvement.

Speaking to the crowd outside, Delaitre Hollinger, a local activist and historian, said, “What happened tonight was, as we know, completely and totally messed up. We have a mayor who at times likes to act like a petulant child and adjourn commission meetings in the middle of people speaking, but what I like about this is that ain’t none of us scared! We gotta continue to speak up, to step out, to protest, to march, to come to these meetings, to pack City Hall out! Every time that he adjourns a meeting, then we need to double and triple in size!”

Other organizations in attendance included Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA), Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), FAMU SDS, Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump (TCAT), FSU Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), and Students for Progressive Victory at FSU (PVFSU).

While rallying, both veteran organizers and first time protesters were given a chance to speak and lead chants, with cries of “Shame on Dailey!” “Shame on Richardson!” and “Shame on Williams-Cox” being most prevalent.

More actions are planned soon, including a No Kings rally on January 24, at 11 a.m. at the Florida Capitol Building. Under the Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump banner, over a dozen organizations will be showing up to mark a year of resistance against the Trump agenda and speak out against his racist and reactionary actions.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #TCAC #TIRA #ICE

Tallahassee, FL – On January 10, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee marched and rallied with local residents to protest the sale of the city-owned golf course to the Capital City Country Club (CCCC). The land is known to include a historic cemetery containing the remains of at least 17 formerly enslaved people, with evidence of many more that have not been marked. 

The sale was pushed through despite mass public outcry, as opponents demanding the city reverse the sale, hold a town hall, conduct a full survey of the graveyard in order to protect the graves, and keep the land public in perpetuity. Speaking about the group's demands, Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) said, “We need to fight for our city to respect Black history and respect the wishes of the public!” 

Justin Jordan, a member of FAMU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) said, “What price would you put on a human life? On the life of a person who suffered through the torture of slavery? Well, the city of Tallahassee put a price on them. The city of Tallahassee sold the unmarked remains of potentially dozens to a country club with a history of segregation.”

After rallying, the group marched towards the CCCC to make their demands heard directly. Upon nearing the course, golfers began yelling racist remarks like “All lives matter.” After marchers stepped onto the course, the Tallahassee Police Department immediately intercepted the group and attempted to trespass them off of land that should be public. 

Refusing to be silent, the group instead took to the streets, marching over two miles around the course towards the site of the graves. Upon reaching the site, the group discovered that the memorial had still not fully been constructed, and that the ground around the site had been ripped up by heavy equipment.

Other groups in attendance included Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Power Up People, Red Hills Anarchists, and the Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump. Participants were encouraged to attend the next city commission meeting on January 14 to demand the reversal of the sale, with more action planned for the course itself in coming weeks.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On January 8, approximately 400 people attended a rally and vigil at the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol demanding justice for Renee Nicole Good. The protest was organized by the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance in response to the murder of Renee Good by ICE Agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis.

Organizations attending the event included, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), Indivisible Tallahassee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Tallahassee Community Area Response Equipo, and Students for a Democratic Society.

Activists and community members were invited to speak. Amanda Macedo Parrish talked about the recently won the fight to free her husband from ICE custody after a large-scale immigration raid in May.

Organizers spoke on the need to get ICE out of cities through direct action and ending local agreements with ICE such as 287(g).

Thomas Speirs of TCAC said, “I don’t want any police cooperation with ICE in my city.” Trish Brown of Power Up People said, “When armed agents act with impunity, when special response teams patrol neighborhoods like war zones, when accountability disappears behind badges and bureaucracy, that is not security, it is terror.”

After the speeches and chants, attendees held candles for a moment of silence for Renee Nicole and all the victims of violence by border patrol and immigration enforcement, including those shot at a similar event in Portland only a few hours before.

Protests across the country have been held in response to these shootings by organizations in the Legalization for All network. The protest closed out with a chant led by TIRA member Katy Kurzweil quoting the late Assata Shakur: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ReneeGood #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On January 4, over 100 community members gathered at the Florida Capitol Building for a protest organized by the Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump (TCAT). They rallied to denounce the U.S. bombing of Venezuela and demand the release of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

“We all need to do what we can to stop the Trump administration from committing more crimes against Venezuela or any other countries. All U.S. invasions and interventions have led to destabilization of the other country, endless wars, internal conflicts and such. The U.S. has never liberated other countries. These invasions have only served American private business and that seems to always be the main goal,” said Tallahassee Community Area Response Equipo (TCARE) founder Isabel Ruano.

With more than a dozen organizations, TCAT includes a wide range of views, but all worked to condemn Trump’s racist and reactionary agenda.

“Tallahassee showed up with one united message today: to stand against the illegal arrest of Nicolas Maduro and to say no to U.S. intervention in Venezuela,” said Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) President Delilah Pierre. “The people here don’t all feel and think the same, but our coalition against Trump needs to unite on one thing: the Trump administration needs to go!”

In continuing the fight, TCAT is planning a No Kings march and rally for January 24 at 11 a.m. at the Florida Capitol. Coalition members will join with the community to mark a year of resistance against the Trump agenda.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #TCAC #TCARE #TCAT

Tallahassee, FL – On December 7, around 35 people assembled at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee for the People’s Award Gala. Hosted by the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), the event celebrated organizations and activists that have led the resistance against Trump’s agenda in Tallahassee.

Awards were handed out for categories such as Best Immigrants Rights Group, Best LGBTQ+ Activist Group, Best Mutual Aid Organization, and Best New Activist, awarded to three recipients – Juniper Curtis (TCAC), Brandon Beckett of (Tallahassee Immigrants Rights Alliance – TIRA), and Alice Bostwick (Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society – SDS).

“I’m beyond thankful to be a part of not only TIRA but the Tallahassee activist community as a whole,” Brandon said in his acceptance speech. “As I am inspired by you all to understand every injustice in the world, I grow more compassion for every person that has faced systemic injustice. As this compassion grows, I move further away from the nihilism that used to plague me in the past, and I realize every day that the purpose in life is to care. Activism has given me a reason to care, a reason to show up, and a reason to keep going.”

Special awards for Community Freedom Fighters were handed out to local victims of police brutality and ICE attacks. Recipients included Calvin and Dalfnie Riley, who fought back against a wrongful conviction and sentencing after Calvin Riley had evidence planted on him by Tallahassee Police Department; Jingles and Rodderick Johnson, who organized rallies and marches in Madison, Florida after Jingles Johnson survived being shot in the jaw by a Madison County Sheriff Deputy, and Amanda Parrish Macedo, who drove hundreds of miles to Texas to track down and free her husband, Tino, after he was abducted by ICE in a mass raid.

In his acceptance speech, Calvin Riley said, “I wouldn’t have went through this course this long just to take a plea deal or just to be silent. I did this because in the community is someone like me that’s going through the same or similar things and they don’t have no one to turn to. So if you’re listening, you have someone to turn to. It’s called TCAC.”

TCAC is also one of the organizations in the newly minted Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump and ended the night by inviting all the attendees to the coalition’s rally for International Human Rights Day. Taking place on Saturday, December 13, at 1 pm, organizers will be showing up to denounce Trump’s attacks with demands of “Hands off Palestine” and “Hands off Venezuela!”

#TallahasseeFL #FL #PeoplesStruggles #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – Around a dozen people gathered at the Lawrence Gregory Community Center on Saturday, November 1, for a town hall about police accountability presented by the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC).

TCAC canvassed the Frenchtown neighborhood during August and September, getting opinions on the police presence in Frenchtown. The results found that 35% of people think the Tallahassee Police Department has a good relationship with the community, while 45% do not think so. The survey also found that nearly 80% of people want more accountability from the police.

Outside of policing, 29% of people surveyed struggled with employment, 29% faced difficulties paying rent, and 19% had problems accessing groceries.

After the results were presented, the floor was opened for attendees to share what they struggle with and what issues they see in the community. One attendee said she remembered when the city promised to fund after-school activities some years ago, but when she asked a city commissioner about it sometime later, they acted like they didn’t remember.

Regina Joseph, TCAC’s vice president, connected the lack of activities for kids to the economic distress in the community, which the attendees united with. Attendees showed enthusiasm for TCAC’s campaign to restore the Citizen’s Police Review Board and discussed the need for greater police accountability.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On Saturday, October 18, over 1000 people rallied at the Florida Capitol to protest Donald Trump’s attacks on immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, and democratic rights altogether.

Members of the No King Rally headed towards the center of the capitol to hear speeches from Tallahassee’s Indivisible Chapter. People also gathered around progressive organizations that led chants and gave separate speeches at another spot within the protest.

“Donald Trump, we’re not scared, we’re not going anywhere!” shouted Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC). After the protest, Pierre explained, “I attended the No Kings protest because I wanted to say no to the continuing attacks on Palestine, to the police brutality and crimes that are still frequent and unpunished, to the detention centers and illegal arrests of undocumented immigrants. Everyone here might not have the same ideas, but we have a common goal – to fight back against the Trump administration and win!”

“We cannot win unless we are organized, unless we are unified,” said Regina Joseph, who spoke on behalf of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We’re giving $20 billion to Argentina – we force other places to accept immigrants and wage war around the world while other people are starving. That’s not right! We need to organize something outside of the two party system, a political party that will fight and stand with the people!”

“Amidst mass liberal big-tent protests, immigrant rights activists need to push the massive upsurge of people into the political struggle to build something radical and real,” said Aedan Bennett, a member of the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance.

Activists from the TCAC stayed hours after the main protest ended, rallying with the protesters still remaining and energizing people to fight against the Trump administration.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #TCAC #NoKings

Tallahassee, FL – On Saturday, June 14, thousands of people gathered at the Florida State Capitol building to show their opposition to the Trump administration. The No Kings protest – which was created by the 50501 movement – has over 1500 cities participating.

Protesters gathered to voice their outrage at the administration’s attacks on democratic rights, at violence against community members, and at the increasingly unchecked power of the president.

The crowd chanted “The people! United! Will never be defeated!” to call for the city commissioners to stand against the 287(g) agreement voluntarily signed by Police Chief Lawrence Revell. This agreement diverts city police resources to aid in ICE activities.

Amanda Parish, the wife of a victim from the May 29 Tallahassee ICE raid spoke out in a pre-recorded message. She was unable to attend the event because she had to travel to Texas to support her detained husband.

“There are still families who can't get in touch with their families, it's hard,” said Parish. Her words were met with supportive cheers and waving of signs like “No one is illegal on stolen land.”

Crowds showed unwavering enthusiasm despite rain throughout the day. Protesters cheered, chanted, sang, played music and held their signs as cars drove by honking in support.

Speakers called for action. Issues spanned from climate change, unfair labor practices and denouncing groups like the James Madison Institute that served on the advisory board for the infamous Project 2025.

“We are all in the same boat now,” said Dot Inman Johnson, a 78-year-old Tallahassee native recalling her experience fighting for civil rights in this same spot. “We have a common enemy and that is Donald Trump. We can do so much more together.”

“The moment right now is not normal,” said Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) leader Delilah Pierre. “It is not enough to go to one protest, vote, or just be on social media. We need to be fighting every single day.”

The event was organized by 50501, Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance, FSU Students for a Democratic Society, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, and Food, Not Bombs Tallahassee, along with Indivisible Tallahassee and the ACLU.

Tallahassee Community Action Committee, is a grassroots organization dedicated to fighting for peace, justice and equality through direct action. For more information on future events and updates head to tallycac.com.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #ImmigrantRights #AntiWarMovement #TCAC #TIRA

Tallahassee, FL – On Friday, May 30, more than 400 people gathered at the Florida Capitol to protest a large-scale ICE operation carried out Thursday, May 29, on a construction site in College Town, a neighborhood a few streets away from Florida State University. The emergency protest was called by the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA).

Speakers led the crowd, which spanned the entirety of the Capital complex, in chants such as “¡Aquí estamos, y no nos vamos!” and “Say it once, say it twice! We will not put up with ICE!”

Since the 2025 legislative session, Governor Ron DeSantis has increased attacks on immigrants at the state level. State law now mandates all sheriff offices in operation of a jail sign into 287g agreements with ICE, which allows officers to train for and act as immigration agents. In April, ICE and the state of Florida conducted “Operation Tidal Wave,” a joint effort that resulted in the arrests of more than 1000 people in one single week. The raid in Tallahassee on May 29, carried out by ICE, Florida Highway Patrol and at least four other law enforcement agencies, is alleged to be the largest single day operation yet in Florida.

At the protest, Aracely Cruz, spokesperson for the Voces Unidas de Gadsden, stated, “We are here because hardworking people are being hunted down like criminals. These are not just immigrants but our neighbors and friends. What’s happening to them is nothing short of bigotry and hatred. We say: stop using immigrants as scapegoats for our government’s failures! We demand an end to the raids and the protection of families!”

Friday’s rally was not the first emergency action of its kind in Tallahassee: in April, local activists organized an emergency mobilization to the Leon County Jail in response to the arrest by ICE of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a U.S. citizen.

“When we’re organized we can win – just a couple of weeks ago a U.S. citizen was detained. TIRA had an emergency action that night and that very same night, he was free,” stated Regina Joseph from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). “We have to be strategic, and we have to be organized, because only we are going to save each other. We must run ICE out of our town.”

Joelle Nuñez, an organizer with TIRA and emcee of the event, spoke of how local entities have a role to play in complicity with ICE, stating, “The city had the opportunity to keep ICE out of our neighborhoods ICE is coming into our communities and acting as a paramilitary force, they’re separating families and ripping them apart, and yet the city allows this collaboration with ICE to continue. DeSantis has made it so that Trump’s immigration policies are not only welcome, but he's doubling their efforts. It's the duty of anyone with a conscience and morals to stand up right now. We need to demand that our institutions do not cooperate with ICE.”

TIRA will be mobilizing to the June 11 City Commission meeting to demand local officials make a statement condemning the raid.

The protest was joined by the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Voces Unidas de Gadsden, Food Not Bombs, Leon County Dems Environmental Caucus, Students for a Democratic Society, and the Young Democratic Socialists of America.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #TCAC #FRSO #VocesUnidas

Tallahassee, FL- On Sunday, April 20, over 100 students and community members rallied at the Florida State Capitol building to stand against gun violence and white supremacist ideology. This rally comes mere days after Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old student at Florida State University who had reportedly espoused racist and white supremacist beliefs, killed Tiru Chabba and Robert Morales and injured six others in a mass shooting at FSU.

“Say their names! Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba,” protesters chanted as they honored the names of the two killed by Ikner on Thursday. Robert Morales, an FSU alumnus and employee, was honored by his brother in a statement on X, “You deserved better, Robert. Thank you for being in my life.” Tiru Chabba was a father of two and is deeply loved and remembered by his family as a dedicated father and husband.

Following the shooting, a great deal of misinformation spread online before the white supremacist beliefs of Ikner were shared with the public.

Oliver Cheese, a member of Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society, discussed the virulent white supremacist beliefs of the shooter, saying that people online “took an image of me at a Tally SDS protest claiming that I am Phoenix Ikner.” Cheese continued, “He was a white supremacist, a neo nazi, an open racist hate monger.” Oliver Cheese also demanded action from FSU admin, stating, “Tally SDS is demanding that FSU kick racists off our campus and that they stand for immigrant students against this white supremacist system.”

After the shooting, many who knew Ikner reported to news outlets that he had expressed many white supremacist beliefs. Former classmates at Tallahassee State College stated that Ikner had been removed from a political discourse club for “white supremacist rhetoric and far-right rhetoric.”

Lain Dorsey called out FSU admin’s platforming of speakers who have expressed bigoted beliefs, stating, “FSU admin continually allows white supremacists like Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk to come to our campus and spread lies and hate about black people, about trans people, about women, about immigrants” Dorsey continued, adding that Ikner “was a fan of Charlie Kirk, he came to an SDS protest and mocked us.”

Thomas Speirs, a member of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, expressed anger at how Ikner was allowed to be a member of the Leon County Sheriff’s Youth Advisory Council despite his white supremacist beliefs, saying, “They don't know that this guy is a white supremacist? All of his classmates knew, not only just in college but in high school. There’s no way his mother didn’t know and yet he was still on that council.”

Despite the immense tragedy that had struck Tallahassee, students and community members were driven to end gun violence and the platforming of white supremacist groups and speakers at FSU. “It is our duty to fight for our freedom! It is our duty to win! We have nothing to lose but our chains!” the crowd chanted as the rally came to an end.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #PeoplesStruggles #StudentMovement #SDS #SchoolShooting #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On Saturday, April 5, over 1000 people gathered at the Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee to protest the Trump administration’s reactionary agenda. The protest was organized as a part of the 50501 Movement alongside hundreds of other demonstrations held in Florida and across the country, telling Trump, Elon Musk, and their cronies, “Hands off!”

One attendee, Nicole Soza of Food Not Bombs, noted that in her nine years of organizing she had never seen a turnout that large in Tallahassee. “I think it's a clear sign that working-class people are no longer willing to tolerate being exploited, nor are they willing to see their BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled brothers and sisters be oppressed any longer.”

Over a dozen local organizations co-sponsored the event, including the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), AFL-CIO, Planned Parenthood, the Tallahassee Community Action Community (TCAC), Food Not Bombs, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

Since stepping into office, Trump has ramped up political repression of anyone who expresses dissent with his backwards policies. Local and federal law enforcement have been given the green light to arrest immigrants, such as Mahmoud Khalil, who stand up against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. Expanding the powers of abusive U.S. police forces not only has negative consequences for immigrants but also increases the oppression of Black and brown people in the country. Far-right commentators like Ben Shapiro have suggested pardoning killer cops like Derek Chauvin, an idea that Trump would undoubtedly be amenable to.

Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, spoke on the importance of building a movement against police crimes. The NAARPR affiliate is currently campaigning to have the charges on Calvin Riley, a Black man who had evidence of a DUI planted on him, dropped. TCAC is also fighting to shift resources from police to pay for the needs of Tallahassee residents,

Pierre stated, “We have to continue to fight for Calvin Riley, show solidarity with all those affected by the Trump administration, and fight for a budget that reflects the priorities of the people in Tallahassee.”

JJ Glueck stated, “We are lucky not to be followed by police and arrested like Jacksonville SDSers. We are lucky not to be beaten with batons like the students at Wash U. And we are lucky to live in the belly of the beast. My university still stands, but not a single Palestinian university was spared from U.S.-made bombs.”

In Trump’s first term, he and his administration worked to strip back the reproductive rights of women and LGBTQ people. Now, these attacks have resumed in a more blatant manner. Trenece Robertson, a reproductive justice organizer and one of the event’s emcees, stated, “For a long time, people’s autonomy has been under attack, from white women being denied sexual education during the Victorian period to Black women being forcibly experimented on and sterilized. These attacks on abortion and gender-affirming care are nothing new. It’s just that masks are officially off, and our lawmakers are finally being honest about how they felt.”

While Trump has been attacking the rights of immigrants, women, queer people and others, a common talking point was that of Trump’s economic policies. Trump’s tariffs on countries that the U.S. regularly trades with is creating economic uncertainty for working-class families. The Republican Party has even openly discussed taking aim at Medicaid and Social Security.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization member Regina Joseph emphasized the importance of not just mobilizing, but organizing against Trump and Musk’s attacks on the rights of the working class, stating, “We need to organize because it’s the only way we can win. We need to build a massive broad movement against Trump and the multimillionaire and billionaire class!”

The rally had an air of righteous anger, with some protesters expressing fear and even despair at the onslaught of cruel attacks. Robert Lee, member of Food Not Bombs and TIRA addressed these fears and the importance of uniting in the face of it, “Donald Trump and his administration want us to feel isolated and afraid, that’s how they win. But together with our collective power we can win!”

#TallahasseeFL #FL #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #TIRA #FRSO #TCAC #AFLCIO #PlannedParenthood #50501 #Indivisible

Tallahassee, FL – On January 28, about 40 members of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), held an emergency rally at the Leon County Courthouse to demand the city and county stop the arrest and detainment of undocumented members of the community. This emergency action was held a day after multiple confirmed sightings of ICE in Tallahassee, as well as raids in surrounding counties.

These raids come amidst Trump’s increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric and Governor Ron DeSantis’s promise for statewide crackdowns on undocumented immigrants. These increased attacks on Tallahassee’s immigrants underscore the city’s need for community control of the policing just weeks after its Citizens Police Review Board was dismantled.

Aedan Bennett, a member of TCAC, opened the rally. He stated “Tallahassee has seen a worrying increase in police presence and repression while the city has removed any avenues for the people to hold them accountable. If the city, state and federal police are allowed to militarize our communities and attack immigrants, we have to organize against that repression.”

Regina Joseph from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “Donald Trump and the billionaires want us to believe that immigrants are our enemy and causing America’s economic strain. We reject these false claims. Immigrants are our neighbors and friends. They’re just like anybody else: people who want to make a living and provide for their families. Together, immigrants and all oppressed people can end this evil system that harms us all.”

About 15 of the rally-goers stayed late into the night, around 10 p.m., to make public comment at the Leon County Commission denouncing the attacks on immigrants and demanding the city take action. TCAC and the other organizations involved in this action rallied around the slogan :Make Tallahassee a sanctuary city.” Their collective demand was for governing commissions to use their power over local police departments to deprioritize arrest and detainment of our community’s residents, especially in the wake of these new deportation efforts.

The mobilization was supported by Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Tallahassee Food Not Bombs, and Kabataan Alliance.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On Jan. 15, the Tallahassee City Commission held a final public hearing on Ordinance No. 24-O-40, which is for the creation of the Citizens Police Review Board (CPRB). The Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), along with other community members came out to oppose the dissolution of the CPRB ordinance.

The CPRB has existed since the George Floyd movement in 2020, and was originally established by John Dailey, Tallahassee’s mayor. According to the city of Tallahassee website, the Citizens Police Review Board was created to “review completed Tallahassee Police Department internal affairs reports, cases, and issues relating to law enforcement that are important or of interest to the community and the City, and to increase and demonstrate police accountability and credibility with the public.”

After the passing of Florida House Bill 601 by Republican Wyman Duggan, civilian review boards across the state of Florida have been systematically dismantled by city leaderships. Although the city of Tallahassee claims that they are being legally forced to get rid of the review board, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) disagree. In amemo released to multiple cities in Florida, the ACLU states that “the legislation (HB 601) as enacted has little or no practical effect on existing citizen-review panels in Florida’ and does not require boards to disband.”

Despite this, the Tallahassee city commission decided to hold a final vote on the CPRB, claiming that HB 601 made the CPRB ordinance illegal. About a dozen community members gathered to speak in favor of keeping the CPRB ordinance, including former city commission candidate Dot Inman Johnson and ACLU statewide organizer Madeline Bowman.

“We have seen in Florida a rise in this anti-democratic legislation aimed to suppress free speech,” said Bowman, who argued that the city had no real legal responsibility to disband Tallahassee’s review board.

“The fact that one of the things brought forward is the elimination of accountability in the police department is concerning to me,” said Dot Inman-Johnson, who ran against Curtis Richardson in the recent local election.

Other community members and organizations argued the need for police accountability and civilian oversight, trying to showcase the need for the board to continue to exist.

“The implementation of the CPRB was a demand of the people of Tallahassee,” said Thomas Speirs, a member of TCAC.

Before the final vote on the CPRB, both City Commissioners Jack Porter and Jeremy Matlow spoke about their disapproval of removing the ordinance. Matlow talked about the need for community oversight for not just the public, but also the city of Tallahassee leadership.

After a 3-2 vote, with City Commissioners Porter and Matlow voting to keep the ordinance and Mayor Dailey and Commissioners Curtis Richardson and Dianne Williams-Cox voting to remove it, the ordinance was officially dissolved by the city.

Despite this being a setback for police accountability, Tallahassee activists vowed that they would keep fighting for police accountability no matter what. TCAC intends to center their next campaign on the 2025 police budget, and fight for funding to go to affordable housing, transportation access and social services, instead of increased policing.

“No matter what happens, the community will continue organizing against police brutality. The names and histories of Tony McDade, Mychael Johnson, Wilbon Woodard, and Raheem Reeder will live on. We will keep organizing for Calvin Riley and fight for him to get justice. If we don’t struggle, we won’t win,” said Delilah Pierre, President of TCAC.

#TallahasseeFL #Tally #TCAC #PoliceAccountability #CPRB #ACLU #PoliceCrimes

Tallahassee, FL – On Wednesday, November 19, students at Florida State University came face to face with the horrors of Zionism when they went to class. Outside FSU’s largest classroom building, 15 members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) from Tallahassee and Jacksonville laid on the ground, standing in for the corpses of Palestinians murdered by Israeli forces. They held signs documenting the names and stories of martyred civilians, while speakers condemned FSU’s partnership with arms manufacturers which supply t state of Israel.

Onlookers watched as representatives of Tallahassee SDS, Jacksonville SDS, Sunrise Movement Tallahassee, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization protested FSU’s complicity in the genocide, including its partnership with Boeing and the many research contracts FSU has fulfilled for other arms manufacturers and the U.S. military-industrial complex.

Police swarmed the event, including state troopers – there were more cops surrounding the protest than there were protestors. Speakers and attendees were told they couldn’t shout or clap during classes, because students may hear them through the thick brick walls and learn about their university’s guilt in this genocide.

Delilah Pierre, from the Tallahassee Community Action Committee mocked this unreasonable demand, stating, “So, I don’t want to talk too loud, because yelling is apparently worse than genocide – when I’m talking about genocide, I need to make sure I have a normal and calm voice, so I can talk about the war criminal [IDF soldier Yair Ansbacher] that FSU brought on campus in a respectful and appropriate way. So, this war criminal that FSU brought on campus, this murderer is literally part of the Israel Occupation Force. This man has literally plotted to murder children. And he gets to go on this campus and stain FSU with his blood, with his genocidal campaign. But we can’t speak too loudly, because it offends the people here.”

Tavyan Dorsey from Tallahassee SDS condemned the university for its longstanding repression of pro-Palestine students, stating, “FSUPD and FSU admin have attempted to do everything that they can to break our spirits, but we know that what we are doing is right. We know that we’re standing against the genocide that will be remembered for the horror that it is. And FSUPD, FSU admin, [FSU President] Richard McCullough, [VP of Student Affairs] Amy Hecht, every member of FSU admin that has attempted to silence people who are standing against a genocide, are complicit, and they will be remembered not for being leaders of this university, but because of their crimes in assisting this genocide.”

To be a part of future actions with Tallahassee SDS, visit @tallysds on Instagram and Twitter. For Jacksonville SDS, visit @jax_sds on Instagram.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SDS #TCAC

Tallahassee, FL – On October 7, over 150 community members gathered to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and Palestinian resistance on the anniversary of Operation Al Aqsa Flood.

Jayci Qassis, organizer with Dissenters, started off the event with important historical context for October 7, stating “The Al-Aqsa flood was the result of a culmination; a boiling point of almost a century long existence of living under oppression by the Zionist entity. A year ago today, Palestine brought to consciousness the truth about the over 76 year long occupation that stemmed from the Nakba. We honor the courage and steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance, our brothers and sisters in Gaza and across all of Palestine in their struggle for liberation.”

“This is not just a moment of remembrance. It is a moment of action. We are here to make it clear that the struggle for Palestinian liberation and self-determination is far from isolated. We, standing in the belly of the beast, must recognize the complicity of the system’s that support genocide – not just abroad, but within our very communities,” said Aurea Hughes, an organizer for Tallahassee’s chapter of the Dream Defenders.

Robert Alexander Lee, an organizer representing Tallahassee’s Food Not Bombs chapter, stated, “We just saw huge parts of the United States, especially North Carolina, be absolutely devastated by a hurricane. And yet we still manage to send billions to Israel’s war machine.”

Other organizers pointed out the role of the Democratic Party and Joe Biden in facilitating the genocide against Palestinians. Regina Joseph, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), stated, “The Biden administration is at the forefront of this genocide. They say they want a ceasefire and want to end the humanitarian crisis while sending billions of dollars in weapons to Israel.”

Joseph continued, “They say they want to bring about a diplomatic resolution but then advocate for the wanton murder of democratically elected Palestinian officials. But we recognize their lies and deception. Then they have the nerve to say that we must vote for them. We refuse to be complicit in this genocide. We will not have the blood of Palestinians on our hands.”

Other speakers pointed out the effects of the genocide and talked about the strength of the Palestinian resistance. Delilah Pierre, representing the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, spoke about the strength of the Palestinian resistance and international movement to defeat Israel, stating, “We have to understand that Palestine’s liberation is an objective fact – our movements are working. They are dealing blows to Israel. Their economy is crumbling. Their international ties and relationships are weakening. Their strength is waning. That is why Israel is resorting to desperate terrorist attacks and indiscriminate bombings. But it won’t work, and it can’t work. They are still losing.”

The protest was led by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the Tallahassee Dissenters, also was supported by local organizations, including the Dream Defenders, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, Kabataan Alliance, Food Not Bombs, and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

The protest ended with a vigil and a moment of silence for those affected by the genocide.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #FRSO #Dissenters #TCAC #SDS

Tallahassee, FL – On August 25, over 80 local community members showed up at Common Grounds Books, a local LGBTQ-friendly bookstore, to support their “Drag Story Hour” event which was threatened with protest by a religious organization, America Needs Fatima.

According to Alex Spencer, the owner of Common Grounds Bookstore, her shop received a threat of protest. In an email, America Needs Fatima reads, “We must peacefully and legally say NO to the homosexual plan to expose young children to indecency, impurity, and unnatural vice.” Drag Story Hour is a monthly event held at Common Ground in which a local drag artist reads storybooks to children.

Spencer says she mobilized the community because “Story hour promotes diversity and inclusion and loving people for exactly who they are. We feel Common Ground is important because it is a safe space in the community for anybody who needs it. We are so happy that we have so much support to make that happen.”

Attendees held signs such as “Trans rights are human rights” and “Love is love.”

The crowd used dozens of chants, some of which include, “When trans lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back” and “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Ron DeSantis go away.”

Many speakers connected the issue of LGBTQ liberation to the Palestinian struggle and the fight against police brutality. Danyal Colomathi of the Tallahassee Dissenters states,“In the same way that we come together for Sonya Massey, George Floyd, and so many more we come together because of this struggle”

Several speakers took note of the fact that the counter-protesters failed to make an appearance. Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, said, “80 people came out to stand up for queer and trans rights while these right-wing protesters aren't even here to be seen. Why? Because they are cowards, They’re scared. They like to bully queer and trans people. They like to bully drag queens because they think no one cares and they’ll get away with it. Well, Guess what? We do care. You won’t get away with it and there will be consequences.”

After the event, participants were encouraged to attend story hour, which featured Iggy Monroe, a drag queen from Mobile, Alabama.

The organizers of the event to support the bookstore were Tallahassee Community Action Committee, the Tallahassee Dissenters, Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Food Not Bombs.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #LGBTQ #TCAC #Dissenters #FRSO