Atlanta, GA – Over 300 people gathered January 21 at Underground Atlanta shopping center to honor the life of Manuel “Manny” “Tortuguita” “Teran” Paez, demand an end to the building of Cop City and to defend an Atlanta forest.

Fight Back News Service is circulating this statement from the Tallahassee Community Action Committee.

Tallahassee, FL – On Wednesday, September 21, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Florida State’s Students for a Democratic Society attended the Tallahassee city commission meeting at City Hall to speak on the approval of the upcoming year’s city budget.

Tallahassee, FL – On September 7 at 6 p.m., members of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) spoke against the current city budget and demanded the institution of a People’s Budget that better reflects the needs of the community. The city of Tallahassee was conducting the first of two public forums on the 2023 City Budget, which includes record pay increases for city executive staff and little to no funding for repaving or creating new sidewalks and infrastructure.

Tallahassee, FL – Recent social media posts revealed that the Tallahassee Police Department Tactical Apprehension and Control Team took part in a training associated with Eddie Gallagher, a retired Navy SEAL accused of numerous war crimes. Most notably, Gallagher was accused of fatally stabbing an injured 17 year old ISIS prisoner named Khaled Jamal Abdullah, posing with the body and sending the picture to friends. Prosecutors painted a picture of Gallagher as needlessly violent and bloodthirsty, bragging about his number of kills. He even went so far as to gloat about murdering innocent civilians. His own fellow SEAL team members described him as “freaking evil” and said he was “perfectly OK with killing anybody who moves”. Gallagher’s website promotes a “warrior culture” with the tagline, “A true warrior seeks only the battle” and features a logo and merchandise with the phrase “seek battle”.

“So are we not valued?”

Tallahassee, FL – On August 4, the city of Tallahassee convened their monthly Citizen Police Review Board (CPRB) meeting. At this meeting, City Attorney Cassandra Jackson reviewed citizen criticism of the board and the barriers set up by pro-police legislation, like the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights and the Tallahassee city charter. Additionally, the public comment portion showed a clear demand for “Community control of the police now.” One of the major breakthroughs of the meeting was the fact that the city commission has not approved the “end-of-year report” submitted in February, which included questions of expanding authority and approving money for citizen outreach.

Tallahassee, FL – On April 30, Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) hosted a panel discussing Tallahassee’s current city budget and the need for a People’s Budget. The panel was put on at The Bark, a local vegan restaurant in the All Saints neighborhood, and was co-sponsored by the Tallahassee chapters of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Tallahassee, FL – On February 1 from 8 to 11 a.m., around 20 people showed up to AFSCME 3343’s informational picket line to demand Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) raise the wages of workers on campus.

Tallahassee , FL – On November 13, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) led a march to the headquarters of the Tallahassee Police Department calling for the resignation of police chief Lawrence Revell as well as City Manager Reese Goad. Revell recently spoke at a religious retreat for law enforcement executives hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, a known anti-LGBTQIA+ group that has made claims such as “trans activists are in league with ‘many homosexuals’ and are ‘propagandizing, grooming, and mutilating children.’”

Tallahassee, FL – On October 28 the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) gathered with other community groups to demand State Attorney Jack Campbell drop felony charges against Ben Grant and all members of the #Tally19, a group of protesters who were arrested for participating in a Black Lives Matter protest in Tallahassee.

Tallahassee, FL – On June 18, on the Old Capitol Steps, community members and loved ones gathered to celebrate the life of Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Ruth Salau.

Tallahassee, FL – On the evening of May 27, marking the one-year anniversary of Tony McDade’s murder by still-unnamed officers with the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD), activists and community members gathered at the Florida State Capitol to grieve, commemorate McDade’s life, and to demand justice for his murder.

Tallahassee, FL – On the early morning of June 12, 2016, gunman Omar Mateen shot dozens of people at Pulse Nightclub, murdering 49 people and injuring more than 50. Five years later, on the evening of June 12, 2021, Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) along with 926, Gender Odyssey, and Students for a Democratic Society, congregated at the Florida Capitol for a vigil to commemorate the lost lives of the Pulse Nightclub Massacre.

Tallahassee, FL – On June 3, students at Florida State University gathered to demand an end to the Israeli government's attacks on Gaza. Students connected the struggles against political repression in Palestine to similar struggles facing political activists in Colombia.

Tallahassee, FL – On April 10, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) held a rally at the Leon County Courthouse as part of a statewide day of action coordinated by organizations from the Florida Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression. Activists rallied to call on the Florida Senate to reject HB1/SB484, a repressive bill designed to limit protest and dissent in Florida. Dozens of activists showed up to hear organizers with TCAC, the Dream Defenders, and More Than A Name speak about how the need for continued struggle in the face of state repression.

Tallahassee, FL – Around 50 people gathered at the Florida State Capitol building, February 20, to protest the ‘combating public disorder bill,’ otherwise known as HB1/SB484. Speakers from organizations all over Tallahassee expressed their dissent and demanded state senators and representatives oppose the bill.

Tallahassee, FL – On February 23, at the Leon County Clerk of Courts, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) held an outdoor press conference to amplify demands of the #Tally19 – activists arrested last September during and in the days following a Black Lives Matter protest to condemn a grand jury decision that let three Tallahassee killer cops walk free.

Tallahassee, FL – On January 13, activists with the Tallahassee Community Action Committee attended the Tallahassee City Commission’s annual retreat. While much of the retreat featured city leaders applauding each other for their great work, there were some moments that touched on the people’s concerns regarding affordable housing and redevelopment initiatives on the majority-Black Southside.

Tallahassee, FL – On November 19, students from the Tallahassee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally in front of the Westcott building on the Florida State University campus to demand community and student control of the Florida State University Police Department (FSUPD) and that the charges against the Tally19 be dropped. The students called for an end to political repression and that FSUPD be held accountable to the community and student body they police.

Tampa, FL – On September 19, the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee participated in the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s (NAARPR) national day of protest with a rally of about 40 members of the community in downtown Tampa. NAARPR’s call to action demanded an end to racist police terror, the withdrawal of federal troops in cities across the country and for community control of the police.