Tampa, FL – Dozens of people in the Tampa community came together at the C. Blythe Andrews Library on Saturday, February 24 to discuss the connection between Black and Palestinian Liberation.

The panel members included Deanna Joseph of the Andrew Joseph III Foundation; Lamia Moukaddam, of Central Florida Queers for Palestine; and Kobi Guillory, of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

The panel was moderated by Antwan Glover, a man arrested and brutalized by Lakeland police department and now facing bogus charges. The panel was hosted by Tampa Bay Community Action Committee. Discussing such topics as the importance of fighting back even in the face of political repression, how to fight for change even though lawmakers want to ignore the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and how things have changed in both liberation fights since the George Floyd uprising and the Al-Aqsa Flood. Speakers touched on the history of the Black liberation movement’s connection to Palestinian liberation, from the Black Panthers visiting Palestine to Palestinians teaching protesters in Ferguson how to resist tear gas manufactured in Israel.

Highlighting the importance of direct action against politicians who want to continue “business as usual,” panelist Lamia Moukaddam said, “Make sure they get no peace, they do not get to live a peaceful life while signing papers that kill thousands.”

Deanna Joseph, who has a history of success in fighting for some accountability for the negligence that resulted in her son’s death at the hands of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, explained, “At the end of the day, it’s on us to free us. Otherwise, we are part of the problem and we are as guilty as them.”

Joseph and her husband founded the Andrew Joseph III Foundation after their son’s death to advocate for safe communities for children and youth referrals for resources, and to advocate for legal change, through the ending of the doctrine of qualified immunity, which shields cops from consequences when kill and abuse on the job.

The connection between the systems of oppression was brought home when Tampa Bay Community Action Committee member Yun Zheng spoke about how the Lakeland Police Department that arrested and brutalized Antwan Glover has publicly stated its support for Israel.

The panelists ended the event by calling for people to continue to come out in the streets, support those facing repression like Antwan and Lamia, and to not lose hope in the ability of the people’s movement to resist.

#TampaFL #AntiWarMovement #International #Palestine #MiddleEast #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #TampaBayCAC #QueersForPalestine #CAARPR

Bartow, FL – Early on a windy Tuesday morning, February 13, dozens of members of the Tampa Bay community gathered outside the Polk County Courthouse to support a man, Antwan Glover, as he faces 20 years in prison for bogus charges.

Glover, who is African American, was assaulted by police in his family’s driveway in December of 2022, and as a result, is facing “battery on law enforcement officer” charges. The state’s attorney offered him a plea deal that he has refused, as he has repeatedly stated that he is not guilty, and the officers who attacked him are guilty of assault and unlawful arrest.

The community was there to support him at a court hearing. Members of Tampa Bay Community Action Committee, along with Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, the Poor and Minority Justice Association, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization were also in attendance.

After the hearing, members of Antwan’s family and community supporters spoke to the press about the case and demanded that the officers involved be fired and charged, that all footage, body cam or otherwise, be released, and for the charges on Antwan be dropped.

The arrest and brutality occurred on December 18, 2022, when a black SUV, with no identifying logos or headlights on, pulled up beside Antwan as he sat in his car. Four cops came out and demanded that he step out of the car, and asked if he was in possession of cannabis. Antwan confirmed that he had a medical cannabis card, and at that point the police tried to pull a satchel off of him that he had around his shoulder. As Antwan tried to pull the satchel over his head, the police tackled him to the ground and started beating him, punching him in the face, and tasing him. It was at this point that Antwan’s family started filming him, which led to his case going viral on social media.

After the arrest, the police took his car to the police station where they continued to brutalize him, which resulted in not only physical injuries and the charges he is facing now, but also the loss of his job. As is routine in cases of police brutality, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the attack, and, surprising no one, found that the police did nothing wrong.

Pam Glover, Antwan’s mother, had this to say about the protest, “This morning, I spoke about wanting justice for my son. It broke my heart for my son to be beaten up like that and then under threat of 20 years in jail and away from us, including his little daughter. It is very upsetting and disconcerting. I want the charges dropped and the officers fired or prosecuted.”

Members of the groups gathered on Tuesday, Antwan, and his family, all vowed to keep fighting these bogus charges, until they are dropped, and their demands are met. Tampa Bay CAC has already put together call-ins to pressure the state’s attorney and will be releasing announcements of further events and actions to keep up the pressure campaign. Glover’s next court date is April 2.

Drop the charges on Antwan Glover!

#BartowFL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceBrutality #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #TampaBayCAC

Tampa, FL- Hundreds of people in Tampa participated in the National Week of Action to End the Israeli Genocide of Gaza from January 1 – 7. Tampa community members took part in daily political actions aimed at spreading awareness about the ongoing genocide in Gaza and building a movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Protests and political actions in support of Palestine have been consistent in the Tampa Bay area since October of last year, causing rising tensions between local politicians and community members.

Each day of the week had a political event that was open to anyone interested in supporting the movement to end the attacks on Gaza. The week’s events included call-ins, flyering, faxing local politicians, online panels, reading groups and a Wear-Your-Keffiyeh day.

Community members in Tampa used these political events to further voice their concerns for the Palestinian people. On January 4, during a flyering event, an activist by the name of Emma Rive stated, “It’s important to move in community and through organizations because so many people are isolated and watching this genocide happen.” A couple dozen people participated in a “Free Palestine” flyering that day, The flyers listed important information regarding local efforts to support Gaza, including the phone numbers of local politicians. Kwame Shakur, founder of the Black Liberation Party and member of the Second Rainbow Coalition, attended the event and said, “The Palestinian liberation movement and the Black liberation movement have a common enemy and that is U.S. imperialism.”

This National Week of Action for Palestine was initiated by United States Palestinian Solidarity Network (USPCN), the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), and National Student’s for a Democratic Society (SDS). These organizations made a national call for other organizations and their affiliated chapters to host their own week of action to bolster the movement for Palestine in the United States.

In Tampa, the organizations that co-sponsored the week of action were Tampa Bay Community Action Committee, Bay Area Dream Defenders, Students for Socialism, Tampa Bay Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Restorative Justice Coalition, New Era Young Lords Florida Chapter, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, and Tampa Democratic Socialists of America.

#TampaFL #International #Palestine #AntiWar #TampaBayCAC #USPCN #NAARPR #SDS