Jacksonville, FL – On November 7, Jacksonville community organizers gathered at the courthouse to denounce the recent election of Donald Trump as the 47th resident, following his victory.

More than 250 people joined the protest, chanting, “When Trump says get back, we say fight back!” Speakers addressed the flaws in the U.S. electoral system, with Michael Sampson, of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, stating “it doesn’t matter which party is in power, we have to demand a People’s agenda.”

Jpess Machin of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization noted, “Kamala and Trump unfortunately have more similarities than differences. They are both pro-Israel, pro-NATO, pro-sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela, pro-police, and more.” Machin went on to critique the Biden administration’s billions in funding for Israel, which has fueled imperialist violence in Palestine.

The election in Florida also brought key ballot measures for Florida voters, including Amendment 4, defending the right to abortion, and Amendment 3, proposing the legalization of recreational marijuana. Both received majority support – 57% for Amendment 4 and nearly 56% for Amendment 3 – but Florida’s undemocratic 60% threshold for ballot measures blocked their passage. Maria Garcia, member of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, called this a “shame,” saying, “Governor Ron DeSantis spent over $50 million of taxpayer money trying defeat abortion rights, yet Amendment 4 got more votes than he got last election!”

Event organizers called on attendees to join an organization and contribute to the struggle against capitalism and imperialism, emphasizing that the fight for justice, human rights, and liberation would continue, regardless of the electoral outcome. Many groups attended the protest, including the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, UNF Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Take Em Down Jax. The demands of the protest were endorsed by multiple organizations including Black Lives Matter.

These demands were end of police brutality; no to mass deportations and legalization for all; standing up for LGBTQ rights; free Palestine and stopping U.S. aid to the Israeli war machine; stopping the attacks on reproductive freedom, and standing with student rights to free speech.

Organizers reaffirmed that the people united will never be defeated and committed to ongoing resistance against Trump’s agenda.

#JacksonvilleFL #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #FRSO #JCAC #JPSN #UNFSDS #TakeEmDownJax

Jacksonville, FL – On Monday, July 29, around 75 attendees gathered at Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park in Jacksonville for a vigil honoring the life of Sonya Massey.

Speakers pointed out how tragically common it is for police to kill people in the communities they claim to protect and serve. The need for a Public Safety Committee in Jacksonville was a common sentiment from community members who spoke at the vigil.

“It is unacceptable that Black people have to live in fear of being harassed and killed by police even when they are the ones who called them,” said event co-organizer Kiana Blaylock. Community members chanted, “Say her name – Sonya Massey.”

Organized by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, speakers from multiple community organizations, including the Transgender Awareness Project, Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, Take Em Down Jax, UNF Students for a Democratic Society and the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity network reflected on the loss of Sonya Massey.

After a moment of silence, event organizers encouraged vigil attendees to get involved for the fight for civilian oversight through a Public Safety Committee in Jacksonville.

#JacksonvilleFL #Jax #JCAC #UNF #UNFSDS #SDS #SonyaMassey

Jacksonville, FL – A few dozen community members and activists rallied to demand an end to a proposed state legislative bill meant to end civilian review boards investigations into police misconduct.

SB 576/HB 601 is legislation designed to disband civilian oversight in Florida. Currently a few dozen cities and counties have some form of civilian oversight boards. This legislation as designed seeks to stop any civilian investigations into officer misconduct and concentrate civilian oversight appointment into the hands of police chiefs and sheriffs.

Protesters chanted, “Rep. Wyman Duggan shame on you, Black lives matter too” along with chants of “Kill the bill, kill the bill.”

The Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC), Florida Rising, Take Em Down Jax, the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, and UNF Students for a Democratic Society and Black Voters Matter all had members present at the rally.

Joe Ross of the Northside Coalition said, “This bill is Jim Crow, and they want to take power away from the people because they know the people will hold them accountable.”

Jamil Davis of the JCAC and Black Voters Matter demanded state senators vote no when the bill hits the senate. “Do you represent the 84 people killed by the police last year or do you represent the 84 cops who killed them?” Davis asked.

SB 576 is slated to be up in the state senate next week. Protesters voted to keep the pressure up to stop the bill from passing.

#JacksonvilleFL #InJusticeSystem #CommunityControlOfPolice #PoliticalRepression #JCAC #SDS #UNFSDS #BlackLivesMatter #SB576HB601

Jacksonville, FL – On February 5, the University of North Florida hosted an event called “A Conversation with Madeleine Albright” where UNF President David Szymanski joined her on stage celebrating her life as a woman in politics and discussing her new book.

Albright was a former secretary of state under the Clinton administration and championed the destruction of Iraq, earning her the nickname “Iraq’s Grim Reaper.” Albright has attempted to wash over her imperialist and racist values with ‘feminist’ remarks such as stating there is “a special place in hell” for women who do not vote Hillary.

Several members of UNF’s Students for a Democratic Society attended Albright’s event to conduct two banner drops shedding light on war crimes she committed during the Clinton administration. The first banner stated “M. Albright not welcome here” and the second listed a fraction of her war crimes such as the 78-day bombing on Yugoslavia and setting the stage for destructive sanctions on Iraq and the Middle East, and deeming the lives of half a million Iraqi children killed was “worth the price.”

UNF SDS condemns the presence and so-called legacy of Albright, as well as the university’s decision to take the involved members into the student conduct system over a peaceful, silent and cooperative banner drop. Each group held their banners for no more than a single minute, standing without blocking any audience member’s view of the main event, until UPD approached and confiscated the banners and escorted the students outside to file an incident report. UNF Students for a Democratic Society Vice President Katelyn Scott says, “We peacefully exercised our First Amendment right. The university should not be more focused on us than preachers who target students on their way to class.”

Since the university’s decision to charge the students protesting a war criminal – instead of the vehemently anti-choice groups and preachers who routinely occupy crowded areas of campus to harass students in the middle of school days – SDS has launched a call-In campaign to demand that the administration drops the charges against these students.

More about the call-in campaign can be found on the UNF SDS Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/UNFSDS/

#JacksonvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #UNFSDS #MadeleineAlbright #UniversityOfNorthFloridaUNF

Jacksonville, FL – The University of North Florida’s (UNF) chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a banner drop on November 13, condemning recent Neo-Nazi propaganda that has been posted around campus. The hand-written banner read, “Neo-Nazis not welcome here.”

On November 5, UNF’s student newspaper released an article of students finding multiple Neo-Nazi flyers around campus that read, “It’s ok to genocide subhumans” and “The struggle never ends. Join the F.K.D.” FKD stands for Feuerkrieg Division, a splinter group of the paramilitary extremist group, Atomwaffen Division which has been linked to several murders here in the U.S.

The posting of these fliers comes after the announcement of UNF having the most diverse class in the history of the university – after SDS demanded for the increase in Black and Brown students on campus.

This isn’t the first time UNF SDS has dealt with Neo-Nazis on campus. In November, 2017, SDS demanded for administration to expel a local neo-Nazi and former leader of the KKK after he threatened SDS and other students on campus with gun violence.

The current university administration has condemned the flyers and stated that the university police are still currently investigating, but UNF SDS is demanding the current administration to take action now to deal with the neo-Nazis.

#JacksonvilleFL #StudentMovement #Antiracism #Antifascism #UNFSDS

After the speeches, students from UNF SDS marched across campus to the university president’s office and occupied it until the administration met with SDS to discuss the students' demands. SDS demanded that the administration make UNF a sanctuary campus, refuse to comply with ICE, and increase resources for undocumented students. SDS also demanded that the administration publicly post a letter from the university reaffirming UNF’s commitment to supporting undocumented students. “We met with the administration and asked them to stand with undocumented students on campus,” said Sharif Hall, an activist with SDS.

One week after the initial meeting, the administration contacted UNF SDS and agreed to non-compliance with ICE, a statement reaffirming UNF’s commitment and support for undocumented students and increased resources for undocumented students. “This is a victory for students by students,” said Ti, an SDS activist. SDSers vowed to keep fighting for change on their campus.

#JacksonvilleFL #PeoplesStruggles #UNFSDS

Tampa, FL – Members from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) from the Universities of South Florida (USF) and North Florida (UNF) held a Black Lives Matter event, Aug. 30, at the campus of USF. The rally was in direct response to the numerous instances of racist incidents and white supremacy on campus, including the placement of white-supremacist flyers on the MLK Jr. statue at the university, as well as the writings of racial slurs in a residential hall. The lack of acknowledgment and confrontation towards these problems by university administrators prompted members of SDS to demand accountability from USF.

Community and student activists spoke, addressing the revocation of the Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, and the role and militarization of police in African American communities. Activists of UNF SDS shared their experience of getting a grand wizard of the KKK suspended indefinitely from the university.

After listing the names of victims of police crimes, Liz Kramer of Tampa Bay SDS stated, “These are only a few names. A few loved ones that won’t be seen again. A few community members who are no longer present and whose absence leaves a hole. A few names among hundreds. And there will be more deaths so long as the police are allowed to continue on their same track.”

This event also spread awareness for the upcoming trial of Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer who shot and killed teenager Laquan McDonald. The Chicago trial is set to begin Wednesday, Sept. 5.

#TampaFL #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #TampaBayStudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #BlackLivesMatter #UNFSDS

While students were waging this campaign, a local neo-Nazi and former leader of the KKK threatened SDS and students in the Black Student Union (BSU) with gun violence. SDS and many students then pushed for the neo-Nazi to be expelled. Through diligent work and pressure on the administration, SDS and the student body at UNF have won significant victories. The neo-Nazi was expelled and is no longer at UNF.

In October 2017 UNF SDS held a Black Lives Matter rally and advanced a list of demands on the university, including that the university further diversify the faculty, staff and student body and create an African American/Diaspora major among other demands. Reactionary students tried and failed to disrupt the rally, and in frustration, those students posted a racist video to social media linked to the university. In light of these events, students demanded the university take action. This social media storm put UNF in the national spotlight. Students led by SDS knew social media action would not be enough and took to the campus.

Progressive students led by SDS took action in light of the university’s weak stance on racism and marched to university President John Delaney’s office for a sit-in. These students demanded the university respond to the culture of racism on campus and again put forth their multiple point plan demanding the university show it was willing to stand strong against racism. The sit-in was led by SDS and amplified the voices of women of color. These women called on the university’s president to take a stance against racism on their campus.

The university failed to respond. This emboldened other racist students to act, which led to a Nazi student boldly posting gun threats on social media directed at SDS and BSU. The Nazi student was a former local grand dragon of the KKK and is currently a member of the National Socialist Movement (NSM) – which is a Nazi organization that has nothing to do with socialism. The university suspended the Nazi student and planned a conduct hearing. In response, local Nazis called a rally on UNF’s campus to support the Nazi in his conduct hearing.

Students led by SDS acted. They came out to oppose these Nazis on their campus. Progressive students marched, rallied and chanted demanding that the university protect students by getting rid of this Nazi. Progressive students outnumbered the Nazis 25 to 1. This event showed the power of a united front against racism and how students can work together to achieve a better campus and successfully counter racism on their campus.

After a hard-fought struggle, the university has listened to students demands. These include expelling the Nazi, creating an African American/Diaspora major and creating a plan to increase enrollment of color and hire more teachers of color. UF students have led the way in creating a powerful movement to counter white supremacists recruiting on their campus. These students have shown a better way is possible and that we must dare to struggle and dare to win.

SDS President Monique Sampson said, “Students worked hard even with pushback from administration. They were able to win their demands with a united front of students and professors. Power to the students!” Students will continue to organize and fight for a more just world that is inclusive to all students. This important victory happened in light of resistance from the UNF administration and in a southern city like Jacksonville. These students show us even in the Deep South it is possible to organize against white supremacy and win.

#JacksonvilleFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #AfricanAmerican #UNFSDS

Jacksonville, FL – On Oct. 11, University of North Florida Students for a Democratic Society (UNF SDS) held a rally for Black Lives Matter and in solidarity with the protest going on in the NFL across the country. The event was called “Take a Knee UNF.” The event drew a crowd of over 150 students in support.

The 150 students who came out got the event started with a lot of energy and chants, including “Black lives matter!” and “When Black lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” The event got started with speakers who brought in a variety of topics ranging from the connection between Palestinian liberation and Black liberation, to the current issues facing the city of Jacksonville, including a campaign for police accountability.

At the end of the event Dominic Mitchell and Monique Williamson, two leaders of SDS, read off a list of demands that the university should act on to promote equality and diversity. Students then took a knee with their fists up while chanting “UNF, take a knee, stop police brutality!” in solidarity with the fight against police crimes.

Overall the event was a huge success. Five or six counter-protesters came out, but were largely ignored and unable to disrupt the rally. Frustrated at their inability to disrupt the rally, at least one of the counter-protesters went home and, with the help of others, recorded a Snapchat social media video mocking the Black lives matter protesters. In the racist video, two young white men are seen acting like gorillas with a caption that reads “What actually went on at the BML (sic) rally.” The video has since gone viral, been reported to the administration, and has gained a level of national attention after writer Shaun King and actress Gabrielle Union posted condemnations of the video on Twitter.

SDS President Monique Williamson said, “We are going to fight back against this disgusting incident by lending support and standing in solidarity with various other organizations.”

#JacksonvilleFL #AfricanAmerican #UniversityOfNorthFloridaStudentsForADemocraticSociety #UNFSDS