Salt Lake City, UT- On Friday, September 18, dozens of anti-war activists and community members gathered in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal building to protest 200 days of the U.S. war on Iran in response to a call to action from the Anti-War Action Network.

A broad coalition of anti-war and community groups organized the protest, which drew in a wide range of participants, ranging from organizers and students to anti-war military veterans and families with young children.

Demonstrators held large banners reading “Hands off Iran!” and “End all U.S. aid to Israel!” to the approving honks of passing motorists, and held signs reading “Money for jobs, not war!” and “Money for healthcare, not war!”

“We are out here today demanding U.S. hands off Iran, an end to all U.S. aid to Israel, and money for human needs, not war,” said Nova Morra of the Utah Anti-War Committee.

Protesters persisted in occupying the sidewalk in front of the federal building for two hours despite constant rain. Spirits were high as chants of “Hands off Iran now, turn those Navy ships around!” and “Not another nickel, not another dollar, no more money for Israel’s slaughter!”

“These wars are not fought on behalf of the American people or the Israeli people. They are fought on behalf of the one percent, corporations, multinationals, and the military-industrial complex,” said Mustafa Khader of the 71% Coalition, a Palestinian-led progressive group.

Sebastian Miscenich of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “This war and the high prices it’s causing are capitalism’s fault, imperialism’s fault. The monopoly capitalists value profit over Iranian and Palestinian lives, and over decent housing, education, healthcare, or a livable environment for Americans.”

“It is our tax dollars which go to war profiteers such as the Raytheon Applied Signals Technology Facility in West Valley City, which contribute to the missile system that killed over a hundred school children in Minab,” said Amber Grace, speaking for the Utah Anti-War Committee.

“It is our tax dollars which go to the countless Northrup Grumman facilities and Military Bases scattered around Utah!”

Kaile Akina of the Wasatch Assembly stressed, “I think that getting organized means that you have to be willing to take great transformative action.”

Stephen Otterstrom, a Democratic candidate running unopposed for Utah State House District 21, said “when we ourselves are the perpetrators of that violence, we sit back, we don't investigate.”

“And then, we do something even worse, and that is we try to profit from the continual killing of children,” continued Otterstrom.

Richard Whitney, an anti-war U.S. Marine Corps veteran spoke against Trump’s hypocrisy, saying, “Trump, you’re killing children in Gaza, you’re killing children in Iran, and you turn around and say you care about children here in America, or unborn children?”

Although this protest held special significance, as it marked 200 days since the start of the U.S. war on Iran, Salt Lake protesters hold a pro-Palestine picket in front of the federal building every Friday.

Bronwyn Cox, who organizes the Salt Lake pickets for Palestine, said, “Please come join Salt Lake City in front of the federal building every Friday for Palestine, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It’s a really great community, and really good organization.”

The protest was organized by the Utah Anti-War Committee, Picket for Palestine SLC, the 71% Coalition, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Wasatch Assembly.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Iran #AWAN #Palestine

Salt Lake City, UT – On Labor Day, September 7, dozens of community members gathered at the Utah Worker’s Center for a labor organizing and community activism discussion and a film screening. Attendees heard firsthand reports from the frontlines of the people’s movements in Salt Lake City.

Bryn Dayton, a rank-and-file Teamster and UPS worker, recounted difficult working conditions in warehouses amid automation and other challenges, and stressed the need for UPS workers in Utah to join the union and become involved.

Alondra Marquez, a campus worker and secretary of Communication Workers of America Local 7765, advocated getting organized and building the labor movement in Utah.

Local community organizers also invited attendees to get involved. Amber Grace of the Utah Anti-War Committee called out Trump’s war on Iran, pointing out that the aggression had led to heightened gas and grocery prices for working people.

“I think it's important to highlight the ways in which the labor struggle is intrinsically connected to the anti-imperialist struggle against wars which are currently terrorizing working people abroad while simultaneously making everyday needs like gas and groceries unaffordable at home,” said Grace.

Nova Morra of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stressed the need to connect the many attacks that the American government directs at countries abroad and against its own people, encouraging attendees to get involved in activism.

“Back in 2010, our organization was raided by the FBI for fighting back and standing up to bad government policies and their wars,” said Morra. “Today, I want you to join and continue that same fight with me!”

After the discussion, organizers dimmed the lights for a screening of Salt of The Earth (1954), a film recounting the real-life struggle of Mexican American miners in the 1951 Empire Zinc Company Strike. After a long and difficult strike, the workers prevailed; their consistent resolve and strong unity won a decent contract.

The event was organized by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, CWA-7765, and the Utah Anti-War Committee.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #Labor #FRSO #UAWC #CWA

Salt Lake City, UT – On Saturday, August 29, Salt Lake City community members gathered at the Day-Riverside Branch library for a teach-in and letter-writing campaign for Venezuela. Organized by the Utah Anti-War Committee, attendees wrote letters to their senators demanding an end to U.S. sanctions of Venezuela, the unfreezing of Venezuelan assets in Western hands, and the release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

“Engaging in sanctions is a form of economic warfare, a crime against humanity,” said Amber Grace, a UAWC leader.

The need to drop the sanctions and return Venezuela’s leadership was made all the more pressing by the devastating June earthquakes, which killed over 6000 people. American sanctions hinder the normal conduct of business and government operations during the relief effort.

“Ending the U.S. sanctions, unfreezing Venezuela’s assets, frees up billions in funds to recover from the damage and recover on their own terms,” continued Grace.

The national Anti-War Action Network, of which the UAWC is the Salt Lake City member, called for the letter writing campaign. Attendees wrote letters to Utah Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis demanding true earthquake relief in the form of an end to U.S. intervention in the country.

The event was successful, with over 15 physical letters written and those who could not attend instructed on how to submit electronic correspondence to Lee and Curtis’s offices. Additionally, activists raised over $200 in grassroots earthquake relief.

Nevertheless, the organizers stated that there would be adequate Venezuelan financial and political capacity to address the disaster if the U.S. ceased its interventions

“These senators hold power, they probably hold the most power in our legislature to enact change for Venezuela,” said Grace. “Lift every sanction and every coercive measure imposed on Venezuela!”

Utah constituents can join the UAWC’s letter writing campaign for Venezuela by addressing letters demanding an end to U.S. intervention to these addresses:

Senator John Curtis, SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Senator Mike Lee, 363 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #International #Venezuela #UAWC #AWAN

Salt Lake City, UT – On Tuesday, August 25, members of the Utah Anti-War Committee met with Salt Lake District 1 Councilor Jiro Johnson. Johnson’s county council district covers a Raytheon facility, which the UAWC has been campaigning against since May. The anti-war activists demanded that Johnson publicly condemn the Raytheon facility in his district.

The meeting was secured after activists packed Salt Lake County Council earlier in August, calling on Johnson to introduce legislation against the facility. At the meeting, Johnson at first did not commit to issuing a written and public condemnation of Raytheon, citing concerns around Republican backlash to his policy agenda.

Activists continued to push for a firm anti-Raytheon, anti-war stance at the meeting. They gave the deadline of September 16, marking 200 days since the start of Trump’s war against Iran, in which a Raytheon Tomahawk missile killed over 100 schoolchildren at an Iranian girls’ school.

After the meeting, UAWC took to social media to urge the community to call on Johnson to take a side against Raytheon. In comment sections and Instagram stories, more community members began to call on Johnson to condemn the war-profiteering facility in his district.

Soon, Johnson relented, posting on August 28 the public, written condemnation of war and Raytheon, which activists had demanded, on his official social media page.

“It's despicable that corporations like Raytheon and other members of the military-industrial complex are getting rich off this violence,” Johnson’s statement read.

In their own statement, the UAWC said, “This condemnation was demanded by activists and did not come from nowhere, and it was not easy to win. It was the result of deliberate and sustained anti-Raytheon activism by the community since May of this year.”

“A statement from the councilor where Raytheon operates is a good step. We count it as a win. But clearly, much more is needed to stop the U.S. war machine,” continued UAWC.

Those wanting to join the anti-war movement and build on this victory should attend the next Utah Anti-War Committee meeting on Saturday, September 5, 3 p.m. at the Salt Lake City Main Library Level 3 Conference Room.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #UAWC #BDS #Raytheon

On Tuesday, August 25th, members of Utah Anti-War Committee met with Salt Lake District 1 Council member Jiro Johnson.

We demanded that Johnson formally and publicly condemn the Raytheon AST weapons facility located in his district in West Valley City. Raytheon makes bombs and guided missiles for the Israeli and U.S. military. These weapons are used in well-documented war crimes in Iran and Palestine.

Earlier in August, our movement won a verbal statement against Raytheon from Johnson in County Council. But he stopped short of agreeing to write a public anti-war condemnation of Raytheon. Johnson said he needed to “consider” before condemning Raytheon AST, as he feared political backlash from Republicans against his policy agenda.

He told community members in our meeting that, “children are dying every day, but I need to think of the political ramifications.”

This is an issue of right and wrong, and about where average people in Salt Lake want political power spent. There can be political costs to doing the right thing. But Raytheon is a company profiting off bombing civilians in tents in Gaza and killing unarmed schoolgirls in Iran.

What’s worse, Raytheon does it with our taxes while housing, education, jobs, healthcare, and our environment are left on the wayside. Jiro Johnson should release a statement against Raytheon AST. He ran for Council on a progressive platform, and the war-profiteering facility is in his district.

A statement from the County Councilor where Raytheon AST operates would represent a real blow against the Republicans’ unpopular pro-war agenda. We need to make companies profiting from war and genocide with our taxes unwelcome in our communities and demand reinvestment in people’s needs.

Johnson committed to meet UAWC again by September 16, 200 days from the start of Trump’s illegal war on Iran. It’s the perfect time for him to publicly condemn an unpopular, genocidal war-profiteer like Raytheon and call for money for Utah’s needs, not war.

We only got this meeting by months of protesting, educating, and building the anti-war movement. To strike a blow against Raytheon, we need to organize even more and stay united.

Be ready to call on Jiro Johnson to honor the progressive principles that got him elected.

Raytheon Out of Salt Lake!

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Raytheon #BDS #Palestine #Iran

Salt Lake City, UT – On Tuesday, August 4, members of the Utah Anti-War Committee packed the public comment held by the Salt Lake County Council. Activists demanded the county use eminent domain to remove the Raytheon Applied Signal Technologies weapons facility and build public housing in place of the existing building.

As a result of packing the council meeting, the Raytheon Out campaign won an official response from Salt Lake County Council Member Jiro Johnson, and a tentative meeting on opposing the facility. Activists held signs reading “Raytheon out of Salt Lake! Use eminent domain now!”

Sebastian Miscenich of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization told council members, “Raytheon weapons have been used in war crimes worldwide, including recently in Iran. Salt Lake County is part of that supply chain. We say that we’re a state that cares about family values, but how does that say family values if we have a weapons facility that’s involved in making software for Tomahawk missiles that killed 123 kids for Trump’s unpopular war against Iran?”

Next to speak was Nova Morra of the UAWC, “It goes against my family values and my Christian upbringing to allow any of my neighbors to participate in the killing of children abroad, regardless of boundaries.”

A local pro-Palestine activist, Janna Clyne, delivered a poem during public comment, in addition to condemning war profiteers, “We wake up and breath the smoggy air, and this world is owned by billionaires. I’m supposed to walk around and pretend like everything is fine, but in the back of my mind, all I think about is Palestine.”

The last speaker for the UAWC, Amber Grace, said, “We have fallen into antidemocratic corruption by the military industrial complex, which lobbies our elected officials, bypasses the consent of our people, and invents new wars and propaganda so they can launch missiles and drop bombs using technology developed here in Utah and profit off of it.”

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #UAWC

Salt Lake City, UT – On Friday, July 24, dozens of anti-war protesters picketed in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City to protest U.S. aggression against Cuba and continued funding for Israel.

The protest was organized by community members in collaboration with the Utah Anti-War Committee, responding to call from the Anti-War Action Network for a Nation Week of Action for Cuba.

Braving scorching July heat, demonstrators held banners reading “Hands off Cuba!” and “End all U.S. aid to Israel!” and marched around the intersection in front of the federal building. Chants of, “Hands off Cuba, end the blockade!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” echoed across the busy downtown streets.

“We aren’t worried about the heat. We’re worried about standing up against Trump and Rubio’s latest threats against Cuba and holding it down for Palestine,” said Adam Koritz of the Utah Anti-War Committee.

After over an hour of the roving picket, Salt Lake City Police officers moved in and tried to isolate an anti-war protester who was on a bike, alleging that he was violating rules of the road. Outraged, the rest of the demonstrators quickly surrounded the cyclist and filmed the officers. Police backed off from the picket.

The anti-war picket completed several more rounds of marching around the intersection as the pair of officers looked on.

“The police who tried to silence our protest work for the same government attacking Cuba and Palestine,” said Sebastian Miscenich of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We in Utah have more in common with people abroad fighting U.S. aggression than we do with the rulers of this country, whose police just tried to silence our voices.”

The protest coincided with the Pioneer Day celebrations, a local major holiday commemorating the arrival of Brigham Young and the first Latter-day Saint settlers to Utah. Passing motorists and revelers approved of the anti-war message, frequently honking and giving visible gestures of support.

Organizers urged the protesters to stay involved in the anti-war movement by joining the UAWC. Those opposed to U.S. wars should make plans to attend Salt Lake County Council at 2001 S State Street on Tuesday, August 4 at 1 p.m. to demand a resolution against Raytheon AST, a war-profiteering company for the U.S. and Israeli militaries, which has an office in Salt Lake City.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Cuba #Raytheon

The Utah Anti-War Committee stands in solidarity with immigrant rights activist Nadia Topete. On July 1st, law enforcement came to the door of Nadia Topete, delivering her a second subpoena to testify in front of a grand jury due to her involvement in the 2025 protests against the occupation of Los Angeles by ICE and other federal police agencies working for Trump.

On July 8th, Nadia invoked her 5th Amendment right and refused to testify against fellow activists. We applaud her courage in doing so, and we recognize that Nadia has done nothing wrong by simply protesting.

#UT #ImmigrantRights