Milwaukee, WI – Activists rallied outside the Milwaukee County courthouse on the afternoon of July 11 to stand in solidarity with a student who was arrested and charged for taking a vulgar, racist sign away from a Nazi.

Grae Hosmanek is a freshman student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In May, she and others witnessed a racist student protesting a Jewish event on campus and gathered around to deter him from spreading hate speech and threats. The lone fascist, who called himself “Chris,” was holding a sign that read “(((GAS)))” a reference to the Nazi holocaust, and another sign bearing a Nazi swastika. The sign also advocated for “civil war.” Chris told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he wanted to “spark the conversation” about “Marxism ideology.”

Hosmanek stepped in to take a sign away from the Nazi student, to the supportive cheers of the crowd that had gathered. She ripped the sign in half and ran off with it. The campus police caught her and arrested her a few minutes later. While police allowed the Nazi student to continue his threats toward Jewish and other students, Hosmanek was charged with theft, vandalism, disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer.

After supporters gathered at her first court hearing, three of the charges were dropped. Hosmanek is still facing a charge of “vandalism,” and chose to fight her case at trial and plead not guilty to the bogus charge. “I want people to see me, what I did, and why I did it,” Hosmanek told Fight Back!, “You need to not only stand up for what is right, but be willing to put yourself on the line for it, every day.”

Inspired by her bold action, anti-racist activists, including students, immigrant rights groups, unionists, and university faculty are rallying to support Hosmanek and demand the bogus vandalism charge against her be dropped. Supporters have attended her first two court dates and are organizing support rallies for future hearings.

The support committee is asking people to attend the next trial on September 23. The support committee will meet at 2 p.m. at the Milwaukee County Courthouse fountain for a short rally to demand the judge “Drop the charges!” and walk into the courtroom together after the rally.

#MilwaukeeWI #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #Nazis #PoliticalRepression #Antifascism #DropTheCharges

Milwaukee, WI – Dozens of students, faculty and union members gathered at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, March 4, to speak out against the Republican-sponsored 'Right to Work' bill. With the legislation set to be signed by Gov. Walker on March 9, members of Progressive Students of Milwaukee, many who had participated in the protests in Madison, gave another show of solidarity to Wisconsin's private-sector unions.

“Walker wants to bankrupt our unions, just like how he wants to bankrupt our universities. This is an attack on both workers and students!” said Daniel Williams of Progressive Students of Milwaukee.

“If they want to attack unions, they're going to have to come through me first,” said Tanya Schilling, an undergraduate at UWM and Progressive Students of Milwaukee member.

Holding a banner reading, “Defeat Right to Work,” students marched through campus chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, right to work has got to go!” and “What's disgusting? Union-busting!”

#MilwaukeeWI #Labor #PeoplesStruggles #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #Wisconsin #rightToWork #ProgressiveStudentsOfMilwaukeePSM

Milwaukee, WI – For the second week in a row, students, faculty and staff rallied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in opposition to Governor Scott Walker's budget cuts. Walker is threatening to cut $300 million from Wisconsin’s universities.

The governor plans to restructure Wisconsin's public university system into a ‘Public Authority.’ As a Public Authority, the governor will hand pick the appointees who run the higher education system. With more power in his hands, Walker argues he will have the “flexibility” to make up for budget shortfalls by raising tuition and cutting the number of professors, graduate assistants and workers.

Over 100 people gathered in Spaights Plaza, Feb. 11, in front of a large banner reading, “They say cut back, we say fight back!” Progressive Students of Milwaukee, an affiliate of Students for a Democratic Society, organized the protest. Labor leaders from AFSCME, MTEA, and TAUWP spoke at the rally about the importance of uniting workers and students to fight the cuts.

After getting fired up, students marched through the Lubar School of Business and into the Student Union, where a student involvement fair was taking place. Several students joined the march as it circled the union concourse before returning to Spaights Plaza.

“I participated in the rally because as a student I feel it is necessary to stand up against Walker's war on education and I believe every student and staff member should have been out there with us,” said student organizer Sarah Shelleh. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, so I am eager to see everyone come together in this struggle to get our voices heard and put a stop to these outrageous budget cuts.”

“We vow to continue building the movement against the proposed budget cuts and Walker’s attempts to take over our public university system. Students need accessible and affordable education, not the ‘flexible’ higher costs and lower quality Walker is offering,” explained Daniel Williams with Progressive Students of Milwaukee.

#MilwaukeeWI #ProgressiveStudentsOfMilwaukee #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #GovernorScottWalker

Milwaukee, WI – On Oct. 7, dozens of people came together to challenge Police Chief Flynn and the Milwaukee Police Department on the murder of 22-year old Derek Williams.

This event, as well as others, comes in the wake of the release of new autopsy and video evidence that led to a homicide investigation of Milwaukee Police's District Five. Milwaukee Chief of Police Edward Flynn responded to the investigation, saying police would not be prosecuted and the officers involved would likely not be fired for their involvement Williams’ killing.

Many of those present at the event were family of Williams. Levi Mcdonald, Williams’ cousin, said, “I'm here to challenge injustice in Milwaukee and across the country. Someone needs to be held responsible for the death of Derek Williams. You cannot have a homicide without someone being held accountable. We want the officers prosecuted, and for Chief Flynn to resign.”

“The police will continue to do whatever we allow them to do,” he added.

Taking the microphone, another relative, Michelle McDonald, holding back tears, said, “All we want is justice. We love Derek and miss him and know we'll get justice and peace as long as we keep working together.”

In a show of defiance, organizers marched into the streets for nearly 20 blocks despite not having a permit, as the police eventually gave way and cleared traffic for those attending. The march route concluded, in the street, at the location of a recent homicide shooting in the community on 9th and Arlington.

Students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee came out in a showing of solidarity. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organizer Tiffany Strong said, “I'm here to stand in solidarity with those who have been the subject of police repression and brutality in this city. We cannot ignore acts like this, and by building a united movement, we'll see justice served.”

#MilwaukeeWI #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #PoliceBrutality #policeKilling #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #MilwaukeePoliceDepartment #DerekWilliams #PoliceChiefFlynn

After being questioned about overthrowing the Shah in Iran and murdering Patrice Lumumba in the Congo, the CIA representative responded “you have your history books and we have ours.” The CIA was recently exposed for working covert operations in Libya, where destabilization could open up the largest oil reserves in Africa to U.S. and British corporations.

Several SDS members continued to speak up, confronting blatant lies in the CIA presentation, such as their denial that the CIA has killed U.S. citizens. The students also handed out fliers with a CIA time-line that included just part of the CIA’s countless atrocities.

One of those events was Operation CHAOS, which illegally spied on some 7000 anti-war activists in the United States during the Vietnam War. The SDS flier demanded that the U.S. government stop the repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists that continues today under the FBI.

In addition to the CIA targeting anti-war activists in the U.S., they have also targeted their own recruits. Over 40 international students, who were recruited by the CIA at U.S. colleges, have committed suicide after being threatened with exposure if they left the organization.

Milwaukee SDS is committed to preventing fellow students from the same fate as those who are coerced and targeted by the government for dissent.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #CIA

Milwaukee, WI – Hundreds rallied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), March 14, as protests continue against Governor Scott Walker's anti-union, anti-people attacks. The rally was the third mass action taken at the university in recent weeks and included speeches by student, community and union leaders.

Joel Ramirez, a former UWM student and member of Youth Empowered in the Struggle, riled up the crowd when he said, “Wall Street lives lavishly and recklessly while we the people are left to pay the bill.” Ramirez went on to stress the need for African Americans and Latinos to stay united in the struggle and to oppose the oncoming attack on immigrants, which will include attempts to deny in-state tuition for undocumented students.

State Senator Chris Larson, one of the 14 state senators who fled the state to try to halt the passing of the infamous Budget Repair Bill, made a surprise visit to the rally. “It's been a difficult time and I had to sleep on an inflatable mattress, but I stayed motivated thinking of all you who were sleeping on the marble floors of our Capitol.”

UWM United organized the rally and intends to play a role in defeating the Budget Repair Bill and defending the University of Wisconsin system from budget cuts and privatization.

#MilwaukeeWI #StudentMovement #EducationRights #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #CollectiveBargaining #GovernorScottWalker #Wisconsin #publicSectorUnions #WisconsinProtest #YouthEmpoweredInTheStruggle #UWMUnited

Milwaukee, WI – Over 1500 students and workers walked out Mar. 2 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in protest of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's plan to destroy public sector unions and slash funding for public education. Initiated by Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society, the protest included a worker contingent of AFSCME, TAUWP and AFT union members. The protest took place on the National Day of Action to Defend Education.

The protest began at the UWM union where people chanted “Kill the bill” and “Tax the rich.” The protest then marched around campus, through streets and buildings and ended at a plaza on campus where speeches were delivered by union members and students.

“This is not only a job killer, this is a people killer,” stated AFSCME Local 82 President Gilbert Johnson. “We're not making a lot of money and these cuts will force us to make some tough decisions. This bill has got to be stopped at whatever cost.”

After the protest, student leaders met and decided to take it to the next level. Inspired by past university occupations held in California and New York, they declared an occupation of a theater building. Around 100 students arrived to the occupation.

“I helped organize this protest today because I'm afraid about the future of our educational system,” commented Mike Gold of SDS. “We'll do whatever it takes to save our school and defend campus workers.”

#MilwaukeeWI #Labor #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #StudentOccupation #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #CollectiveBargaining #GovernorScottWalker #Wisconsin #publicSectorUnions

Milwaukee, WI – Over 100 students marched and took over the chancellor's office at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Oct. 29, to demand the resignation of racist student senator Kyle Duerstein. The rally was put together by the newly-formed coalition Students Equalizing Rights Forever.

The protest centered around the racist comments made by speaker of the senate of student government, Kyle Duerstein.

“The whole student body needs to be outraged…this is not a black issue or a feminist issue, it is an equality issue,” says rally organizer and vice-president of Students Equalizing Rights Forever Angela Lang. “The campus is now being polarized and as a result there is a growing movement combating racism and sexism.”

Vice-chancellor Luljack released a statement to local news claiming the comments as “freedom of speech,” while asking that students treat each other with “respect and dignity.”

The rally included speakers from the Black Student Union, the Black Graduate Student Association, Students for a Democratic Society and State Senator Lena Taylor, herself a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alumnae.

Standing in front of a stunned administration, speakers demanded an immediate removal of Duerstein – who is paid $6300 a year from student tuition for his position in student government – from office. Also demanded was for the administration to make a strong public statement opposing Duerstein's comments.

“Who does the university, the student government, the administration, work for?” asked Black Student Union President Clint Myrick. We'll find out.

#MilwaukeeWI #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee

Milwaukee, WI – 100 students came to the Student Speak Out rally Sept. 14, an event created by Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society to raise awareness of how the economic crisis is affecting students, faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Attendees of the rally demanded a stop to the budget cuts, tuition increases and pay cuts. Like most universities across the country, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is facing big budget cuts because of the national economic recession. The university underwent a $20 million biannual budget cut beginning this year.

“Our country is in an economic crisis. Students need to fight for higher education, just as workers need to fight for their jobs and benefits and homeowners need to fight to keep their homes,” said Jacob Flom, a UWM student and member of Milwaukee SDS. “The rich should be paying for this economic crisis.”

Speakers at the rally included members of Students for a Democratic Society, financially struggling students and teacher’s assistants, who have been undergoing problems of their own due to the budget cuts.

Meridith Kruse, a union member of the Milwaukee Graduate Assistant Association, said, “The administration uses the economic crisis to make us scared. They say if we don’t take the cuts, they’re gonna lay people off. We say we’re not gonna give anything back, they better find another way to pay.”

Milwaukee SDS, the Milwaukee Graduate Assistant Association, progressive faculty and campus workers have begun discussion about forming a coalition to continue the fight back against the budget cuts at UWM.

#MilwaukeeWI #CapitalismAndEconomy #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #EconomicCrisis #BudgetCuts #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee