Minneapolis, MN – 40 people marked the anniversary of the Deir Yassin massacre on April 9 at 29th and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. April marks the 74th anniversary of the Deir Yassin massacre, in the Palestinian village where in 1948 100 men, women and children were systematically murdered by Israeli commandos. Every year Palestinians across the world mark Deir Yassin and demand the right to return to their homeland. The rally featured speakers from Veterans for Peace, Northfielders for Palestine/Israel, Middle East Peace Now, American Muslims for Palestine, and the MN Anti-War Committee.

After the rally protesters marched to the local Deir Yassin memorial on the Midtown Greenway bike and walking trail where activists with Veterans for Peace Chapter 27 did a bell ringing ceremony.

Autumn Lake, a member of the Anti-War Committee, gave a rousing speech to end the protest, “The legacy of the Deir Yassin massacre is one of continued repression and violence against the people of Palestine, backed and funded by the most powerful country in the world. However, there is another legacy that I want to draw attention to. It is a legacy of resistance. The villagers of Deir Yassin put up a valiant resistance to the militias terrorizing their home, and Palestinians to this day mount valiant resistance both in and outside of Palestine.”

Lake concluded, “Likewise, we in the Anti-War Committee and the anti-war movement more broadly, are proud to share in that legacy of resistance. We are going to keep taking the streets. We’re going to keep taking a stand against the U.S.’s continued political and economic support of a devastatingly brutal apartheid state. We’re going to keep resisting and continue to fight for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. The movement will not stop until all of Palestine is free, from the river to the sea!”

The protest was co-sponsored by Veterans for Peace and the MN Anti-War Committee.

#MinneapolisMN #Palestine #VeteransForPeace #deirYassin #MNAntiWarCommittee #AmericanMuslimsForPalestineMinnesotaAMPMN #MiddleEast

Jacksonville, FL – 25 protesters gathered at Memorial Park at noon, Jan. 31 to call for an end to U.S. torture practices. The Jacksonville chapter of Veterans for Peace led the rally and demanded the immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay military base as well as all U.S. torture ‘black sites’ around the world.

Protesters first heard moving words from military veteran Wells Todd, who spoke of the history of U.S. torture techniques and the specifics of how detainees at Guantanamo Bay are treated. Organizers then led a march to U.S. Congressman Ander Crenshaw's office to deliver a letter demanding his support for the efforts to close Guantanamo Bay.

A member of Jacksonville Veterans for Peace stated, “We at the VFP believe these interrogation techniques are morally and legally wrong and are inconsistent with our values as Americans.”

Protesters heard several more speeches before heading to a busy intersection known as Five Points. Veterans on bullhorns led protesters with chants such as “Close Gitmo now,” “Hey hey ho ho, Guantanamo has got to go,” and “One, two, three, four, Obama close those prison doors. Five, six, seven, eight, stop the torture, stop the hate.”

“The March Against Torture rally put on by the Veterans for Peace was something that was really needed here in Jacksonville. It's so important to stand united against the oppression of basic human rights. As Americans, we are not okay with that and we want those responsible to stand trial for their war crimes,” said protester Dannelle Leigh.

The march closed out at Memorial Park with protesters pledging to support future Jacksonville Veterans for Peace actions.

#JacksonvilleFl #JacksonvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #GuantanamoBay #VeteransForPeace #Florida #Gitmo

Washington DC – In response to a call for a nationwide Occupy presence in Washington D.C., thousands joined Occupy Congress, Jan. 17.

People made their way onto the lawn of the Capitol building demanding an end to imperialist wars, condemning the influence of big business on politicians and challenging the system that creates unemployment, increased foreclosed homes and more poverty. The Occupy protesters were joined by the Veterans for Peace, who called for getting the U.S. out of Afghanistan, South Korea and elsewhere. The anti-war veterans and protesters also demanded an end to the aggressive policies toward Iran. Tony Ndege, member of Occupy Winston-Salem, stated, “One has to only look at the violence that this Congress has sanctioned its military to commit upon the world to see where they really stand.”

“I didn't have any hopes for any type of serious legislation being considered or anything game-changing on behalf of our Congress. Why? Because they are part of the problem,” Ndege continued.

By 6:30 p.m. a large mass of protesters marched off the Capitol lawn and began to spread their demands all across D.C. The sound and sight of police sirens could be heard in the streets as the protesters made their way toward the Supreme Court. The Occupy protesters began storming the steps, chanting together, “Money is not free speech!”

Amanda Porter-Cox, another member of Occupy Winston-Salem, expressed her enthusiasm, “The storming of the Supreme Court steps was phenomenal! I've never experienced anything like that in my life. It was indescribable.”

A single protester was arrested near the bottom of the steps as the police began insisting protestors leave the Supreme Court immediately. Occupiers then marched on the White House. When they arrived, they chanted “Obama, come out! We have some things to talk about!”

When several protesters began climbing the gates and hanging various banners symbolizing their demands to an end of all wars and for-profit economic policies, the police started closing in. The chants “Who’s House? Our House!” and “We won’t back down!” could be heard.

Then, everyone eventually marched back to the Capitol Building. The police tried rerouting the march, but the protesters pushed through and stayed on their original path. Commenting on the Occupy Congress event as a whole, Ndege stated, “our government overwhelmingly does not think that they serve us, but that instead we serve them. This is one of those moments where ‘we the people’ sent a serious reply to their out-of-control arrogance and elitism.”

Ndege continued, “I thought the march went beautifully. I know that this will not always be the case the deeper the class tensions grow in the future. Despite the media blackout, the event created a strong buzz within the Occupy community and the actions at the Capitol, Supreme Court, White House, etc. are just the first among many. I am hopeful that, by spring, we will be back 100,000 strong.”

#WashingtonDC #VeteransForPeace #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyCongress #USCongress #OccupyWinstonSalem

Minneapolis, MN – About 150 gathered at People’s Plaza, the site of OccupyMN for a rally, Nov. 11, demanding “Money for human needs, not for war.” The protest, on Veteran’s Day, included speakers from Veterans for Peace, the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, and others.

Marie Braun of the Twin Cites Peace Campaign told the crowd, “Just as the people of Afghanistan must decide their own future, so too it is we the American people, not the corporations and politicians who must decide our future.”

Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee stated “Because of the unjust wars abroad, poor people don’t have access to social programs here at home.”

Mick Kelly of the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression told the rally, “The 1% is a tiny class made up the heads of corporations, the wealthy and the bankers. They have built an empire that spans the world for their own profits and the resort to repression at home.”

Kelly urged rally participants to resist any attempts to shut down OccupyMN on Monday, Nov. 14 and to participate in the national call in day to demand charges be dropped against Chicano anti-war activist Carlos Montes.

After the anti-war rally, members and supporters of Veterans for Peace began an Overnight Bivouac at People’s Plaza.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #AntiWarCommittee #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness #VeteransForPeace #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyMN #VeteransDay

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered at People’s Plaza in Minneapolis, Nov. 2, to stand up for the right of assembly and to protest government repression of the Occupy movement around the country, particularly in Oakland, California. Speakers at the rally also denounced a new statement by Hennepin County threatening to end the OccupyMN occupation here in Minneapolis when the temperature hits 25 degrees or at the first snowfall.

Several speakers at the rally expressed solidarity with Occupy Oakland, which called for a citywide general strike Nov 2. Oakland’s action is in response to severe repression last week, when the police forcibly evicted the Occupy Oakland protesters from a park. The Oakland police carried out mass arrests, used tear gas, concussion grenades and other projectiles against them, in the process hitting protester and Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen in the head, fracturing his skull. As he lay bleeding on the street and other protesters came to help him, police fired a concussion grenade to prevent them from helping evacuate him. In the aftermath, the Occupy Oakland General Assembly decided to call for a citywide General Strike.

Ray Camper of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Gerald of Veterans for Peace spoke at the rally, expressing solidarity with Scott Olsen as fellow veterans. Tracy Molm of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression spoke about the repression against the Occupy movement in the context of the broader repression faced by many people who try to exercise their rights to expression and protest.

Nick Espinosa of OccupyMN talked about the new threat from Hennepin County today against OccupyMN. He said, “We need to be clear – this is an eviction notice.” On Nov. 2, Hennepin County officials released a two-page statement ostensibly about winterizing the plaza, but in fact, it was about placing severe restrictions on the OccupyMN space starting Nov. 4., and ending the occupation when it snows or when the temperature hits 25 degrees. Hennepin County’s statement reads:

“As the temperatures fall and/or it begins to snow, it will become necessary that OccupyMN make further modifications to their occupation of Government Center plaza in order to ensure personal safety and allow for snow shoveling, snow plowing, snow removal and snow storage. Once the first significant snowfall or severe temperatures are predicted and the temperature falls below twenty-five degrees, no sleeping will be allowed on the Government Center plazas between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. At that time, all portable toilets will need to be removed and the canopy will come down.”

In response Mel Reeves, an emcee of the protest, said, “The right of assembly doesn’t end when the temperature hits 25 degrees or at 10:00 at night.” Speakers at the rally decried the announcement from Hennepin County as an attempt to end the Minneapolis occupation. Occupations on the East Coast have continued this week despite a large snowstorm there, including the flagship occupation of Zuccotti Park at Occupy Wall Street.

After the Minneapolis rally at People’s Plaza, there was a spirited march through downtown Minneapolis in solidarity with Occupy Oakland.

The Occupy movement is focused against economic inequality, as the big banks and super-rich get richer while 99% of the people continue to suffer the effects of the capitalist economic crisis: unemployment, foreclosures, budget cuts and stifling amounts of debt.

#MinneapolisMN #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #VeteransForPeace #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyMN #OccupyOakland

Milwaukee, WI – On Oct. 8, over 100 people rallied and marched against the continuing U.S./NATO occupation of Afghanistan. The event was organized to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, which began in October of 2001.

The rally was followed by a large march to City Hall, where community members spoke before the crowd inside. Attendees included Milwaukee Alderman Nik Kovac, union workers and community organizations including the L.U.V. Brigade, Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Peace Action-Wisconsin, Veterans for Peace, U.S. Labor Against the War and others represented by the Milwaukee Coalition for a Just Peace.

Khalil Coleman of the L.U.V. Brigade said of the day's events, “We have to start looking at poverty at home and poverty in foreign countries in a different light. If we can take money that is being used to fund violence in Libya and to oppress people in Afghanistan and bring it back to the communities here in the U.S., we can help to build a better world.”

Danielle Meyer, an organizer for the upcoming Occupy Milwaukee protests, said, “We're out here today because military spending on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is wasteful and is going to kill innocent people. We want to see funding come back for human needs here in Milwaukee, as well as the rest of the country.” Milwaukee is often listed as the most segregated city in the United States with the fourth highest level of poverty.

Solidarity was also expressed for those anti-war activists persecuted by the FBI. Jhosellin Perez, speaking for the Milwaukee Activist Defense Network, urged those present to visit www.stopfbi.net and sign the Pledge to Resist there, as well as to keep active in opposing government repression of anti-war activists.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #VeteransForPeace #AfghanistanWar #MilwaukeeActivistDefenseNetwork #MilwaukeeSDS #PeaceActionWisconsin #LUVBrigade #MilwaukeeCoalitionForAJustPeace #USLaborAgainstTheWar #OccupyMilwaukee #NikKovac

Minneapolis, MN – On one of the first warm spring afternoons here, over 50 people joined an anti-war protest on April 2 to demonstrate against the U.S. war on Libya.

The protest lined the sidewalks at one of the major intersections in Minneapolis with signs and banners against the newest U.S. war in the Middle East.

Protesters’ signs read, “U.S. hands off Libya,” “Foreclose the war, not people’s homes,” and “Say no to U.S. war against Libya.”

For over an hour participants chanted anti-war slogans and held signs as thousands of people went by in cars, buses and the light rail train.

Many people showed support for the anti-war message by waving, honking horns and joining the protest.

Two TV stations reported the event on evening newscasts.

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “Eight years after the start of the war in Iraq, the U.S. has launched a new war in the Middle East, this time against Libya. This is not a ‘humanitarian intervention.’ This is a war launched to try to control the oil resources of the region. The big powers intervene for their own economic interests, not for the interests of the people.”

The statement continues, “We need funds for jobs, education, the environment, housing and human needs, not a new war in the Middle East.”

Meredith Aby, of the Anti-War Committee, told the crowd, “This is not ‘change we can believe in.’ This is the Bush doctrine version 2.0. This was an unprovoked attack on the Libyan government because the U.S. wants a regime change. But Obama doesn’t have the right to decide for the Libyan people who their leader is or what they do with their oil. Those questions are for the Libyan people to answer and them alone.”

Aby, one of anti-war leaders raided by the FBI September 24, 2010, also urged participants to sign the pledge to resist Grand jury and FBI repression.

The Saturday protest was sponsored by Anti-War Committee, Emergency Committee to Stop U.S. War in Libya, Military Families Speak Out, Students for a Democratic Society (U of MN), Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness and others.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #MilitaryFamiliesSpeakOut #AntiWarCommittee #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness #TwinCitiesPeaceCampaign #VeteransForPeace #MeredithAby #Libya #EmergencyCommitteeToStopUSWarInLibya #StudentsForADemocraticSocietyUOfMN

Salt Lake City, UT – Students, military veterans and anti-war activists rallied here March 19 for the National Day of Action Against War.

March 19 now marks two significant events: the eighth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and day one of the U.S.-led bombing and intervention into Libya.

More than 50 people turned out to declare their opposition to ongoing U.S. wars. Local activists spoke out against the U.S. war and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq, especially the violence perpetrated by the U.S. against women. Kristen Lambert said in her speech, “No more will the rape of women in occupied countries by U.S. military and government officials be ignored.”

Another speaker talked about the repression of the anti-war movement here at home. In September, 2010 the FBI raided seven homes in Chicago and Minneapolis and now 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists have been called before U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s Grand Jury in Chicago.

The rally was capped off by a speech given by Aaron Davis, a member of Veterans for Peace, who called for an end to Wall Street investors’ wars that are financed on the backs of working-class people.

This rally marks the return of the anti-war movement in Utah. Several groups plan on organizing future events in light of the U.S. attacks on Libya and in response to the ongoing atrocities committed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan. Brett Barrett, the head of the Revolutionary Student Union's anti-war committee said, “We are making plans for a campaign against military recruitment on campus to deter college students from enlisting in the U.S. empire’s wars. The Revolutionary Student Union will lead Utah's charge against these bloody wars!”

#SaltLakeCityUT #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Iraq #IraqWar #VeteransForPeace #Utah #RevolutionaryStudentUnion #AfghanistanWar #Libya #LibyaWar

The demonstration was set to coincide with the second anniversary of the start of the U.S. war in Iraq.

Over 800 protests and other events had been planned around the U.S. for the weekend of Mar. 19 and 20 to show opposition to the continuing war.

At the Minneapolis protest, people gathered downtown in Loring Park. After a few speakers there was a march that covered several major streets.

Members of Veterans for Peace carried homemade black caskets inscribed with the names of U.S. GIs who have died in Iraq.

The Twin Cities based Anti-War Committee carried a banner slamming the occupations of Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan.

An indoor rally concluded the event.

A statement issued by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition, the initiating group, said, “The turnout shows that the sentiment against the war in Iraq is growing. The war was never fought over concerns for weapons of mass destruction, or terrorism, but to guarantee U.S. control of the oil resources of Iraq and the entire region.”

“The U.S. occupation must end and the troops brought home!” the statement continued.

Many people in the protest commented that people driving by the park and who saw the march responded positively to the anti-war message.

A broad range of organizations endorsed the protest, including AFSCME Local 3800, several church bodies and student groups, as well as peace and anti-war groups.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #News #Iraq #AntiWarCommittee #IraqWar #VeteransForPeace #MiddleEast