Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Nov. 9 statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Tallahassee, FL – 20 students gathered at Florida State University (FSU) Nov. 5 to begin their campaign to increase African American enrollment. According to the FSU Office of Institutional Research, African American students made up 6.9% of the freshmen class in 2014, a drop of 46% since 1999 when Governor Jeb Bush signed an executive order ending affirmative action programs in Florida.

Baltimore, MD – On the night of Oct. 14, over 50 Black youth protesters stormed Baltimore City Hall, demanding police accountability. The group, known as the Baltimore Bloc, which has organized rallies around the Baltimore uprisings, chanted, “Stop the vote, stop the vote!” along with “All night, all day, we gonna fight for Freddie Gray,” interrupting proceedings.

Washington, DC – Hundreds of thousands of African Americans converged on and filled the National Mall for the Justice for Else gathering, Oct. 10, a mass protest organized by Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, along with other groups, to demand justice for African Americans.

St. Paul, MN – 150 people protested at the Twin Cities marathon here, Oct. 4, to call attention to police violence on Black and Native people. Organized by Black Lives Matter-Saint Paul, the #BlackMarathon protest focused on the cases of Phill Quinn, Tyree Tucker and Marcus Golden. The protest began with a rally in Boyd Park featuring speeches by members of the Quinn, Tucker and Golden families, continued with a march through the community and was followed by a die-in at the Twin Cities marathon finish line.

Houston, TX – The Houston chapter of Black Lives Matter (BLMHTX) held a large symposium, Sept. 18, at Saint John's United Methodist church. In the beautiful church setting, BLMHTX brought together over 400 people to discuss the importance of the growing movement of African Americans in the U.S. against police brutality and for liberation.

Chicago, IL – When thousands of people gathered at Federal Plaza Saturday, August 29, LaCreshia Birts and Michael Sampson of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression started the rally with a chant: “When we say fight back, you say CPAC!”

Photos by Jacob Flom from the historic August, 29, 2015 mobilization in Chicago’s Loop, when 3000 people marched to demand an elected, civilian police accountability council.

Chicago, IL – An historic mobilization took place in Chicago’s Loop, the center of the city, August 29, when 3000 people marched to demand an elected, civilian police accountability council.

Jacksonville, FL – On August 8, activists in Jacksonville staged two demonstrations tied to the Black Lives Matter movement. In the morning, community organizers rallied for a press conference outside of the Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center against the mass incarceration of Black youth. Later that day, young activists led a Black Lives Matter march through downtown Jacksonville against racist police crimes.