Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the racist right-wing attack that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12.

Minneapolis, MN — At the August 8 Minneapolis Public Schools board meeting, directors voted to keep School Resource Officers in the schools. Before the meeting began, a group of young people with the Black Liberation Project, who have spent months speaking with school board members about the impact of having School Resource Officers in the schools, held a rally outside of the district offices.

All out for Jason Van Dyke court hearing!

Chicago, IL — At 8 a.m. on August 11, the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) will lead a rally outside the Cook County Courthouse before the court hearing for Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke.

Minneapolis, MN — Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee condemned the August 5 bombing of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center, stating, “It is important for all people of conscience to stand with our Muslim neighbors against the rising tide of hate crimes against them. Right-wing bigots feel validated by President Trump's words and policies and are no longer trying to control their hate. We need to denounce all acts of anti-Muslim bigotry and defend our Muslim neighbors. We need to call this what it is – a hate crime! We need to call out people, and politicians who defend these actions, as racists.”

Jacksonville, FL – In Jacksonville, Florida, the first Wednesday of every month is a time for art and community celebration. The city’s monthly Artwalk is a hub for artists, activists, families and residents to gather and share plans for the future of Jacksonville. While there are multiple campaigns currently taking place in the city, there are two that have gathered a mass following in just about a month since launching – the Jacksonville Community Action Committee(JCAC) and their push for police accountability, and TakeEmDownJax, the movement to remove Confederate statues and rename schools, streets, and parks honoring such figures.

Face down reactionaries with ‘blue lives matter’ confederate flags

Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville downtown Art Walk celebration on August 2 brought out several political organizations including TakeEmDownJax, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) and Veterans for Peace. The groups petitioned and leafleted for the causes of removing confederate names and statues from public view and for community control of the police via the formation of a Jacksonville Police Accountability Council. Around 50 local organizers showed up and were met by two groups in opposition, who were confederate flag supporters and self-proclaimed ‘patriots.’

Los Angeles – Chants like, “Fire Chief Beck,” flooded the packed Police Commission meeting at Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) headquarters today, July 25.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 150 people gathered in Minneapolis’ Fulton neighborhood, July 16, to remember Justine Damond, who was murdered by Minneapolis police Saturday night. Neighbors remember the woman as a good neighbor and as a spiritual teacher. Damond came to the U.S. from Australia a few years ago.

Jacksonville, FL – Around 30 community members gathered in Bruce Park, in Jacksonville, to speak out against police crimes, for community control of the police, and a Jacksonville Police Accountability Council (JPAC).

Minneapolis- Over 180 people attended the premiere screening of Palestine: Why the Caged Dove Sings, July 13, a documentary made by Sabry Wazwaz, a Palestinian American and a member of the Anti-War Committee. Wazwaz traveled to Palestine in 2014 to interview and document the reality of Israeli occupation.

Milwaukee, WI – The rooms were filled at the first two out of five sessions from the Young People’s Resistance Committee’s (YPRC) Summer School program. The first session featured a panel of three women who spoke about their daily experiences and politics in Milwaukee. The second session explored economic inequality in Milwaukee and how the working class is exploited.

_#WalkingWhileBlack is not a crime _

Jacksonville, FL – On June 20, Devonte Shipman, a young African American in Jacksonville, was stopped and harassed by police officers for simply walking across the street. Claiming to have seen him illegally cross the street, Officer J.S Bolen of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) harassed and badgered Shipman, even threatening him with jail time. Shipman recorded the encounter with his cellphone, a clip that went viral and made national and international news.

Minneapolis, MN – About 50 people gathered at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Minneapolis, June 29, to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate Trump’s Muslim ban.

Minneapolis, MN – On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court deviated from previous lower court rulings to allow portions of the Trump Muslim ban to go into effect. This new interim policy will allow the Trump administration to prevent travel for people from six Muslim majority countries – Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen – who lack a “bona fide relationship” with an American person or entity. The court also ruled that during this time, national security concerns related to these countries can take precedence over other obligations to accept refugees. The U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear oral arguments on the travel ban in October.

San José, CA – On June 24, more than 75 people gathered at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) in San José’s Japantown for a program on the struggle for justice by Japanese Latin Americans.

Minneapolis, MN – Tens of thousands lined Hennepin Avenue to watch the annual Twin Cities LGBTQ Pride parade on June 25. A group of hundreds behind a banner reading “Justice for Philando #NoJusticeNoPride” took the lead of the parade, a few blocks ahead of the police car that was supposed to lead the official parade. The group was protesting Pride’s decision to allow police to lead the parade and be present throughout the festival, despite an epidemic of police violence that particularly targets queer and trans people of color.

Chicago, IL – 500 people gathered in Chicago’s Washington Park June 18 to protest the acquittal of the cop that killed Philando Castile in Minnesota. The marchers began with a rally at the location where Ronald “Ronnieman” Johnson was shot in the back by Chicago police in October 2014.

Fight is on to stop his deportation

New Hope, MN – Protesters packed the June 12 city council work session in New Hope, a suburb of Minneapolis, to demand that the city fire police officer Andy Lamers. Until recently, in addition to his job in New Hope, Lamers also had a part-time job as a police officer with Metro Transit, which operates public transit in the Twin Cities area.

Minneapolis, MN – Judge Hilary Caliguiri approved a deal today, June 12, between Hennepin County prosecutors and Nathan Gustavsson, one of the white supremacists involved in the November 2015 shooting of five Black men at a protest demanding justice for Jamar Clark.

San José, CA – On June 10, 1000 people joined a Unity Vigil called by Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice, Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), People Acting in Community Together (PACT), and Meet a Muslim. More than 130 religious, community, oppressed nationality and other organizations endorsed the vigil, which was organized on a week’s notice.