News and Views from the People's Struggle
Baton Rouge, LA – Louisiana State University (LSU) students marched from the Student Unioin to the president’s office on Monday, November 10, to deliver a petition demanding that the new LSU president reject Trump’s compact agreement.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Wednesday, November 5, about 40 Louisiana State University (LSU) students gathered outside their Student Union to protest the “Triggered: From Combat to Campus” tour by Students Supporting Israel, which featured an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier. The tour drew similar protests at Tulane University earlier in the week.
Baton Rouge, LA – On No Kings Day, October 18, over 1500 people took to the streets to stand against the Trump administration in Baton Rouge. In one of the largest demonstrations Baton Rouge has seen, the huge mass of people marched along Perkins Road, chanting and carrying signs and banners denouncing Trump.
Baton Rouge, LA – On October 1, Louisiana State University Students for a Democratic Society (LSU SDS) gathered to protest the LSU presidential search committee. Students rallied outside the LSU Foundation Building and then gave public comments at the committee meeting inside.
The students were attending the presidential search committee meeting to protest the undemocratic nature of the process and the overbearing influence Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry holds over LSU.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday August 29, Louisiana State University (LSU) students and community members rallied on the steps outside of the student union building, despite poor weather, to stand up and fight back against Trump’s attacks on higher education. Students demanded that the LSU search committee, appointed by Governor Jeff Landry, not select another university president who will further attack DEI, immigrant students, and cultural centers.
Attendees held signs that read, “Defend DEI,” “Protect our cultural centers,” and “Money for education, not deportation.”
“What we need is an LSU president who actually puts students first, who actually represents us instead of Trump, Jeff Landry, or his wealthy donors. We want a president who cares about education and helping students achieve, instead of extracting more and more of our money into his bank account,” Gabriela Juárez of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) said.
Between speeches, the crowd chanted “Not Trump, and not the state! Students decide their fate,” “Landry, we see your intent! No MAGA president” and “Trump hear us loud and clear, immigrants are welcome here!”
Library worker and United Campus Worker (UCW) member Amir Portier delivered a speech emphasizing that workers, professors, and students at LSU all stand united against the right-wing agenda being carried out by both Trump and Governor Landry. He urged students to continue standing up and fighting back.
“UCW will continue to support the student movement on campus and their fight to stop Landry from selecting another GOP yes-man university president,” Portier of UCW said.
SDS plans to mobilize for every search committee and administration meeting on campus.
“We can only win if we work together. United we stand, divided we fall. The Republicans are united. Let’s show them that we are too!” Zane Sutor-Benfield of SDS concluded.
#BatonRougeLA #LA #StudentMovement #Trump #NoKings #SDS #UCW
Baton Rouge, LA – On Tuesday August 19, students attended a public meeting held by Louisiana State University’s search committee for a new university president. After former President William F Tate left over the summer due to an increasingly politically charged campus, the board of supervisors is searching for a candidate that will help carry out Trump’s attacks on education and DEI.
The search committee is made up of CEOs, stakeholders, one professor and two students. Seven of the members have been appointed by reactionary Governor Jeff Landry, and several have donated hundreds of dollars to his political campaigns. Landry, who was endorsed by Trump, has repeatedly meddled in university affairs.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Sunday, May 4, Baton Rouge held a May Day rally at the State Capitol building, taking the fight for worker and immigrant rights directly to the seat of the state government. Demonstrators united on the steps of the capitol with signs and banners in hand to voice their support for the working class movement and their opposition to the Trump administration’s attacks.
Protesters chanted, “Trump, hear us loud and clear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and “The workers, united, will never be defeated!”
Baton Rouge, LA – On April 19, almost 200 Baton Rouge community members gathered at the State Capitol for a march to the Russell B. Long Federal Building to say no to unlawful ICE actions, illegal deportations and the attacks on vital government programs.
Baton Rouge, LA – On April 17, around 15 Louisiana State University (LSU) students rallied in Free Speech Alley in opposition to the Trump administration’s attacks on education. The students demanded that LSU make the university a sanctuary campus in defense of immigrant students and reverse policies attacking DEI and campus cultural centers.
Baton Rouge, LA – On March 10, Louisiana State University (LSU) students and Baton Rouge community members rallied on LSU’s campus in Free Speech Alley for International Women’s Day.
In light of Trump's attacks on immigrants, one of the demands put forth by students was to put an end to the mass deportations and family separations. Students also called on the LSU administration to declare the university a sanctuary campus.
Baton Rouge, LA – In the early morning hours of Monday, March 3, workers for Baton Rouge’s Capital Area Transit System (CATS) went on strike. CATS provides bus services throughout Baton Rouge. Supporters joined the picket line as early as 3 a.m. carrying signs in solidarity with the picket.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday February 21, a group of students at Louisiana State University (LSU) disrupted a board of supervisors meeting in order to present demands to administration. The students had four demands they wanted to bring to the board of supervisors: reinstate Professor Ken Levy, make LSU a sanctuary campus, stop tuition hikes, and disclose and divest investments with Israel.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday, February 14, about 30 Louisiana State University (LSU) students and community members rallied in Free Speech Alley to demand that university administration make LSU a sanctuary campus for immigrant students.
LSU’s Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally to fight back against ICE activity in the Baton Rouge area and Trump's executive order that allows ICE to operate in previously protected places like college campuses, churches and courthouses.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Tuesday January 28, about 20 students gathered in front of Louisiana State University (LSU) Law Center to demand the university reinstate Professor Ken Levy.
Levy was suspended for criticizing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and explaining Trump’s presidency would have implications for certain amendments to the constitution during one of his lectures.
Professor Levy’s attorney, Jill Craft, explained Levy revealed he was a Democrat and expressed a dislike for Trump. However, Craft believed Levy said nothing to warrant suspension.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Monday January 20, despite the freezing temperature and extreme wind, Louisiana State University (LSU) students and Baton Rouge community members gathered at the State Capitol to stand in opposition to Trump’s inauguration.
A coalition of organizations representing students, trans rights, Palestinian rights, and political groups all united against Trump’s bigoted agenda and spoke to the next year’s difficulties, highlighting that it would be crucial to keep the struggle in the streets.
Baton Rouge, LA – On October 9, Louisiana State University’s Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a panel on the Tulane and Loyola University encampments for Gaza as part of their October 7 Week of Rage. LSU SDS invited members of Tulane and Loyola SDS and a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) from New Orleans. They highlighted their wins and explored lessons learned from planning and implementing the encampment.
Baton Rouge, LA – On October 7, 30 Louisiana State University students rallied outside of their student union to resist after one year of Israel's ongoing, lethal siege on Gaza. Students were rallying to not only honor the martyrs of Palestine but to draw attention to the ways the university has worked to financially support and legitimize Israel. They also protested the Israeli and U.S.-backed escalation, which is expanding the war to Lebanon and other parts of the Middle-East.
Baton Rouge, LA – On July 28, around 20 community members gathered in a local hair salon to hold a vigil for Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was wrongfully killed by state of Illinois Deputy Sean Grayson. The vigil took place five days after the release of body cam footage by Illinois police. The goal of the event was to link the killing of Sonya Massey to the killing of Alton Sterling by Baton Rouge police almost exactly eight years ago. Participants called for an end to the ongoing police brutality that plagues Louisiana.
Baton Rouge, LA – On Monday, July 7, the family of Deaughn Willis held a press conference in front of City Hall to demand justice. Willis was murdered by East Baton Rouge Deputy Eno Guillot in 2022. Guillot was denied qualified immunity for the murder in a ruling earlier this year. However, Guillot is still employed by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and has not faced any criminal charges.
Baton Rouge, LA- On May 3, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Louisiana State University co-hosted a walkout and rally for Palestine. The protest was in response to the university’s involvement in the Go-Med Consortium, an initiative with the goals of developing oil drilling practices in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of occupied Palestine, with the eventual goals of bringing the developed technology to the Gulf of Mexico. The consortium includes Louisiana universities as well as Israeli universities.