Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By Ben Rothschild

Students speak out at a Board of Trustees meeting, Nov. 18

Chicago, IL – About twenty students from the University of Illinois campuses in Chicago and Urbana-Champaign attempted to speak out at a Board of Trustees meeting, Nov. 18. The students are organizing against tuition increases and the re-segregation of higher education.

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By staff

SDS member posing as a FBI recruiter

Chicago, IL – Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Illinois-Chicago staged street theatre in front of an FBI recruitment event here, Nov. 9. Dressed up as agents of the ‘Federal Bureau of Intimidation,’ activists handed out fliers against FBI repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists who were raided on Sept. 24.

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By Doug Michel

_Activists raided by the FBI speak out _

Mick Kelly, standing with three others subpoenaed activists, denounces FBI raids

Chicago, IL – Over 1000 rallied and marched here at a regional anti-war demonstration Oct. 16. Protesters called for an end to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, an end to U.S. foreign aid to Israel and an end to FBI repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.

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By Joe Iosbaker

UIC workers march on October 7.

Chicago, IL – For over a year, the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) has been the scene of intense struggle between the 2700 workers represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 and their employer. In the latest development, UIC’s Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares announced Oct. 10 that the director of Human Resources, John Loya, would step aside. He is being replaced by an assistant vice president from central administration in Urbana, Illinois.

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By staff

Fight Back! News is circulating the following video from Stephanie Weiner and Joe Iosbaker. Their home was raided by the FBI on Sept. 24, when over a dozen agents spent ten hours in their house, leaving with thirty boxes of their personal effects, documents, and children's artwork. Weiner and Iosbaker were among of the fourteen activists who were subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury in Chicago on Oct. 5.

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By staff

“We have nothing to say to the grand jury”

Joe Iosbaker and Stephanie Weiner speaking at press conference in Chicago

Chicago, IL – During morning rush hour 100 people gathered at the Federal Center Plaza in Chicago in a show of solidarity for those targeted by the Sept. 24 FBI raids on anti-war activists in the Midwest. Chicago activists Joe Iosbaker and Stephanie Weiner, two among the 14 subpoenaed activists, announced their decision not to cooperate with the grand jury investigation.

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By Chapin Gray

Over 500 people in Chicago protested the FBI raids on anti-war activists.

Chicago, IL – 500 people picketed and chanted outside Chicago FBI Headquarters to protest the FBI raids, harassment, and intimidation of anti-war and solidarity activists, and to show support for the three Chicago activists targeted by the September 24 raids. Among the crowd were trade unionists, students, anti-war and Palestine solidarity activists, all outraged by the FBI raids. Stephanie Weiner and Joe Iosbaker, whose home was raided last Friday morning and are two of the twelve people handed subpoenas, were at the protest, joined by their son Tre.

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By Sarah Chambers

Alderman Solis confronted by Whittier parents and children.

Chicago, IL – The energy was high at Whittier Elementary’s la casita, as the parents and their children prepared for another vigilant night to protect their field house from demolition, Sept. 20. Sign-in sheets covered the front tables with ‘on-guard’ schedules and long lists of names and contact information from educators, community members, members of the Chicago Teachers’ Union and other supporters. Sept. 20, began the seventh day of the occupation of the field house at this school in Pilsen, a Chicano/Mexicano neighborhood on Chicago’s west side.

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By staff

Protest at the Chicago Sister Cities annual International Festival