Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By Grace Staudenmaier

Colorado Springs, CO – On March 8, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) and the UCCS Feminist Club gathered at Colorado Springs City Hall to stand in solidarity with women impacted by repression, including abuse, police violence, and ICE deportations and harassment.

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By Bug Peterson

Colorado Springs, CO – On February 25, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered with the family of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento in front of the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s office to demand justice for Alex, and that DA Michael Allen move to indict his killer, officer Connor Jacob Wallick. Over 20 people gathered, including several of Alex’s siblings, nieces and nephews, friends, his mother, and his young daughter who is now growing up without her dad.

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By Genevieve Richard

Colorado Springs, CO – On March 1, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) organized a protest over 150 people at Colorado Springs City Hall to demand an end to all military action against Iran.

Protesters chanted, “Hands off Iran,” “Donald Trump, CIA, how many kids did you kill today?” and “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air, US out of everywhere!”

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By staff

Colorado Springs, CO – On February 23, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at Colorado Springs Police Department headquarters to demand justice for Michael Foster, a 35-year old Black man who was shot by CSPD officers Daniel Mork and Steven Mibert on February 2.

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By staff

Colorado Springs, CO – On March 2, members of the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered in front of City Hall to release a press statement on the investigation of Richard Arford and call out the CSPD for inaction in the six months since his death.

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By staff

Colorado Springs protest demands answers after police shooting.

Colorado Springs, CO – On February 3, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at the corner of Delaware and Marion Drives to protest a police-involved shooting they said involved a domestic violence victim fleeing an abuser. Several members assembled at the scene to call for oversight and an independent investigation.

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By Sparrow McKinney

Colorado Springs protest after the ICE murder of Alex Pretti.

Colorado Springs, CO – On January 25, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at Colorado Springs City Hall to protest against the recent killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was observing ICE activity in Minneapolis.

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By Jessie Proffitt

Colorado Springs protest demands charges be dropped against immigrant rights activist.

Colorado Springs, CO – On Tuesday, January 20, members of the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression gathered outside the El Paso County Combined Courthouse to stand with community member Mel Flores during his first court appearance related to charges for watching ICE.

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By Bug Peterson

Colorado Springs high school students walk following ICE murder of Renee Good.

Colorado Springs, CO – On January 12, students at Coronado High school in Colorado Springs staged a walk out to protest ICE’s murder of Renee Good, who graduated from Coronado High School in 2006.

Students were joined and supported by the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and many community members, including alumni who had been classmates with Renee Good.

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By staff

Picket demands justice for Alex-Martinez Sarmiento.

Colorado Springs, CO – On December 11, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered outside of the 4th Judicial District attorney’s office to demand justice for Alex-Martinez Sarmiento.

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By Brandon Rincon

Colorado Springs vigil demands justice for Richard Arford.

Colorado Springs, CO – On Dec 7, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) joined the family of Richard Arford for a candlelight vigil outside of the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) headquarters to demand transparency and insight into the ongoing investigation of Richard Arford’s death.

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By Brandon Rincon

Colorado Springs residents demand "Fire Office Wallick now!"

Colorado Springs, CO – On November 22 the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) joined together with the family of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento. They gathered outside the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Colorado Springs to rally for the 26-year-old father who was shot and killed by police earlier in the year.

The family and COSAARPR demanded that District Attorney Michael Allen meet with the victim's family and move to indict killer cop Connor Jacob Wallick.

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By Jessie Proffitt

Colorado Springs Starbucks workers strike.

Colorado Springs, CO – On November 13, workers from the Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) rallied with their allies at a unionized Starbucks store in Colorado Springs to begin their “Red Cup Rebellion, ” strike against unfair labor practice. SBWU called this strike after Starbucks refused to finalize a union contract earlier in the year that would address worker demands for higher pay, better staffing, and address hundreds of unfair labor practice charges.

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By Jessie Proffitt

Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression \[COSAARPR\] wins fight for free speech.

Colorado Springs, CO – On November 13, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) will meet at Fire Station 8 for the first time since being denied the public meeting space in September for political reasons.

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By Genevieve Richard

Starbuck workers hold practice picket, preparing for the upcoming strike.

Colorado Springs, CO – On October 29, organizers with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) gathered at a unionized Starbucks store in Colorado Springs to hold a practice picket in preparation to strike. Members of the Colorado Springs Labor Council, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Democratic Socialists of America joined the practice picket.

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By Genevieve Richard

Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression  press conference after the city government moved to block the group's access to a public meeting space.

Colorado Springs, CO – On October 11, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at local Fire Station 8 to protest the cancellation of a booking of the community meeting space by the fire chief of Colorado Springs, in conjunction with the city attorney’s office.

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By staff

A classroom full of people listening to a person speaking.

Colorado Springs, CO – On July 21, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression rallied community forces to support the family of Alex Martinez and confront the city’s Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission after the release of police body-cam footage. A crowd of about 20 community members joined the sister and mother-in-law of Alex Martinez. Many community members and organizers gave public comment demanding accountability, transparency and an independent investigation into the police shooting of Alex Martinez.

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By Jessie Proffitt

Candles, photos and paintings at street shrine for police murder victim Alex Martinez

Colorado Springs, CO – On July 6, the family and friends of Alex Martinez gathered to mourn their loss after his life was taken by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) the previous morning.

Over 50 people gathered with candles and balloons around a shrine erected in the spot in the downtown parking lot where CSPD shot Martinez in the back. Wails and cries could be heard throughout the crowd as dozens of balloons took to the skies.

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By staff

May Day event in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs, CO – On Saturday, May 3, the Denver district of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) held a panel in Colorado Springs about the history of International Workers Day, also known as May Day. The event was hosted by three FRSO members who formed a panel that spoke on the history of the holiday and discussed present-day issues that face workers and immigrants alike in Colorado and across the United States.

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By staff

Candles surround signs that say, "Justice for Anthony Padilla" in remembrance of him.Colorado Springs, CO – On the evening of March 29, family members, friends and supporters gathered at the Village East Apartments to hold a vigil in honor of Anthony Padilla, marking the second anniversary of his death.

The event took place at the very location where Padilla, a 37-year-old father of two, was fatally shot in 2023. His family continues to fight for justice and accountability in a case that remains closed, despite their calls for the district attorney to press charges against his killer, Kevin McCarthy.

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