Doral, FL – On Wednesday, December 10, activists stood across from United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) protesting the escalation of attacks against Venezuela. About a dozen activists came to the protest at 2:30 p.m. to demand that the airstrikes stop, the warships are brought back home, and that the government restore Temporary Protected Status protections for Venezuelans.

The protesters held a banner reading “Peace with Venezuela” and signs calling for drivers by to honk in support of Venezuela. One of the protestors, Elizaveta Vlasov, spoke about the police presence at the protest. “The cops outnumbered us two to one, easily. They also prevented us from parking at a nearby public park, despite hundreds of spots being available. Clearly, the cops are trying to create friction when it comes to people opposing foreign intervention.”

The police were initially blocking with an SUB the “Peace with Venezuela” banner from being seen by drivers on the road. “We just kept moving back and forth until the banner was in view again. Then the cop would drive forward or reverse to block it again. We played this game of cat and mouse multiple times until they gave up,” said Vlasov. “They were totally wasting their time and taxpayer money policing our protest, it makes no sense. On the upside, a bunch of cop cars and flashing lights attracts people’s attention. They inadvertently helped us get our message out there.”

The protest concluded at 5 p.m., with activists determined to continue the fight. Vlasov stated, “We know this is only the beginning. We have to keep going, especially since we have SOUTHCOM in our backyard. We are intent on making our voices heard and demanding the government listens to the people, we do not want war with Venezuela! Bring the warships back! Restore TPS protections!”

The U.S. government has been conducting airstrikes on Venezuelan boats since early September, with 87 people killed so far. This includes a vessel that was struck twice, ensuring the deaths of two survivors of the initial strike. Officials and family members of the victims have requested an investigation into war crimes and human rights violations.

#DoralFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela

Doral, FL- Fifty passionate activists gathered on a sidewalk across from the Univision TV station in Miami, January 26, to denounce U.S. attempts to overthrow the democratically-elected government in Venezuela. The protest targeted the overt and illegal coup plans being hatched by Donald Trump and the U.S government, and media stations like Univision and CNN who continue to spread propaganda pushing for intervention and regime change.

The energized crowd shouted, “Hands off Venezuela!” and “I,2,3,4 intervention no more!” They held signs and banners in English and Spanish along with pictures of late-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and current President Nicholas Maduro. Venezuelan flags waved in the air as cars and people passed by. One protester held a sign written in Spanish that read “Venezuela does not have a dictatorship, it has oil.”

This bold action was held in the heart of Doral, a city in the Miami area known for being home to Trump National golf resort and an extremely right-wing, wealthy Venezuelan community. In fact, Doral has the highest percentage of Venezuelans than any other U.S. city – several of whom shouted obscenities and derogatory cries, as well as threats to the protesters as they walked or drove by.

Those in attendance represented many backgrounds and nationalities. Speakers representing Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, and Nicaragua were some of those who addressed the crowd by denouncing U.S. intervention in their respective home countries. The event was organized by the Emergency Hands Off Venezuela Committee, a coalition the represents several progressive South Florida organizations, and that will continue organizing against any U.S coup attempts in Latin America.

#DoralFL #AntiwarMovement #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #Florida #Maduro #Trump

Doral, FL- On Nov. 11, fifteen protesters gathered outside of Trump National Golf Resort in Doral to demand no military action against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (north Korea). Activists called on Trump to end his warmongering, close the bases, remove U.S troops from along the Korean border, and stop all U.S military exercises taking place in and around the Korean peninsula.

Protesters held signs that read, “Trump, we won’t fight your wars,” and chanted slogans such as, “Korea ain’t done nothing to me, we don’t want no World War Three!” Despite a few belligerent encounters with verbally obnoxious drivers, most cars passing by honked and waved in enthusiastic agreement with the group’s message. Surprisingly, even those cars entering and leaving the resort were supportive.

“This demonstration is the first step in a public campaign to resist war with north Korea and elsewhere, and instead call for diplomacy to resolve the conflict,” said David Gibson, lead organizer with Peace, Justice, Sustainability Florida which called for the action. “The war may not come soon, but its likelihood increases exponentially as we initiate a dangerous and costly arms race in the Pacific. All this to line the pockets of defense contractors.”

The rally was part of a larger day-long event called the “Peace Train for Diplomacy,” in which peace activists hopped on the Tri-Rail train from West Palm Beach going south and got off at the various stops handing out informational flyers and petitions against war on the Korean peninsula. Once the train stopped in Miami, those activists joined up with others to rally outside Trump’s resort.

#DoralFL #AntiwarMovement #Korea #DemocraticPeoplesRepublicOfKorea

Doral, FL – About 40 activists marched from Trump National Resort in Doral to U.S. Southern Command, June 25, to demand that President Trump shut down Guantanamo Bay prison. The prison currently holds 41 detainees, 26 of whom have not been charged or tried for any crimes and five of whom have been cleared for release.

Protesters first gathered outside of Trump’s resort at 5 p.m., with a large banner that read, “Shut down Guantanamo!” Four people donned the infamous orange jumpsuits with black hoods over their heads; the same that prisoners at Guantanamo Bay are forced to wear. The four knelt in front of the Trump National Doral entrance holding signs such as, “Investigate Trump for war crimes.”

Conor Munro, an organizer with People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR), led the evening’s protest. “Closing Guantanamo under Trump might be more difficult than under Obama, because he openly promotes a torture agenda. But, what’s also true is that there is a large people’s movement against Trump, and we need to use that to target issues that matter,” said Munro.

At 6 p.m., the group marched one mile in the 93-degree heat to U.S. Southern Command, which is the entity responsible for all military activity in the Americas. From directing the prison cells at Guantanamo Bay, to the right-wing paramilitaries in Colombia and attempted coups in Venezuela, SOUTHCOM is a sinister institution that serves no other purpose than to spread the violence of U.S. imperialism across the hemisphere.

The event ended outside of the gates of SOUTHCOM, where the group listened to speeches from community leaders. One speaker focused on how the prison was once used to detain thousands of Haitian refugees fleeing a U.S.-backed coup, while another focused on how the land belongs to the people of Cuba and must be returned back to them in order to rid the island of U.S. military presence once and for all.

This was the fifth year that POWIR organized this protest to close Guantanamo Bay. Activists promised to continue the fight against torture, violence and war, no matter who sits in the White House.

#DoralFL #International #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #Cuba #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #GuantanamoBay

Doral, FL- In spite of pouring rain, nearly 70 people took to the streets near Miami, Jan. 11 demanding the immediate closure of the U.S. prisons at Guantanamo Bay. The march took place on the 13th anniversary since the prison doors at Guantanamo Bay Detention center first opened. Protesters marched for over a mile on the busy streets of South Florida’s industrial district until they arrived at the gates of U.S. Southern Command, the headquarters and control center for Guantanamo Bay.

“For 13 years the U.S. has kept Guantanamo open, wrongly imprisoned innocent people and tortured them, all under the pretense of fighting terrorism,” said Conor Munro, a lead organizer with POWIR, an anti-war group that helped organize the protest. “It’s time the U.S. shut down the entire military base at Guantanamo and give the land back to the Cuban people.”

“The U.S. erases the reality of torture by punishing victims of torture, like Palestinian American women’s leader Rasmea Odeh in Chicago!” explained Holly Kent-Payne, with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Rasmea Odeh, tortured and raped by the Israeli military 40 years ago, is facing sentencing in a Detroit court after an unfair trial.

Kent-Payne continued, “The same is true for the prisoners at Guantanamo, whose existence as prisoners of war is officially denied by the U.S. government. Meanwhile the real perpetrators of war and torture in Washington D.C. are let off the hook.”

The demonstration began at the corner of NW 36th Street and NW 87th Avenue, where community members gathered with signs reading, “End the torture,” and “Close down the torture prison now!” People also wore art displays by internationally-renowned protest artist Huong that read “No to torture,” and “Shut it down.” The colorfully painted wooden signs brought the Miami art scene to the streets. Passing drivers honked enthusiastically in support of the protesters and a few passersby grabbed signs and joined in the rally. After 30 minutes of sign-waving, the crowd took to the streets shouting, “Close Gitmo now!”

City of Doral Police were out in force, as well as federal security agents who followed the protesters from start to finish in black cars with tinted windows, taking pictures. What was meant to intimidate protesters only emboldened them, as they faced the police and security officials’ cars with their signs.

After 40 minutes of marching and chanting, the demonstrators finally converged at their target – the U.S. Southern Command. The secluded command center, where the U.S. military and intelligence agencies make plans and give directions, is home to the joint operations in charge of the prisons and military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Once they arrived, protesters got to hear speeches by prominent leaders in the national and local anti-war movements.

“Spend money on jobs and education, not for torture and occupation,” said Jonathan Waring, a member of the University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society.

Protesters called on the U.S. government to address seven specific demands, including the immediate closure of the prisons, ending all torture of prisoners and repatriating all innocent prisoners and their families upon release.

“Change will finally come and the U.S. will shut down this house of torture,” said Dave Gibson from War vs Human Needs.

Protests took place simultaneously in several locations throughout the country, including Washington, D.C. and California. The march in Miami was organized by a coalition of anti-war and pro-justice groups, including: POWIR, War vs Human Needs, National Lawyers Guild, Green Party of Broward County and Students for Justice in Palestine.

#DoralFL #AntiwarMovement #GuantanamoBay #PoliticalPrisoners #PoliticalRepression #POWIR

Doral, FL – Over 100 protesters rallied near U.S. Southern Command here, Jan. 11, to demand an end to the torture and abuse being carried out in Guantanamo Bay. Many of the protesters came from nearby cities like Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and some came from as far away as California and Michigan to demand that President Obama close down Guantanamo Bay for good.

The rally was organized by South Florida-based POWIR – People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism. The anti-war group formed a coalition with several groups to lead the protest, including Code Pink, Students for a Democratic Society and Veterans for Peace. The protest marked 12 years of the U.S. sending prisoners to Guantanamo Bay, a trend which started shortly after the ‘war on terror’ began.

Protesters began by assembling near a busy intersection approximately one mile from U.S. Southern Command. As people gathered, they brought signs that read “12 years too many” and “Stop the torture now! Close Guantanamo!” Protest organizers led militant chants such as, “Obama we don’t want your shame, no more torture in our name!” and “I don’t know what I’ve been told, we’ll keep marching till its closed! We are marching here to say: Obama close Guantanamo Bay!” The chants won a lot of support and honks from nearby cars. From there, protest organizers began the march to SouthCom by leading the people into the streets, even though the police denied that their permit protected the rights of the protesters to march in the streets. But the organizers were experienced and knew that the cops weren’t worth being worried about and marched into the streets anyways.

The march took up a full lane of traffic on the way to SouthCom. The lead banner read “Close Guantanamo now!” and listed the demands of the protesters. Once the march reached SouthCom, protesters dressed in the signature orange jumpsuits that prisoners at Guantanamo are forced to wear knelt down, blocking the entrance to SouthCom. The rest of the activists gathered behind the orange jumpsuits and also blocked the entrance. Speakers from Code Pink, Students for a Democratic Society, Progressive Democrats of America, Students for Justice in Palestine, POWIR, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression condemned the U.S. for keeping Guantanamo open and demanded it be closed and the prisoners released.

POWIR founder and protest organizer Cassia Laham told the crowd, “For half of my life, 12 years, Guantanamo has been allowed to exist – all as part of some warped strategy to win some ill-defined U.S.-fabricated war on terror. A war that knows no boundaries, no rules and no end. But who knows better than the U.S. what terror really means? Terror is the nearly 100,000 Iraqis who have been slaughtered by American bombs, terror is the thousands of Afghan children who have been murdered and raped and tortured… We stand here to today to say no to war, no to political repression, no to indefinite detention, no to torture and no to Guantanamo!”

#DoralFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #GuantanamoBay #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #USSouthernCommand #antiwar #USImperialism #InjusticeSystem #CodePink #POWIR