Fort Lauderdale, FL – A dozen activists from the South Florida area joined together outside of the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday afternoon, February 20, to denounce U.S. sanctions and any U.S. aggression against Iran, and to urge President Biden to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action without any added stipulations.

This event was part of the “No War on Iran National Days of Action” called for by Youth Against Empire (YAE), the newest formation within the United National Antiwar Coalition. YAE is part of a national initiative by leading anti-war organizations within UNAC to place young people at the center of the struggle against U.S. wars of aggression.

In Fort Lauderdale, activists held signs that read, “No war on Iran,” as well as peace signs and a large banner that had the message, “Money for jobs and education, not for wars and occupation.” Cars and passersby waved and honked loudly in agreement as they drove past the activists on the busy intersection.

This was the first in-person rally held by anti-war groups in South Florida since summer of 2020, due to COVID concerns. However, the spirited group of protesters wore masks and maintained relative distance from others and voiced hope that this would be the beginning of renewed activism in the area.

Rallies, banner-drops, and sign-waving took place in several cities across the country as part of the National Days of Action, including in Minneapolis, Albany, Denver and Dallas.

#FortLauderdaleFL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #IranSanctions

Fort Lauderdale, FL – About 400 members of the surrounding communities gathered in downtown Fort Lauderdale to commemorate Juneteenth and demand an end to police violence. The event was sponsored by several local organizations, including SEIU Local 32BJ, Black Lives Matter Alliance of Broward, Broward Dream Defenders, and the New Florida Majority. The event began at 3 p.m. at Bubier Park, where those in attendance listened to speeches, chanted, and even danced.

The atmosphere was both festive and somber, joyful yet ripe with anger. As the protesters marked the holiday meant to celebrate the ending of slavery in the United States, they also raised several demands to the city of Fort Lauderdale and the Broward County commission, including: reallocating millions from the Fort Lauderdale Police budget to local education and mental health services, demilitarizing the city’s police force, and holding the several killer cops within the county’s police forces accountable for their crimes.

The rally turned into a march throughout downtown Fort Lauderdale, with local SEIU union members (largely Haitian workers from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport) providing Caribbean-style music throughout, with drums and horns in the typical Haitian “Rara” fashion. The instruments and dancing gave the march a true celebratory atmosphere. Marchers chanted “Black lives matter,” and No justice, no peace,” and “I can’t breathe,” in tempo with the music.

Protesters stopped at several major intersections throughout the march to give speeches, and once in front the Broward County Jail the horns and drums brought those inside to their windows, waving at the protesters below and banging on their windows in beat with the horns and drums.

At one intersection outside of the county commission building, Haitian-American workers spoke out (at times in Creole) against the unsafe conditions and low pay they face as private sub-contractors at the airport, emphasizing the importance of a strong labor movement and strong unions.

Other Juneteenth rallies were also held throughout South Florida, including at the Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami and in Pompano Beach.

#FortLauderdaleFL #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #ChicanoLatino #PoliceBrutality #Juneteenth #StopPoliceCrimes

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over 3000 members of the South Florida community took to the streets in downtown Fort Lauderdale to protest the killing of George Floyd. They marched to demand the arrest of the other Minneapolis cops involved in Floyd’s murder and an end to all racist police violence.

The protesters, all wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, gathered at Huizenga Park where they rallied, heard speeches and chanted phrases such as, “Black lives matter,” and “I can’t breathe!” While speeches were going on, volunteers handed out water bottles and snacks for anyone in attendance who needed help coping with the 95-degree heat. Despite the overwhelming afternoon heat, the atmosphere felt in the park was one of unity, community and militancy.

Once the speeches ended, all the protesters took to the streets chanting and holding their signs high. They marched over one mile to the Fort Lauderdale police station. The Fort Lauderdale police department itself has been the source of multiple police murders against Black and brown people in the city. At that point, the enormous crowd surrounded the building and shouted to the police in unison, “We can’t breathe,” and “Say his name, officers!” Before leaving the police station, protesters managed to pull down the American and city flags and replace them with a tattered old flag that read, “Liberty and justice for some.”

After protesters marched back to the park for the conclusion of the event around 6 p.m., the crowd began to dissipate as people tried to leave and return home. But that is when a swarm of police cars entered the small street leading to the parking garage where most protesters’ cars were parked. All of a sudden, one white male cop shoved a black woman who was kneeling down to the ground in peaceful protest. Her head hit the road. All of this was caught on video circulating local news and social media.

That unprovoked act of violence by the police started a night of tear gas, rubber bullets and curfew. For hours, a standoff between protesters and police took place in downtown Fort Lauderdale, with multiple protesters being hit by tear gas canisters and rubber bullets.

The event was a great success and a great show of strength and power by the people of Fort Lauderdale who stood with people across the country demanding justice for George Floyd and all victims of police violence. The South Florida community plans to continue organizing protests throughout Miami Dade and Broward counties.

#FortLauderdaleFL #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #MinneapolisUprising

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Hundreds of protests took place across the world on January 25, to demand no new U.S. war in Iran, an end to Trump’s violence and sanctions against Iran, and the removal of U.S. troops from the Middle East. In Fort Lauderdale, 35 activists gathered outside of the federal courthouse to join the global day of protest.

The diverse and energized group rallied on the busy intersection of Broward Boulevard, blasting protest music from speakers, holding signs and banners, and chanting loudly. People driving by opened their windows to share peace-signs and fists of solidarity, truck and bus drivers honked loudly in approval.

The activists at the rally held bright signs that read, “We need union jobs, not a war on Iran,” and “We need universal healthcare, not a war on Iran,” along with a super-sized red banner with the words, “Forward without war and capitalism.” The activists took part in an interactive art display by local social-justice artist Huong, who was also in attendance. Huong created double-sided painted canvases with messages of peace and justice, one piece taking five activists to spell out the words, “No war.”

After an hour of chanting, the activists gathered to listen to local grassroots organizers speak about the importance of continuing to oppose U.S. wars. Those in attendance were also encouraged to call and email their senators when they returned home to demand Senators Rubio and Scott vote “Yes” on the war powers resolution that passed the House. The resolution would force the president to get congressional approval before conducting military strikes against Iran. The group also signed onto a letter of apology being circulated by CodePink addressed to the people of Iran, by the people of the United States, apologizing for our government’s decades of intervention in their country.

While the global day of action was endorsed by most national and international anti-war organizations, the local South Florida rally was organized largely by People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR) and Dream Defenders.

#FortLauderdaleFL #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #DreamDefenders #DonaldTrump #PeoplesOppositionToWarImperialismAndRacism #NoWarWithIran

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over 60 people from South Florida’s tri-county area gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church of Fort Lauderdale to hear a panel and question-and-answer session featuring anti-war activists Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. Zeese and Flowers are two of the four Embassy Protector activists who spent 37 days protecting international law and peace within the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. They are currently facing bogus federal charges brought by the Trump administration that, if convicted, would mean up to one year in prison and $100,000 fines each.

Also on the panel was a representative from the National Lawyers Guild – criminal and civil rights attorney Audrey Bomse. Bomse provided illuminating perspective on the history of politically-motivated attacks by the federal government in the United States, and the ongoing injustices faced by present-day political prisoners such as Leonard Peltier, Julian Assange and the MOVE 9 Black liberation activists. She explained how anti-war and anti-capitalist activists, as well as Black and Chicano liberation activists, have often been the main targets of the state.

Zeese and Flowers described their time at the embassy and the politics of their situation. They explained how the Embassy Protection Collective formed in April 2019, after the Organization of American States, which is largely dominated by the U.S., declared the U.S-puppet Juan Guaidó “president of Venezuela.” This was all part of an illegal scheme by the United States to oust the democratically elected socialist leader of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. In order to keep the DC embassy from being illegally taken over by right-wing coup supporters, progressive activists went to the embassy and, with permission of the Venezuelan government, who handed them the keys, remained there.

For 37 days, the Venezuelan embassy in DC was under siege by local and federal police and right-wing Venezuelan mobs who surrounded the embassy, used strobe lights and blare horns throughout the nights, tried breaking down the door, violently attacked Embassy Protection Collective solidarity activists outside the embassy, and even blocked supporters from bringing food and water to the activists inside.

The pair explained how, on the last day, heavily armed police wearing military grade protective gear used a battering ram to break through the Venezuelan Embassy (which Flowers noted was only ‘locked’ with plastic zip-ties at that point, and which could have simply been cut with scissors), in total violation of international law and the Vienna Convention. They proceeded to arrest the last four remaining peace activists in the Embassy on the absurd charge of “interfering with certain protective functions” of the federal government.

The crowd also got to watch solidarity videos by journalist Max Blumenthal, activist and fellow Embassy Protector Medea Benjamin, and former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. The three, who have also been victims of political repression by the U.S, thanked those in attendance for their political and financial support of the Embassy Protection Collective and explained the importance of supporting these and all activists who come under attack by the federal government.

Following the overview of their time spent in the Embassy, Flowers and Zeese also took time to show how what the mainstream media and politicians continue to tell the American people about Venezuela is “the complete opposite of the truth.”

According to Zeese, who has spent plenty of time in Venezuela, including as an international observer of its elections, “Venezuela is not a dictatorship. It’s the opposite! It is a hyper-democracy, from the bottom up. The state makes it priority to register people to vote. Unlike here, where the state has laws barring people from voting. Their election process is much more transparent and much more secure than what we have in the United States. And the entire time we were in Venezuela, I didn’t see a single homeless person, yet on my way to this event tonight I saw several on the streets. It is a democratically elected government that cares about its poorest people, unlike our government here.”

The panel discussion was organized by the Hands Off Venezuela Coalition of South Florida. Overall, the event succeeded in raising over $2400, all of which was donated directly to the Embassy Protectors Defense fund.

#FortLauderdaleFL #International #AntiwarMovement #Venezuela #US #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #DonaldTrump #HandsOffVenezuela #EmbassyProtectors #HandsOffVenezuelaCoalitionOfSouthFlorida

Fort Lauderdale, FL- Over the last several days, four protests calling for an end to U.S. aggression toward Iran have taken place throughout the South Florida area. From rallies and marches, to vigils and artistic displays, the progressive-minded people of South Florida have united and made it clear that they oppose any further military escalation against Iran and the entire region.

On January 4, over 60 activists gathered at the Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami to hold signs and listen to speeches opposing the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani. They chanted, “No More Wars!” and held a banner read, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.” This rally was organized by CODEPINK and People's Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR.)

On January 9, two anti-war events took place in the South Florida area: one at the Torch of Friendship in Miami and the other outside of the federal building in Fort Lauderdale. Over 150 people took part in those two events, which began as sign-holdings and ended as vigils to all victims of endless U.S. wars in the Middle East. This action was called for by MoveOn.

On January 12, artist Huong Peace installed her mobile mural on the topic of the escalating conflict with Iran. It is on Miami Beach’s busy Lincoln Road, and asks passersby to add their comments on the topic. Dozens of pedestrians took part in the interactive art display, which will remain up for the next few weeks.

#FortLauderdaleFL #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #DonaldTrump

Fort Lauderdale, FL- 70 members of the South Florida community, some travelling up to three hours, from places as far away as Sarasota, gathered inside the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Lauderdale to hear award-winning journalist and author Max Blumenthal share the history and implications of the failed U.S. coups against Venezuela. Camilo Mejia of Veterans for Peace and Tracy Molm of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization joined Blumenthal in an illuminating and engaging panel discussion organized by the Hands off Venezuela Coalition.

Tracy Molm, who spoke first, joined in by Skype and provided an historical analysis of the current situation in Venezuela and a report-back of her recent trip to the country as part of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization delegation. She shared personal stories and plenty of pictures depicting the incredible progress made by the Venezuelan government – such as the 2.6 million homes built and massive rise in literacy rate. But Molm and her comrades also witnessed first hand the coup attempt called for by Juan Guaido that was meant to take place April 30.

“It was absolutely shocking,” Molm said. “The U.S. media was going on and on about how there was supposed to be a huge protest led by the opposition, but we were staying in the exact area where that was all meant to be taking place, and nothing happened. People stayed in their houses, went about their day. Rather, tens of thousands of Venezuelans rallied at the presidential palace to defend President Nicolas Maduro should the opposition and the U.S. try to take over. The next day, May Day, we marched with 1 million Venezuelans who rallied to support the Bolivarian Revolution and defend their president and hear him speak.”

Camilo Mejia addressed the crowd next, dispelling the myths regarding the failed coup attempt against Nicaragua. He provided statistics revealing the massive gains made by the socialist Sandinista government in literacy, housing, transportation, higher education and vocational training, and food sovereignty.

Mejia then revealed how the tactics used in Nicaragua are also being implemented in Venezuela, stating, “They take a social issue, a real issue and then use it to manipulate the situation. So last year, what prompted the protests in Nicaragua was reforms to social security. The reality is the IMF was demanding the government implement austerity measures, double the work requirements and raise the qualification age from 60 to 65. The Sandinista government refused to do that and instead chose to maintain the pension program by requiring wealthy people and businesses to pay more in. Well, the U.S. and its allied groups in Nicaragua started a calculated media campaign saying the government is stealing your money and doing away with pensions, and that started the protests, during which the CIA used well-documented tactics to have paid thugs create discord and violence.”

By 8 p.m., the spotlight was on the keynote speaker of the night. Max Blumenthal provided a brief but in-depth history of Venezuela and the Bolivarian movement, from the century of gross inequality suffered by most Venezuelans prior to Hugo Chavez’ sweeping electoral victory in 1998 to the present day U.S.-led sanctions and coup attempts.

He also went into detail about the Venezuelan opposition and its ties to Generation 2007, a group trained and funded for years by the CIA regime change specialists. Generation 2007 cadre members like Juan Guiado and Leopldo Lopez were trained on multi-pronged coup tactics in order to remove Chavez, and later Maduro, from power and roll back the revolution’s advances.

Blumenthal stated, “Pretty much anyone involved in the coup right now was trained by this network. They are taught: no dialogue, no compromise, maximalist demands, take part in very provocative tactics, which are supposedly nonviolent, but which ultimately and purposefully lead to street violence and instability. And they implemented these tactics for years, causing massive casualties, including burning a man in alive in the streets because they believed he was a Chavista.”

Blumenthal went on to explain the impact of U.S. sanctions, stating, “In 2015, Obama implements the first round of sanctions. Minor inflation quickly became hyperinflation because banks now considered Venezuela ‘high risk’ due to the sanctions, and so they would refuse to refinance Venezuela’s debt. So the country’s credit was being destroyed, and the banks wouldn’t loan them money to refinance. And seeing how Venezuela imports the vast majority of its agricultural goods, basically, the United States is using sanctions to deny the Venezuelan population access to food and medicine. So the U.S. uses the sanctions to try and manufacture a humanitarian crisis in order to stir rebellion and chaos. And we’re starting to see that tactic in Iran too, as the people are facing aggressive sanctions by Donald Trump.”

#FortLauderdaleFL #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #TracyMolm #MaxBlumenthal #CamiloMejia #Americas

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Thirty community activists gathered at the federal courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, December 2, to denounce the violent treatment of Central American refugees at the U.S. border. Protesters present demanded asylum for the refugees, the withdrawal of troops from the border and an end to U.S military involvement in the Americas.

The group chanted for an hour on the busy street corner, holding signs that read, “Don’t cage and gas refugees,” “Nadie es ilegal” and “Troops off the border! U.S. out of Latin America!” Once the chants subsided, the group gathered in a circle for a moment of silence and to hear speeches from various organizers.

“The U.S cares a lot about borders when it suits them,” said Tifanny Burks of the Broward Immigrant Justice Coalition, addressing the crowd. “The U.S cares about borders when desperate refugees are fleeing violence, but they don’t care about borders when they invade, bomb and occupy other countries throughout the world.”

The diverse group of activists were united in their denunciation of U.S interventionism in Latin America. They spoke out in solidarity with refugees the world over, from Libya to Palestine. The organizers of the event also meant for it to be a food and resource drive, with people bringing items to be delivered to the refugee caravan.

The rally was organized by several groups in South Florida, including the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Students Working for Equal Rights, and Broward Immigrant Justice Coalition.

#FortLauderdaleFL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #CentralAmericanRefugees #BrowardImmigrantJusticeCoalition

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has never been one to hold his tongue or shy away from even the most powerful figures. His films and articles often offer illuminating and entertaining critiques of American society, economics, and politics. Fahrenheit 11/9 is no exception. Moore’s newest film takes viewers on an exciting yet terrifying ride through the current American political landscape, and ends by placing viewers behind the wheel.

Fahrenheit 11/9 is 90-minute indictment of American political and economic institutions. It starts by demonstrating the obvious: Trump is a racist, homophobic, misogynist who loves big bombs and explosions almost as much as he loves diving into his morning Big Mac. From there, Moore launches into a critical examination of how this man came to be president of the United States and what this means for our future.

The film provides blood-boiling audio recordings of the major media moguls (from MSNBC, CNN, to FOX) in which they explain how any press on Trump was good for their bottom dollar. The one-percenters who control the entire mainstream media are filmed admitting that Trump was great for ratings, so they gave him thousands of hours of free screen time. And Trump (having produced and starred in TV shows himself) knew how to play those media companies like fiddles in order to win.

Moore also dives into the Democratic Party’s undeniably anti-democratic decision to snatch the primaries from social democrat Bernie Sanders. The movie mocks Hillary Clinton’s inability to relate to average people and admonishes her entire party for their smugness in assuming they were entitled to the presidency.

The film is ripe with traditional Michael Moore humor, awkward interviews and encounters, and satisfying, over-the-top tricks being played against those who deserve it most. But coupled with these comical scenes and antics is the somber reality the movie is trying to convey: the entire system is not only rigged against us, but is actually killing us. And it’s up to us to stop it.

Perhaps the most tragic part of Fahrenheit 11/9 is Moore’s close examination of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He conducts interviews and provides government data which show that the governor of Michigan knowingly poisoned the people of Flint when he made the decision to switch their water supply from Lake Huron to the toxic Flint River. Yet neither establishment Democrats (including President Obama) nor Republicans investigated the governor for committing this crime, and both parties dismissed claims that the water was (and still is) toxic. Moore shows us that the poisoning of Flint’s water was not a mistake or an oversite: it was biological warfare against the people of Flint.

Despite the grim realities Moore illustrates for us, he places hope in average people fighting back against the system. He highlights the teachers’ strikes that took place in states across the country in the last year and how they were able to win their demands by not giving in to the typical divide-and-conquer tactics of the state. He also shows the rise in leftists and socialists running for local and state offices and the growing number of high school students taking part in activism. The film ends by concluding that the only way to ‘fix’ this rotten system is to burn the whole thing down and start over again. And that is a job for we, the people.

#FortLauderdaleFL #US #PeoplesStruggles #Movies #MichaelMoore #Trump #DonaldTrump

Fort Lauderdale, FL – On Sunday, April 15, about 25 members of the South Florida activist community joined together outside of the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale to protest the latest U.S. attacks on Syria. The event was in reaction to the attack Friday night by U.S. and its accomplices, in which they illegally bombed three government-controlled sites in and around heavily populated areas in Syria.

Protesters held several “Hands off Syria!” signs and a large hand-painted banner that read, “Stop the endless war! U.S out of the Middle East!” As cars drove by along the busy downtown roads, the spirited group of protesters chanted slogans such as, “Hey, hey Donald J, how many bombs did you drop today?”

After about one hour of chanting and sign-waving, the group formed a circle to hear the organizers of the event speak about why protesting these endless wars is imperative.

Lifetime anti-war activist Ray del Papa, of Pax Christi, addressed the crowd by reminding them of the lies told by the media and the politicians in the months leading up to the Iraq War. He warned that the U.S. is playing a world-ending game against Russia in Syria, and that the stakes are high.

Conor Munro, an organizer with People's Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR), also addressed the crowd, stating, “We know it’s not going to be Trump junior or senators’ sons that are going to fight and die in war against the people of Syria. It’s the 99% that will have to fight, and all to line the pockets of the big corporations.”

Munro continued, “While Donald Trump was out bombing Syria, we could have used that money to fix the poisoned water in Flint, or give health care to all Americans, or to provide free college for millions of students. And don’t let the news media fool you into thinking this is a humanitarian war. Do we really think that Donald Trump is a humanitarian?”

To show the hypocrisy in American ‘humanitarian intervention,’ Munro mentioned the desperate humanitarian crisis in Yemen caused by Saudi Arabia, the slaughter of dozens of Palestinians in recent weeks by Israel, and the millions of Iraqis killed in the U.S. ‘War on Terror,’ all acts committed by or assisted by the U.S.

#FortLauderdaleFL #AntiwarMovement #Syria #POWIR #PeoplesOppositionToWarImperialismAndRacism

Fort Lauderdale, FL- On Feb. 3, 30 members of the South Florida community gathered outside of the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale to protest the illegal and unjust imprisonment of 16-year-old Palestinian Ahed Tamimi. The protest, which was called, “Free Ahed and ALL Child Prisoners,” focused not only on young Ms. Tamimi but also the 300-plus other child prisoners being held in Israeli occupation jails.

At the protest, activists held signs that read, “Free all children from occupation,” and “Stand up for Ahed and all of Palestine.” As they congregated along the sidewalk along the busy intersection at Broward Boulevard and SE 3rd street, the group shouted chants such as, “Jail Bibi, free Tamimi!” and “IDF, what do you say? How many kids you kill today?”

After about an hour of chanting and sign-waving, the group gathered to hear speeches from various organizations. Donna Nevel, a lead organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace, was one of those who addressed the crowd.

“We stand firmly with the Palestinian people and join them in their calls for justice, to live in their homes and on their land without constant violence and abuse at the hands of the Israeli government,” Nevel said. “We stand with Ahed Tamimi and her family and the people of her village, Nabi Saleh, who are courageously resisting injustice!”

Thousands of Palestinians remain in Israeli occupation prisons under phony charges or without having been formally charged with any crimes. In these prisons, they are often subjected to harsh conditions, threats against their families, and torture. It is in these same prisons that the Israeli Defense Forces lock up young Palestinian children for throwing rocks at armored tanks, attending protests, or simply being related to politically active people.

Young Palestinians standing up against the Israeli government and its soldiers are forming a new threat to the Israeli establishment. They are deciding to fight back against the U.S. insistence that Palestinians accept a fate doled out to them by imperialist U.S. and apartheid Israel. Ahed Tamimi is a symbol of the new resistance, born and raised under occupation, violence and war; refusing to accept anything but a totally free Palestine.

As the chants died down in Fort Lauderdale, the protesters reaffirmed their commitment to do their part as activists in the U.S, to combat U.S foreign policy that does harm to children and all others in Palestine and in countries throughout the world.

The protest was organized by a coalition of various groups including POWIR, Al-Awda South Florida, Jewish Voice for Peace South Florida, National Lawyers Guild Miami and Friends of Sabeel South Florida.

#FortLauderdaleFL #Palestine #POWIR #AhedTamimi #MiddleEast

Those who were ordered to evacuate live in areas that are particularly prone to flooding and will likely experience fatal storm surges. They left with only what they could carry in backpacks and duffle bags, pillows and blankets in hand, children being pushed in strollers. Some left in cars, some on bikes, most in buses.

But when they arrived at the designated evacuation spots, most were turned away because the shelters were already filled to capacity. This happened time and time again to thousands of Floridians seeking refuge from what may be the deadliest storm to ever make landfall in the state. They were bounced from one shelter to the next, being told that there was no room.

This chaotic scene played out all day and night Friday, Sept. 8, and it demonstrates the complete lack of concern and preparedness by the U.S. government for its most vulnerable residents. Those who couldn’t afford to buy overpriced flights out of state or without friends and family who live outside of their evacuation zones were left without safe places to stay. They stood in long, hot lines with their belongings in hand as they were shuffled around the region.

So while government officials instilled fear and terror in the people of South Florida, demanding they leave their homes, that same government was unable to provide shelter for them. In fact, as of Friday afternoon, the emergency evacuation shelters set up in Miami-Dade and Broward counties were only able to house 100,000 people (one-sixth of those required to leave).

Hundreds of flights from Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports were cancelled, highways were at a standstill, and shelters were filled to the brim leaving South Floridians with nowhere to turn and no place to hide from the oncoming storm.

#FortLauderdaleFL #US #PeoplesStruggles #hurricane #EnvironmentalJustice #Florida #Irma

But for the thousands of homeless and poverty-stricken residents of the state, shopping sprees and evacuation are not viable options. Florida has the third largest homeless population in the country and, in moments of crisis such as this one, that is who gets hit the hardest.

Jeff Weinberger, organizer and co-founder with the October 22nd Alliance to End Homelessness, is an activist and advocate for the homeless in Broward County. And while there are often emergency plans in place for those living on the streets, he says most aren’t aware of them.

“Typically, for one thing, not everyone gets the word about the plan. When I went out last year to warn people about an impending cold weather emergency, I found that most of the people I spoke with had no idea about the shelters being open, or where to go to make sure they'd be taken care of,” Weinberger said.

Those who are aware of the plans in place, are often reluctant to follow them.

“There are the folks who insist on not going to shelter,” Weinberger said. “Which is almost always owing to the fact that they've had bad experiences staying in them, been treated abusively or been ripped off, or they simply hate being cooped up in a regimented environment,” Weinberger said.

This desperation among the population’s most vulnerable is symptomatic of the U.S. capitalist system. Under this for-profit system, economic safety nets that could eradicate homelessness and extreme poverty altogether (such as food and housing subsidies, adequate public transportation services, free healthcare) are always the first to be cut out of state and national budgets.

“Just consider the whole issue with people having to seek shelter, let alone seek shelter as a deadly storm heads our way,” Weinberger said. “That in itself reflects a society with fundamentally inhumane priorities. I'd say ‘insane’ isn't too strong a word.”

Capitalism is also largely to blame for climate change, the direct cause of ever more destructive storms such as Irma. In a society where profits outweigh safety and science, companies and governments are less likely to do what is necessary to prevent the devastating effects of climate change if it means dipping into corporate revenue. Couple that with President Trump and the Republican Party’s insistence that climate change is a ‘hoax,’ and the results are catastrophic.

“Science has always told us that climate change means more intense and more frequent storms,” said Andrea Cuccaro, a South Florida climate activist with a master's degree in public administration. “The oceans are warmer in places like the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, which strengthens storms that form or pass through there into higher categories with stronger winds.”

And unfortunately for the 30% of South Floridians who live beneath the poverty line, the gross inequalities of capitalism and the effects of climate change are likely to make Hurricane Irma (and other storms like it) an absolute disaster.

“The poorest communities will always be affected the most,” Cuccaro said. “They are the communities who may be living in the least safe structures and can't afford to be mobile after a storm.”

#FortLauderdaleFL #EnvironmentalJustice #HurricaneIrma

Fort Lauderdale, FL – South Florida anti-war activists held protests in two locations on August 12. In Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach, protesters spoke out against the Trump administration’s threats toward the DPRK (north Korea).

The Fort Lauderdale protest was called for by POWIR (People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism and Racism). 15 people gathered in front of the Federal Building holding a banner that read, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.” Some signs at the protest read, “Trump: We won’t fight your wars” and “World War III – shut it down!”

Henry Calway, an anti-war organizer from Boynton Beach, said after the protest, “It’s important for people in the imperialist countries to defend the sovereignty of oppressed peoples. Trump’s threats against the DPRK will be met with a wave of resistance at home and abroad. That’s what this demonstration was for.”

The organizers of the rallies in Fort Lauderdale and Miami agreed to hold a future event against possible war with the DPRK outside of Trump’s golf course and resort in Doral, Florida.

#FortLauderdaleFL #AntiwarMovement #Korea #DPRK #DemocraticPeoplesRepublicOfKorea #Asia

The protest is being called on May Day, International Workers Day, a historic day for international workers’ rights that commemorates those workers in Chicago who were killed by police in 1886 striking for the eight-hour work day. Recently, May Day has been claimed by the immigrant rights movement as a day to demand immigrant justice and the end to mass deportations. This year, unions and immigrant rights groups across the country are uniting and will be taking action together, including the American Federation of Teachers, whose slogan for May Day is “Build schools, not walls!”

The Fort Lauderdale protest is being organized by People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR), SEIU-Florida, Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), Broward Teachers Union (BTU), and Women’s March Broward, among others. Their demands include; Make Broward a Sanctuary Count;, Implement a living wage in Broward County by implementing a $15 minimum wage; No more ICE in our county; No walls, no bans; Stop the attacks on unions and working people.

The event was partially inspired by the widely successful National Day without Immigrants in February and will be one of hundreds of similar actions and marches taking place across the country.

#FortLauderdaleFL #MayDay #internationalWorkersDay #legalizationForAll #Ni1mas

Fort Lauderdale, FL- After the U.S. fired 59 missiles at a Syrian airbase, activists in South Florida came together, April 8, to oppose all U.S. military intervention in that country. A diverse group of 50 activists, from young children to Vietnam War veterans, met outside of the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale with one simple message, “U.S. hands off Syria!”

The group lined up along Broward Boulevard and shouted chants such as, “Hey, hey USA, how many kids did you kill today?” Protesters held signs such as, “Fund our school, not your wars,” and stood behind a large banner that read, “Stop the endless war! U.S out of the Middle East!” The spirited crowd was met with honks and fists in the air by people driving and walking by.

The event ended with a lineup of speakers from anti-war organizations, including a very powerful speech from Ahmad Hamada who spoke of his life in Syria before moving to the U.S. Hamada told the crowd about how his friends and family have been victimized and killed by so-called ‘rebel’ Islamist groups over the last five years, and he pleaded with the U.S to stop arming and funding these groups and to stop the war on Syria.

Before leaving, the protesters agreed to continue organizing against U.S. wars in the Middle East and throughout the world, promising to return to the streets should the U.S. continue to escalate. The event was organized by People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR).

#FortLauderdaleFL #AntiwarMovement #US #PeoplesStruggles #Syria #AntiSyriaIntervention #MiddleEast

Fort Lauderdale, FL- Over 50 protesters from several different cities gathered outside of the Federal Courthouse here, Oct. 8 to mark the 15th anniversary of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. They demanded that the U.S. stop intervening in and occupying countries in the Middle East, an end to U.S. drone strikes, and to end all financial and military assistance for Saudi and Israeli war crimes.

The protest, organized by People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR), began with a sign waving outside of the courthouse as protesters chanted, “No justice, no peace! U.S. out of the Middle East!” and “1,2,3,4 we won’t fight a rich man’s war!”

People then gathered in a circle to hear a lineup of speakers comprised of local leaders in the progressive activist movement, including organizers with the Green Party of Broward and Black Lives Matter Alliance of Broward. One of those who spoke was Craig Watts, a Christian minister and member of the Disciples Peace Fellowship.

“I have been a peace and justice activist for 40 years, I have been standing up against U.S. wars for decades,” Watts said. “And when the time comes to choose between standing for the U.S. and its wars and standing for peace, I will always stand for peace! You can’t be with Jesus and be for imperialism.”

After listening to speeches, activists boldly took to the busy streets of downtown Fort Lauderdale chanting loudly, “These racist wars have got to go!” They marched with their signs and a large banner that read, “Stop the endless war! U.S. out of the Middle East!”

The protesters marched for about a mile taking up one lane of traffic, despite police cars following them and warning them to get off the streets or face arrest. Passing cars honked and gave peace signs to support the protesters. Toward the end of the march, they took over the intersection at Broward Bouldevard and SE 3rd Street and blocked it for a one-minute long moment of silence for victims of U.S. wars.

The group then wrapped things up by listening to a final list of speakers from groups like Al-Awda South Florida and Peace, Justice, Sustainability Florida.

“While the U.S. spends tax dollars to fight these wars, education spending is being cut and funding to Planned Parenthood is being cut,” said Jessica Schwartz of the Tampa Anti-War Committee. “At the same time, the wars abroad are used to justify political repression of activists here, including the group of activists raided and subpoenaed by the FBI known as the Anti-War 23. And Palestinian activists like Rasmea Odeh, who was targeted as a result of speaking out in defense of her homeland. That is why we must keep fighting back!”

Galvanized by a strong sense of solidarity, those in attendance vowed to continue resisting U.S. wars abroad and to keep organizing locally against U.S. imperialism at home and abroad until justice is won.

#FortLauderdaleFL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #Protest #Florida #MiddleEast

Palestinian Americans and solidarity activists gathered in front of the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale waving Palestinian flags and wearing black, with kaffiyehs wrapped around their necks. Activists brought a large wooden coffin for a funeral service to remember the victims of Israeli occupation and terror. The coffin had a large Palestinian flag and a picture of the Al Aqsa mosque draped over it.

Attendees read out first-hand accounts from those Palestinians ethnically cleansed by Israeli colonists. Activists then heard testimonies from their children and grandchildren, who have since been denied entry to their homeland.

Cassia Laham, an organizer with POWIR, told the crowd, “Nakba is the ongoing plight of the Palestinian people. Nakba is the catastrophic U.S. foreign policy that continues to bolster up Israeli power in the Middles East. Nakba is the fact that Americans with no attachment to Palestine get to visit and live in that land for free while Palestinians are kept out. Nakba is millions of U.S. dollars and tons of weapons being sent to Israel to use against Palestinians each year. Over the past seven decades, Palestinians have faced a continuing Nakba, constant catastrophe, occupation and violence. They have faced their own suffering, and time and time again risen up after it all. The people of Palestine are a brave and fighting people, who deserve our solidarity! Long live Palestine!”

Anas Amireh, lead organizer with Al-Awda South Florida, told the crowd, “Not only were Palestinians forced off their land and out of their homes in 1948, but again after the war in June of 1967 [the Naksa].” He explained, “The Naksa is often commemorated as the biggest Palestinian tragedy since ’48, although it is celebrated in Israel as a national holiday. During the Naksa in 1967, around 400,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes and became refugees. June 5 is marked as the day that the Israeli military began their occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula. That military occupation continues to this day.”

Amireh told the crowd, “Today, we are all gathered here because we are awake. We are the people who understand that Nakba and Naksa and occupation continue every day, even when there isn’t a big war or Israeli massacre in Gaza or thousands of people dying. We know that we have to keep fighting to end this ongoing Nakba. And today we are sad, but one day in the future, we will all gather in this spot again and celebrate a free Palestine!”

#FortLauderdaleFL #Palestine #AlNakba #MiddleEast

Fort Lauderdale, FL – 50 militant anti-racist protesters confronted 200 racist bikers, skinheads and Confederate sympathizers on August 16. The pro-Confederate racists rode in from all over the South to invade Broward County, Florida. The racists planned to parade the Confederate battle flag through the streets of South Florida before rallying in Markham Park in Sunrise. Instead, they were met with a powerful local resistance in the form of local Black Lives Matter activists.

The Confederate battle flag is a symbol of slavery and racist oppression. Those who wave it intend to intimidate African Americans and uphold white supremacy. Local activists were determined to send a clear message that racists and their symbols are not welcome in South Florida.

The anti-racist protesters marched through the streets of Plantation chanting, “Black lives matter!” and “My people (yeah), I’ve got a story (yeah), let’s tell the whole wide world, this is people’s territory!” The determined group confronted the white racists in a park where they were gathered. They anti-racists boldly blockaded the entrance of the park for more than 30 minutes, preventing the motorcade from leaving.

The Confederate supporters jeered and yelled racial slurs from their pickup trucks and motorbikes that were covered in both Confederate and U.S. flags. In response, the protesters chanted, “Hey-hey, ho-ho, your racist flag has got to go!”

The Confederates became more and more enraged because they couldn’t enter or exit the park. Several times they attempted to run over protesters with their vehicles, but local activists stood their ground. The racists finally exited after local police came to their aid and removed anti-racist activists from the entrance by roughing them up. As the Confederate-donned trucks and motorcycles poured out of the park one of the counter-protesters pulled out a Confederate flag and set it on fire. An African American man wiped his shoes on another one as the racists watched.

The protest then headed to Markham Park in the town of Sunrise, to cut off the Confederate supporters. The same bold group of 50 was able to block both entrances to Markham Park. When the trucks covered in Confederate flags arrived they couldn’t break through the group who stood with their arms locked. Only a few were brave enough to get out of their trucks and yell at the protesters.

The local Florida activists displayed a lot of courage by standing up against both the threats made by racist Confederates and arrest threats made by police. Under threat of arrest, the protesters took to the street again and marched through Markham Park, right up to the pavilion that the Confederates had reserved for a rally and barbeque.

The protesters made it clear that racists and their flags are not welcome in Broward County, Florida, and that those who traveled from out of town to spread racism and hatred should get back in their trucks and leave. The Confederate supporters responded with Nazi salutes and threats of violence. One racist showed his gun to counter-protesters, trying to intimidate them.

Didier Ortiz, one of the organizers of the anti-racist rally, stated “It's upsetting to know that many hold on to this symbol of white supremacy as their heritage but that is no excuse to glorify it. The Confederacy is, and will always be, a symbol of oppression. It must be challenged and defeated at all possible opportunities.”

The action ended with local activists vowing to continue organizing to defeat racist discrimination and national oppression in their community. If Confederate supporters attempt to bring their racist rag back to South Florida they will surely be met with larger protests.

#FortLauderdaleFL #Antiracism #BlackLivesMatter #ConfederateFlag

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over 100 people held a vigil, rally and march the evening of June 23, in a community response to the Charleston massacre of nine African American churchgoers.

The organizers’ statement read, “The South Florida community unites with communities throughout the country in remembering the victims of this attack.” After the vigil there was a “rally against national oppression and racist violence in the U.S.”

The vigil and rally began in front of the African American Research Library in the Sistrunk neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, a predominantly African American community. Protesters gathered chanting, “When Black and brown bodies are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” Their signs read, “Black lives matter,” and “Stand up against white supremacy and racism.”

It then turned into a two-mile march as protesters took to the streets. They chanted loudly as they marched down Sistrunk Boulevard. People from the neighborhood joined the chanting and several joined the march. Halfway through, protesters energetically took over an intersection at NW 6th Street and NW 9th Avenue for several minutes, blocking traffic and shouting, “If we don’t get it, shut it down! Shut it down!”

The attack on the AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina was committed by a white supremacist hoping to start a race war against African Americans. The AME Church was specifically chosen for its historic importance to the African American people and because it was the target for Klan violence in the past. The white killer’s goal was to intimidate, but instead the result is a strengthening of the African American people’s resolve to end their oppression. Rather than give into fear and racist violence, people throughout the country are joining African Americans and rising up in unity to stand against racism and oppression. The South Florida protest was a part of that fight back.

Didier Ortiz, one of the organizers of the South Florida march, spoke to the crowd. “Together we have the power to end racial violence,” he said, “It starts with solidarity and ends in liberation!”

The march ended at the Mount Hermon AME Church, where protesters gathered for a vigil to remember the nine victims of the Charleston massacre. They held moments of silence for all victims of racist hate. People also held candles and listened to speeches from community organizers and religious leaders.

“Let's call this what it is: the massacre in Charleston was a terrorist attack,” said St. James Valsin, an organizer of the event. “And long before ISIS or Al-Qaeda ever existed Black and brown people in America – Black, brown, and poor people all over this world – have felt the sting of American terror in the form of imperialism and capitalism. The institutionalized racism and sexism that we are fighting against are all byproducts of the American dream.”

The protest was organized by local community organizations including People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR), Broward Dream Defenders, and Broward Green Party. Protesters say that they will march again and again until they “finally get the freedom and justice we all deserve.”

#FortLauderdaleFL #AfricanAmerican #Antiracism #POWIR #CharlestonMassacre