San Francisco, CA – On 21 September, crowds descended upon the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco to condemn human rights violations by the Marcos regimes of both 1965 and today. Throughout the rally, the People’s Choir sang songs written during periods of US-led violence in the Philippines, including Tamisan sa Sining’s “Dakilang Pakikibaka” and José Alejandrino’s “Bayan Ko”.
Alex Marquez from the League of Filipino Students – SF State told the crowd, “54 years ago today, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law and plunged the Philippines into 14 bloody years of state violence, until it was put into an end by the People Power Revolution in 1986, when the masses came together to exile this brutal dictator like a stallion kicks off a fly!” shouted Marquez.
Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, September 20, members of the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee gathered at the Mitchell Street Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library to watch a webinar featuring activists who took part in the Jaju Solidarity Brigade to South Korea, put on by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).
On Sunday, September 20, the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) held a webinar to hear from activists who traveled to the Republic of Korea (RoK) to participate in demonstrations against the U.S. military occupation of the country.
Speakers on the webinar included Meredith Aby of the AWAN steering committee, Chrisley Carpio of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Sonya Chung of Nodutdol, the organization of Korean American activists who organized the trip. The event was moderated by Maria Sohn Hasman of the AWAN-aligned Tucson Anti-War Committee.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines bestows the highest honors to Julia Cagadas-Lastimosa, revolutionary leader of North Central Mindanao Region (NCMR). The thousands upon thousands of workers, peasants and Lumad people knew her as Ka Rida, Ka Toyang, Ka Kayuka, Ka Tanya―whom they deeply loved for her simplicity, determination and dedication to serve all the oppressed and exploited.
At the end of August, Venezuela signed a major oil deal with the U.S. Because President Trump is widely viewed as a thief, liar and a braggart, the nature of the agreement is difficult to grasp at first glance. But we can and must seek truth from facts, which requires sifting through Trump and Rubio’s statements, the media’s framing, and the reality of the situation.
After a decade of punishing sanctions, Venezuela has endured invasion by the U.S., the bombing of its capital city, the kidnapping of its elected president and first lady, devastating earthquakes, and eight months of constant threats and blackmail. Delcy Rodríguez remains loyal to the Bolivarian Revolution, but she is locked in a delicate and existential negotiation for the future of Venezuela. It requires a sober grasp of reality to see that Venezuela is attempting to navigate an asymmetrical balance of power with a blood-thirsty pack of ghouls hell-bent on claiming dominance over the entire Western Hemisphere.
Salt Lake City, UT – On Saturday, August 29, Salt Lake City community members gathered at the Day-Riverside Branch library for a teach-in and letter-writing campaign for Venezuela. Organized by the Utah Anti-War Committee, attendees wrote letters to their senators demanding an end to U.S. sanctions of Venezuela, the unfreezing of Venezuelan assets in Western hands, and the release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
New York, NY—On September 9, a motion was filed for Venezuela’s First Lady Cilia Flores, petitioning for her release from the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), and for her to be instead placed under house arrest in New York City, due to the severity of her heart condition.
After she and President Nicolás Maduro were illegally kidnapped by the U.S. in January of this year, her health has rapidly deteriorated throughout her imprisonment.
Seixal, Portugal – The Avante festival, a huge political-cultural event in Portugal, brought together more than 100,000 people for three days of joyful celebration and revolutionary solidarity from September 4-6.
Avante, which means “forward,” is one of several annual summer festivals in Portugal. But this one has a big difference – it’s organized by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP). Imagine going to a music festival but everyone calls each other “comrade” and there are red flags, hammers and sickles, keffiyehs and symbols of mass struggle and revolution all around. That’s Avante.
In the midst of record-high summer temperatures and a months-long drought, the people of San Juan, Puerto Rico have endured a water crisis that has seen the resource rationed. By August 1, hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans had already gone 100 days without reliable access to fresh water.
As reported by Reuters, more than 180,000 people in San Juan and surrounding areas must face 48 hours without running water for every 48 hours with it. Although many officials in the U.S.’s colonial administration may want to refer to this crisis as an “act of God,” in reality, it is anything but. While the drought preceding this crisis had San Juan facing its driest July on record in 2026, it is not an isolated incident. It is simply the newest trigger-point for a much larger issue facing Puerto Rico that has gone on since the United States first began administering the island in 1898.
San Francisco, CA – On the afternoon of August 15, 100 people gathered in front of the San Francisco Federal Building for a national day of action to demand, “U.S. out of Korea” and “No to a Pacific war.”
Protesters chanted, “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!” and “From Korea to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!”
From August 9 through August 17, Chrisley Carpio of the Central Committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization took part in the Jaju Solidarity Brigade, the first international delegation to attend the annual August 15 Korean Liberation Day March, in what is known as the Republic of Korea. The Jaju Solidarity Brigade visited U.S. bases and sites of historic importance to the progressive movement in Korea and learned about various fronts of struggle for Korean peace, sovereignty and reunification.
Fight Back!: Can you briefly summarize the political situation on the Korean Peninsula? And its relationship to the United States?
Chrisley Carpio: The people of the Korean Peninsula were once a united people. Today, its people are divided by U.S. imperialism at the 38th parallel. The North, known as the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea, is a liberated, socialist state that is in charge of its own affairs, including its government, military, economy and society. In the DPRK, every person is guaranteed a job, a place to live, and groceries such as rice and soy sauce, no matter the state of the economy.
Seoul, SK – On August 15, the Jaju Solidarity Brigade, led by Nodutol, joined 10,000 people marching in Seoul, Republic of Korea to demand “U.S. out of Korea.” This was the first international delegation to ever join the annual National Liberation Day protest in South Korea, which has historically brought together the country’s most progressive trade unions, student organizations, women’s groups, and other civil society organizations to oppose the Ulchi Freedom Shield war drills.
June Colcol, the secretary general of BAYAN USA, explained the purpose of the delegation at a press conference for the delegation, “We aim to contribute to uplifting the Korean national liberation struggles against U.S. militarism by raising the people's resistance and linking our efforts to kick out the U.S. from our homelands. U.S. military presence continues to place our people in danger.”
21 international anti-war and progressive organizations, from the U.S., Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, Guåhan (Guam), the Philippines and India, participated in the Jaju Solidarity Brigade. The brigade spent a week visiting sites of U.S. military occupation, including Gusan Air Base, Camp Casey and Camp Humphreys. The delegation also met with people’s resistance leaders from across South Korea to learn about their fightbacks to U.S. occupation.
Minneapolis, MN – On August 15, community members gathered at Mayday Plaza to honor the 81st anniversary of Korean Liberation Day. The event was held in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, right outside of Mayday Books.
The action was emceed by Trent Fast from the Minnesota Anti-War Committee and Leo Del Rio from About Face, who began with the acknowledgement of the U.S.’s ongoing presence and occupation in Korea.
Los Angeles, CA – On Sunday, July 26, over 100 activists from different organizations came together to celebrate the launch of Bulosan – a network fighting for the labor movement in the United States and international solidarity with unions and workers in the Philippines.
“The core of our organization is made up of union organizers and workers who understand the importance of building genuine trade unions, building solidarity between workers in the Philippines and workers in southern California, and organizing overseas Filipino workers to contribute to the struggle back home. Before launching our organization, we grew to include several more organizers and workers and we are now growing every week,” said one of the Bulosan organizers.
Chicago, IL – On Sunday, July 26, over 100 Chicagoans gathered downtown at the Philippine Consulate for the annual People’s State of the Nation Address (PSONA) to demand accountability and transparency from the Filipino government, an immediate end to political repression and forced migration, and funding for essential services like jobs, education, healthcare and food.
New Orleans, LA – On Sunday, July 26, activists and community members gathered in front of the federal building downtown to commemorate the Cuban National Day of Rebellion and demand that the U.S. cease its blockade against Cuba.
San Francisco, CA – On July 27, a crowd surrounded the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco for the People’s State of the Nation Address to protest against the reactionary Bongbong Marcos Jr. This comes after a torrent of nationwide protests which have rocked the Philippines in the wake of economic disasters and armed attacks on workers and farmers.
Tucson, AZ – For 53 days, the social movements of indigenous peoples and trade unions blockaded streets across Bolivia to protest the neoliberal agenda of President Rodrigo Paz. Shortly after Paz’s inauguration in November of 2025, unions and community organizations issued economic demands that included stopping the privatization of the nationalized resources of country, reinstating fuel subsidies, and ending tax cuts for the rich.
New York, NY – On July 29, over 150 people rallied outside of New York City’s Philippine consulate for the annual People’s State of the Nation Address (PSONA), presenting the people’s assessment of the Marcos Jr. administration and demanding justice for Filipino immigrant workers and an end to political repression.
Northampton, MA – On July 26, the River Valley Anti-War Committee (RAWC) called a rally to stand in solidarity with Cuba. The rally was held in Pulaski Park in downtown Northampton to demand the U.S. lift the blockade and for the Trump administration to cease its drive toward war with Cuba.
