West Springfield, MA – On Saturday, September 26, River Valley Anti-War Committee (RAWC) responded to the call by the by Massachusetts Peace Action (MAPA) against U.S. wars and Trump’s attacks on Iran.

Protesters gathered on a standout in a heavy traffic area leading into the Eastern States Exposition, also known as the “Big E,” New England’s biggest annual agricultural fair. The event was cosponsored by the River Valley Freedom Road Socialist Organization, while members of other community organizations showed up in support.

MAPA organized actions in West Springfield, Boston and Foxborough, Massachusetts, but as a rainy Nor’easter approached the state, Springfield’s action was the only one to go ahead as planned.

Foxborough’s action was intended to be directed toward Ed Sheeran’s concert at Gillette Stadium on September 25 and 26, joining boycotts against the singer’s tour after tour opener Macklemore was removed because of his statements in solidarity with Palestine. The removal of Macklemore was due to pressure from Gillette Stadium owner and Zionist Robert Kraft. On the morning of September 25, Sheeran canceled his concert due to weather.

Organizers in the western part of the state still moved forward to protest U.S. wars and gain support in their community as traffic surged towards the annual fair.

Amidst heavy winds, over a dozen protesters stood out close to traffic leading towards the Big E. RAWC members stood out with a banner proclaiming “End the U.S. war on Iran,” while others held signs reading, “No bombs on Iran,” opposing U.S. aggression against Cuba and in solidarity with Palestine. Protesters drew support from passing vehicles on their way to the annual central New England festival with chants of “No war!”

#WestSpringfieldMA #MA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #RAWC #MAPA

Tucson, AZ – Nearly 30 community members joined the Tucson Anti-War Committee (TAWC) on September 19 to protest 200 days of U.S. war on Iran outside of Howmet Aerospace, held as part of the Anti-War Action Network’s (AWAN) nationwide call to action.

TAWC connected the war to their local campaign to demand that Howmet Aerospace cut their contract providing parts for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jet program, which allows them to profit from genocide and war.

TAWC collaborated with local anti-war organizations for the event, including Common Defense, Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Nuclear Resister, Veterans for Peace, Tempest, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Communist Party USA, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

TAWC organizer Noel Todd led with chants exposing strife such as, “Howmet, Howmet, shame on you, the planes you make kill children, too!” “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more jets for Israel’s crimes!” and “Trump wants war, Trump wants oil, hands off of Iranian soil!” Passing cars honked in support of signs which read “Money for human needs, not war!” and “U.S. out of Iran, U.S. out of the Middle East, U.S. out of everywhere!”

Melissa Cordero from Common Defense shared her story as an Air Force combat veteran and how veterans have not yet received relief from previous U.S. wars, suffering abuse while deployed and suicide while at home. Cordero expressed how the U.S. military “brainwashes” soldiers and “made [her] believe everyone had a bomb strapped to them.”

Kaliana Venet of the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance emphasized that 200 days of U.S. war is, “200 days of war crimes, committed by our government, in our name, with our tax dollars, with weapons being built right here on our streets.”

Venet continued, “This war has always been a war against resistance, a war against anyone who dares to challenge the genocidal status-quo of the U.S.-Israeli regime, but we also know that this war was started because they are terrified of resistance, and in that same way, they are terrified of us.”

Jack Cohen-Joppa from Nuclear Resister discussed the expansion of neighboring weapons manufacturer Raytheon as part of a land grant in Tucson, and their complicity in the U.S.– Israeli missile strike on an elementary school in Minab earlier this year.

“Our friends and neighbors are stuck with those kinds of jobs,” Cohen-Joppa said, “And that’s why we go out and vigil every month at Raytheon, just to remind the workers there that it’s the product – it’s not them – that we object to, and we want better for our community than this kind of job.”

Maria Sohn Hasman of the TAWC demanded an end to U.S. aid to Israel and asked that money go towards human needs instead of war, while TAWC organizers held a banner reading “Howmet Arms Genocide!”

“Trump immediately claimed this war would be over in weeks, he loves to lie,” said Sohn Hasman, “The reality is that Trump is not in control. Israel can still not claim victory. This week, the cost of this war hit $38 billion dollars and Trump approved another $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel. While we are struggling to afford rent and groceries and our bills, Trump and the U.S. are using our taxpayer dollars to fund war and genocide.”

TAWC organizer and emcee of the event, Duncan Sohn Hasman, thanked attendees and closed out the action by listing the organization’s upcoming events, including a letter-writing workshop for President Maduro and First Lady Flores on October 3, and a protest to commemorate three years of genocide in Palestine on October 7.

#TusconAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Palestine #AWAN

Salt Lake City, UT- On Friday, September 18, dozens of anti-war activists and community members gathered in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal building to protest 200 days of the U.S. war on Iran in response to a call to action from the Anti-War Action Network.

A broad coalition of anti-war and community groups organized the protest, which drew in a wide range of participants, ranging from organizers and students to anti-war military veterans and families with young children.

Demonstrators held large banners reading “Hands off Iran!” and “End all U.S. aid to Israel!” to the approving honks of passing motorists, and held signs reading “Money for jobs, not war!” and “Money for healthcare, not war!”

“We are out here today demanding U.S. hands off Iran, an end to all U.S. aid to Israel, and money for human needs, not war,” said Nova Morra of the Utah Anti-War Committee.

Protesters persisted in occupying the sidewalk in front of the federal building for two hours despite constant rain. Spirits were high as chants of “Hands off Iran now, turn those Navy ships around!” and “Not another nickel, not another dollar, no more money for Israel’s slaughter!”

“These wars are not fought on behalf of the American people or the Israeli people. They are fought on behalf of the one percent, corporations, multinationals, and the military-industrial complex,” said Mustafa Khader of the 71% Coalition, a Palestinian-led progressive group.

Sebastian Miscenich of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “This war and the high prices it’s causing are capitalism’s fault, imperialism’s fault. The monopoly capitalists value profit over Iranian and Palestinian lives, and over decent housing, education, healthcare, or a livable environment for Americans.”

“It is our tax dollars which go to war profiteers such as the Raytheon Applied Signals Technology Facility in West Valley City, which contribute to the missile system that killed over a hundred school children in Minab,” said Amber Grace, speaking for the Utah Anti-War Committee.

“It is our tax dollars which go to the countless Northrup Grumman facilities and Military Bases scattered around Utah!”

Kaile Akina of the Wasatch Assembly stressed, “I think that getting organized means that you have to be willing to take great transformative action.”

Stephen Otterstrom, a Democratic candidate running unopposed for Utah State House District 21, said “when we ourselves are the perpetrators of that violence, we sit back, we don't investigate.”

“And then, we do something even worse, and that is we try to profit from the continual killing of children,” continued Otterstrom.

Richard Whitney, an anti-war U.S. Marine Corps veteran spoke against Trump’s hypocrisy, saying, “Trump, you’re killing children in Gaza, you’re killing children in Iran, and you turn around and say you care about children here in America, or unborn children?”

Although this protest held special significance, as it marked 200 days since the start of the U.S. war on Iran, Salt Lake protesters hold a pro-Palestine picket in front of the federal building every Friday.

Bronwyn Cox, who organizes the Salt Lake pickets for Palestine, said, “Please come join Salt Lake City in front of the federal building every Friday for Palestine, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It’s a really great community, and really good organization.”

The protest was organized by the Utah Anti-War Committee, Picket for Palestine SLC, the 71% Coalition, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Wasatch Assembly.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Iran #AWAN #Palestine

Brooklyn, NY- On September 19, a dozen activists joined Brooklyn Against War for a speakout against Trump's war in Iran. The event was part of a National Day of Action called by the Anti-War Action Network, marking over 200 days of war on Iran.

Protesters including members of Brooklyn Against War, Brooklyn for Peace, and community members in the square listened to speeches condemning the war and made anti-war signs.

“Let's not forget the Trump regime brazenly used our tax dollars to bomb a children's school in Iran close to 200 days ago. Shame!” said a member of Brooklyn Against War. “We all know the war in Iran isn't the first of Trump's imperialist escapades. In January, Trump kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, killing over a hundred civilians.”

Brooklyn Against War members will be holding a rally on October 3 outside the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), where President Maduro and First Lady Flores are held. They also plan to be outside the courthouse on October 8 to demand the immediate release of Cilia Flores, who cannot recover from her cardiac condition within the harsh conditions of the MDC.

#BrooklynNY #NY #NYC #AntiWarMovement #Iran #AWAN #BrooklynAgainstWar

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, September 15, protesters gathered at Loring Park to mark the 44th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, when thousands of Palestinians and Lebanese were slaughtered by far-right Lebanese militias with the assistance and supervision of the Israeli military.

Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) organized the protest to mourn the thousands murdered that day, and to highlight the continuity to today as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, and occupation of Lebanon — all sponsored by the United States.

The Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon were filled with Palestinian families, most of whom were driven out of Palestine in 1948 by Israeli militias during the Nakba. In 1982, after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) invaded Lebanon and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) agreed to withdraw from the country, Lebanese Phalangists descended on the camps, at the behest of and supplied by the IDF. From September 16 thru 18, while the Israelis penned in the refugees and illuminated the night skies with flares, the Phalangists killed 3500 Palestinians. Many victims were raped and mutilated.

Speaking for the AWC, Maeve Aickin quoted survivor testimony, including Siham Balqis’s description of the aftermath: “We were made to walk over the dead bodies, and among cluster bombs. At one point I passed a tank, where the body of a baby only a few days old was stuck to the wheel.”

The massacre has been commemorated by Palestinians and the global Palestinian solidarity movement ever since. The extreme carnage continues to shock today, but the event fits squarely in the pattern of Israeli operations.

“Israel doesn’t require legitimate pretext to invade, to pillage, and to massacre,” said Lina Jebara of the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), noting that the massacre took place during a ceasefire. “In the last 44 years, it’s been clear that Israel’s approach to carrying out its terror campaigns throughout Palestine and Lebanon have not changed; martyr civilians, raze villages, and traumatize generations, all while calling on the resistance factions in the territories it’s attacking to lay down their arms and surrender to an Israeli notion of peace, to put their necks to the Israeli sword.”

Advocates explained that the connection between Israel’s massacres extends to the U.S., and to Minnesota specifically.

“Just two years ago, Palestinian journalists identified an inertial measurement unit that had been produced at the Minneapolis Honeywell plant in the rubble of the Al-Sardi School, which was located in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp,” Aickin said. “Just as American families abetted Israel’s mass murder of Palestinian and Lebanese families in 1982 by staying silent and complying as their government-funded the U.S. military outpost, known as Israel, to the tune of 7.2 million taxpayer dollars a day, American families in 2026 are abetting Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its merciless settler violence in the West Bank, and its colonial annexation project in Southern Lebanon by allowing politicians like Tim Walz to invest our tax dollars in companies that provide the technological infrastructure for Israeli atrocities.”

“Israel and the United States would like nothing more than for us to forget this kind of history. The U.S. empire erases its crimes against the oppressed, and it whitewashes the history of the people who struggle against it,” said Sonja Tomasko of WAMM.

“We’ve witnessed, repeatedly, an incredibly lucid candor take shape across the Middle East from people who refuse to bow to their oppressors,” Jebara emphasized. “It’s the Iranians holding down the Strait of Hormuz, the Yemenis reclaiming Saudi-occupied land, the Palestinians and Lebanese who’ve continued to resist and rebuild to come back and to resist, who refuse to capitulate, who are making clear the only viable path to liberation, who are making clear that the U.S. and Israel must get out of the Middle East.”

What does this mean for Minnesotans? Aickin said, “It means showing up to the State Board of Investment [SBI] meeting on September 22 to demand that the SBI divest from Palantir, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, RTX, and all other corporations that use teachers’ pension funds to bomb teachers and students in their schools in Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon. It means showing up to our protest on October 4 to demand that Honeywell drop its exclusive contract with the Department of War to produce IMUs like the one found in Gaza.”

Aickin continued, “As the SBI pours money into murder and Honeywell produces critical missile components in our communities, we have both the opportunity and the moral responsibility to throw a wrench in the kill chain and refuse to stand down until we’ve torn the whole thing to the ground.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Iran #WAMM #AWC #Palestine #Lebanon

The main concern of the Federal Reserve is that the inflation rate has gone up from the beginning of Trump’s term. In February of 2025, the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, the most widely used measure of inflation, saw average prices up 2.4% from a year earlier. But as of August 2026, average prices were up 3.4% from a year earlier, up about 1% since Trump’s second term began.

The increase in inflation has outpaced wage increases, so that the purchasing power of wages has gone down for five months in a row. This is feeding the so-called “affordability crisis” where more people are unable to make ends meet. To get by, credit card debt has risen every month for the last year. More and more people are working side gigs such as Uber or Lyft driving, street vending, etc.

The Fed is trying to bring down inflation by reducing borrowing and spending by businesses and consumers. A drop in total demand will tend to bring down the rate of inflation. A problem is that in most cases, this goes too far, and the economy ends up in a recession.

The Fed faces four obstacles to bringing down inflation by raising interest rates, because this policy does not address the fundamental reasons that inflation has been on the upswing during the second Trump administration.

The first cause of higher inflation was Trump’s trade war, with higher tariffs and import restrictions that began April 2, when he imposed higher tariffs on almost every country in the world, including some places where no humans live. While Trump hasn’t followed through on some tariffs, has made deals with some countries, and often had his tariffs ruled illegal by federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme court, the average tariff across all countries has gone from about 2.3% when he took office in January of 2025, to about 11% today, almost a five-fold increase. This can directly increase the price of imported consumer goods, as well as increase the price of goods made in the United States with imported parts. The Fed’s move on interest rates has no impact on tariffs.

A second big cause of rising inflation is the current war on Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched a massive attack using missiles and stealth bombers on the Iranian military and top leadership, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his family. Iran struck back, closing the strait of Hormuz, where about 20% of the world’s oil consumption passes through. Oil prices shot up from about $70 a barrel to as much as $120 a barrel, and it is back above $100 a barrel, or up about 50% after more than six months of war.

Because of this, gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum products also shot up in price. Not only did the raw material, oil, go up in price, but the “crack spread” or margin between the oil used and the price at the pump also went up, pushing oil company profits to record highs. The price of diesel fuel is at an all-time high of $6.40 a gallon (national average price), up almost 75% from a year ago.

While most households do not put diesel in their cars, the trucks that move the vast majority of goods in the United States do run on diesel, pushing up the cost of anything that has to be shipped. Farm and construction equipment also mainly run on diesel. Farmers are especially hard hit, with many of their crops affected by Trump’s trade war as other countries, especially China, are buying more from other countries and less from U.S. farmers. Prices of fertilizer are also rising because of the Iran war and tariffs.

Rising interest rates will not slow the war in Iran, but it does increase the cost of borrowing. Federal spending on interest on the U.S. government debt is about a trillion dollars a year and bigger than direct U.S. military spending.

A third cause of rising inflation is the AI (artificial intelligence) building boom of data centers. While much of the local opposition to these data centers is because of rising electricity prices and concerns over water supplies, the AI boom is also driving up the prices of semiconductors that are also used in cars and consumer electronics such as cellphones. Again, higher interest rates will not slow the AI race as U.S. companies try to outdo each other.

Even if the Fed did succeed in slowing down tech companies’ investment in AI, a slowdown in businesses’ spending on new buildings and equipment is one of the two most common triggers for a recession, the other being a sharp slowdown in construction of new homes and apartments.

#SanJoseCA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Economy #FederalReserve #Inflation #Iran #AI #Oil #Tarriffs

Milwaukee, WI – On September 17, a small yet spirited group of community members gathered for a banner drop to mark 200 days of war on Iran.

Organized by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC), this banner drop was in response to the National Week of Action by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN), with more than 15 protests coordinated across the country. The AWAN demands include an end to the war on Iran, an end to U.S. aid to Israel, and an investment in human needs, not war.

The Milwaukee action was strategically held on the Locust Street overpass during peak rush hour with the banner reading, “U.S. & Israel: Hands off Iran!” Despite the gloomy weather, it did not stop the banner drop attendees from proudly raising the banner for all to see, and the message was well received. As cars, trucks, and motorcycles drove underneath the overpass, they offered honks of support.

In addition to the banner drop, MAC members were ready to chat with passersby to learn more about what issues they see in their neighborhoods and where they'd rather see their federal tax dollars be invested in instead of the war on Iran. These conversations tie into MAC's ongoing campaign to shut down the Wisconsin Defense Industry Council, which aims to increase Wisconsin's capacity for war manufacturing via Department of Defense contract awards.

Sam Charnon, of the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee, stated, “In the past 200 days, the U.S. has targeted civilian areas with multiple airstrikes, including a girls' primary school, a sports complex, and a residential area. The result is more than 178 civilian deaths, including women and children. We demand that our tax dollars do not contribute to the ongoing war, but rather invest in social services here in Milwaukee.”

Charnon added, “Here in Milwaukee, we're also feeling the effects of the war, with affordability being a huge issue. Gas prices have now soared to nearly $4.50 per gallon, along with grocery and rent increases, while we're also experiencing stagnating wages and service cuts to public transportation. We demand that our tax dollars are invested in social services, education and healthcare, not for occupation and war.”

This energetic banner drop sends a clear message to the Trump administration: the people of Milwaukee will continue to fight until the U.S. is out of Iran, Lebanon, Gaza and the entire Middle East.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Lebanon #Palestine #AWAN

San Jose, CA – On the evening of Thursday, September 17, over 40 people gathered in the streets of downtown San Jose to demand an end to the war of aggression against Iran.

Chants like, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!” and “Trump wants war, Trump wants oil, hands of Iranian soil!” could be heard echoing through the streets of downtown and around city hall.

Emer Martin of Vigil for Gaza spoke to the crowd, “We support Iran, from the heart of the corporate tech military empire, because we know what it has in store for us too. They have shown us what they’ve done to Gaza they will do to anyone who gets in the way of a capitalist project.”

Martin went on to say, “All the workers of the world should get on board with Iran now and reject the years of propaganda!”

Panda Shim from Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University said, “We want an end to sending young Americans to die for absolutely nothing. And until the U.S. gets their hands off the Middle East, until there is justice, there shall be no peace in the streets!”

Akubundu Amazu of the All African People’s Revolutionary Party said, “Iran knows their friends and they know their enemy. This is why they stand with Palestine, Hezbollah and Yemen against the U.S. and Israel. We must all stand together on the right side of history because that is the only way we are going to win,” said Amazu.

Jack McCann, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, addressed the crowd, “Gas and diesel prices are reaching record highs. It is estimated that this war has cost on average one billion dollars a day”

McCann continued, “Our government, in its conscious choice to prioritize bombs over babies, jails over jobs, has forfeited its right to exist. It is our job, the people of the United States, to unite all who can be united to overthrow the monopoly capitalist class. To bring an end to endless wars, we must bring an end to the system of capitalism.”

Philip Nguyen of San Jose Against War highlighted the organization’s divestment campaign targeting the city of San Jose, saying, “We are calling out the four city council members that voted to keep money invested in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide and ICE terror.”

Nguyen continued, “We will be continuing to escalate and will keep fighting until we win divestment – and we deal a material blow to the U.S. war machine and Israel!”

The crowd took to the streets and marched along a populated pedestrian path to supportive bystanders and car honks.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Palestine

Charleston, SC – On September 16, community members with the Elbit Out of South Carolina (EOSC) coalition gathered on the corner of a busy intersection for a rush-hour protest demanding a stop to Trump’s war on Iran. The demonstration took place on the corner of River Road and Maybank Highway at 4:30 p.m. The goal of organizers was to speak to the drivers idling in heavy traffic about the impact of 200 days of Trump’s war.

“We need to end U.S. aid to Israel,” said Nate Hubler, EOSC organizer and member of the Lowcountry Action Committee. “It’s our responsibility to link Trump’s aggressive and violent attacks on Iran to local politicians, like County Chair Joe Boykin, who deprive our students of a quality education so that the rich can get richer from yet another war.”

The demonstrators linked the ongoing Trump attacks to Charleston County Council’s inaction regarding Elbit Systems of America’s presence in Charleston County. Elbit’s Ladson, South Carolina facility produces the SIGMA howitzer cannon that was seen on social media firing shells in Lebanon at the beginning of the U.S.-Israel war.

Participants held signs reading “Love war? Vote Boykin” and “Charleston County residents pay for Israeli bombs.” The rally was met with strong community support as cars honked in solidarity while either driving by or stopped at the red lights.

Alfred Peeler, representing EOSC and the Charleston District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, stated, “The drivers know that they aren’t benefitting from Trump’s war as gas prices continue to soar and their daily commute gets more expensive.”

Peeler continued, “They see the purposeful targeting of weddings and Iranian schoolgirls and understand that they have more in common with the working-class people of Iran than the Israeli weapons manufacturers in Charleston that are getting rich off of Trump’s war.”

Organizers say they will continue to demonstrate in Boykin’s district in the coming months, with the hopes of educating more Charleston County residents on the presence of the weapons plant.

#CharlestonSC #Charleston #SouthCarolina #Elbit #Antiwar #Iran #Trump

Seattle, WA – September 16 marked the U.S. government’s 200th day of war on Iran. Hundreds rallied at Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle for the Anti-War Action Network National Day of Action to protest the U.S.-Zionist aggression against Iran.

Over the past 200 days of this illegal war, the United States and Israel have murdered thousands of Iranian men, women and children, while destroying key civilian infrastructure like power plants, bridges, schools, desalination plants, ports and hospitals. People in the U.S. are feeling the economic impacts of this war with high gas prices and the gutting of social services.

The protest was organized by anti-war and advocacy groups, including Seattle Against War, Seattle Families for Palestine, the Hands Off Iran Coalition, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Veterans for Peace, and was endorsed by the National Iranian American Council and About Face Veterans.

Julia Leyla Khorsand, with Seattle Families for Palestine, told the crowd, “Even Iranian-Americans like myself, who have been socialized to criticize and call the Islamic government ‘a regime’, see clearly now. I saw the images of Minab elementary. I saw the bombed-out medicine factory and the universities destroyed. I saw the blocks near my family’s neighborhood in Tehran, and in Tajrish, reduced to rubble.”

Khorsand continued, “I also watched brave Iranians, linking hands, and placing their bodies in front of power stations and life-sustaining infrastructure in hopes that U.S.-imperial forces might show some mercy. And watching them fight for something has radicalized me forever.”

Speaking on behalf of Seattle Against War, Zainab Obaid stated, “The people of Iran are saying that no foreign power gets to decide their future for them. No foreign power gets to plan a coup in their country, assassinate their scientists and leaders, and take over their resources. No foreign power gets to change their system of governance.”

Obaid continued, “The people of Iran are proudly asserting their sovereignty and fighting for their freedom. We should understand that message, because the principle is universal: A country’s future should belong to its people. We demand a stop to the war with Iran.”

Protesters chanted “U.S. hands off foreign soil! No more trading blood for oil!” and held signs stating “Stop Trump’s war on Iran!” and “Money for human needs, not for war.”

#SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #SAW #AWAN

Fort Collins, CO – On Wednesday, September 16, two dozen Fort Collins community members gathered at Oak Street Plaza for the first public rally organized by Fort Collins Against War, a new affiliate of the Anti-War Action Network. The demonstration was held as part of a nationwide day of action calling for an end to the U.S. war on Iran. September 16 marked 200 days since the beginning of the current attacks on Iran.

The protesters held signs, chanted, chalked sidewalks and spoke with passersby about the consequences of U.S. military intervention. Several people passing through the plaza expressed their support, with one individual ultimately joining the demonstration midway through the action.

The rally brought together both longtime Fort Collins organizers and people participating in anti-war organizing for the first time. Among those in attendance was a retired Iranian professor and activist who drove more than an hour to participate in the demonstration. The gathering comes amid a war that has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread destruction in Iran.

A member of Denver Anti-War Action (DAWA), Hatem Teirelbar, told the crowd, “We the working people of the U.S. are not one degree safer because of these wars. U.S. aggression and imperialism puts us all in danger. It endangers the lives of the people being attacked, and it endangers our livelihoods.”

Teirelbar continued, saying, “Our enemies are well-funded and well-equipped. The only way we win is by out-organizing them. We must fight the war machine on every front!”

Woodward, Inc., with global corporate headquarters locatedj in Fort Collins, manufactures components used in military operations and has multiple contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Teirelbar addressed Woodward Inc. in his closing demands, saying, “Shut down the Lockheed and Woodward plants! Divest our pensions from the war machine! Confront our elected representatives at their offices, town halls, at every opportunity.”

Fort Collins Against War members expressed excitement at the turnout of the action, and members were eager to make plans for future activity.

#FortCollinsCO #CO #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #FCAW #DAWA #Iran

Grand Rapids, MI – On September 2, over a dozen community members gathered for an emergency protest held by Grand Rapids Opponents of War (GROW) in response to Trump air strikes on southern Iran. 

The U.S. strikes resulted in multiple civilian deaths, with Al Jazeera reporting at least 11 people killed. Iran’s state media confirmed a separate U.S. strike on a family wedding procession killed two women and two children in south Iran.

The rally was met with overwhelming community support from pedestrians, as well as dozens of cheers and solidarity fists from cars passing by on their way home from work.

Protesters held a large banner that read “No U.S. war on Iran” visible at the intersection. Many participants held signs reading, “No blood for oil” and “U.S. hands off Iran!” 

Jude Florez, representing GROW, reminded the crowd about the U.S. government’s history of bombing wedding processions, including a Yemeni wedding procession. Jude urged the crowd that with Trump as commander in chief, “We must not grow desensitized to the brutal acts carried out by the U.S. government. We must continue to show up and condemn these war crimes.” 

Aanya Usmani spoke on behalf of Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, saying, “By being out here today, we are honoring the brave Iranian people who lost two daughters and two mothers in yesterday's U.S. air strikes on a wedding celebration.” At which the crowd shouted “Shame!” 

The rest of the hour was spent chanting and handing out flyers to people. GROW promoted their current campaign urging Grand Rapids City Council to adopt a proclamation calling for no U.S. sanctions and no U.S. war on Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Iran #GROW

On Tuesday, August 25th, members of Utah Anti-War Committee met with Salt Lake District 1 Council member Jiro Johnson.

We demanded that Johnson formally and publicly condemn the Raytheon AST weapons facility located in his district in West Valley City. Raytheon makes bombs and guided missiles for the Israeli and U.S. military. These weapons are used in well-documented war crimes in Iran and Palestine.

Earlier in August, our movement won a verbal statement against Raytheon from Johnson in County Council. But he stopped short of agreeing to write a public anti-war condemnation of Raytheon. Johnson said he needed to “consider” before condemning Raytheon AST, as he feared political backlash from Republicans against his policy agenda.

He told community members in our meeting that, “children are dying every day, but I need to think of the political ramifications.”

This is an issue of right and wrong, and about where average people in Salt Lake want political power spent. There can be political costs to doing the right thing. But Raytheon is a company profiting off bombing civilians in tents in Gaza and killing unarmed schoolgirls in Iran.

What’s worse, Raytheon does it with our taxes while housing, education, jobs, healthcare, and our environment are left on the wayside. Jiro Johnson should release a statement against Raytheon AST. He ran for Council on a progressive platform, and the war-profiteering facility is in his district.

A statement from the County Councilor where Raytheon AST operates would represent a real blow against the Republicans’ unpopular pro-war agenda. We need to make companies profiting from war and genocide with our taxes unwelcome in our communities and demand reinvestment in people’s needs.

Johnson committed to meet UAWC again by September 16, 200 days from the start of Trump’s illegal war on Iran. It’s the perfect time for him to publicly condemn an unpopular, genocidal war-profiteer like Raytheon and call for money for Utah’s needs, not war.

We only got this meeting by months of protesting, educating, and building the anti-war movement. To strike a blow against Raytheon, we need to organize even more and stay united.

Be ready to call on Jiro Johnson to honor the progressive principles that got him elected.

Raytheon Out of Salt Lake!

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Raytheon #BDS #Palestine #Iran

Washington D.C. – On Sunday, July 19, close to 100 community members took to the streets to demand an end to the U.S. siege of Iran. The demonstration was organized by local D.C. group Anti-War Committee DMV and was attended by many from local mosques and Iranian communities who heard about the action.

The action began in front of the White House, where attendees began gathering to unravel their Iranian flags, and was the most noticeable presence on Pennsylvania Avenue that weekend. Organizers had announced the action only a couple days before, and immediately the Iranian communities of the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas began mobilizing.

“U.S. imperialists – number one terrorists!” chanted Katie Sayour with the Anti-War Committee DMV, before addressing the crowd on the state of Trump’s aggression towards Iran. While on the mic, she was greeted with chants from the families who attended, expressing their enthusiasm to be fighting for Iran’s sovereignty.

Jennifer Koonings, a prominent anti-imperialist journalist, spoke about her most recent trip to Iran during the demonstration, “I was met with such love, the Iranian people were truly the most welcoming I have ever met.” She also spoke on the importance of those within the belly of the beast to be engaged in anti-imperialist struggle, “It’s especially our responsibility, as people in America, whose tax dollars are being used to fund the bombing of Iran.”

The strong sense of Iranian identity and faith was clear throughout the sentiments of the attendees. Mothers who were a part of the demonstration offered prayers, while attendees brought close to 50 Iranian flags. Many chants from the crowd were repeated in Farsi as well as English.

One agitator began shouting vulgar language about Iran. The crowd responded back with a united chant “Long live the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The event concluded with organizers announcing the next event, which will be hosted in honor of the Shia holiday of Arbaʽeen. Organizers of the Anti-War Committee expressed that partaking in national, and faith, holidays that are of importance to the immigrant communities that make up D.C. is an important part of their political work.

#WashingtonDC #DC #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Chicago, IL – On July 11 and 12, the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) held its second national conference in Chicago. Reflecting AWAN’s growth of 11 more committees since its founding conference in 2025, over 250 participants gathered from more than 24 local anti-war groups from across the U.S.

As a grassroots, nationwide network, AWAN unites anti-war, pro-Palestine and student groups from across the country. The network’s growth follows a year of victorious campaigns led by AWAN affiliates and coordinated days of action responding to Trump’s aggression against Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.

Among these victories, New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) led a successful campaign to kick Chevron out of the city’s French Quarter Fest, and Palantir’s corporate headquarters was forced out of Colorado after a sustained campaign by Denver Anti-War Action.

The two-day conference reflected the geographic scale of AWAN’s growth, with speakers and panelists from cities including Denver, Colorado; New Orleans, Louisiana; Dallas, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Jacksonville, Florida; San Jose, California, and Cleveland, Ohio.

Attendees benefited from the collective experience of AWAN through nine volunteer-run workshops on topics like “Lessons in Campaign Building,” “How to be in Coalitions and Build your Work,” “Design Matters: Using graphic design and zines to build the anti-war movement,” and “Media Relations 101: Strategies, tools, and tips for organizing.”

The conference’s opening panelists included Hatem Abudayyeh, the national chair of U.S. Palestine Community Network (USPCN); Steve Ellner, an advisory board member of the Science & Society journal and associate managing editor of Latin American Perspectives; Chrisley Carpio of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression; Sara Flounders, the coordinator of the International Action Center, and Meredith Aby, a key AWAN leader, director of Women Against Military Madness, and co-founder of the MN Anti-War Committee.

Speaking of the BDS movement against Israel, Abudayyeh said, “Divestment victories are happening everywhere, including the recent one in Michigan, and the one led by USPCN and AWC right here in Illinois, when the Illinois State Board of Investments divested more than $33 million from corporations profiting off war, genocide and ICE raids.”

In her opening remarks, Aby said “The Anti-War Action Network’s guiding objective as an organization is building a broad movement opposed to the greatest cause of injustice in the world today, which is the United States and its destructive wars, sanctions and interventions.”

Aby reported that AWAN remains on a trajectory of growth, boasting 28 member organizations and many other groups planning to affiliate after the conference.

The conference received greetings from BAYAN USA, a progressive, anti-imperialist alliance of grassroots Filipino organizations across the United States, and Nodutdol, an organization of Koreans organizing for social justice, Korea's reunification and an end to U.S. imperialism.

On the second day of the conference, AWAN elected an expanded steering committee to reflect its nationwide reach and passed 12 resolutions, both of which are available on its website.

If your organization would like to learn more about AWAN or join and participate in national calls to action, go to antiwaractionnetwork.org.

#ChicagoIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #Iran #Palestine #Feature

Pittsburgh, PA – On Saturday July 4, anti-war activists disrupted the Brentwood, Pennsylvania Independence Day parade. While the parade messaging called the U.S. “the land of the free,” protesters rejected this notion, bringing attention to the many ongoing crimes of Donald Trump and the U.S. government.

The protest was organized by the International Solidarity Committee of Pittsburgh (ISCPIT), with the support of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). Protesters held a banner reading, “No more endless war!” and signs with slogans including “U.S. out of everywhere!” and “No ICE! Stop the deportations!”

“They’re calling this ‘250 years of freedom’ and we are here to say that there is no freedom in genocide!” said FRSO organizer Marigold Cameron. “There is no freedom in endless war, in deportations, in police crimes. For 250 years, and longer, the people of this land have been struggling to achieve really the freedom that they claim to have given us 250 years ago. Right now, Donald Trump and his billionaire friends have been wreaking havoc across this country, leading a campaign of terror against the people who actually built this country. We want to fight Trump’s agenda and make the U.S. ungovernable.”

Over the course of two hours, only two people tried to speak out against the protest, whilst nearly a dozen attendees as well as some parade participants stopped to offer the group encouragement.

ISCPIT chair Dot Bodwell stated, “While you’re waving your flag and celebrating here, we’re still at war in Iran and Lebanon; we’re still throwing billions of dollars to the wholesale slaughter of children and families; we still have ICE officers arresting people in their homes and their workplaces: and we don’t think that’s something to celebrate.”

ISCPIT is currently in the process of launching a new campaign against Palantir, a major defense company that processes data for the U.S. military as well as ICE, helping billionaires and their armed forces spy on the working-class from Palestine to Minneapolis. As Pittsburgh’s capitalist class tries to establish the city as a hub for tech investors, ISCPIT wants to draw a clear line to keep Palantir and their bloody business out.

The biggest foothold Palantir currently has in the city is on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus, where the capitalist administration regularly invites recruiters to court graduates of the U.S.’s number one machine-learning programs for genocide.

#PittsburghPA #PA #AntiWarMovement #Palantir #Iran #July4th

Salt Lake City, UT – On Friday, July 10, more than a dozen people stood together in the record-breaking heat outside of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City, demanding a free Palestine and an immediate end to the U.S. government's attacks on Iran.

Cars honked in support as picketers held signs, turning a busy downtown sidewalk into a visible display of resistance to U.S. imperialism and war.

The picket was organized by the 71% Coalition, a volunteer-run, Salt Lake City–based progressive anti-war organization that seeks to empower the people through community engagement, policy advocacy and education. The coalition takes its name from the portion of the federal budget that goes toward militarism and war spending. Over recent months, the 71% Coalition has become a driving force in the local movement for Palestine, organizing town halls, participating in overpass rallies, and ongoing street actions that keep the demand for liberation in the public eye.

Friday's action was part of a weekly picket series the coalition has sustained outside the federal building.

The Utah Anti-War Committee joined Friday's picket in solidarity while encouraging attendees to sign their petition to oust Raytheon Applied Technologies from its office on the west side of Salt Lake County. The committee has been running a campaign targeting Raytheon, a company linked to U.S. and Israeli war crimes, calling attention to how it profits from human suffering worldwide and American taxpayer money.

The Utah Anti-War Committee's ongoing campaign against Raytheon has included protesting outside of Raytheon’s office and holding educational events where Utahns can about the role local war profiteers play in the machinery of death. The 71% Coalition and the UAWC have joined forces for several events, including overpass banner-drop protests.

As long as the U.S. government continues to bankroll genocide and threaten nations like Iran, the 71% Coalition and its allies will be on the sidewalk outside the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building every Friday, demanding justice and building the struggle.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Iran

San Jose, CA – On Wednesday, July 8, around two dozen people rallied at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library against Trump’s relaunching of the U.S. war against Iran.

Signs depicting children murdered in the Minab school bombing by the U.S. were laid out on the steps in from of the library. Protesters held signs saying, “No war on Iran” and “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.”

Donna Wallach of San Jose Against War spoke to the crowd about how popular opinion is against the ongoing war in Iran, saying, “The great majority of Americans do not support this horrible, horrendous attack on Iran.”

Sharat Lin, board member of Human Agenda and the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, emphasized that the U.S. has always been the aggressor nation in the conflict, saying that the U.S. “must stop sabotaging the MOU. Stop trying to dominate the rest of the world. Stop trying to dominate Iran!”

Jack McCann, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, highlighted that Trump has no geopolitical leverage against Iran, yet continually lashes out. He said, “As Iran remains steadfast, Trump has two options: lose quietly or lose loudly and he’s choosing the latter.”

The chanting crowd drew supportive honks throughout the action.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Grand Rapids, MI – On the evening of July 8, members from the Grand Rapids Opponents of War (GROW) and others gathered at Monument Park to demand an immediate end to the U.S.'s attacks on Iran.

This rally comes as an emergency response to the Trump administration's escalation with Iran, which happened just earlier in the week. Rally attendees held signs that read “Hands off Iran” and chanted “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.”

Honks of support were heard from passing vehicles throughout the course of the rally, and some passersby even stopped in to take a photo of themselves atop the park statue holding a sign that read “No war on Iran.”

From the energy of the evening, it was clear that the recent attacks on Iran by the U.S. have sparked an outrage from the Grand Rapids community that will not be going away any time soon.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #GROW #Iran

San Jose, CA – On Friday, July 3, around two dozen people gathered for a rally and march starting at Dr. MLK Jr. Library to stand against the U.S.’s endless investment and participation in war across the globe, currently including but not limited to, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and Palestine.

The crowd chanted, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation” and “Israel bombs, U.S. pays, how many did they kill today?”

Jack McCann, member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about the U.S.’s priority of profits over people over the last 250 years saying, “It has never been about freedom and liberty and all the other lullabies the ruling class sings to us, the working people of this country.”

McCann continued, “We have watched as they use our money to fight their wars, killing people around the world while we go hungry at home, while we struggle to pay our bills, while we fight for the scraps that fall off of their table.”

Donna Wallach, of San Jose Against War told the crowd, “Using our tax money, U.S.-made fighter jets, and high tech weaponry, Israeli soldiers bomb Lebanese villages in southern Lebanon, murdering civilians, and specifically target medical professionals and journalists. Many areas throughout southern Lebanon are flattened, everything destroyed, much like in Gaza.”

Drusie Kazanova of San Jose Against War spoke of the U.S. aggression towards Venezuela. Kazanova brought attention to President Maduro and First Lady Flores’s kidnapping in January, saying, “The U.S. is currently holding hostage the kidnapped, democratically-elected president and first lady of a sovereign country.”

Kazanova also highlighted the resilience of the Cuban people under the 64 year embargo against Cuba, saying, “Cuba has the most advanced doctors and medical training in the world, they invent and manufacture their very own vaccines but are unable to administer them because the U.S. blocks imports of medical syringes.”

Akubundu Amazu of the All African People’s Revolutionary Party, brought attention to recent repression of organizers with the Communist Party, Marxist of Kenya. Amazu noted, “We cannot let them stop us from building international solidarity. The only way we’re going to defeat this international repressive machine is with international global resistance!”

Representatives from the League of Filipino Students (LFS) at San Jose State University and the San Jose Peace and Justice Center also spoke highlighting the U.S.’s increasing efforts to develop manufacturing and AI specifically for war and genocide.

After the speaker program, the crowd began the march through downtown chanting loudly, waving signs, and passing out zines.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #July4th #Palestine #Cuba #Venezuela #Iran