Los Angeles, CA – “Sheriff Baca led a reign of terror on immigrants, especially against Mexican and Latinos,” states veteran Chicano leader Carlos Montes. Baca made the public announcement Jan. 7 that he would be stepping down as the head of the largest sheriff department in the U.S. “He believed that undocumented people did not have any civil rights,” said Montes.

Los Angeles, CA – Rasmea Odeh is a Palestinian American activist who is a target of repression. She was arrested on Oct. 22 by U.S. Homeland Security.

Los Angeles, CA – Centro CSO and Latinos Against War and the community hit the streets on August 29 – the anniversary of our Chicano Moratorium Memorial Day of Resistance against war. Protesters demanded no U.S. war on the people of Syria and the Middle East and called for ending military recruitment aimed at our Latino and immigrant youth.

Los Angeles, CA – Under the slogan “Education not war!” Boyle Heights community members participated in a townhall meeting to commemorate the Chicano Moratorium Day of Resistance. The event was sponsored by California State University, Los Angeles MEChA and the Community Action Taskforce on Chicano Studies Education (CATChE).

Anti-war action on anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium

Los Angeles, CA – “We must protest publicly the threatened U.S. military attacks against the people of Syria and denounce the government and media lies used to justify a missile attack. We must also continue to expose the U.S. military targeting the poor – especially Blacks and Chicanos – for recruitment,” states veteran Chicano and anti war activist Carlos Montes.

Los Angeles, CA – Local community activists and the Committee for Community Control of Police held a rally press conference here, August 18, to demand that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder file charges against George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. The rally also raised the slogan of self-determination for the Black nation in the South and marked the 50-year anniversary of the historic civil rights march on Washington D.C. Speakers denounced the continued oppression of Blacks and Chicanos as evidenced of the ongoing killings and beatings by the police and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

Los Angeles, CA – On July 8, 30,000 prisoners in California began a massive, system-wide hunger strike and work stoppage. This is likely the largest prison strike in U.S. history. The prisoners have five demands, centered on stopping long-term solitary confinement, group punishment and administrative abuse, as well as other issues of appalling prison conditions, many of which can be classified as torture. The strike is uniting prisoners across lines of race and nationality throughout the California prison system.

Los Angeles, CA – As the U.S. Senate has begun debating the immigration reform bill, on June 20 the Legalization for All Network is organizing a national call-in day to demand that senators make the immigration reform bill better. There are many parts of the bill that increase militarization of the border. Meanwhile, the legalization aspect of the bill would leave too many immigrants out and needs to be expanded.

Los Angeles, CA – On May 29, members and supporters of the Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC) held a picket and protest in front of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Los Angeles office. SCIC opposes major elements of the current U.S. Senate immigration proposal. They presented the following demands to Sen. Feinstein:

Los Angeles, CA – The Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC) led a militant political march and rally in the heart of Los Angeles, May 1, with thousands of garment workers, students and a contingent from Occupy LA. The event was a political protest against the U.S. ICE/police deportations. The clear demand was for legalization for all. The majority of marchers were Latino wearing red shirts and carrying flags from Central America, Latin America, Mexico and the red flag of Aztlan. Many of the speakers expressed an anti-war and pro-worker view in support for people of the world who fight against the U.S. empire. Other May 1 events in L.A. were more like celebrations with music concerts – many wearing white with U.S. flags.

Los Angeles, CA – A major immigrant rights march is scheduled for here on May 1. Organized by the Southern California Immigration Coalition, marchers will demand, “Legalization for all.” The march begins at 4:00 p.m. at the corner of Broadway and Olympia.

Jenni Rivera was truly a CHICANA Mexican regional music star (even sang it out loud in a song) representing the LBC (Long Beach City), homies, single-moms and homegirls from across Cali, the Southwest and the Americas.

Los Angeles, CA – Alex Sanchez won a major victory against government repression, Dec. 17, when the U.S. Attorney main office dropped the outrageous conspiracy to murder and other charges.

Los Angeles, CA – Four men – Sohiel Omar Kabir, Ralph Deleon, Miguel Alejandro Santana and Arifeen David Gojali – were charged with material support for terrorism in Riverside County, Nov. 19. The government alleges the men were planning to join the resistance to the U.S./NATO occupation of Afghanistan.

Los Angeles, CA – The Centro CSO (Community Service Organization) and the Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC) held a town hall meeting on August 18 in East Los Angeles to mobilize the community to support the statewide campaign, Licenses for All – to push a law demanding driver’s licenses for undocumented migrants and immigrants.

Los Angeles, CA – Immigrant rights organizations staged a press conference here July 12, to demand that Sheriff Lee Baca stop cooperating with the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) ‘Secure Communities’ program. The Secure Communities program has resulted in the repression of thousands of immigrants. The press conference was organized by the National Day Labors Organizing Network. Participants included representatives from CARCEN Day Labor Center, ACLU, Pomona Day Labor Center, Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC) and CHIRLA.

Los Angeles, CA – Several hundred people joined a spirited rally at the Westwood Federal Building, June 30, to demand “No U.S./NATO wars on Syria or Iran.” Several groups joined the International Action Center-initiated rally, including Arab Americans for Syria, who brought families to the rally to denounce the CIA supported terrorist attacks on the people of Syria. Several groups spoke, such as Bayan USA, International League of Peoples Struggles – U.S. (Los Angeles), Southern California Immigration Coalition and Latinos Against War.

Los Angeles, CA – A victory party celebrating the successful fight back against the political repression of Carlos Montes took place here, June 20, at the home of Julio and Inez Rodriguez. Eric Gardner, a member of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, pointed out how this was a victory for the whole movement that is resisting political repression. The large turnout of family and supporters brought together a broad representation of the people’s movement in Los Angeles, including labor, anti-war and community activists.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the LA Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

Fight Back News service is reprinting this breaking news from the Los Angeles Committee to Stop FBI Repression.