Grand Rapids, MI – On November 8, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) held an event to mark the 109th anniversary of the triumphant Bolshevik revolution. About 20 people attended the program at Cafe Otono.

The program began with a narration leading up to the cliffhanger of Petrograd coming alive with revolutionary energy. Barbara Howard led the audience through the events of the 1917 International Women’s Day—the February revolution—describing a working class that was ready to end the old way of living. The culmination was the reading of an excerpt from John Reed's Ten Days That Shook the World, “Petrograd presented a curious spectacle in those days. In the factories, the committee-rooms were filled with stacks of rifles, couriers came and went, the Red Guard drilled.”

Michael Amirault talked about the material conditions at the time. Beginning with an explanation of the shifting class relations, Amirault then talked about political developments, such as the formation of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, the creation of the Dumas and the Soviets. The split between the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks and the need for a vanguard political party was explained.

Anthony Hegarty then broke down some important developments between February and October 1917.

Eduardo Montiel finished the event evening by highlighting the lessons of the October revolution, and the parallels of the efforts of the Bolsheviks to our struggles today.

Closing out the evening, Montiel quoted V.I. Lenin, “It is more pleasant and useful to go through the 'experience of the revolution' than to write about it.”

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #RevolutionaryTheory #USSR #Lenin

Mount Pleasant, MI – On October 23, CMU Students for a Democratic Society released a statement with information about a sexual predator on campus with over 80 allegations against him, including stalking, sexual harassment, rape and breaking into dorms. This person was kicked out of several student organizations and dorm rooms because of this behavior. There were also screenshots of this student participating in online rape groups in Mount Pleasant.

This statement circulated around the school quickly, and people were quick to take action, sharing the post, commenting on it with their experiences, sharing their stories of sexual violence.

On October 25, students chalked on a main walkway of campus with messages demanding CMU tell the truth about the predator and take action against him. Students then led a protest through campus with chants such as, “CMU, shame on you, you’re protecting rapists too,” and “We want justice, you say how? Start expelling rapists now!”

SDS members also participated in an event called Slut Walk, on October 27, organized by the student organization Feminists for Change. Participating students shared experiences of sexual assault and harassment. Many talked about personal experiences with the predator SDS was trying to get off campus.

On October 28, SDS led a walkout at the State of the University Address, where students demanded accountability from administration, including the president of the university, Neil MacKinnon, who was in attendance.

Students continued chalking and spreading information across the school. The school decided to no longer ignore the situation and sent out an email that dismissed certain reports against the predator and covered up others that students knew to be true.

However, one student called their relative, who is one of the school’s largest donors, and explained the situation. The student told SDS that the donor had a meeting with administration and had the predator expelled and banned from campus. It is unclear on what basis the administration expelled the student when CMU denied reports.

SDS member, Reid Geyer stated, “It’s disgusting and shameful that it took financial pressure for CMU to take real action to make survivors feel safe and to kick a predator off campus. But this is a strong demonstration of what student power looks like, and an absolute win for the student movement. Students united to take power into their own hands, call attention to the situation, and demand that the university be held accountable. As a result, the university took action and the students got a dangerous sexual predator expelled and banned from campus.”

SDS pledges to keep fighting until all predators at CMU are expelled. Students demand that their school put the safety of survivors above the safety of predators and complicity in rape culture.

#MountPleasantMI #MI #StudentMovement #WomensMovement #SexualViolence

Detroit, MI – On October 28, 20 Wayne State University students and members of Students for a Democratic Society at Wayne State met for a study-in outside Wayne State Dean of Students David Strauss’s office to defend student visas and green cards in the wake of Wayne State's revocation of at least 12 students’ visas in spring 2025.

Students sat outside the office with signs reading “Defend student visas” and “Protect international students,” demanding that the Wayne State University administration stop the collaboration with ICE and the Trump administration, by creating real policies that protect international students.

Wayne State University administration has revoked at least 12 student visas as of April 2025, forcing them to self-deport under threat by the university of ICE violence if refused. Since then, student groups such as Students for a Democratic Society at Wayne State University have pushed for sanctuary campus policies and a defense of student visas. However, Wayne State’s administration so far has refused to address these concerns.

Wayne State students organized the study-in to make it clear to the Wayne State administration that the student body cannot be ignored, and that real change on campus is needed.

Around an hour into the study-in, Dean of Students David Strauss finally acknowledged students, asking if they wanted a university sign moved from the hallway, instead of addressing students' concerns over the 12 deported students.

Kimberly Perry, a Wayne State University student and member of Students for a Democratic Society, told the dean, “We’d rather talk about the 12 students that got deported than the sign in the hallway.”

Dean Strauss responded by saying that participants in the action should talk to the student newspaper about the deported students. Perry then said, “As a representative of the student body, to administration, I'm just curious on why you haven't done anything to represent the 12 students who have been deported.”

Dean Strauss proceeded to say that making a statement on behalf of the deported students was “above his pay grade” and then refused to talk further about the subject after realizing he was being recorded.

The fight for a sanctuary campus will continue.

#DetroitMI #MI #ImmigrantRights #StudentMovement #SDS

Grand Rapids, MI – On Saturday, October 10, activists from across Michigan came together in Grand Rapids to unite their campaigns to divest from apartheid Israel and discuss the importance of such campaigns to the wider antiwar movement.

“These discussions around strategy and tactics are constantly on an organizer’s mind,” said Anthony Hegarty, the emcee for the panel. “The end goal is to get people moving politically, to build up the mass movements, to transform our society, and to strike blows against our enemies. These are not easy tasks. So how do we get there? What methods do we use? How do we respond to failures and successes? To sum it up, we learn by doing. By hitting the streets and fighting for our demands.”

Daanyal Syed from the Detroit Antiwar Committee told the crowd, “We are beginning to target the city of Detroit pension plan, which, across the separate plans, has a total of $6 billion in investments. At every step along the way we are denied information. So we're beginning with a disclosure campaign. We want to know what the city employees’ pensions are invested in. And if there are investments in Israeli companies, we are going to demand they drop those investments.”

Similarly, Libby Sinn and Nick Young from Grand Rapids spoke on their pension plan divestment campaign:

“There's precedent for this. Grand Rapids divested from apartheid South Africa in the 80s after a campaign forced the city to meet their demands,” explained Sinn. “We want them to repeat what was done in the past.”

Young explained the current day campaign: “Through FOIA requests we found out about a $1 million investment in an Israeli AI firm called N.i.C.E. We want the retirement board to drop this investment and to adopt an ethics statement that'd force them to drop any investments in countries being charged with genocide.”

City employee pensions weren't the only topic of discussion.

Matt Clark from the Michigan Divest Coalition spoke on their past wins and their current campaign.

“The MI Money Out of MIBA campaign wants to end the transfer of public funds to MIBA. And where to start with them? The acronym stands for the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator. They're an organization that promotes Israel's interests in Michigan that has been getting public money since at least 2018. As an organization, 70% of their funds come from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and in turn MIBA gets Israeli companies’ setup in our state.”

Clark continued: “Our demand is for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to terminate MIBA's current $650,000 grant and refuse to award any future contracts, loans, or grants to MIBA.”

All the panelists gave more details on their campaigns, their next steps, their successes and failures, and left the event ready for whatever struggles lay ahead them.

Attendees enjoyed coffee and snacks as the event wrapped up, ending with chants of “Free Free Palestine!” and “Michigan Divest!”

Follow Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (@palestinesolidarity_gr), the Detroit Antiwar Committee (@detroitantiwar), and Michigan Divest (@michigandivest) to learn more about all their campaigns.

PSGR and DAWC are proud members of the Antiwar Action Network, which can be found online at antiwaractionnetwork.org.

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #BDS

Grand Rapids, MI – The Grand Rapids Coalition Against Trump joined hundreds of people in the October 17 No Kings Day rally. The coalition showed up as a contingent at 10:30 a.m. to lead chants against the Trump administration. Activists shouted, “Get Trump out!”

The main focus of the contingent was to speak on the attacks Trump has launched against working-class people at home and abroad. Signs read “Fight Trump's agenda” and “End Trump's war on Iran.”

The Grand Rapids Coalition Against Trump is made up of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, IATSE Local 26.

Programming for the rest of the event began at 11:30. A local band opened the rally with some live blues music, as Kent County Indivisible urged people to cast an early ballot. A speaker from UCC Powerfund stated, “There’s so much happening to us, to our neighbors and around us, but we know history has shown us that when people rise, guess what y’all? Kingdoms fall and so do oppressive systems.”

After the speeches, The Coalition Against Trump continued its chants to an energetic crowd that began to march. Hundreds of people then took to streets, chanting for an end to Trump's attacks.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #NoKings

Grand Rapids, MI – On October 7, Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids held a vigil and rally to commemorate three years of genocide and three years of resistance. Over 60 community members gathered in Calder Plaza to mourn those killed in Palestine and to celebrate their ongoing struggle for liberation.

During the event, Zionist agitators attempted to disrupt the vigil but were met by organizers who successfully pushed them out of the plaza; far away from those in attendance. While the agitators sang the U.S. national anthem while flying Israeli Defense Forces flags, community members chanted over them, blocked their view, and passed around portraits of Palestinian martyrs while observing Salat as the sun set.

“Three years ago, Israel launched its most brutal assault on Gaza because Palestinians dared to resist 76 years of occupations and 16 years of a brutal siege,” Julliette Kibby, an organizer with Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, stated. “Since then, the Palestinian people have suffered a genocide; the final culmination of the Zionist project!”

A Palestinian organizer from Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids focused on their home and the loved ones they’ve lost, stating, “I want to go home! I want to sit under that almond tree again. I want to see my cousins at the beach and say: ‘See! We’re all here now!’ But some of the people I imagine standing there won’t be!”

Organizers also focused on divestment and their campaign to get the Grand Rapids Retirement System to divest from Israel.

Sam Tunningley of the Freedom Road told the crowd, “The United States government, with the backing of the most powerful and moneyed interests, will stop at nothing to silence all of our organizations and leaders who challenge the U.S. stranglehold on the Middle East.”

As the event wrapped up, all those in attendance chanted and drowned out the eight remaining Zionist agitators still lingering at the corners of the plaza.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #PSGR

Detroit, MI – Wayne State University students and community members gathered Wednesday, October 7, to defend Palestine’s right to resist on the third anniversary of Israel-United States’ genocide in Gaza.

The demonstration was organized by WSU Students for a Democratic Society. Endorsing groups in attendance included WSU Students for Justice in Palestine, College Democrats at WSU, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Beginning the rally with chants, students defended the right of Palestinians to resist Zionist occupation, as well as demanded WSU divest from war profiteers. Protesters could be chanting that no more of their tuition money should go to funding genocide.

FRSO member Jackson Robak told the crowd, “We are here today to stand with the Palestinian Resistance, who, on October 7, looked death in the eye and bravely fought back against Zionist occupation, showing the world that the Israeli occupation forces could be defeated.”

A member of WSU SDS stated, “History has shown the world that the Palestine movement is an inalienable part of the student movement, that the oppressed people of the world have an ally in the student movement, and that even though Palestine has taken up less and less space in the headlines, we are still here and still fighting.”

A march around campus was led by a banner reading, “Wayne State cut the ties,” and Palestine flags were held high. While protesters were in route, a professor and class of approximately 250 students joined the march in support.

A small group of five Zionists attempted to counter-protest the rally, trailing behind marchers. Police stood in front of the Zionists; however, the size of the march showed that WSU students stand with the Palestinian people, and chants of “From Wayne State to Palestine, resistance is justified” drowned out those in opposition.

On their way back to Keast Commons, marchers passed the patch of grass where an encampment was set up in 2024 to demand WSU divest from Israel. Since the genocide began, students have mobilized to support the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation, and, three years on, the fight for a free Palestine is still alive at Wayne State.

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement #Palestine #October7

At an afternoon rally held during the busy ArtPrize festival off of Monroe Avenue in Grand Rapids, GROW members held signs calling to “Free Cilia Flores,” “Release Flores and Maduro,” and “Stop Trump’s attacks on Venezuela,” and discussed the impact of U.S. sanctions with local festival attendees.

The demonstration elicited support from many attendees, who expressed outrage at the Trump administration’s ongoing war on Iran and intervention in Latin America. When approached by a counter-protester, a member of GROW explained that the organization stands against the idea that the United States can kidnap foreign leaders like Maduro and Flores, and that it is a matter of upholding the Venezuelan peoples’ sovereignty against U.S. aggression.

October 3 marked nine months since the violent kidnapping of Maduro and Flores on January 3 by U.S. forces. The harsh conditions at MDC Brooklyn, where they are being held, has reportedly resulted in Flores experiencing a mild heart attack and losing 24 pounds. The U.S. government previously attempted to deny payment to President Maduro’s legal defense from February 2026 until late April 2026.

As part of its local effort to carry the campaign to free Maduro and Flores, and to end U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, GROW is holding actions on the 3rd of every month to heighten these demands and plans to until they are finally released from U.S. custody. Currently, the federal trial for Maduro and Flores is scheduled to begin in June 2027.

The Grand Rapids Opponents of War can be followed on Instagram under the same name.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #International #Venezuela #GROW

Grand Rapids, MI – Meredith Aby, a Minneapolis-based organizer and co-founder of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, spoke in Grand Rapids on September 26, to share her experience on the Jaju Solidarity Brigade to South Korea. The brigade, organized by Notdutol, brought activists to the country to participate in the National Liberation Day protests against U.S. war games.

Aby’s presentation was held in the chapel of Fountain Street Church, which is a venue in this year’s annual ArtPrize Festival. Thus, the two events coinciding brought people into the space who were taking a break from browsing art and wanting to sit in on the presentation.

Jessica Plichta, an anti-war organizer and member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), introduced Aby as one of her inspirations. Plichta made a point to highlight Aby’s role in resisting a grand jury as part of the Anti-War 23 and her recent work with the Anti-War Action Network.

Aby, a former history teacher, began by giving a brief history of the Korean War – a “forgotten war” the United States would rather not remember. The Korean people, however, are still in many ways under military occupation by the United States, and many Koreans continue to resist crimes still occurring in their country.

A significant part of the presentation focused on the devastating effects of the U.S.-South Korea Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Enacted in 1967, the agreement allows U.S. personnel to evade prosecution in the country, making them de facto above the law.

Aby spoke of the long history of “comfort women,” which grew into a massive state-sanctioned trafficking enterprise after the war. Women, mostly from the Phillipines and Southeast Asia, were trafficked into sexual slavery to service U.S. troops on the 70-plus military bases in the country. Many of the women were murdered and buried unceremoniously in ditches with unmarked graves.

Aby described the National Liberation Day protests, which took place during the Ulchi Freedom Shield war drills and had over 10,000 people in attendance. The United States still exercises control over the South Korean military, but the South Korean government has become more defiant – including turning down U.S. demands to fight in their war against Iran. “The issue is the U.S. is losing its empire status, losing its control of the world, and that’s why a proxy state like South Korea can say ‘we are not going to help with this,’” said Aby.

Aby ended by encouraging attendees to donate to Nodutol and joining the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

“Part of being in an organization is being able to fight imperialism across multiple fronts. You, as an individual, cannot,” said Aby. “In an organization, you are one part of a fist – you are all working together.”

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Korea #JajuSolidarityBrigade #FRSO #KoreaTour

Grand Rapids, MI – On the evening of Thursday, September 24, a group gathered for a vigil on Century Avenue at the site where Mario David Coronado Juarez lost his life in a fatal car crash just days before.

Moments before the crash, federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped Mario’s vehicle on the side of the road. Coronado Juarez sped away from the agents, which led to the crash that took his life. Mario’s death comes just two days after Wilber Rafael Garcés Perez was shot in the back by ICE agents in Austin, Texas.

Present at this vigil were community members, local activists, politicians and Coronado Juarez’s own family, who were grieving the loss of their loved one. In his memory and honor, attendees prayed and sang. Chants echoed throughout the crowd: “Justicia para Mario.”

Helping to organize the vigil were members from the non-profit organization Movimiento Cosecha, an immigrant rights group which has been fighting for the establishment of sanctuary policies in Grand Rapids. An organizer with Movimiento Cosecha, Gema Lowe, called for attendees to support Mario’s family during this incredibly difficult time.

Lowe further demanded justice for Mario and for the immigrant community who have suffered the pain and brutality inflicted on them by ICE. She told the crowd, “We should be able to walk without fear. We want all agents responsible to be brought to justice.”

As the vigil continued into the night and the sun set on attendees, the Grand Rapids community remained in solidarity to remember the life of a man who was taken from them by ICE’s terror.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #ImmigrantRights #ICE #MarioDavidoCoronadoJuarez #OppressedNationalities #Feature

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

Grand Rapids, MI – On the afternoon of Sunday, August 23, community members gathered in Richmond Park to express solidarity with Haitian immigrants. They condemned the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies, focusing on the recent removal of Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for 350,000 Haitian immigrants.

More than two dozen demonstrators attended the rally called by the Grand Rapids Coalition Against Trump. Protesters joined together in a spirited chorus of chants and drumming. They waved Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) placards reading, “Stop the mass deportation of Haitians.” The rally drew the support of passersby and the interest of neighborhood residents, some who emerged from their homes to listen to speakers,

Former Kent County Commissioner Ivan Diaz highlighted Haiti’s struggle against U.S. intervention, saying, “That revolution, its consequences for the world, and our country’s response to that revolution, have been ongoing for hundreds of years. It has brought us to the moment in history that we are in today, where that U.S. oppression has made it so that the people who are still in Haiti have to struggle each and every day just to get their basic necessities.”

Lukas Forester, with Grand Rapids Opponents of War, said, “Aggression here at home begins with aggression abroad.” Forester detailed the history of worker exploitation, economic sanctions, gunboat diplomacy, and military interventions to which the U.S. government has long subjected the Haitian people.

“These latest measures are simply a continuation of a long, concerted effort to treat Haiti as if it is a playground for Western interests,” said Sam Tunningley of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression.

Tunningley continued, “The move to end TPS is yet another example of the Trump administration and ICE appealing to the basest and most backwards tribalism in U.S. society. They need an enemy, whether it be immigrants, activists or some ‘other’ they can target, anything to distract from their own failures.”

Mario Pierre, founder of Union in Action for Haiti, expressed dismay over the removal of protections. He explained how the threat of deportation impairs people’s ability to work safely and to support themselves, ultimately jeopardizing the wellbeing of the entire country.

Pierre said, “The president says he is going to make the country great again? It is not great again, but the country is poor, not rich.”

Trump and ICE are leveling attack after attack on immigrant rights. This most recent racist campaign, attacking Haitians, is part of the ongoing repression by ICE. Grand Rapids organizers are resolved to resist, chanting, “When immigrants are under attack. What do we do? Stand up and fight back!”

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #ImmigrantRights #Haitians #TPS

Grand Rapids, MI – On the morning of August 19, activists walked into the Grand Rapids Retirement System board meeting with one goal in mind: “What will it take for the city pension plan to divest from Israeli companies?”

The ongoing “Grand Rapids Divest from Israel” campaign started when Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests confirmed the existence of a $1.1 million investment from the retirement system in an Israeli AI company called NiCE.

NiCE makes AI-powered software for use in anything from business management to police surveillance. 

“Word has gotten out among the broad public that our government has been funneling billions of dollars into Israel every year, and Americans are rightly upset about it,” said Nick Young during the public comment section of the board meeting. 

Young continued, “We suggest that you, as the board of the General Retirement System, communicate with your investment consultants and investment managers, directing them to eliminate all holdings in NiCE.”

Palestine solidarity activist Jessica Plichta commented, “This isn’t the police or U.S. government using and accessing our information alone, it is a foreign entity from a foreign government who is committing crimes against humanity that is using and saving our private information.”

After the meeting, trustees talked with activists, and many expressed their openness to working together to find which asset manager held the NiCE investment on behalf of the city and to continue the conversation.

“It is a great initial step,” said Anthony Hegarty. “People don’t want our economy tied up with Israel anymore. We want our city to stop conducting business with Israel and if it means chipping away at each lousy investment to get there, we will do it.”

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #BDS #Divestment

Detroit, MI – On Wednesday, July 22, community members came together outside of the 3rd Police Precinct in Detroit to demand justice for Alonzo Lee-Perkins, a local teenager who was shot in the back by a Detroit Police Officer a month before. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, resisting and obstructing a police officer, and felony firearm violation.

The event, which was organized by the Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and cosponsored by the Black Panther Honor Guard and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, began at 6 p.m. when protesters held up a banner that read, “Justice for Alonzo! Drop the charges!” The crowd chanted, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail,” “No justice, no peace” and “When Black lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Speakers at the event brought forward the demand for the police department to release the bodycam footage from the incident and highlighted the unnecessary nature of the use of force.

“How the hell can you say you were in danger when you shot somebody in the back?” demanded Jacob Smith of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “Let’s call this incident what it is,” he continued, “an attempted lynching of a young black man.”

Other speakers tied the shooting to the Detroit city government’s response to the recent “teen takeovers.” “The shooting of Alonzo is tied to the culmination of Chief Bettison and the whole Detroit Police Department’s campaign to over-police our Black youth,” said Marcel Ulacia of the Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Also present at the event were Victoria Camille and Scotty Boman, members of the Board of Police Commissioners, which is the civilian police oversight body for the city of Detroit. Both commissioners reiterated the demand for the release of bodycam footage. “We just want to know the truth,” said Camille, “We want to see the footage, I want to see the footage released to the public.”

#DetroitMI #MI #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #AlonzoLeePerkins

Grand Rapids, MI – A historic heat wave hitting Grand Rapids, Michigan on Wednesday night, July 15, did nothing to slow down a mobilization against the ICE murders of Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Maine and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston.

The protest was held in Garfield Park, in a neighborhood where nearly half the residents are Latino, and featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including Michigan Senate District 29 candidate Ivan Diaz. Alongside calls for justice, the organizers said the main demand was to get ICE out of our neighborhoods.

Stationed near a busy intersection, the crowd began with chants of “El pueblo, unido, jamás será vencido!” and “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” before moving into speeches. The reception from the street was enthusiastic, with drivers cheering and shouting anti-ICE slogans.

Diaz was introduced first, stressing a message of unity to fight back these attacks.

“We have to be able to work together,” said Diaz. “Focusing on petty differences, or differences of opinion or strategy, is not going to help us beat this system.”

Eduardo Montiel, an organizer with the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and the Coalition Against Trump (CAT) – the organizers of the protest – similarly projected a need to join together.

“Both [Joan and Lorenzo] were working class, like the majority of us in this country. Both were just trying to provide for their families,” said Montiel. “This is the common thread that unites all of us.”

The rally portion lasted around an hour, with additional speeches from Lily Cheng-Schulting, a disability rights activist and candidate for State House District 80; Michael Amirault, an organizer with the recently-formed Grand Rapids Opponents of War (GROW); and Julliette Kibby of Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR).

Both Amirault and Juliette Kibby connected the war against immigrants at home with U.S.-led wars abroad, expressing the necessity to fight for our immigrant neighbors while also committing to the fight against imperialism.

The evening closed with a vigil portion, including a read out of every person killed by ICE this year followed by a moment of silence.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #ImmigrantRights #GRAARPR #NAARPR

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

Grand Rapids, MI – In the late afternoon on July 4, around 40 people gathered in Roberto Clemente Park to socialize, eat and condemn 250 years of U.S. war crimes. For many of the attendees, this was the first anti-war event they've attended.

In addition to food and drink, the event featured speakers, educational games and a piñata printed with Netanyahu and Donald Trump. The piñata was enthusiastically destroyed to close out the event. Flags of countries recently and historically repressed by the U.S. were displayed around the park, including Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and Palestine.

Speakers represented the following organizations: Grand Rapids Opponents of War (GROW), Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR), and the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).

Tyler Stalorites, a veteran of the U.S. Army and organizer with GROW, talked about his experience being recruited during high school: “At 17 years old, I was plucked from the small town of Bridgman, Michigan and shortly after placed in the 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment. I was driving a Humvee before I could vote, smoke or go to a bar.”

Stalorites then discussed how his world view started to change as he was deployed to Eastern Europe, “I noticed I felt a stronger bond with the Turkish construction workers or the Hungarian shop owners near our base than I did with my commanding officers.”

Tom Burke spoke for AWAN, and gave a shout out to a number of upcoming electoral campaigns: Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate, Lily Cheng-Schulting for State Representative, and Ivan Diaz for Michigan Senate.

Burke spoke to the public reception to Trump's war on Iran. “War is unpopular, and the Iran War is especially unpopular. When the loss in Vietnam struck the U.S., it took decades to launch another unpopular war. The loss in Iran will be an even more devastating loss for the U.S.”

Burke continued, “This country kidnapped the democratically-elected president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Very soon I will be traveling to the New York City courtroom to stand in solidarity with him and his wife Cilia Flores.”

The speakers closed out with chants like “No to war, yes to peace, U.S. out of the Middle East” and “Free, free Palestine!” The event was organized by GROW in response to the AWAN July 4 call to action.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #GROW #AWAN

Grand Rapids, MI – The Grand Rapids Coalition Against Trump hosted “Pride in the Park” at MLK Jr. Park, Sunday June 28. This was the first event hosted by the coalition this summer. Food, games, tarot card reading and live music were present, creating a celebratory environment for the community.

The event brought together several different community groups, both from within and outside of the coalition, to commemorate the history of Pride as a celebration, but also as an act of resistance against the oppression faced by the LGBTQ community.

Halfway through the event several coalition member groups and friends of the coalition gave brief speeches on the need to unite against Trump and the necessity to stand with our LGBTQ community members.

“Our campaign is proud to be a member of the Coalition Against Trump. In our society, immigrants, unhoused people and members of the LGBTQ community are often treated as second-class citizens, and that’s why it’s important to have events like these to demonstrate that we must build community and stand up for each other’s rights,” said Ivan Diaz, a coalition member and political candidate running for Michigan State Senate District 29.

Each speaker addressed the need to fight back against increasing repression around the world, highlighting specifically the heightened repression of the queer community by the Trump administration.

“As an organization, Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression fights against all forms of political repression, including repression of our LGBTQ community. Pride is a celebration now, but its roots are as an act of resistance,” said Magret Hawley-Lowry representing the Grand Rapids Alliance, noting also, “Today, June 28, marks 67 years since that attack. We remember that event in particular because the people targeted chose to get loud and fight back, and through this they found community and created organizations to continue fighting for their rights.”

The Grand Rapids Coalition Against Trump ended the event with a promise of future actions and events, as well as encouraging everyone attending to join one of the groups present and to get involved in political struggle.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #LGBTQ #Pride

The 39th Constitutional Convention was held at an important time in the labor movement. Recent times have seen attacks on public sector workers from the Trump administration, heavy investment in AI threatening jobs, and at the same time, auto workers in the South have struggled to win union recognition. All of these things directly impact the UAW and its members. At the convention, UAW members reflected on the past four years of developments.

At the 38th convention in 2022, members passed a resolution creating the “one member, one vote” system for the first time, creating a direct democratic election of leadership. The passage of that resolution is seen as having played a significant role in the election of UAW President Shawn Fain’s victory. The convention held this month saw members come out and organize for measures to protect their democratic gains and make advances toward a more bold and powerful international union.

Significant changes were made regarding strike pay. The Constitution Committee recommended a strike package that included an increase of minimum weekly strike pay from $400 to $550, an increase to the maximum strike fund withdrawals for organizing drives from 60 million to 100 million, and an increase to the Strike & Defense Fund thresholds. This allows the strike fund to grow to approximately $1 billion. The recommended package was debated on the convention floor and passed after delegates argued that the package would enable the union to prepare for a major upcoming battle they expect to see with the Big Three automakers when contracts expire in May 2028. The big three refers to General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Stellantis (formerly known as Fiat Chrysler).

Newly-organized UAW Local 42 members won their first contract at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee this year, and were honored with the UAW Social Justice Award. Their victory is a breakthrough in the UAW’s strategy to unionize auto production in the South.

“They [Local 42] sent a message across Tennessee, across Region 8 and across America: the South is not for sale,” declared Tim Smith, the director of UAW Region 8, “Workers cannot be bought, and when workers stand together, corporate greed can be defeated!”

Alongside the resolutions that passed to build a more powerful and militant UAW, there is still an ongoing struggle to maintain and strengthen democratic reforms that the membership won in 2022. An amendment was raised on the convention floor, proposing that any changes to the current policy of direct democratic election of the International executive board, known as the “one member, one vote” system, only be permitted by a referendum of the entire union membership. The “one member, one vote” system that was won in 2022 replaced a previous delegate system that had been used to elect the International executive board.

This amendment’s intention was to protect democratic gains and practically enshrine direct democracy in the membership. To the confusion and frustration of membership on the convention floor, UAW General Counsel Bill Karges recommended to Convention Chair Laura Dickerson that the amendment be struck down as unconstitutional, and, as such, the membership was denied the opportunity to vote on it. The same day, a separate amendment, also deemed unconstitutional by Karges, was allowed to be debated and voted on. In the past four years, Karges has reportedly opposed President Fain’s efforts to create a more aggressive legal counsel in bargaining. Continued behaviors, such as opposing the “one member, one vote” amendment this year, are in alignment with the positions taken by the old guard leadership that opposed the democratic reforms that were passed.

“We feel that the UAW counsel made an improper interpretation of the amendment for one member one vote. We feel that this interpretation is not consistent with other earlier decisions at the Constitutional Convention,” said Gary Chynowrth, vice chair of the UAW Member Action caucus and Local 160 member, “Member Action is going to do everything in our power to help members keep their right to vote, as that is the cornerstone right to prevent the fraud perpetrated by the Administration Caucus leaders.”

A resolution was also passed that around international solidarity. UAW members won an estimated $400,000 divestment of their union from bonds in the state of Israel, after an over 50-year campaign, which began when Arab American members led strikes across Detroit and Dearborn in 1973 to demand divestment.

In an interview posted by UAW4Democracy, UAW Local 2325 member Olga Karounus stated, “This is a moment that is going to resonate far beyond just this room. I know we just answered the call of the Palestinian trade workers, who have been calling for this for over 50 years.”

The UAW is set to convene again for the 40th Constitutional Convention in 2030. In the next four years, rank-and-file members who worked to win the recent reforms say they will continue to chart the path ahead for a more militant, powerful and democratic international union.

“We’ve got to build a global movement of workers everywhere,” said UAW President Shawn Fain, “not pitted against each other across borders, but united in a common cause for a society that works for the working class.”

#DetroitMI #MI #Labor #UAW #Feature

Detroit, MI – On Tuesday June 16, activists rallied outside of the Reindustrialize Summit to oppose war profiteers, surveillance tech billionaires, members of the war mongering Trump administration and high-ranking military personnel. The companies that attended the conference seek to bring war industry manufacturing and surveillance tech jobs to Detroit and other Midwest cities to expand their businesses. For this reason, protesters demanded that the attendees and the companies they represent have no place in their city.

The event was organized by the Detroit Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization Detroit, and Engineers Against Apartheid with many other organizations participating.

The conference was hosted in the Hudson’s building, which is owned by Detroit Zionist billionaire Dan Gilbert. The speaker list of the conference included capitalists from war-profiteering companies such as Boeing, Hadrian, Lockheed Martin, GM, Castelion, and the Summit’s marquee sponsor, Govini, which makes “defense” software.

The conference included speakers from the Trump administration such as FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, United Nations Ambassador Waltz, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of War David Lorch, and Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael. The Reindustrialize Summit featured pre-recorded videos from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

At the beginning of the rally, a few members of Detroit Anti-War and Freedom Road Socialist Organization protested on the street corner closest to where the attendees were exiting the Reindustrialize Summit. These protesters were met with antagonism by several attendees, including keynote speaker Campbell Meyers, CEO of CreateMe, who pushed a protester. Not long after this encounter and others, the Detroit Police Department exited their vehicles nearby and told the activists to join the rest of the rally on the other side of the street. Despite providing no clear legal justification for this request, Sergeant Johnson threatened to arrest the activists if they failed to comply.

Though the police prevented the activists from taking one street corner, they occupied two out of the four corners of the intersection, forcing many attendees to either walk around the crowd in the street, walk through the crowd where they were heckled, or completely change the direction they were walking.

Detroit Anti-War Steering Committee member Daanyal Syed said, “We cannot allow these companies to make Detroit their home. The jobs they might bring are ones soaked in blood. The services these killer companies will offer the city will only increase surveillance and the deadliness of our police force. Services that these companies want our tax dollars to fund them. These people are not only murderers, but they’re also thieves, stealing from our paychecks to fund their bloodsport.”

Celia Erikson, a member of El Comité de Acción Comunitaria de Detroit, spoke on how some of these companies collaborate directly with ICE. These companies include Palantir, Northop Grumman and Ford, which is headquartered in Dearborn and provides vehicles to CBP and ICE. The Department of Homeland Security uses prison labor to modify their vehicles for agency-specific purposes.

Erickson finished her speech, “The technologies created by these companies and their use by ICE harm real Detroiters, real children, parents, families and community members. That is why we are here to say, Reindustrialize, get the fuck out of Detroit!”

Jackson Robak of Freedom Road Social Organization Detroit stated, “Detroit doesn’t need reindustrialization, if it means slaughter. Detroiters don’t need bomb factories; we need factories that build up the people. We need to bring back automotive and working-class jobs that better society. We need union jobs, not jobs run by war profiteers or jobs that kill children.”

Towards the end of the action protesters gathered outside of the Shinola Hotel, which is also owned by Dan Gilbert, where CEOs, speakers and attendees of the conference were staying. Protesters chanted “Detroit makes it clear, war profiters aren’t welcome here!” and proceeded to heckle the speakers by shouting their names and their crimes.

Some of the high profile attendees took it upon themself to “speak” with the protesters, coming down from the balcony to the rally across the street. Two of these individuals were Cody James, CEO of OpenX, a company that works with the Air Force and war profiteer Raytheon, and Brian Greeley, senior vice president and chief banking officer of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. While James was quickly deterred from interacting with the protesters, Greeley proceeded to antagonize the crowd. As he was escorted by a line of police officers, Greeley called one of the protesters a queer slur.

The rally continued for an hour after that, with the protesters continuing to target the men on the balcony. After chanting, “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, loser chuds go away!” for several minutes, a vast majority of the people on the balcony returned inside the hotel. Despite earlier being driven off the balcony due to the activists recognizing him, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr returned outside, smiling and waving at the protesters as they continued to call out his complicity in the Trump administration’s warmongering and targeting of immigrants at home. Not long after this, the rally concluded with only Carr and a few others remaining on the balcony.

Beyond just the scope of the protest, the Reindustrialize Summit showed itself to be a hub of imperialist networking and a platform for the Trump administration’s destructive agenda. For example, while at the Summit, General Motors announced a partnership with Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest weapons manufacturer well known for producing the Hellfire missiles Israel has dropped on Gaza throughout the genocide.

At the same time, despite the struggles of the day, from Detroit police department’s repression to Brian Greeley’s bigotry, Detroit made a clear stance against the summit. The fight against these companies and the Trump administration continues. As the protesters yelled to Brendan Carr as the rally ended: “See you next year!”

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Divestment