Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By Joe Iosbaker

Faayani Aboma Mijana speaks at press conference about a move in federal court for a preliminary injunction to march on the Democratic National Convention.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Chicago, IL – At an April 30 press conference, speakers announced that a motion for a preliminary injunction has been filed in federal court by the Coalition to March on the DNC. They are asking a federal judge to block the city of Chicago from enforcing its ordinance regulating parade permits, as it violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Speakers at the press conference included Chris Williams, Attorney; Hatem Abudayyeh, US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN); Faayani Aboma Mijana, Coalition to March on the DNC; and Liz Rathburn, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) – University of Illinois at Chicago.

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By staff

Veteran Black liberation activist Angela Davis speaks at Palestine solidarity encampment in Denver. | Fight Back! News/staff

Denver, CO – On Saturday, April 27, the Auraria Encampment for Palestine entered its third day. Despite police violence and the arrest of 44 protesters the day before, campers were in high spirits to continue.

The encampment is organized by Students for a Democratic Society with community support from the Colorado Palestine Coalition. Throughout the day, hundreds of students, faculty and community supporters spent time at the camp. At 1 p.m., there was a rally featuring speakers from SDS, supportive city council members, and veteran organizers from groups such as the American Indian Movement.

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By Gage Lacharite

Tampa protest slams Biden for backing genocide in Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tampa, FL – Protesters converged in solidarity with the struggle in Gaza to denounce Joe Biden’s visit to the Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry campus on April 23. Nearly 400 protesters thronged the sidewalks surrounding the entrance, chanting and waving Palestinian flags.

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By Joe Iosbaker

Hatem Abudayyeh announcing plans to march for Palestine at the Democratic National Convention. | Fight Back! News/Alec Ozawa

Chicago, IL – The Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) met in Chicago the weekend of April 13. Speaker after speaker testified with fire in their eyes about the need to march against the genocide in Gaza. Along with the speeches, people got down to the tasks needed to bring tens of thousands to Chicago in August to protest the DNC.

The 450 in attendance were overwhelmingly youth. Many are brand new to protest movements, having been thrown into motion by the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movement.

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By staff

Chicago conference making plans to march on the DNC. | Fight Back! News/Alec Ozawa

Chicago, IL – More than 450 people representing 75 organizations gathered in Chicago, April 13, to plan a massive march at the Democratic National Convention, which will stand with Palestine and promote a people’s agenda.

Kobi Guillory of the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression told conference participants, “We will counterprotest the DNC starting on August 19 to demand an immediate end to the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide, and that no more of our tax dollars are used to fund the massacres of Palestinians.” Guillory also talked about the fight to get permits for a large-family friendly protest, but said that organizers were going to march to within sight and sound of the convention, permits or not.

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By Sol Márquez

Protesters hold signs saying "From the river to the sea Palestine will be free" and "End US Aid to Israel" while a lead protester chants on a bullhorn.

Hollywood, CA — A protest of 60 people gathered, March 10, near the Oscars to disrupt, chanting, “From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!”

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By staff

Milwaukee, WI – On February 15, about 30 community members gathered at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee for a teach-in and discussion on Black and Palestinian liberation. Led by Kobi Guillory, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, this event highlighted the commonalities between the Black and Palestinian fight against oppression and how they have historically helped each other in this fight.

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By Robert Engel

 Seattle rally demands justice for Jaahnavi Kandula.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Seattle, WA — On Friday, February 23, the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held an emergency rally in front of Seattle's West Precinct police station. Two days before, the office of King County prosecutor Leesa Manion announced that they had decided not to prosecute SPD officer Kevin Dave who, over a year ago, struck and killed 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula with his patrol car while she was walking through a crosswalk.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

The National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) condemns attacks by Governor Ron DeSantis and the right wing dominated legislature in Florida. During this current legislative session, the Florida Legislature is poised to pass legislation targeting the movements for police accountability, the labor movement, the movement to end white supremacy and remove confederate monuments, attacks on the right to organize for a free Palestine, as well as continued attacks on LGBTQ students, and a continued onslaught on the immigrant community and all oppressed peoples.

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By Delilah Pierre

Tallahassee action demands civilian oversight of police.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Tallahassee, FL – On February 24, about a dozen community organizers and students mobilized to the Florida Historic Capitol building to rally against SB 576, as well as attacks on the pro-Palestinian movement and attacks on the LGBTQ community.

The mobilization was part of a larger week of action called by National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

SB 576 seeks to limit police oversight by restricting the ability of cities to institute police review boards as a means to provide any form of accountability for local police departments.

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By Jae Franklin

Nesreen Hasan and Olan Mijana. | Fight Back! News/Jae Franklin

Chicago, IL – On February 18, the Chicago Freedom Road Socialist Organization hosted over 50 members of the community at the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) office to celebrate Black History Month.

The event featured a panel on the historic solidarity between Black and Palestinian organizers in Chicago as well as how that solidarity shows up in practice today, and it was followed by a poetic cultural performance from FRSO and CAARPR member Brian Young, Jr.

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By Tavish Bryan

Protesters chant against HB 601 outside of the Florida House. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tallahassee, FL – On February 20, approximately 30 students and community organizers mobilized to the Florida Capitol building to hold a press conference and speak out against HB 601. This bill seeks to prevent any meaningful oversight of police misconduct by making it unlawful to form citizen police review boards or any organized body to review the conduct of police departments.

The mobilization was part of a larger week of action called by National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

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By staff

Washington DC protest against the genocide in Gaza. | Fight Back! News/staff

Washington, DC – On Saturday, February 17, thousands of pro-Palestine protesters marched on the U.S Capitol building in DC to demand justice for Rafah and an end to the siege on Palestine.

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By Vicki Amole

Seattle protest stands with Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Seattle, WA – A crowd gathered around Seattle's World Trade Center for a February 9 protest against the U.S.-backed genocide in Palestine.

Chants of “Not another nickel! Not another dime! No more money for Israel's crimes!” could be heard not only from and within the building, but for blocks around. The protest called attention to the continued support of Israel's genocidal campaign by the U.S.

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By Patricia Fish

Milwaukee students demand divestment from apartheid Israel.  | Fight Back! News/Sabine Wolter

Milwaukee, WI – On Friday, February 9, students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee staged a sit-in at the UWM administrative building, Chapman Hall.

Led by Students for a Democratic Society, the event began with a rally in front of the Zionist-named Golda Meir Library, followed by a march to Chapman Hall, where students entered the building and occupied it for six hours.

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By staff

Green Bay, Wisconsin stands with Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Green Bay, WI – On February 10, four months into the Zionist occupation’s genocidal assault on Gaza, dedicated activists braved the wintry cold and wind to demand an end to U.S. aggression in the Middle East.

The mood was energetic yet somber as people shared their personal stories about how Israeli-trained forces and American weapons have destroyed families and lives around the world, from occupied Palestine to Guatemala to here in the US.

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By staff

Protestors gathered in Lafayette Square near the White House as a part of the National Week of Action in solidarity with Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, February 10, hundreds of pro-Palestine protestors gathered across the lawn from the White House in Lafayette Square.

The action, hosted by the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DC Alliance) alongside Palestinian Youth Movement, was held for the National Week of Action in solidarity with Palestine.

Their demands included an end to U.S. aid to Israel and bombing the Middle East, an end to the political repression of Palestinian organizers, “Hands off Yemen,” and community control of the police.

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By staff

Standing with Palestine and against police repression in Brooklyn, New York. | Fight Back! News/staff

Brooklyn, NY – A dozen people gathered at Barclays Center on a dreary Sunday afternoon of February 11 to protest the New York Police Department and stand in solidarity with Palestine.

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By staff

Tampa students stand with Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tampa, FL – On Monday, February 5, around 35 students gathered in front of the University of South Florida’s Marshall Student Center to participate in a protest held by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) for the National Week of Action in solidarity with Palestine.

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By Carson Cruse

Students hold banner the night before it was dropped  | Fight Back! News/staff

Banner hangs over Interstate 10 | Fight Back! News/staff

New Orleans, LA – On February 7, New Orleanian activists held a banner drop over a busy Interstate 10. The massive banner read “End U.S. aid to Israel”.

The organizations involved were Students for Democratic Society chapters from Loyola, Tulane and the University of New Orleans, along with New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP).

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