New York, NY – On October 21, the Alliance of Substitutes and Paraprofessionals (ASAP) held a Substitute Teacher Townhall, where over 25 substitutes and others within the United Federation of Teachers gathered on Zoom. The town hall heard from substitutes and former subs in the NYC Department of Education on what issues they have faced in their workplaces that could be turned into a campaign by ASAP.

ASAP is a group of militant substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and teachers in the UFT who are developing campaigns around the most underserved and underpaid groups within the NYC Department of Education.

Subs on the call discussed long-term substitute assignments, withholding pay, lack of clarity on the job, as well as low compensation.

One sub teacher on the call said, “I have a lot of concerns come up when I go in to cover a teacher’s parental leave. The job is usually just short of the 30-day mark to make it a [long-term] status, so I don’t get paid the same. There are a lot of grey areas when I get called in for long-term assignments. The schools should be upfront and declare them right away.”

Another sub teacher said, “Sometimes the school I work at a lot will call me right before the school day, and because I want to help I will. But then I go look at my check and I see a certain percentage taken out. Your pay gets docked if you go in past 8:00, but they’re the ones that asked me to come in. I’m doing them a favor, and it’s the same percentage taken out for the entire day even if you’re there a few minutes after 8:00!”

The ASAP organizers will be taking back what was learned from the Sub Town Hall and building a campaign.

Joe Diodato from ASAP stated, “Coming away from the call, one common thread was that subs are tired of being exploited, especially as it relates to long-term jobs. We're going to plan out a campaign that is grounded in what we heard tonight, bring more and more subs into the fold, and make sure that the city knows we're going to fight for long-term sub rights and everything else that we can.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #Labor #UFT #Teachers #ASAP

New York, NY – Over 60 community members and activists rallied outside of the Brooklyn Central Court for over 14 hours after the NYPD arrested two organizers with the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) in the early morning hours of October 20. They were released at 12:20 a.m. the next day.

The crowd initially gathered at 9:30 a.m. and continued to rally until midnight, with their numbers growing stronger over time. Members of the crowd chanted, “Free Jamie Kowalski! Free Daniel Koh!” and demanded the immediate processing and release of the two arrested activists.

Jamie Kowalski was arrested from his home at 5:30 a.m. on October 20; an hour later, Daniel Koh was arrested, also from his home. Both activists have been charged with misdemeanors of stalking and harassment, which was not made clear to either of them at the time of their arrest.

Speaking outside the courthouse, Shivani Ishwar, NYAAPRR chair, said, “We have been out here all day demanding the release of our friends, and proving that the NYPD's attempts to scare us will not work! We will get these bogus charges dropped, and this will only make us fight that much harder for justice for Eudes Pierre!”

NYAARPR members, including Kowalski and Koh, have been picketing in front of the 71st Precinct in Brooklyn for several months, demanding justice for Eudes Pierre, a young Haitian man murdered by Conrado Abreu-Gerez and Peter Lan in December 2021.

On September 19, NYAARPR held a speakout and posted notices in Sunset Park, near Abreu-Gerez’s apartment, warning his neighbors that a killer cop lived nearby. After NYAARPR’s monthly picket at the 71st Precinct on September 24, Koh, Kowalski, and a third activist from the New York Alliance were followed and stopped by the police, although no summons was issued at that time. Two days before the arrest, on October 18, the New York Alliance again posted flyers near Abreu-Gerez’s apartment. This is what the organizers believe is the real cause of the arrests.

At the courthouse, the supporters of the two activists included a broad front of progressive organizations such as Brooklyn Against War, We the People, UFT MORE Caucus, NYU Students for a Democratic Society, BAYAN NE, JUPI, International League of Peoples Struggle NE, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, friends, community members, and the family members of Eudes Pierre.

Things got heated around 7:45 p.m., after ten hours on the street, as the NYPD tried to intimidate protesters outside the court building, but it didn’t work. The police tried to say that the protest was “slowing things down” in the court building. The protesters stood their ground, shouting “speed it up” and called their bluff. The police then forced protesters to the other side of the street, threatened arrest and erected barriers around the building as the crowd chanted “Cowards!” Protesters from across the street only grew louder and were heard for blocks around.

Michela Martinazzi, member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization Central Committee, said, “The NYPD has a bloated $11 billion budget and cares more about protecting their killer cops than keeping the community safe. Daniel and Jamie are heroes amongst the people; they're fighting for true community control and justice for Eudes Pierre and his family. However, no matter how much the NYPD tries to intimidate our friends, we will be here to fight back!”

Zaara Ahmed from NYU Students for a Democratic Society said, “As students, we know we need to be part of community struggles, and an attack on one is an attack on all. Meaning, when any one of our community members, of our activists, our organizers, is under attack we all need to show up, show out, and fight back. These were bullshit charges put on people trying to shed light on a murderer in the NYPD, and we’re not going to stop until we see Daniel and Jamie free.”

Both Kowalski and Koh were finally released at 12:20 a.m. on October 21. Addressing the crowd of their supporters, Koh said, “These charges are bogus. They know they don't have shit, and they're only doing this because they feel pressured and feel like they want to get away with shit, and we’re not going to let that happen!”

While Kowalski and Koh have been released, the fight for justice continues as organizers will mount a hearty defense campaign to get the charges dropped.

NYAARPR plans to continue to protest the 71st Precinct and fight for justice for Eudes Pierre. The next picket is scheduled for October 29 at 6 p.m., and they are calling on all progressive-minded people and allies to show up and show that NYPD intimidation will not get in the way of their fight for justice.

#NewYorkNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #KillerCops #NYAARPR #NAARPR #featured

Brooklyn, NY – In the early morning of Tuesday, October 20, the NYPD arrested two organizers with the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression in their homes in Brooklyn.

Jamie Kowalski was arrested at 5:30 a.m. and, an hour later, Daniel Koh was arrested from his home. As of right now, charges or reasons for their arrests have not been disclosed by the NYPD.

However, organizers with the New York Alliance have an idea of why the arrests happened. Shivani Ishwar, NYAARPR chairperson, said, “The NYPD is trying to intimidate our activists, who have done nothing more than fight for justice alongside our organization and the family of Eudes Pierre. But justice will not be silenced! We will continue to fight against NYPD repression, and against the brutal violence that continues to plague Black and brown communities across the city. Free Daniel and Jamie! Justice for Eudes Pierre!”

The New York Alliance has been holding monthly pickets outside of the 71st Precinct, where killer cop Conrado Abreu-Gerez works, demanding justice for Eudes Pierre.

On September 19, the New York Alliance posted notices and held a speak-out near where Abreu-Gerez lives to warn his neighbors of his involvement in the murder of Eudes Pierre.

September 24 was the most recent monthly picket outside of the 71st Precinct. After the picket, three New York Alliance organizers, including Kowalski and Koh, were approached by officers of the 71st Precinct. The officers took their IDs and talked about potential violations of littering and amplified sound, but no summons was issued.

On October 18, organizers put up new flyers near the officer’s home.

Organizers with the New York Alliance believe that the most recent flyering was what spurred the arrests.

Michela Martinazzi, a Central Committee member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, commented, “The NYPD is the largest, most violent gang in the city. They don’t like to be pressured, and the New York Alliance is the one pressuring them. Kowalski, Koh and the members of the New York Alliance have done nothing wrong. They are brave for standing up to the NYPD!”

NYAARPR will continue to host its monthly picket outside the 71st Precinct. The next is on Thursday, October 29 at 6 p.m. It is more important than ever that many progressive-minded people show up to demand justice for Eudes Pierre and to show the NYPD that organizers will not be intimidated!

The New York Alliance is hosting a call-in and will be holding a jail support rally. Please review their social media pages for the most up-to date information.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #NAARPR #NYAARPR #PoliticalRepression #KillerCops #Featured

New York, NY – A group of eight activists attended the October 15 arraignment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in a show of support for the kidnapped Venezuelan leaders. The activists included representatives of the Anti-War Action Network, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and leaders of the New York City Latin American community.

At the hearing, President Maduro and Cilia Flores both entered the courtroom with chains shackled to their feet. Maduro waved to the crowd watching the trial, knowing a plurality of the crowd were U.S. federal agents and escualidos who supported his kidnapping and U.S. invasion.

The judge presiding over their case, Alvin Hellerstein, who is 92 years old, struggled to sit on his chair and to even read aloud the new charges of terrorism. Maduro and Flores confidently declared their innocence – claiming these charges as completely false and bogus.

Although the court documents do not name the alleged victims who are cited throughout the indictment, the descriptions given match some well-known figures who have worked to undermine the Maduro government. The person identified as “Official-3” matches the description of ex-General Raúl Baduel, arrested in 2017 along with two co-conspirators in a plot to massacre civilians at a political rally and blame the government in order to destabilize the Maduro administration. “Victim-3” matches far-right leader Leopoldo López, who attempted to organize coups against the Venezuelan government in 2002, 2014 and 2019. Finally, “Victim-7” matches Osman Khan, an American citizen who, since his release in 2022, has built a career speaking for pro-regime-change think tanks like the Atlantic Council.

One of the activists in attendance at Thursday’s arraignment, Ebtesham Ahmed of the Freedom Road Socialist Organizations, traveled to Venezuela for the International People’s Assembly for Sovereignty and Peace of our Americas in December 2025, shortly before the U.S. kidnapped Maduro and Flores in an illegal raid on January 3, 2026.

“When I was in Venezuela, I talked to people there from all different sectors – from students to workers to indigenous people and more – all of them demanded the U.S. respect their sovereignty and to take its hands off their country!” said Ahmed.

Lucy Pagoada-Quesada, a Honduran activist living in the U.S. and a retired NYC teacher added, “The case of the U.S. government against the constitutional President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros and the First Lady Cilia Flores has no legal grounds. It’s a clear case of lawfare, judicialization of politics. It’s a political case that has two major reasons: To take over Venezuelan oil and other natural resources and to destroy the Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution. The kidnapping of a president violates all international law, U.S. law and Venezuelan law. We, as taxpayers, cannot allow the government to perpetrate this or any other illegality or violation of the law.”

The activists reiterated their demand that the U.S. government drop the charges against Maduro and Flores and return the President and First Lady to Venezuela. They also shared that a New York City-based coalition of progressive organizations opposed to U.S. intervention abroad plans to rally outside the next hearing, scheduled for December 17, when Judge Alvin Hellerstein will hear oral arguments on the motion to dismiss the charges.

#NewYorkNY #NY #International #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement #Maduro

New York, NY – On October 8, protesters gathered outside of the Southern District Court to demand the release of Cilia Flores. Chants of “Cilia, listen! The people are resisting!” rang throughout the courthouse plaza.

Participating organizations included Brooklyn Against War, Workers World Party, Code Pink, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The small but steadfast rally of around 30 people lasted from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., closing with a press conference.

Briony Smith, an organizer with Brooklyn Against War and an Anti-War Action Network steering committee member, witnessed as the motion for Cilia Flores’ release to home detention was denied.

Smith stated, “Cilia Flores is facing immense gendered violence. What I witnessed inside the courtroom was a room full of men making medical decisions for a woman.”

Smith continued, “We heard in the arguments today that she has suffered a probable heart attack. Now the judge seems to be under the impression that a heart attack, a heart catheterization, and the procedures that will follow are something that can be recovered from in general population detention among 40 other women, when Cilia is getting three to hours of sleep.”

Tom Burke of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization was also in the courtroom Thursday morning. Burke stated, “Trump is trying to kill the first lady of Venezuela here. He doesn’t care about her life. He doesn’t care about President Maduro. Trump doesn’t care about the Venezuelan people! He just wants their oil. If you think you’re going to find justice in a U.S. federal courtroom, you better think again.”

Speakers at the press conference continued to emphasize the inability of the Trump administration to grant Flores a fair trial.

Not only was Cilia Flores’ motion to be released on house arrest denied, but U.S. prosecutors also brought forward new charges of “conspiracy to commit torture” against Flores and Maduro. The original indictment of narcoterrorism conspiracy, for which there is no evidence, was used by the U.S. government to justify the illegal kidnapping of Flores and Maduro on January 3.

The conspiracy to commit torture indictment alleged torture of U.S. citizens. Five of these citizens include oil executives who were arrested for corruption, and two of them were U.S. special forces members who attempted to raid and overthrow the Venezuelan government. They were all freed later in deals with the U.S.

Ignoring this important context, the court is content to paint Maduro and Flores as dictators who torture U.S. citizens, all while the U.S. is subjecting them to a notoriously inhumane prison and refusing medical treatment to Cilia Flores. It is the goal of the prosecution to obscure who Flores and Maduro really are – leaders who refuse to sell out the resources of their country to the United States.

Despite the second indictment and the outcome of the motion for house arrest, activists remain ready to take to the streets to defend Flores and Maduro, and plan to be at the Metropolitan Detention Center on November 3, for the tenth month in a row, to demand their release.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #CiliaFlores #NicolasMaduro #Feature

New York, NY – On October 9, students gathered at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park for a rally organized by the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at NYU, to launch a new campaign by SDS demanding the NYU administration do more to better the Black student experience at NYU.

The rally was endorsed by the NYU Black Student Union, NYU Brown Sugar Brilliance and Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) at NYU.

The campaign, with the slogan “Education is a right, not just for the rich and white! Increase Black enrollment now!” was launched publicly on October 2 and has garnered over 125 signatures. The campaign demands are: Increase Black enrollment at NYU to 20% within the next five years to match the demographics of NYC; publicly release enrollment and admissions racial data so that students can keep track of progress; create a Black space on campus within a year; release demographic data on faculty, and hire more Black faculty.

Oko Kangnigan, a member of SDS, was the protest emcee. He led protesters chants such as, “We want justice, you say how? Increase Black enrollment now!” “Black enrollment’s through the floor! We won’t take it anymore” and “Hear us admin you can’t hide! We can see your racist side!” Several people walked by taking fliers to sign on to the petition, staying around to take videos and listen to chants, and expressed their support by pumping their fists.

Several speakers talked about their experiences as Black students at NYU and called out the failure of the administration to make them feel welcomed on campus. They highlighted the necessity to organize and fight for a place on campus and to better the Black student experience through these demands.

“I started by asking ‘Do I really belong here?’ but I want NYU to start answering a different question: ‘What is the admin willing to do to make sure Black students know that we belong here?’ Not just a statement, not just a website, not just in a diversity brochure. But in the classrooms, in the faculty, in the enrollment numbers, the resources and the spaces we are given. As Black students, we do belong here,” said Raoul Estinvil, who is a Black student at NYU.

“We deserve community and the opportunity to take as much space as we possibly need here. It is simply not enough for them to include us in their pedagogies. We must be the ones to tell our own stories. To take back the pens and data used to talk about us as though we have no mouths for ourselves,” said Tapuwanashe Hightower, who spoke for YDSA, adding, “We are not asking, we are demanding for the increase of Black enrollment at NYU.”

“Black students have received threats on our lives that were not properly addressed by the administration, we have watched individuals try to bring white supremacists onto this campus, and we have had our university’s systems hacked, with our intelligence slandered with racial slurs, and our achievements dismissed with the lie that we only got in due to affirmative action. These are realities we have lived through, and the administration’s response has too often been silence, delay or half measures. So yes, we want more Black students at NYU, but we also want a campus where those students can thrive, not just survive. Administration needs to be held accountable, and answer for the harms that have been done and to commit to real, structural change,” read a statement from the Black Student Union, which was read aloud by Jolin Wu, a member of SDS.

“Black students have worked hard for their position at NYU, and we have had to overcome barriers within education and it won't stop now. We will not stop until NYU gives in to our demands! So, my fellow classmates and peers, I implore you. Get out! Come to protests, come to rallies, come to speak-outs because NYU cannot silence your voice!” said Kangnigan in his speech to end the rally.

After speakers, protesters marched through Washington Square Park. Police followed them from behind, in an attempt to intimidate them. Protesters marched to Bobst Library and stopped right in front. To end off the rally, Kangnigan led the crowd in doing a chant, “Dare to struggle! Dare to win!”

#NewYorkNY #NY #StudentMovement #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #SDS #NYUBSU

New York, NY – On the afternoon of Saturday, October 10, hundreds of people gathered in Washington Square Park to march for Palestine on the anniversary of October 7, 2023, better known as al-Aqsa Flood.

October 7 was a day when the Palestinian Resistance stood up to its occupiers. Israel has been committing atrocities, genocide and occupation of land since the Nakba in 1948. Palestinians were justified in standing up back in 1948, and in every single time they’ve fought back since then.

The rally was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement and their emcees passionately chanted to an energized crowd, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

Max Gurman of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “We’re out here today for the countless lives lost to the American backed Israeli war machine. And on the third commemoration of the start of the genocide, we’re here because we firmly stand with Palestine and their right to resist occupation and genocide by any means necessary.”

The crowd began marching and throughout the streets and New Yorkers could hear the pro-Palestine chants.

Kinsey Dyal of Brooklyn Against War commented, “BAW is proud to stand with the people of Palestine against Zionism and U.S. imperialism. Israel as it is today would not exist without billions of U.S. aid from our tax dollars. On the anniversary of October 7, it’s our responsibility to honor the people in Palestine who have been martyred and continue the fight for complete divestment!” Brooklyn Against War has been primarily organizing the effort to drop the charges against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

The march continued to closing rally at Herald Square.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Palestine

New York City, NY – Over 100 students rallied at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park on October 7 to demand NYU cut ties to Israel after three years of genocide in Gaza. The protest was organized by the NYU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).

Protesters chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” There were several journalists with cameras taking video and photos of the rally. Police officers stood off to the side of the protest to keep watch of demonstrators. Many people who walked by expressed support by joining along in chants. A few Zionists yelled at protesters but were largely ignored by the crowd.

The SJP, the representative for student activists from the Student Government Assembly, Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine at NYU and Law Students for Justice in Palestine all spoke to the devastation that Israel has brought onto the Palestinian people in Gaza in the past three years and the continued occupation of Palestine for the last 78 years. They highlighted NYU’s complicity in the genocide and occupation through its investments in weapons companies, its campus in Tel Aviv and its suppression of pro-Palestinian speech on campus. They demanded that NYU shut down its campus in Tel Aviv, disclose and divest a its funds in weapons companies and Israel and end its crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech on campus.

After the speakers, protesters marched around NYU campus chanting, “One, we are the students! Two, we won’t stop fighting. Three, until Palestine is free, free, free, free!” and “NYU what do you say, how many kids did you kill today?” Police once more followed close by.

After marching, SJP invited people to attend a vigil, their last event for their week of action for Palestine to start the semester.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7 #NYU

New York, NY – On October 3, New Yorkers joined the Anti-War Action Network National Day of Action to demand no U.S. intervention in Venezuela and “Free Cilia, free Maduro.” Waving Venezuelan flags and holding signs that read “Support women’s health! Release Cilia Flores,” 50 local activists and community members rallied outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, in Sunset Park, where Maduro and Flores are being held prisoner on bogus charges of narcoterrorism.

The rally marked nine months since Maduro and Flores were abducted from Caracas, Venezuela during an illegal U.S. raid, which killed over 100 people. It also came only five days before Cilia Flores is due in court for a hearing to decide whether she should be released under house arrest as a result of her worsening health. Since being kidnapped, Flores has experienced increasingly severe cardiac issues, including what her lawyers believe was a heart attack on July 29.

Additionally, court documents filed on September 30th revealed that in May 2026, the U.S. government attempted to force Flores to undergo heart surgery without her consent, transporting her to the hospital without warning and without a chance to consult with her lawyers. Her lawyers cite these and other incidents as part of their argument that Flores must be released to house arrest in order to undergo the needed heart surgery, which she would not be able to effectively recover from while in custody at the MDC.

At the rally, speakers kept the focus on Flores and highlighted these revelations from the court documents.

Briony Smith, who led the action on behalf of Brooklyn Against War, said “Now, Cilia needs us to come to her defense. Cilia is facing the same mistreatment, medical neglect, and denial of her bodily autonomy that so many women in the U.S. prison system face. We are here because she should never have been illegally abducted from Caracas. We are here because every woman has the right to make their own medical decisions. We are here because we must fight for Cilia as fiercely as she has fought for the women and people of Venezuela.”

Other speakers at the rally represented a broad coalition of anti-imperialist organizations, including Black Alliance for Peace, Workers World Party, All African People’s Revolution Party, Struggle La Lucha, Colectivo Bravo Pueblo, Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Amidst chants of, “Free the prisoners, free them all! Free Cilia from these walls,” Joe Wilkins of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “So when we, as citizens of the United States, say ‘Free Cilia Flores,’ we’re not asking! We’re demanding that our government takes its boot off the neck of Venezuela, off Latin America, off the Caribbean, off West Asia, off the Pacific, off everyone it’s holding as a political prisoner! The Freedom Road Socialist Organization will not rest until these two political prisoners are free.”

The final speaker of the rally, Michela Martinazzi, also of Brooklyn Against War stated, “The billionaire class thrives on the oppression of women,” said Martinazzi, “from the heartbeat bill to trans women, to kidnapping women by ICE, Black women killed by the police to the thousands of women overseas Vietnam to Korea to the Philippines. By demanding that Cilia receives appropriate medical care, we are standing up for women everywhere neglected by this rotten system!”

After a short march, the rally ended with a moment of celebration. Participants signed cards and sang Happy Birthday for Flores, whose 70th birthday is on October 15.

The same organizations will also rally on Thursday, October 8, outside of the Federal Courthouse in Manhattan, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and continuing through Flores’s hearing, which is scheduled for 10:30 that day. The rally will be followed by a public press conference.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #CiliaFlores #NicolasMaduro

New York, NY – For the seventh consecutive month, organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression gathered members of the community, September 24, to protest the NYPD’s 71st Precinct, where killer cop Conrado Abreu-Gerez continues to draw a six-figure salary. Abreu-Gerez and his partner, Peter Lan, shot and killed 26-year-old Eudes Pierre in December 2021.

Before the speaker program, the New York Alliance gathered a crowd flyering at a nearby subway station. Commuters and passersby, including a high school classmate of Eudes Pierre, expressed outrage that Abreu-Gerez faced no consequences for murdering Eudes. Several told stories of officer misconduct, harassment and incompetence at the 71st Precinct and surrounding precincts.

Organizers then set up in front of NYPD barricades to begin the protest. They were joined by members of the community, including Eudes Pierre’s family. Also in attendance were organizers representing groups such as We The People NYC, who later spoke on systemic corruption.

Participants directed chants at the half dozen cops watching from behind the barricade, shouting, “How do you spell murderer? NYPD!” The officers wore bulletproof vests and kept their hands on their weapons. Among them was Deputy Inspector John Dasaro, the commanding officer of the 71st Precinct. Dasaro is the officer at the 71st with the most substantiated allegations. He made headlines in 2019 when he pulled his gun on a group of Black children in Halloween costumes. The NYPD later invoked its authority to unilaterally end the cases against Dasaro and other officers involved.

The NYPD overpolices Black and brown neighborhoods. Sheina Banatte, Eudes Pierre’s cousin, said, “There’s food insecurity, there’s unemployment, there’s housing, there’s people who can’t even afford to pay to take the subway, but they’re being criminalized.” Every racially-motivated stop risks NYPD escalation to deadly force, especially for people experiencing mental health crises like Pierre did in 2021.

NYAARPR Chair Shivani Ishwar ended the protest with a call to join the fight for community control of the police. They said, “What we cannot do alone, we can accomplish together!” Protesters dispersed with chants of “Justice for Eudes Pierre!” and “If we don’t get no justice, then they don’t get no peace!”

After dispersing, officers from the 71st Precinct followed members of the New York Alliance in unmarked cars. They initiated stops of three members who were waiting for public transit. Lieutenant Christopher Maccarone, Sergeant Michael John, and Officers Darren Moore and Pedro Mendez attempted to intimidate the organizers, ultimately leaving without making an arrest or issuing summons.

The New York Alliance will continue to protest the 71st Precinct until Conrado Abreu-Gerez and all killer cops are held accountable. As Joe Wilkins of the New York Alliance put it in his speech earlier that evening, “This fight only ends when we win true justice for every life stolen and destroyed by police violence.”

#NewYorkNY #BrooklynNY #NYC #NY #InjusticeSystem #EudesPierre #CornadoAbreuGerez #KillerCop #OppressedNationalities #NYAARPR

New York, NY – On Friday September 24, thousands of protesters took to the streets of New York City as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to address the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Protesters gathered around the United Nations and throughout Manhattan to oppose Netanyahu’s presence in New York and demand his arrest for crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians.

The demonstrations demanded an end to U.S. military and political support for Israel.

NYU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) joined the mobilization, bringing a student contingent to the protest outside the UN. NYU SDS members marched alongside other organizers and participated and led chants condemning Netanyahu and the genocide against Palestine.

SDS members, including Zaara Ahmed and Ebtesham Ahmed, helped lead chants throughout the demonstration, including: “Netanyahu, what do you say? How many kids have you killed today?” and “There is only one solution: intifada revolution!”

The protest continued as Netanyahu delivered his address inside the UN. Protesters outside continued chanting and demonstrating, making their opposition to his presence known throughout the day.

#NewYorkNY #NY #Palestine #UN #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement #Netanyahu

New York, NY – On Saturday, September 19, the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) staged a speak-out outside of killer cop Conrado Abreu-Gerez’s latest address in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Speaking through a megaphone, activists informed the community that a killer NYPD officer is now calling their neighborhood home. They also passed out flyers reading “Wanted: Killer cop!” and “Justice for Eudes Pierre!”

The response from the community was one of shock, with numerous passersby thanking the activists for the information on their new neighbor.

Abreu-Gerez is one of two officers responsible for the December 2021 murder of Eudes Pierre, a 26-year-old man from Crown Heights, who called 911 while experiencing a mental health crisis in a subway station. Along with his partner Peter Lan, Abreu-Gerez proceeded to follow Pierre for blocks, until they finally reached the front steps of his childhood home, where they shot him ten times. Seven of those shots were fired by Abreu-Gerez.

Hannah Healy, a NYAARPR organizer, explained to residents that Abreu-Gerez “has a long list of complaints and allegations,” which even the notoriously close-ranked NYPD had to acknowledge. Indeed, Abreu-Gerez’s career with the NYPD includes eight allegations of misconduct against Black men in particular, including for excessive use of force, abuse of authority, and failure to use a body cam properly.

As Healy explained, Abreu-Gerez’s actions show a “pattern that mirrors the system at large: violence against Black men.”

“For being Black, the NYPD will assault you, beat you, right before unlawfully arresting and detaining you,” she continued. “Such was the case when Conrado and ten other police officers attacked Isaiah Day in 2021. It was proven that Conrado and the other officers then lied to the district attorney’s office to justify their actions – as if the violence wasn’t enough.”

After speaking out in front of the killer cop’s new home, activists plastered “wanted” posters around the surrounding area, featuring information on Abreu-Gerez’s crimes, as well as an image of his department portrait. This brought even more opportunities for one-on-one conversations with the community, which were overwhelmingly positive.

The weekend action comes ahead of a planned picket in front of the 71st NYPD Precinct, where Abreu-Gerez works, on September 24 at 6 p.m..New York, NY – On Saturday, September 19, the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) staged a speak-out outside of killer cop Conrado Abreu-Gerez’s latest address in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Speaking through a megaphone, activists informed the community that a killer NYPD officer is now calling their neighborhood home. They also passed out flyers reading “Wanted: Killer cop!” and “Justice for Eudes Pierre!”

The response from the community was one of shock, with numerous passersby thanking the activists for the information on their new neighbor.

Abreu-Gerez is one of two officers responsible for the December 2021 murder of Eudes Pierre, a 26-year-old man from Crown Heights, who called 911 while experiencing a mental health crisis in a subway station. Along with his partner Peter Lan, Abreu-Gerez proceeded to follow Pierre for blocks, until they finally reached the front steps of his childhood home, where they shot him ten times. Seven of those shots were fired by Abreu-Gerez.

Hannah Healy, a NYAARPR organizer, explained to residents that Abreu-Gerez “has a long list of complaints and allegations,” which even the notoriously close-ranked NYPD had to acknowledge. Indeed, Abreu-Gerez’s career with the NYPD includes eight allegations of misconduct against Black men in particular, including for excessive use of force, abuse of authority, and failure to use a body cam properly.

As Healy explained, Abreu-Gerez’s actions show a “pattern that mirrors the system at large: violence against Black men.”

“For being Black, the NYPD will assault you, beat you, right before unlawfully arresting and detaining you,” she continued. “Such was the case when Conrado and ten other police officers attacked Isaiah Day in 2021. It was proven that Conrado and the other officers then lied to the district attorney’s office to justify their actions – as if the violence wasn’t enough.”

After speaking out in front of the killer cop’s new home, activists plastered “wanted” posters around the surrounding area, featuring information on Abreu-Gerez’s crimes, as well as an image of his department portrait. This brought even more opportunities for one-on-one conversations with the community, which were overwhelmingly positive.

The weekend action comes ahead of a planned picket in front of the 71st NYPD Precinct, where Abreu-Gerez works, on September 24 at 6 p.m.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #EudesPierre #CornadoAbreuGerez

New York, NY – On September 18, members of the Students for a Democratic Society at NYU held a speakout as part of a national week of action to oppose the “Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act” (HR 4795), which was recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. If the bill becomes law, it will strip federal funding from universities that divest from the state of Israel.

The speakout took place in front of Gould Plaza, the site of the 2024 NYU Palestine Solidarity Encampments. Hundreds of students, faculty and community members rallied during the encampments to demand NYU to divest from Israel and shut down the study-away site at Tel Aviv.

In response to the encampment, NYU called the NYPD who arrested 130 people and brutalized many. Afterwards, the university closed off the plaza to the public and constructed a wall to restrict protests on the plaza.

Students chanted, “We want justice, you say how? Disclose, divest right now!” And “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” People passing by expressed their support for the protesters by chanting along or pumping their fists in the air. Many stopped by to take photos and videos.

Patrick Reddy, member of SDS, spoke to the necessity to oppose the bill and highlighted the repression of protesters by NYU, stating, “We are the students. We pay tuition, we attend classes, we conduct research, and we make up this university community. Our tuition and our presence are part of what allows this institution to function.”

Reddy continued, “And we deserve to have a say in the decisions it makes. I know it can sometimes feel like we're up against something so much bigger than ourselves, between the federal government and NYU's own administration. But we are not powerless.”

Zaara Ahmed, of SDS stated, “We have to demand that our tuition and our university not be used to support institutions and systems that we believe contribute to Palestinian suffering. And we have to defend our right to organize for those demands, even when powerful institutions tell us that we should stop.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Israel #SDS

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

New York, NY—On September 9, a motion was filed for Venezuela’s First Lady Cilia Flores, petitioning for her release from the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), and for her to be instead placed under house arrest in New York City, due to the severity of her heart condition.

After she and President Nicolás Maduro were illegally kidnapped by the U.S. in January of this year, her health has rapidly deteriorated throughout her imprisonment.

First Lady Flores is the 69-year-old wife of Venezuelan President Maduro and a sitting deputy of the Venezuelan National Assembly. She was lead attorney for Hugo Chávez’s defense, securing his release from prison in 1994, and emerged throughout the 1990s and 2000s as a key figure in the victory of the Bolivarian Revolution. She was the first woman to serve as president of the National Assembly, from 2006 to 2011, before becoming attorney general of Venezuela from 2012 to 2013. In 2017, she was once again elected to the National Assembly. Throughout her career, she has remained a staunch defender of human rights and the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution.

According to court documents, she was in good health before the illegal U.S. invasion of Venezuela, in which the U.S. abducted her and Maduro from their home in Caracas and killed over 100 people. Now, after eight months imprisoned at the MDC, she suffers recurring chest pains, has lost two molars, has lost more than 25 pounds, and likely suffered a minor heart attack on July 29.

The MDC is notorious for horrific conditions. Detainees go weeks without seeing the sky or breathing fresh air. Power and water cut out, sometimes for up to a week at a time. And there is a well-documented pattern of medical neglect. In one case, cited by Federal Judge Jesse Furman in a January 2024 decision on conditions at the MDC, the jail refused to transport an inmate for surgery to repair his broken cheekbone; when he finally received surgery, his cheek had to be rebroken. In another case in 2024, a man named Terrence Wise died in custody after months of medical neglect let his lung cancer proliferate unchecked. This context makes Flores’s fragile health all the more alarming.

In the last eight months while imprisoned, Flores has experienced palpitations, elevated heart-rate, chest tightness, chest pain and fatigue. On July 29, her lawyers believe she had a minor heart attack when she reported intense pressure on her chest and a shortness of breath. She is able to sleep only three or four hours a night and suffers asthma attacks when the MDC guards use pepper spray against other prisoners.

The MDC medical staff has recommended that she undergo cardiac surgery. But under the conditions at the MDC, recovery from such a surgery is unthinkable.

The medical neglect Flores faces is not accidental. Rather, it must be understood as part of the U.S. government’s strategy to punish Maduro, Flores and Venezuela for withstanding U.S. imperialism.

The U.S. government’s total disregard for Flores’ health has been apparent since it first abducted her. At her first hearing on January 5, it was reported that Flores appeared with wounds on her forehead – the new motion reveals further detail. The U.S. government was almost certainly aware that, at the time of the invasion and abduction on January 3, Flores was still in recovery from a recent total hysterectomy and had been ordered by her doctors to limit movement for three months. Despite this, when the U.S. military invaded her home, she was thrown against a wall or a dresser, causing the injuries to her forehead, which required some 20 stitches and left her with permanent scarring.

This violence, like the medical neglect she now faces, is violence against a woman who has dedicated her life to fighting for her people and standing against imperialism and intervention. It should be met with outrage from all progressive and imperialist forces. It is not enough for Flores to be merely released under house arrest; the charges against her must be dismissed, and she must be freed once and for all.

Across the country, member organizations of the Anti-War Action Network are mobilizing on October 3 to say no to U.S. intervention in Venezuela and to free Maduro and free Flores! Visit www.antiwaractionnetwork.org/ to find an organization near you and get involved.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #International #Venezuela #CiliaFlores #Maduro #AWAN

New York, NY – On September 10, students from New York University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied outside NYU’s D’Agostino Hall on September 10 to protest the appearance of Jim Campbell, chief legal counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).

Campbell came to NYU to speak in support of the Supreme Court’s June decision concerning state restrictions on transgender athletes’ participation in women and girls’ sports. The ADF has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Throughout the afternoon, protesters chanted, “Say it loud, say it clear, Campbell’s not welcome here!” and “Out of the closet, into the streets!” The chants reflected protesters’ opposition to Campbell’s appearance and their belief that providing a platform to speakers advocating restrictions on transgender rights does not represent the values of many students on campus.

Students and passersby stopped to watch the demonstration, with some taking photos and videos, listening to speeches, or joining the chants. Others expressed their support for the protesters.

During the rally, NYU SDS member Zaara Ahmed asked the crowd, “Does this represent us?” Protesters responded with a resounding “No!” Ahmed then asked, “Do we want to provide a platform to someone whose work advocates to remove trans people from public life?” Again, protesters answered in unison.

The exchange captured the central message of the demonstration: protesters argued that NYU’s decision to platform Campbell conflicts with their vision of a campus where transgender students can live and participate in public life without discrimination.

NYU SDS member and rally emcee Ebtesham Ahmed emphasized that the fight would not end with the demonstration, stating that “we will continue to fight back against transphobes on our campus.” They stressed the importance of continuing to defend transgender rights and connected the present struggle to the history of transgender people being pushed into hiding and excluded from public life.

As the rally came to a close, protesters returned to their chants while organizers called on students to stay organized. The demonstration ended with a message that the fight against restrictions on transgender rights, and against the platforming of speakers who protesters view as advocating those restrictions, would continue beyond this rally.

#NewYorkNY #NY #StudentMovement #LGBTQ #SDS

New York City, NY – On the evening of September 9, organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression organized a speakout at city hall to protest a spike in killings by the NYPD. In less than a week, officers gunned Pamela Cisneros in Times Square and Chaun Bottom on the Brooklyn Bridge. The NYPD has shot and killed eight people so far in 2026, after a record high of 13 shot and killed in 2025.

The speakout began with chants of “Justice for Chaun Bottom” and “When Black lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Almost immediately, two officers from the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau ordered organizers to stop using amplified sound, threatening to confiscate equipment and issue summons. Along with a beat cop and two plainclothes officers, police remained nearby, blocking access to a Citi Bike station. The New York Alliance continued to chant and speak out, drawing a crowd at City Hall Park.

The speakout identified a pattern of justification for unilateral violence by police; for both Cisneros and Bottom, the NYPD described them posthumously as mentally unwell.

Ruby Doswell, speaking for the New York Alliance, said that the NYPD pushes forward the narrative that officers had no choice but to use deadly force, but then “delays or refuses to release body cam footage and keeps the investigation internal.”

In many cases, the family and loved ones of those shot by police dispute the NYPD narrative. The Daily News reported that Chaun Bottom’s mother was shocked to hear the NYPD’s description of her son, given he had no history of mental health struggles.

The NYPD has been consistent in its approach to control the narrative around people they shoot and kill. They refuse to identify the deceased or release body camera footage. The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information (DCPI) stages a press conference with a prepared statement that blames the deceased and uses consistent language to paint them as dangerous. When police are found later to have lied, there are rarely consequences.

The New York Alliance was joined by organizers from We The People NYC, a mutual aid collective based in Harlem and Bed-Stuy. Relly Rebel, speaking on behalf of We the People, called out city hall’s meek response to police misconduct, saying, “They are playing in our faces.”

No matter the party affiliation of the mayor or city council members, the police have remained one of the most powerful political forces in the city. The NYPD has brutalized and murdered Black and brown New Yorkers under every administration since its founding.

Daniel Koh of the New York Alliance described the NYPD as “a powerful enemy, one that we have seen city hall and the mayor’s office hesitate to stand up to. But the people will hold Mayor Mamdani accountable to his campaign promises about public safety!”

The New York Alliance will continue to fight for community control of the police, which would elect a community board with full authority to determine rules, budget, and discipline of corrupt and killer cops.

#NewYorkNY #NY #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #NYPD #NYAARPR #ChaunBottom

New York, NY – 50 activists gathered outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on Thursday, September 3, to protest the ongoing detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. Attendees represented a broad coalition of New York organizations fighting against U.S. Intervention in Venezuela, including Brooklyn Against War, Workers World Party, Black Alliance for Peace, Venceremos Brigade, and the Venezuela Solidarity Network.

Attendees held signs demanding freedom for the kidnapped Venezuelan president and first lady and joined in chants like “Free the prisoners, free them all! Free Maduro from these walls!” and “We will say it every time! U.S. sanctions are a crime!”

The protest occurred the day after motions were filed to dismiss the charges against Maduro and Flores. In the motions, the lawyers for Maduro and Flores maintain their innocence of the charges against them and further argue that the couple are immune from prosecution since they are the president and first lady of Venezuela. At the rally, speakers from multiple organizations pointed out that should the charges not be dismissed, this opens the door for the U.S. to pursue similar strategies of illegal imprisonment and prosecution against the leaders of other sovereign nations.

Speaking on behalf of Brooklyn Against War, Briony Smith said, “We know that this prosecution is baseless. We know it’s fabricated. And we know it’s illegal. But we also know that we are up against an administration rank with dangerous absurdity and hypocrisy. So, we’re going to keep fighting, and we’re going to be loud enough that the people of Venezuela can hear us, so that they know that we have not forgotten them, that we have not turned our backs on them, and that we will keep fighting until President Maduro and First Lady Flores are free!”

Protesters will return to the MDC on October 3, at 2 p.m. as part of the Anti-War Action Network’s National Day of Action against U.S. Intervention in Venezuela. The activists also vowed to rally outside the federal courthouse in Manhattan in support of Maduro and Flores on November 17, when the court will hear oral arguments to dismiss the charges.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #Maduro #CiliaFlores

New York, NY – On September 4, at Washington Square Park, members of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at NYU rallied to demand, “No ICE on campus!” and “Sanctuary campus now!”

Protesters chanted, “Say it once, say it twice! We will not put up with ICE!” and “When Immigrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” People passing by the rally took photos and videos of the action, some staying to listen to speeches or chant along. Many offered support to the protesters. 

Zaara Ahmed, a member of SDS and emcee, began, “We are rallying here today to fight back against the violence perpetrated by ICE across this country every single day,” emphasizing, “Systemic change does not come from one moment or one rally. To see justice, the fight must be continuous. We organize because survival depends on it because silence is not neutrality. Silence is permission.” 

Laynee Jade, a student activist at NYU, spoke about the revocation of Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants. “Right now, there is one bill left that will restore TPS for Haitians and that is Senate Bill S4814. So, call your senator and ask them to vote on it. We can stop the deportation of 350,000 people,” adding, “By the end of this year, Trump will have plans to deport every single group, and it is up to us whether or not we’re going to allow that.”

Ebtesham Ahmed, also with NYU SDS, ended the rally, “People all throughout the country are not taking ICE’s terror sitting down. We are fighting and it has got the folks in the Trump administration shitting their pants. It is a reminder to them that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.” Ahmed also said, “That is why we got to bring that fight here to NYU. Seeing the detentions of students across campuses in the country, it is important that we fight to make sure our community here is safe. That is why we are demanding a sanctuary campus at NYU.”

Protesters chanted to end the rally. Organizers directed protesters to attend SDS’ new members meeting, emphasizing the importance of organizing and fighting back against NYU and the Trump administration.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #NYU #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE #SanctuaryCampus

New York, NY – A new, militant group of rank-and-file unionists formed within the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) this week, called “ASAP – Alliance of Substitutes and Paraprofessionals”.

The new group, mainly consisting of members of the union’s reform caucus MORE (Movement of Rank-and-File Educators), was formed to meet a pressing need in the union. In the NYC Department of Education, substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and substitute paraprofessionals are the most neglected workers. So, union members are banding together to change this. In addition, the inequality in pay and conditions takes on a nationality, racial, and gendered character with many substitutes and most paraprofessionals being Black, Latino, immigrant and women.

While there are some groups which exist within the union to address certain specific issues that affect these education workers, such as Fix Para Pay, ASAP hopes to be the rank and file led option which really engages in militant fights on these issues.

Paraprofessionals are in the news lately, for many reasons. Most recently, Mayor Mamdani decided to sue NYC City Council for passing the Para RESPECT Check bill into law, which will provide a $10,000 bonus check for paras, which the UFT has been pushing for over the last two years. Additionally, the city’s Teacher Retirement System (TRS) attacked para retirees by demanding they make huge repayments due to a miscalculation on the part of TRS. Thankfully, this attack was partially routed by the UFT’s response via its legal team.

Meanwhile, substitutes do not have proper representation in the union. Most titles, such as teachers, social workers and paras, have their own chapters, whether based in the school or otherwise. Substitutes have no chapter of their own, which means there is no mechanism to formally represent their collective voice. Also, substitutes do not have representation on UFT’s executive board or at its delegate assembly, the union’s primary decision-making body.

Claude Copland, a member of ASAP and a substitute teacher in the Bronx, said, “As a long-term substitute teacher for almost five years now, I look forward to working with other subs and paras to help build a union that does not take any title for granted and wants to see the best outcomes for all their members.”

The Alliance of Subs and Paras vows to build the fight around these kinds of issues and will be holding related events.

ASAP is hosting a Para Town Hall, where paraprofessionals can gather to give their voice on what course of action to take with the recent lawsuit from the city against city council’s Para RESPECT Check. The event will take place over Zoom on September 16, at 6 p.m.

For more about the Alliance of Subs and Paras, follow them at: @nycsubparaalliance on Instagram.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #Labor #UnitedFederationOfTeachers #Teachers