Brooklyn, NY – On August 3, at 5:30 p.m., anti-war activists gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, demanding freedom for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. This rally was part of a picket that takes place on the third day of every month, marking the anniversary of January 3 , when the United States bombed Venezuela and abducted the two political leaders.

The organizations in attendance, including Black Alliance for Peace NYC/NJ,Brooklyn Against War, Code Pink, and Workers World Party, have been on the front lines of the struggle to free Maduro and Flores for seven months.

Chants of “Free the prisoners, free them all! Free Maduro from these walls!” and “¡Cilia aguanta, el pueblo se levanta!” rang through the isolated area surrounding the prison.

Briony Smith, a member of Brooklyn Against War and the Anti War Action Network Steering Committee, stated, “Seven months since Maduro and Cilia were illegally kidnapped from Venezuela — say shame! Seven months that they’ve been imprisoned in the United States, right here in the MDC, awaiting a bogus trial of fabricated charges. Shame!”

Smith continued, “And one more time, you all have been out here every single month. You’ve been here through the freezing cold, through brutal heatwaves, in apocalyptic smoke. We have been outside the court in January, in March, and July despite the racist, reactionary gusanos who pretend to speak for the Venezuelan people.”

The rally ended with a short march around the federal prison buildings. Protesters are determined to continue the picket, which will take place again on September 3, and are prepared to mobilize for future court dates.

#BrooklynNY #NY #NYC #Maduro #CiliaFlores #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela

Brooklyn, NY – After the murder of Corey Ruiz by police in Madison, Wisconsin on Wednesday, July 22, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression called a National Week of Action.

In New York, the New York Alliance held their fifth monthly protest at the 71st Precinct on Thursday, July 30, uniting the calls for justice for Eudes Pierre, another Black man killed by police brutality, and Corey Ruiz.

Earlier that day, the New York Alliance had also organized a call-in to demand that one of Eudes Pierre’s murderers, NYPD Officer Conrado Abreu-Gerez, be immediately fired. Hundreds of calls from around the country jammed the phone line. The officers who answered grew increasingly upset, berating callers and claiming that Abreu-Gerez no longer worked at the 71st Precinct. Eventually, they stopped taking calls altogether, effectively shutting down the line.

Also present at the speakout were community members and the family and loved ones of Eudes Pierre. Speeches and chants connected Corey Ruiz’s murder to the murders of Eudes Pierre in 2021 as well as the murder of Óscar Granados Colindres by state and local police in Wappingers Falls, New York on June 27. For Eudes Pierre and Corey Ruiz, the police attempted to dehumanize and criminalize the people they murdered. For Eudes Pierre and Óscar Colindres, 911 sent police instead of healthcare workers.

In all three cases, police escalated to lethal force and have faced no accountability. Sheina Banatte, Eudes Pierre’s cousin and the managing director of advocacy for the Justice for Eudes Pierre Coalition, said, “This is what the NYPD does. They turn a blind eye when officers assault, brutalize, and murder us.” Chapters of the National Alliance work with families who fight similar battles against a system that protects killer cops.

Hannah Healy from the New York Alliance explained the goal of community control of the police as a path to justice. Healy said, “We’ve actually seen community control of the police work before…they drove out the KKK and protected their right to vote against violent counter-revolutionaries! We can achieve this again to serve and protect ourselves.”

Unlike the current toothless CCRB, a Civilian Police Accountability Council would have full control over police budget, staffing, and discipline. CPAC would empower impacted family members to fire and prosecute killer cops.

The New York Alliance will continue to protest the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of every month. Next month, the protest will take place on August 27th. They will continue to fight until Eudes Pierre’s killers are fired and prosecuted, police are removed from mental health response, and the people win community control of the police.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #NAARPR #NYAARPR

New York, NY – On July 29, over 150 people rallied outside of New York City’s Philippine consulate for the annual People’s State of the Nation Address (PSONA), presenting the people’s assessment of the Marcos Jr. administration and demanding justice for Filipino immigrant workers and an end to political repression.

The rally took place with an added sense of urgency after community member Kuya Raul was taken by ICE two nights before the demonstration. Throughout the afternoon, protesters repeatedly chanted “Free Kuya Raul” and “Justice for Kuya Raul!” linking his detention to the broader struggle against anti-immigrant policy and state repression.

A member of the Malaya movement asked the crowd, “Do we think he’s [Marcos Jr] telling the truth?” Protesters answered with a loud “No!” Do we think he knows the realities of the Filipino people?” Once again, the crowd responded in unison. The exchange reflected the central message of the People’s State of the Nation Address: that the experiences of workers, immigrants and poor communities stand in sharp contrast to the image presented by the Marcos administration.

Speakers from Migrante, Gabriela and Anakbayan connected the conditions faced by Filipinos in the Philippines with the struggles of immigrant communities in the United States, emphasizing that poverty, displacement, labor exploitation and state repression cannot be separated from attacks on migrants abroad.

Speakers from Nodutdol and JUPI connected the struggles to their own national liberation struggles in Korea and Puerto Rico, emphasizing the need for international solidarity. Participants carried signs and banners calling for justice, chanted throughout the march, and called on passersby to stand in solidarity with the Filipino people.

Among the day’s most emotional speeches was that of Kuya Raul’s son, who stated, “He needs to be home,” he told the crowd. “He is the breadwinner of our family.”

After the rally, demonstrators marched towards the Ceberus building, bringing their demands beyond the Philippine Consulate. Chants of “Justice for Kuya Raul!” echoed alongside calls for justice for the Filipino people, drawing the attention of pedestrians and motorists while demonstrating the unity of the coalition assembled for this year’s PSONA.

As the march concluded, organizers reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the struggle for genuine democracy and justice for the Filipino people while calling for Kuya Raul’s release.

#NewYorkNY #NY #International #Philippines

New York City , NY – Early on the morning of Wednesday, July 22, dozens of anti-war activists and community members gathered facing the courthouse in downtown Manhattan for the federal hearing of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

This was the third hearing after the abduction of Maduro and Flores from their home in Caracas on January 3. The Trump administration carried out a bombing campaign that killed around 80 people in their pursuit of the president and first lady. They were brought to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where they are awaiting a sham trial.

The protest outside was organized by several organizations, many who have been on the frontlines of the struggle to free Maduro and Flores since January 3. The forces were Brooklyn Against War, Black Alliance for Peace, Workers World Party, Bronx Anti War, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The rally began with chants such as, “We want justice, you say how? Free Maduro, free him now!” and “Donald Trump, you’re a liar! No more wars for empire!”

“President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were kidnapped by Trump and the U.S. government after an illegal military invasion. They have committed no crime. We are here in NYC to oppose their kidnapping, detention and trial! They should be set free!” said Tom Burke, a longtime anti-war activist and organizational secretary for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The chants and rallies continued, despite the small opposition forces trying to feebly out-chant the protest.

As the protest in New York was happening, there were concurrent protests all over Venezuela in support of their president and first lady.

The last speech was made by Briony Smith, a member of Brooklyn Against War and a steering committee member of the Anti-war Action Network, “It is not the will of the American people to invade foreign nations and capture their leaders, because it is not the American people who grow rich off their exploitation. Every day, more and more people in this country are realizing that we have more in common with the people of the Philippines, Palestine or Venezuela than we do with Congress, the White House, or Wall Street.”

Smith continued, “American imperialism is crumbling, while our movement is growing. President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have done nothing wrong, and they will walk free! The sanctions on Venezuela will be lifted! The people will be victorious!”

The rally finished with a march and protesters are ready to gather for future hearings. The next seems to be set for November 17. The trial is officially set for June 2027, and activists are ready to hit the ground running to build the campaign to free Maduro and Flores.

#NewYorkCityNY #NY #NYC #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #Maduro #CiliaFlores #Featured

NYC, NY—On July 22 at 8 a.m., protesters will rally to demand, “Free President Maduro and First Lady Flores!” outside the federal courthouse in Manhattan, New York.

A growing coalition of groups and individuals, both in NYC and nationally, support freedom for the pair. Coalition members include Brooklyn Against War, the Anti-War Action Network, Workers World Party, International Action Center, Palaver Collective, Black Alliance for Peace, and the International League of People’s Struggle.

“President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have done nothing wrong. They have committed no crime. Their kidnapping, detention, and trial by Trump and the U.S. government is the only crime here,” said Tom Burke, a longtime anti-war activist and organizational secretary for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Burke continued, “The whole world sees Trump and Wall Street attempting to dominate Venezuela’s oil, minerals and economy. It is armed robbery.”

“While other countries send Venezuela earthquake aid, Trump and the U.S. government are imposing U.S. military forces and enforcing U.S. economic sanctions,” Burke said.

Dozens of anti-war and international solidarity protesters will gather at Baxter Street and Worth Street in Manhattan to let the U.S. Department of Justice know they demand the cancellation of the prosecution against President Maduro and Cilia Flores. Their flyer reads, “Free Maduro! Free Flores! Hands off Venezuela! No war with Cuba!”

#NYCNY #NY #International #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #Maduro #Cuba #BAW #AWAN #Featured

Brooklyn, NY — On the evening of Friday, July 17, community members gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center for a speak-out style protest under the banner “No more ICE murders!”

The action, held in full view of the Gowanus Expressway, was organized by the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which was joined by organizers and speakers from Brooklyn Against War, NYC ICE Watch, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Protesters unfurled a massive banner reading “ICE out of everywhere” as rush-hour traffic roared past on the elevated expressway and Brooklyn’s 3rd Avenue. That tactic drew plenty of positive attention, as drivers on the expressway responded with a chorus of honks, signaling solidarity with the demonstrators. Meanwhile, organizers handed out flyers to pedestrians walking past on the sidewalk, some of whom joined the action to chant and listen to the lineup of speakers.

Speakers addressed the crowd and passing commuters alike, demanding justice for the victims of recent ICE violence, legalization for all undocumented immigrants, and a complete withdrawal of ICE and all federal agents from New York City. Conditions around the MDC, a federal facility holding at least 200 immigrants, many of whom have not been charged with a crime, were condemned as a manifestation of racist national repression.

“The Metropolitan detention center is notorious for being dark and overcrowded, for mold and fungus, and poor quality food, for non-functioning toilets and unsanitary conditions,” NYAARPR organizer Jamie Kowalski said in a speech. “We demand free all ICE detainees from the MDC!”

The evening's program also featured calls to action linking local resistance to the broader national movement against ICE violence.

“We are the New York Alliance, and we are out here to say we reject the idea that communities are made safer by armed immigration raids,” said organizer Ruby Doswell. “We reject the criminalization of immigrants who come to this country to work, support their families, and build a future. We demand accountability for the deaths of Lorenzo [Salgado Araujo], Joan [Sebastián Durán Guerrero], and Juan [Jairo Coronilla Duran].”

In their speech, Briony Smith, an organizer with Brooklyn Against War, observed that repressive immigration enforcement is not “arbitrary” or “isolated,” but the domestic arm of U.S. imperialism.

ICE repression “is part of a larger agenda that looks to expel, in particular, Latin American people but not exclusively, at the same time that the Trump administration attempts to extend its tentacles throughout Central and South America to suck dry the resources of sovereign countries, in order to enrich American billionaires,” Smith told the crowd.

The protest comes amid escalating outrage over ICE’s deadly operations and the ongoing invasions of immigrant communities. Organizers made it clear that the struggle is far from over, vowing to continue building pressure until ICE is removed from every corner of the city.

#BrooklynNY #NY #NYC #ImmigrantRights #NYAARPR

Last week on July 1, Nadia Topete, an immigrant rights activist and organizer with Centro CSO, was issued a grand jury subpoena by police in Los Angeles. By now, it’s clear the purpose of this grand jury is to investigate and harass organizers who mobilized to resist ICE oppression in Los Angeles last summer.

The New York Alliance is proud to stand in solidarity with Nadia and all other immigrant rights organizers facing this vile repression throughout the country, which we condemn in the strongest possible terms. Repression against activists takes many forms, and the grand jury is one of the key legal tools weaponized against organized movements.

Grand juries are secret proceedings often used against activists in order to criminalize dissent and weaken our movements. 

Nadia was first subpoenaed to testify in June, and now they’ve come for her again. It’s clear this grand jury is being called to pressure Nadia into talking about last summer’s anti-ICE protests — which led to bogus conspiracy charges against fellow organizer Alejandro Orellana that were later dropped. 

We demand that US Attorney Bilal Essayli and assistant US Attorney Michael Wheat drop the grand jury investigation now! 

Hands off Nadia! 

End repression of all immigration activists!

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #NYAARPR #NadiaTopete #ImmigrantRights #PoliticalRepression

Brooklyn, NY – On July 3, dozens of activists rallied outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) to demand freedom for kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The picket also marked six months since President Maduro and First Lady Flores were kidnapped from Caracas in a United States military operation which killed 100 people, including 32 Cuban bodyguards.

Despite the oppressive 100-degree heat, energy was high. Bolstered by reports that Maduro had been able to hear last month’s protest, protesters chanted loudly, “Maduro, aguanta, el pueblo se levanta!”

Organizations in attendance included Workers World Party, Palaver Collective, Black Alliance for Peace, the International League of People’s Struggle, and Brooklyn Against War.

Michela Martinazzi of Brooklyn Against War spoke, connecting the heatwave with the U.S. military aggression against Venezuela. “The number one polluter in the world is the United States military. It is our responsibility as people living on this planet to fully dismantle the U.S. military and the system that upholds it. So today, we’re standing in record-high temperatures, and we know that war affects all of us. It affects every single one of us. And President Maduro and Flores, who haven’t done anything wrong except govern their country in a way that challenges the United States, are being held right here at the Metropolitan Detention Center. This is a war crime.”

The activists vowed to continue their monthly protest at the MDC until Maduro and Flores are freed. They will also rally at the federal courthouse in Manhattan on July 22, the next scheduled court date for Maduro and Flores.

#BrooklynNY #NY #International #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement

NYC, NY – On June 28, beginning in Union Square, Manhattan, thousands participated in the annual Queer Liberation March.

The event is an alternative to the Pride march and gives the radical and militant activists in the LGBTQ community the opportunity to organize away from the corporate sponsors of Pride.

The annual march always hosts a large array of progressive, leftist and revolutionary organizations who uphold the militant legacy of 1969 Stonewall Riots, where the LGBTQ community of NYC’s Village fought back fiercely against violent police raids.

One organization present at the march was Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), which led a contingent of 700 people at its height.

Chants included “Out of the closet and into the streets, no justice, no peace!” “We will not be quiet, Stonewall was a fucking riot!” “Say it loud and say it clear, ICE and feds ain’t welcome here!” Flags showing solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon were also present.

The march went from Union Square to the ICE headquarters at 26 Federal Plaza, showing solidarity with immigrants detained by ICE.

A participant in the march and member of FRSO, Shivani Ishwar, said, “The cause of queer liberation is much bigger than a corporate Pride parade. We understand that all rights that queer and trans people have were earned in blood. The system is trying to claw back those rights, with crackdowns on queer and trans communities nationwide, along with the terror being unleashed on immigrants by ICE and the feds. We recognize that we must continue to stand together in militant solidarity, to protect those rights and to win our demand for liberation. Until all of us are free, no one is, and that goes for every community under attack by the Trump administration and U.S. imperialism.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #LGBTQ #Pride #Stonewall #ImmigrantRights

Brooklyn, NY – Community members and the family of Eudes Pierre gathered Thursday, June 25, for their fourth monthly picket at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct. Alongside Pierre’s family, organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) demanded justice for Eudes Pierre and put up wanted posters of the officers who murdered him in 2021.

The previous day would have been Pierre’s 31st birthday. He was only 26 years old when he called 911 in the midst of a mental health crisis on December 20, 2021. Instead of the care he needed, dispatch sent Officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez. Pierre’s cousin, Sheina Banatte, described how he was “followed, chastised, criminalized, attacked, gunned down, then dehumanized when his murder was labeled ‘suicide by cop’ after he called 911 for help.”

The NYPD denied wrongdoing. Its Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) ruled Lan and Abreu-Gerez acted “within NYPD guidelines.” New York Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue criminal charges against them. Killer cops feel emboldened to brutalize and kill Black and brown New Yorkers because the system is built to deny justice to those impacted by police violence.

Joe Wilkins from the New York Alliance outlined a path to justice in community control of the police, stating, “Accountability should not take years of pickets and protests and rallies. It should be built into the system from the bottom-up, through community boards with real power to hire, fire and discipline every single officer in this building, and throughout the five boroughs.”

Participants directly confronted officers from the 71st Precinct with chants such as, “How do you spell murderer? NYPD!” One participant used to 50-a.org database to search the names and badge numbers of officers who stood, laughing, behind their metal barricades. Like Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez, several of the officers present had documented histories of brutality and racist violence.

As they build the Justice for Eudes Pierre campaign, the New York Alliance and the family of Eudes Pierre will continue to picket the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of every month. They will continue to fight until Pierre’s killers are fired and prosecuted, police are removed from mental health response, and the people win community control of the police.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #EudesPierre #NYAARPR #NAARPR

Brooklyn, NY – Organizers from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression gathered in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn on Friday, June 19, to speak out against police crimes that disproportionately affect Black and brown communities of New York City.

Held on Juneteenth, a holiday marking the day when the enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom after the U.S. Civil War, the speakout was a part of a National Day of Action called by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Speakers from the New York Alliance focused on the struggles of families to demand justice for their loved ones lost to police brutality across the country. In Brooklyn, the Alliance works closely with the family of Eudes Pierre, a young Black man who was murdered by the NYPD while in the midst of a mental health crisis in 2021. Over four years later, the Civilian Complaint Review Board has ruled in favor of the officers, and State Attorney General Letitia James has declined to pursue any charges against them.

“If executing a young Black man during a mental health crisis is ‘within guidelines,’ then the entire institution is fundamentally, structurally criminal,” said Jamie Kowalski, a member of the New York Alliance. “We stand in unwavering solidarity with the family of Eudes Pierre, alongside the families of every person whose life was stolen by police violence.”

The day of action also focused on the erosions of voting rights that the Trump administration and Supreme Court have been steadily pushing, including the recent Louisiana v. Callais, which rolls back protections of Black people’s right to vote enshrined by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, protections that were hard won by the Civil Rights and Black Liberation movements of the 1960s.

Shivani Ishwar, the Chair of NYAARPR, said, “Across the country, the National Alliance is working to defend Black communities from going back to the Jim Crow era. We will not allow this racist system to silence Black voices, to ignore Black communities, or to take Black lives.” As an organization that fights for community control of the police, Ishwar went on, the New York Alliance recognizes that the right to vote is fundamental to Black people’s ability to control how their communities are run.

The New York Alliance also invited community members to join an upcoming protest on Thursday, June 25, to commemorate Eudes Pierre’s 31st birthday and continue demanding justice for his family. The protest will be held at the 71st Precinct, which responded to Eudes’ call back in 2021, and where one of the officers who killed him still works. The New York Alliance are demanding that both of the officers who killed Eudes be fired and prosecuted for murder.

#BrooklynNY #NY #NYC #NAARPR #InjusticeSystem #Juneteenth #EudesPierre

Brooklyn, NY – On Saturday, June 6, community members and activists with Brooklyn Against War [BAW] gathered at the Bedford Library for a panel and discussion regarding their ongoing campaign to free Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. Titled “What is Happening in Venezuela?”, the panel featured guest speaker Steve Ellner, an author, historian and political scientist who taught at the Universidad de Oriente for 26 years. 

Ellner stated, “The Chavista movement is solidly behind Delcy Rodríguez. Washington, and Trump in particular, has made no secret of what could happen to the Rodríguez government if [she] were to put up major resistance to the demands that the Trump administration is making.”

These comments from Ellner were made in response to criticisms of the acting president from members of the international left, who incorrectly condemn Rodriguez, rather than the imperialist aggression of the United States.

A member of BAW stated, “President Maduro is right now being held in our backyard at MDC. We are paying taxes, high taxes, and we don’t see them returning to our communities. There have been billions of dollars in war, and they are still using our tax dollars to bomb the country and try to control the oil.”

The Metropolitan Detention Center sits in the heart of Sunset Park, where it holds not only political prisoners President Maduro and Cilia Flores, but also nearly 200 ICE detainees.

BAW members also shared a petition to drop the charges, and spoke about their plans to mobilize to the federal courthouse on June 30, the next hearing date for Maduro and Flores. 

Ellner’s portion of the panel is available on YouTube at BrooklynAgainstWar.

#BrooklynNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #International #BAW

NYC, NY – On the steps of Tweed Courthouse in Lower Manhattan, at least 200 unionized teachers and community members gathered June 4 to demand the New York City Department of Education provide more protections from ICE for immigrant students.

June 4 was “Chancellor’s Day” and DoE officials, like Chancellor Kamar Samuels, gathered at Tweed Courthouse for meetings and for professional development. The activists chose this day and location to pressure them while they were inside the building.

The plans for the rally began with a small grassroots group of educators in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where ICE attacks on immigrant students and their families have been extremely prevalent. The organizers then brought the idea to the NYC Immigration Coalition, a group of local progressive non-profits, which includes Hands Off NYC, which then took up the call and helped organize the event.

They also brought the call to the Movement of Rank and File Educators, MORE, the reform caucus within the teachers union, the UFT. Members of MORE brought numbers and militancy to the event, providing signs with slogans like “DOE: We demand support for immigrants” and “DOE must act now to support immigrant families.”

MORE activist and Sunset Park teacher Caitlin Cahill, one of the original organizers of the event, said, “Schools are such natural places for organizing to happen, and in this case, teachers came together organically because we could see the need. We saw what was happening to our students and parents in our communities. The UFT helped to get the ball rolling with training on creating a School-based Plan to Support Immigrant Students and Families. This gave us an initial framework to work from. Then, I looked to MORE for guidance on rally support and amplification of our message because MORE knows what grassroots organizing looks like and shows up.”

The leadership of the UFT also officially endorsed the rally, which helped build up the numbers of union members in the crowd. Katie Kurjakovich, the UFT’s English language learners specialist, gave a speech on what the UFT is doing to protect immigrant students and teachers, including the Know Your Rights trainings that they have been providing.

The organizers delivered a petition demanding more centralized guidance, funding, and training to protect immigrant students, signed by more than 2000 people, to the DoE officials exiting the building.

nJess Mary, another MORE organizer and teacher, said, “Myself and fellow teachers attended the rally to make demands of the mayor's office and the DOE to protect our immigrant communities. Our union has the power to put pressure on educational leadership to protect us and our students. The protections for our immigrant students, coworkers, families and communities cannot wait.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #Teachers #Education #ImmigrantRights

New York, NY – On June 4, New Yorkers protested outside of the annual New York City Police Foundation Gala at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan, where billionaires representing some of the top financial, tech and political dynasties in New York City gathered to donate millions of dollars to the New York Police Department.

The crowd of 75 protesters, led by the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR), shamed each gala attendee as they arrived, chanting “Blood on your hands!”

The New York City Police Foundation is a 501©(3) non-profit which funnels millions of dollars each year into the already bloated NYPD budget. The money goes to programs which surveil communities, pilot new technologies, and extend the reach of the NYPD.

For example, one of the foundation’s principal programs is the International Liaison program, which establishes NYPD offices in cities across the world, including in Tel Aviv. Additionally, donors who attend the gala tend to get massive contracts with the NYPD These include companies like surveillance giant Palantir, and Motorola, the company supplying cops with their radios. Both have made huge contributions at the gala which have turned into major contracts with the NYPD.

The protesters assembled outside of the gala to demand a public police force that does not function like a private piggy bank for billionaires, but that is accountable to the people of New York City. At the protest, NYAARPR demanded: No funding for killer cops; community control, not billionaire control; and justice for Eudes Pierre and all victims of police violence.

Speakers at the rally included representatives of NYU Students for a Democratic Society, Brooklyn Against War, Adolfina, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Coalition for Justice for Eudes Pierre.

Sheina Banatte, cousin of Eudes Pierre, who was killed by the NYPD in December 2021, said, “The money being wasted to fund racism and corruption here at this gala can best be spent in the community places and spaces that can truly benefit people, families, community and quality of life.” She continued, “We will keep fighting for community control of the police, justice for Eudes Pierre, and justice for all stolen lives.”

After the program concluded, protesters tore open several pig head effigies, scattering red paint splattered money in the street to symbolize the blood money raised at the gala. The protest then marched through the streets of Manhattan chanting, “NYPD kills on patrol! How do we stop them? Community control!”

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #InjusticeSystem #NYPD #PeoplesStruggles

Brooklyn, NY – on the evening of June 3, around two dozen New Yorkers gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to stand in solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela and against the ongoing aggression from the United States.

The Trump administration has charged Raul Castro, the former president of Cuba, with murder in connection to the downing of civilian planes in 1996. These charges are bogus. They are an escalation of the U.S. attacks on Latin America that began last year when the Trump administration set its eyes on Venezuela.

The day also marked the fifth month since President Maduro and First Lady Flores were kidnapped from their home. The Trump administration launched a bombing operation on Venezuela on January 3 where close to 100 people were killed, including 32 Cuban bodyguards.

The action had a high energy and there were many organizations in attendance, such as Black Alliance for Peace, Bronx Antiwar, Palavar Collective, and Brooklyn Against War.

Joe Lombard from the United National Antiwar Coalition gave a speech discussing the importance of solidarity and standing up to U.S. imperialism.

Katrina Kozarek from Brooklyn Against War stated, “We will continue to resist systems of oppression here in the U.S. and to do so, we must also reject and stand up against U.S. oppression and complicity against the peoples of the Caribbean, South America, Palestine, Iran and everywhere. We demand an end to all U.S. sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela now! Free President Maduro and Cilia Flores – we demand they be returned safe and sound to their homeland!”

The organizers will return to the courthouse for President Maduro and First Lady Flores’ hearing on June 30.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #Cuba #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement #PeoplesStruggles

Brooklyn, NY – Community members picketed the front entrance to the NYPD’s 71st Precinct, May 28, the third such recurring protest to demand Justice for the police murder of Eudes Pierre. The New York Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (NYAARPR) organized this protest along with Pierre’s family to demand that the officers who murdered the 26-year-old Brooklyn resident be fired and charged with murder.

Eudes Pierre was a Haitian-American man who called 911 while having a mental health crisis on December 20, 2021. When officers arrived at the scene, they chose to escalate the situation rather than render aid, including following him home from the subway platform where he had placed the call. They then shot him numerous times steps away from the front door of his childhood home, killing him.

The NYPD’s disciplinary board, the CCRB, ultimately ruled that the officers acted within NYPD guidelines. Furthermore, New York’s Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue any criminal charges against the officers. The outcome of Pierre’s case is all too common for victims and survivors of police brutality – the officers face no accountability or consequences, and families are given no modicum of justice for their loved ones.

“We are out here today at the 71st Precinct, just like we are on the last Thursday of every month, demanding justice for Eudes Pierre,” said Shivani Ishwar, the chair of NYAARPR.

They went on to highlight the NYPD’s role as a repressive and reactionary force within New York City. “We are also here showing up because we know every cop is guilty of upholding this racist and repressive system, and that’s why we’ll be out in Manhattan next week on June 4 protesting the New York City Police Foundation’s Charity Gala,” Ishwar continued.

The militant protest forced the 71st Precinct to barricade its front entrance, with chants of “NYPD kills on patrol! How do we stop them? Community control!” ringing out for blocks. Protesters also used cowbells and percussion instruments to create a noisy atmosphere, amplifying their message and attracting the attention of nearby residents, who shared their own stories of police brutality committed by officers of the precinct.

The New York Alliance and Pierre’s family said they’ll continue to picket the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of every month in order to demand justice, honor Eudes Pierre’s memory, and advocate for community control of the NYPD.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #NYAARPR #NAARPR

This was the first LIRR strike since 1994. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York (MTA) failed to bargain in good faith, according to the rail unions involved, and workers hadn’t received a raise since 2022. The MTA offered a wage proposal that would have resulted in a 2.8% loss in real wages because of rising inflation. The workers demanded a 16% wage increase over three years. This set wages up to be one of the main issues at the bargaining table, along with changes to work rules.

The striking workers were represented by five different unions: the Teamsters-affiliated Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET), the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Transportation Communications Union. Together, those unions represent 55% of the unionized workforce at the Long Island Rail Road.

Although the details of the tentative agreement have not been publicly shared, BLET Vice President Kevin Sexton stated, “After years of negotiations, we've finally received an agreement that reflects the value our members bring to this railroad.”

The strike began at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, with 24 picket locations across Long Island and Manhattan. The process to get to the strike was very long, including years of negotiations, mediation from the National Mediation Board, and two Presidential Emergency Boards. This long and bureaucratic process comes from the Railway Labor Act, which applies to the airline and railroad industries and often seeks to prevent militant strikes in those important logistics fields.

In this case, the federal mediators sided, in a non-binding decision, with the union’s demands for real wage increases.

Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul was a key anti-worker politician throughout the fight. She has significant power over the MTA and appointed its CEO Janno Lieber. Hochul insisted that raises would lead to an 8% increase in fares. However, she and Lieber have now said that there will be no increase to fares or taxes since the strike was settled.

The tentative agreement is currently being reviewed and voted on by union workers. This was a significant rail strike and as such has been watched closely by other transit union workers, wondering if this may set a new precedent in union negotiations across the railroad and transit industries.

#NewYorkNY #NY #Labor #LIRR #MTA

New York, NY – Community members joined together at Washington Square Park on Friday, May 16, in remembrance of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were murdered, maimed and permanently displaced from their homes, by Israel.

The rally kicked off under the Washington Square Arch with chants of “Zionism has got to go” and “Israel bombs, USA pays.” Shortly after the afternoon Asr prayer, the roughly 500 attendees began a march through Manhattan, uniting around slogans like “From Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!”

The rally and march were organized by New York-based Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, with contingents led by groups like the Muslim American Society and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Also in attendance were members from Brooklyn Against War, Al-Awda, and the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, as well as a contingent of Orthodox Jewish protesters led by Rabbi Dovid Feldman.

Together, attendees helped unfurl a massive Palestinian flag, which they carried through the streets of Manhattan for several hours until the Maghrib sunset prayer at Times Square, where the march ended.

Before the march, Within Our Lifetime cofounder Nerdeen Kiswani told the crowd that “the state of Israel and Zionism must be abolished.”

“I do not and will never recognize Israel's so-called right to exist,” Kiswani continued. “It has no right to exist.”

Shivani Ishwar, member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, concurred. “We acknowledge the 78 years the Palestinians have been oppressed, and unable to return to their homes,” Ishwar said. “We support a full right to return, we support the cause of a liberated Palestine free from Israeli settlers, free from genocide, and free from repression.”

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Nakba

New York, NY – On Wednesday, May 6, the Movement of Rank and File Educators gathered for general assembly in Midtown Manhattan. More than 40 classroom teachers from across the city met to discuss the presence of NYPD in schools and the police’s role in oppressing the student body of New York and intimidating teachers and staff in schools. The group was joined by the Dignity in Schools organization, which is against scanners and police in schools.

The meeting began with a teach-in on the history of policing in schools in NYC, which first began in the 1970s after the United Federation of Teachers made a mistake by striking against Black and Puerto Rican parents who wanted to exercise control over their children’s schools, known as the Oceanhill – Brownesville strike. The UFT, led by Albert Shanker, made an historic mistake by pitting the rights of white teachers to a job against the rights of Black and brown parents to decide who taught their children, instead of uniting the struggles together against a common enemy.

The assembly moved on to discuss the way language in the UFT contract about students “disruptive behavior” has been used by teachers to have students removed from their classes. This practice disproportionately affects Black and brown students today.

They also talked about how the NYPD imposes expensive scanners for students onto certain schools, and obscures data about where these scanners are located in the city. It can be assumed that most scanners are placed in majority Black and brown schools. Some students in the NYC public school system are required to go through metal detectors and scanners operated by cops and are treated as possible suspects when they get to school.

The frequent delays at scanning make students late to school and makes it more difficult for teachers in the classroom to teach their lessons. The group discussed how the money that goes into expensive scanners could easily be used to give teachers better working conditions, and students better learning conditions, or funneled into job positions in the school that are staffed by unions.

The teachers then broke out into groups to talk about the situations in their schools, and, with the help of a campaign toolkit, some came up with plans to get rid of racist scanning and NYPD presence in their schools through rank-and-file mobilization and engagement of the broader school community.

#NewYorkNY #NYC #NY #MORE #UFT #Labor #PoliceAccountability #Teachers

Brooklyn, NY – On the afternoon of May 3, a dozen protesters gathered outside of the Metropolitan Denton Center, to mark the fourth month that President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have been detained in the federal walls.

Every month, anti-war and international solidarity activists gather in front of the detention center to demand the freedom of Maduro and Flores.

Barbara Fagundes of Brooklyn Against War asked, “President Maduro, can you hear us?” as reports say that the imprisoned Venezuelan dignitaries have heard the chants in the past months. Fagundes continued, “The operation cost American taxpayers billions of dollars, involving airstrikes and extraction, shocking the world, raising questions about sovereignty, justice and power.”

This month, two important figures spoke, Charles and Inez Barron, two former New York governmental figures and longtime civil rights activists. Each of their speeches highlighted the injustice of imprisoning Maduro and Flores, and they echoed the demands to see them free.

Protest organizers are awaiting news about the next hearing, which will be held in the next 60 days. They are committed to showing up and demanding freedom for Maduro and Flores!

#BrooklynNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #International #Venezuela #BAW