Milwaukee, WI – More than 300 union members and their supporters took to the streets here, Feb. 23, to protest an attempt by Republicans to push through ‘right to work’ legislation in the Wisconsin legislature.
Tampa, FL – Over a dozen University of South Florida (USF) students gathered for a teach-in condemning USF's complicity in the continuing U.S. war on terror, Feb 11. Tampa Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Students for Justice in Palestine, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee all spoke and participated.
San José, CA – On Feb. 16, Federal District Judge Andrew Hanen placed an injunction on President Obama’s expansion of the Deferred Action program. While the Obama administration said that it would appeal the injunction, Hanen’s decision stopped the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was set to start on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The injunction may even delay the start of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) which was supposed to begin in mid-May.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people came out for a protest against islamophobia and racism, Feb. 17, in response to the killing of three Muslim students last week. Gathered at a busy intersection in the heart of the local Somali community, near the University of Minnesota campus, they held signs and chanted for an hour, as temperatures dropped below zero.
Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 16 a follow-up rally was organized by faculty on University of Minnesota's Minneapolis (UMN) campus to demand immediate action from UMN's administration in implementing the eight demands raised by Whose Diversity? during its occupation of Morrill Hall last week. At the rally, faculty expressed support for the 13 members of Whose Diversity? who were arrested in the building occupation and demanded that all charges against them be dropped. There were around 150 people in attendance at the rally, with an even representation of faculty, graduate instructors and undergraduates.
Mark Burton es el abogado del revolucionario colombiano Ricardo Palmera. Palmera es un preso político de los EE.UU., que actualmente permanece en la prisión de súper-máxima seguridad en Florence, Colorado. Mark Burton es una de las pocas personas que puede visitar y comunicarse con Palmera. Hay una campaña por la libertad de Ricardo Palmera para que pueda participar en las conversaciones de paz en Colombia, que suceden en Cuba. Ricardo Palmera es conocido popularmente como Simón Trinidad en Colombia. Para obtener más información, consulte www.FreeRicardoPalmera.org.
Protest vigil and live stream speaking event planned for Feb. 13
Minneapolis, MN – Protests, speaking events and fundraisers are being organized across the U.S. as part of the growing national movement to win justice for Rasmea Odeh. Two events will take place in the Twin Cities on Friday, Feb. 13. First is the weekly Palestine Solidarity Vigil to Demand Justice for Rasmea, 4:30 to 5:30 at the intersection of Summit and Snelling Avenues in Saint Paul, followed by a speech by Rasmea Odeh, via live stream, which will be at the center of an event running from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis, MN – Sabry Wazwaz reported back to over 100 people, Feb. 7, at Karmel West from his month long trip to Palestine this winter, where he did interviews for his upcoming documentary. Wazwaz is an outspoken leader in both the Palestinian American community and the Anti-War Committee. He is an advocate for a free Palestine and against U.S.-backed Israeli apartheid. Wazwaz explained his motivation for his trip as a desire to “wake people up about what’s really going on” in Palestine and to counter the lies of U.S. mainstream media.
St. Paul, MN – Kurt Daudt, a politician who has made a specialty out of bashing low-income people, was elected speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Jan.6, by the incoming Republican majority. Outside the House chambers, where the election took place, members of the Welfare Rights Committee loudly demanded that welfare grants be doubled and that aid should be extended to all in need.
St. Paul, MN – The chant “What do we want? Raise the grants! When do we want it? Now!” boomed throughout the Minnesota State Capitol building, Jan. 6, as low-income people marched in demanding that the legislature double welfare grants and pass a law that will provide immediate assistance to all in need. The protest, organized by the Welfare Rights Committee, coincided with opening day of the 2015 legislative session.
St. Paul, MN – On Jan. 6, at 11:30 a.m., members of the Welfare Rights Committee will gather outside the capitol as legislators file into the building for the opening day of the legislative session.
Protesters will form a line outdoors, on the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. across from the State Office Building. After that, they will visit legislators’ offices and hand-deliver “Past Due” notices.
Minneapolis, MN – As 2014 comes to an end, we pause to look back at some of the most important Fight Back! stories of the past year. 2014 has seen an upsurge in many struggles – and Fight Back! has been there on the front lines with on-the-spot reporting and timely analysis.
Activists demand State Attorney Angela Corey return all belongings and 'Drop the Charges Now'
Jacksonville, FL – On Dec. 15, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office returned some of the phones they seized from the 19 protesters who shut down the Hart Bridge last week.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization is pleased to present the Main Political Report, voted on and passed at our 7th Congress in the summer. The three sections – the U.S. Economy, Domestic Political Report and the International Report – describe the societal conditions in which we organize and struggle for a new society. These documents, debated and revised over many months, provide a basis for understanding the basic conditions of life, the forces in motion in society, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the movements for social change and revolution. We ask you to read, comment, discuss and share them. Improving our understanding of how society works will strengthen our leadership of mass groups and positively impact the people’s movements.
Gainesville, FL – On Dec. 12, students and community members blocked the entrances to a basketball game between the University of Florida (UF) and Texas Southern University. The action was called as part of a growing movement to protest police killings of African Americans and Latinos in the U.S. This follows the failures to indict police officer Darren Wilson, who shot Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, as well as NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, who choked Eric Garner to death.