News and Views from the People's Struggle
Grand Rapids, MI – On Saturday, October 18, approximately 10,000 protesters convened in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. This “No Kings” protest was held at Rosa Parks Circle in response to the nationwide call for people to stand up against the Trump administration, joining the dozens of demonstrations across West Michigan and the more than 2500 across the country.
Chicago, IL – On No Kings Day, October 18, 250,000 Chicagoans mobilized on the streets of downtown Chicago against the reactionary Trump administration.
Over 10% of Chicago’s population came out to demand an end to the attacks on working and oppressed people in the city. They called for an end to the federal occupation, and a stop to Trump’s attempts to centralize power in the hands of his administration. Chicagoans joined millions across the United States.
Detroit, MI – On October 18, more than 8000 protesters gathered for a major No Kings protest starting at Roosevelt Park in Detroit to demand Detroit declare itself a sanctuary city, that troops be ousted from our cities, and the city divest from war profiteers.
Milwaukee, WI – On Thursday, October 16, 30 UW-Milwaukee students and community members rallied on campus to demand hands off Chicago as a part of the National Students for a Democratic Society National Day of Action under the slogan, “No Trump, No Troops, No ICE and Legalization for All!”
Chicago, IL – On Thursday, October 16, over 40 students at the University of Illinois at Chicago rallied on campus demanding an end to Trump’s federal occupation of Chicago.
This protest was in response to a call made by the National Students for a Democratic Society for a National Day of Solidarity with Chicago. Across the country, chapters of SDS participated by holding their own protests on their respective campuses.
Caledonia, WI – On October 8, residents of the small village of Caledonia in southeastern Wisconsin – just south of Milwaukee, scored a massive victory against megacorporation Microsoft. As a result of an outpouring of negative community feedback, the tech giant announced that they would not be moving forward with the data center project at this time.
Chicago, IL – Over 100 Chicagoans rallied outside the offices of Google and Valor Equity Partners in the West Loop on Saturday, October 11, demanding funding for public services through increasing taxes on large corporations, removing vacant police officer positions, and for all federal agents to leave the city.
Washington, D.C. – Over 100 activists, faith leaders and immigrants mobilized in the early morning of October 8 at City Hall in downtown DC, to call for an end to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s cooperation with ICE and the Trump administration’s racist occupation.
Brooklyn, NY – Dozens gathered on Tuesday, September 30 at the New York City Transit Authority to speak and give public comment at a monthly meeting of the MTA board. The event was organized by the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, as well as other members of the Fare Ain’t Fair Coalition, including the December 12th Movement.
Chicago, IL – On September 30, 1500 Chicagoans marched down Magnificent Mile to protest Trump’s threats of using the city as a military training ground. This past week has seen the effects of Operation Blitz in full force, with heavy presence of ICE and other federal agents conducting deportations. Trump’s speech to top U.S. generals the same day showed he intends to escalate the federal occupation with the military.
San José, CA – On Wednesday, October 1, the federal government began a partial shutdown at 12:01 a.m. About 750,000 federal workers will be furloughed and sent home without pay. About 400,000 will continue to work without pay, while more than 800,000 will continue to work with pay, of which three-quarters do military-related work. Those who are furloughed and work without pay will be paid when the shutdown ends.
This November Minneapolis residents will once again vote for the next mayor of Minneapolis. Incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey has long been a darling of landlords, business owners and the owning class in our city. Frey not only won the last mayoral election but was voted in under a “Strong Mayor” charter amendment, expanding his sweeping powers over the Minneapolis Police Department to all other departments in the city.
New York, NY – On Sunday, September 21, around 50 people rallied near Prospect Park in Brooklyn to demand a stop to all fare increases and the expansion of the “fair fares” discounted fare program. The MTA board is scheduled to vote on a fare increase at their monthly board meeting on September 30.
The temperature is rising by the day and the air is thick with a dangerous new electricity. The magnified polarization of this country points to the unraveling of a system built on inequality, repression and an empire whose decline is accelerating. Flashpoint events like Kirk’s killing are not isolated incidents, they’re symptoms of a terminal illness.
Appleton, WI – On September 14, several dozen people gathered at Appleton’s Houdini Plaza in a demonstration denouncing Trump, ICE and the invasion of our cities, including the deployment of the military in Los Angeles, the National Guard in Washington DC, and the proposed deployment of the national guard to Chicago.
New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday, September 9, more than 200 people marched through downtown New Orleans to resist Trump’s threat last week to send the National Guard to the city. The New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression led the protest, alongside a broad coalition of more than 15 other organizations.
Chicago, IL – 10,000 Chicagoans gathered at the West Loop Haymarket Memorial on Monday, September 1, for a “Workers over Billionaires” protest called by the Chicago Federation of Labor for a militant Labor Day demonstration.
The protest was a response to Trump’s sweeping attacks on working and oppressed people, with particular focus on his attacks on federal workers’ bargaining rights, Immigrant rights, and his threats to send federal troops into Chicago.
In March, President Trump signed an executive order attempting to strip collective bargaining rights from almost 1 million federal workers. In recent weeks, he has made consistent threats to send military forces into cities run by Black mayors, with particular malice toward Chicago’s mayor and the union city that elected him.
To open his remarks at the Labor Day protest, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson fired up the crowd with chants of “No federal troops in the city of Chicago!” The mayor took a fighting stance with regards to Trump’s attacks on Chicago, describing his administration’s efforts to defend and invest in workers, especially Black and brown workers. Johnson spoke with pride about helping abolish the sub-minimum wage, ratify a transformative Chicago Teacher’s Union contract, and invest in affordable housing units on the South and West sides.
“We have stood up for the interests of workers before and we will do it again Johnson said. “We will always be a labor town.”
Johnson’s emphasis on the role of unions and working class people in mobilizing against Trump’s attacks to come was clear. “I need you all to stand firm and stand strong,” he said.
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis-Gates matched Johnson’s words, stating, “In Chicago, we reject a billionaire’s tyranny in our city,” she said. “Solidarity is the antidote to white supremacy. Solidarity is the antidote to anti-immigrant fever. Solidarity is the antidote to transphobia and homophobia.”
“It is because of unions that there are no children who are working underage, and because of unions that we have health benefits, sick leave and vacation time,” said Reverend Jamal Bryant, a senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta. He called for labor forces to fight back once again. “There are more labor workers than there are billionaires.”
After the initial program at the Haymarket Monument, the protesters began marching west, chanting and holding signs promoting workers’ and Immigrants’ rights, and opposing Trump and his threats to send in troops to Chicago.
First stop: Workers over billionaires!
The march stopped at the corner of Fulton and Sangamon, outside the offices of Valor Equity Partners, a company founded by Chicago billionaire Antonio Gracias.
Toni Frazier, a childcare professional and SEIUHCII member, has worked in childcare for more than 34 years. She called out Gracias for not only hoarding billions off the backs of workers but also working with Musk to cut Social Security. These attacks hit close to home for Frazier, whose granddaughter needs special services for autism and whose niece is disabled and struggles to access healthcare. “We are here to take care of those who need help the most,” Frazier said. “That ain’t the billionaires.”
Second stop: Boycott Target!
The march reached its second stop outside a Target store, where Reverend Bryant spoke about the nationwide boycott against the corporation since it ended its DEI programs and goals early this year. The campaign’s efforts have seen Target’s stock drop by $52 per share and the CEO’s salary cut by 42% since the start of the boycott.
Bryant attributed the campaign’s progress to the same unity that helped build the Montgomery Bus Boycott during the Civil Rights movement. Labor unions, teachers and faith leaders all have to work together, he said. “Don’t let nobody turn us around!”
Final stop: We must defeat Trump in the streets!
John Miller, local president of University Professionals of Illinois Local 41 and a member of the American Association of University Professionals, called out the cruel disinvestment in education and all aspects of society orchestrated by Trump and the billionaire ruling class, including Governor Pritzker. Miller emphasized the need for an organized, militant response from the movement.
“All of higher education is under attack,” Miller said. “We’ve filed lawsuits, but we must defeat [Trump] in the streets.”
“We can play defense, or we can go on offense,” said Nico Coronado, chief negotiator for Teamsters 705 in their fight with Mauser. Over 100 members have been on strike since June 9. They are demanding better wages, workplace quality standards as well as protections from immigration enforcement. “We need to organize to bring in more members and have more militancy.”
No Trump, no troops!
In the coming days, an illegal military occupation of communities may come to Chicago as ordered by Donald Trump. The National Guard is being deployed, like in Washington DC, to continue the attacks on working and oppressed people, under the guise of fighting crime.
Chicagoans, in particular Black people and immigrants, have an inalienable democratic right to resist through whatever means of resistance needed. The Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) is ready to mobilize as soon as troops hit the ground. Follow CATA on social media at coalitionagainsttrumpagenda.org