San José, CA – After months of delay and weeks of infighting, on Monday, July 27 the Trump administration and the Republican Senate put forward their proposal for more economic relief from the pandemic and recession. With the $600 a week in additional benefits expiring, the Republicans want to cut this by $400 a week, down to $200. With the national unemployment benefit averaging about $350 a week, this would mean a more than 40% cut in their benefits.
Minneapolis, MN – On July 18, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis to demand justice for women lost to state violence. Organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), the protest focused on Vanessa Guillen and Breonna Taylor. The dual focus on Vanessa Guillen, who was Latina, and Breonna Taylor, who was Black, aimed to build unity between Black and Latino communities as well as other communities in the struggle for justice.
New York, NY – Over 60 people gathered on July 26, in Woodside, Queens for the People’s State of the Nation Address. This action is organized every year in response to the U.S.-backed Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address. The event is a protest of his government, which has committed human rights abuses and wages war the people. It was organized by the Malaya Movement, Sige, Kabataan Alliance, and BAYAN USA Northeast.
Bloomington, MN – Over 500 people rallied at Kennedy High School and then marched to Bloomington City Hall, July 25, to confront a ‘blue lives matter’ demonstration.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 600 people rallied and marched here, July 23, at the “Portland to Minneapolis: Protest Trump’s Goons Attacking Our Movement,” called by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J.)
New York, NY – Over 40 people gathered in Union Square in New York City, July 24, to stand in solidarity with Portland against the recent targeting of activists there. The action was called in response to viral videos of protesters in Portland being picked up by unmarked vans and brought to undisclosed locations, all just for speaking out against racist violence.
Milwaukee, WI – On August 20, the day that Joe Biden is expected to be in Milwaukee to accept the Democratic nomination, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention is hosting a march and rally within sight and sound of the Wisconsin Center.
Jacksonville, FL – Community members and activists are celebrating after Donald Trump’s July 23 announcement that he is canceling the Jacksonville portion of the Republican National Convention, including the acceptance speech he intended to deliver. It is a great victory for all those who oppose Donald Trump and the Republican party, including the Coalition to March on the RNC.
Protesters grabbed off the streets by federal agents who refuse to identify themselves, placed unmarked vehicles, and taken to undisclosed locations. These same agents nearly killed a young man holding part of a sound system at a demonstration. This is the outrageous reality in Portland today, were Trump has deployed a paramilitary police force to carry out a wave of repression. The good news is that the resistance in Portland has been nothing short of heroic, as thousands have taken to the streets in a powerful display of opposition.
According to reports, the communist-led New People’s Army (NPA) successfully ambushed a platoon of the 15th Infantry Battalion last Wednesday afternoon, July 8, in Brgy. Pinggot, Ilog Town, Negros Occidental, killing at least 12 AFP soldiers and wounding four others.
In response to the call for birthday greetings for political prisoner Simon Trinidad, The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera received a video message from freed Puerto Rican political prisoner, Oscar Lopez Rivera. Lopez Rivera unjustly spent 35 years in U.S. prison for fighting for the independence of his homeland. Below is the transcription of the video message:
En repuesta a la llamada por deseos por el cumpleaño del president politico Simón Trinidad, El Comité Nacional a Liberar Ricardo Palmera recibió un mensaje de video del preso politico Puerto Riqueño, Oscar Lopez Rivera. Lopez Rivera injustamente pasó 35 años encarcelado en los EEUU por luchando la independencía de su patria. Abajo está la transcripción de su mensaje.
Portland, OR – For weeks now, officers under the oversight of the Department of Homeland Security have been terrorizing the residents of Portland Oregon in new attempts to stamp out the protest movement that has been ongoing since the killing of George Floyd. These officers can be seen in various videos wearing nondescript camo fatigues with no markings indicating who they are or, or what agency they are working for. These same federal officers nearly killed a protester in Portland last week after shooting him in the head with a 'less-lethal' impact device.
Milwaukee, WI – Last week, unmarked federal agents in military uniforms grabbed protesters off the streets of Portland, Oregon, and threw them into unmarked black vans. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed responsibility for the shadowy operation, citing “graffiti” as their justification for snatching activists off the street and interrogating them.
Tampa, FL – On July 18, members of the Tampa community rallied to demand justice for Josiah Pinner and community control of the police. Josiah Pinner was a 15-year-old who was struck and killed by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputy Philip Montesi, who was going 21 miles per hour over the speed limit in a residential area. The rally was called by the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC).
Los Angeles, CA – Answering the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s call for a national protest against police crimes, Centro CSO held a rally at Los Cinco Puntos in Boyle Heights, July 18. At the action, Centro CSO pushed for Black and brown unity and demanded the end to the killings of Blacks, Chicanos and Latinos by the Los Angeles Police and LA Sheriff’s Departments.
Chicago, IL – About 500 people and at least 200 cars responded to the call from the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression for a caravan on Chicago’s South Side, July 18. They drove through the 3rd, 6th and 17th Wards to call on the alderpersons there to support the movement for community control of police.
Arlington, TX – July 10, marked the culmination of the Progressive Student Union’s call-in campaigns, email-ins, and callouts against Teik C. Lim’s administration for not doing enough for Black students at the University of Texas-Arlington. Through both private email and public statements, UTA had conceded to several demands made by PSU in regards to doing specific actions to make “Black lives matter” truly mean something at UTA as opposed to simply being a simple statement made by the administration at the height of the movement calling for justice for George Floyd.
![Protest challenges racist "blue lives matter" rally](https://i.snap.as/6g6lIeua.jpg "Protest challenges racist \\"blue lives matter\\" rally \(Photo by Kim DeFranco\)")
