Fort Lauderdale, FL- Over 50 protesters from several different cities gathered outside of the Federal Courthouse here, Oct. 8 to mark the 15th anniversary of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. They demanded that the U.S. stop intervening in and occupying countries in the Middle East, an end to U.S. drone strikes, and to end all financial and military assistance for Saudi and Israeli war crimes.
Tucson, AZ – On Aug. 2, Donald Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, held a town hall meeting at the historic Fox Theater in downtown Tucson. With little public notice and time, the immigrant rights action group L.U.P.E quickly rose to the challenge, organizing an emergency protest through social media, in order to counter the Republican Party’s agenda of hate.
Houston, TX – Over 80 protesters gathered at the corner of Westheimer and Post Oak, July 1, to stand in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine. Many were from the local Arab and Middle Eastern community. The protest caught a lot of attention.
Minneapolis, MN – The Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC announced today, May 1, plans for a major protest In Cleveland, Ohio, on July 18, the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC).
Cambridge, MA – Hundreds of Harvard University workers and students rallied in the middle of Harvard Yard on April 14, as dining service workers prepare to enter negotiations for a new union contract. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 26, which represents nearly 800 workers on Harvard’s campus. The rally focused on two key issues which are expected to loom large in negotiations with the university administration – health care and year-round work.
Minneapolis, MN – Palestine solidarity activists appeared in court, Jan. 13, in defense of their actions at a protest at the University of Minnesota Law School last fall. Misty Rowan and Sophia Hansen-Day both settled their cases with no criminal charges, despite efforts by the Law School and the national Zionist organization, StandWithUs, which had pressed the city attorney to throw the book at them. Supporters responded to that pressure with their own calls to the city attorney’s office earlier this week, urging her to drop the charges, rather than side with the continued silencing of Palestinian voices at the university campus.
Chicago, IL – Victims of Chicago Police Department (CPD) crimes gathered with 500 supporters on Dec. 10 to file complaints with the U.S. Attorney’s office. The official complaints represented torture victims, such as Mark Clements; Howard Morgan, a former police officer who survived being shot 28 times by Chicago cops; Emmet Farmer, on behalf of his son Flint, whose murder was captured on dash cam video; and Dorothy Holmes, mother of Ronald “Ronnieman” Johnson. The video of Ronnieman’s murder one year ago has just been released by the city, and has sparked another massive wave of protests.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 20 immigrant rights protesters marched into Wells Fargo Bank on Nicollet Avenue and Lake Street on Nov. 7. They held signs inside the bank then presented their demands to a regional bank manager. They demanded that Wells Fargo divest all money from the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group.
Eric Garner was an African American man who was murdered by a white cop with the New York City Police Department. The medical examiner ruled the killing a homicide. The video that shows Eric Garner being choked to death in the street – strangled as a gang of police jumped him – has been viewed by tens of millions. You can hear his last words, “I can’t breathe.” Still, on Dec 3, a white-majority grand jury let the killer cop and his accomplices walk free.
Chicago, IL – 4000 delegates from throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico gathered here, July 14 -18, for the International Convention of AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Under the banner, “Bold, Brave, and Determined,” delegates discussed the impact of recent attacks on public sector unions and strategies for strengthening the labor movement.
Chicago, IL – 60 youth from the Arab American Action Network (AAAN), along with their supporters, held a rally and march here, Aug.15, to demand an end to racial profiling of Arabs and Muslims and and end to the criminalization of all communities of color. The youth who organized and led the protest reminded onlookers that harassment, surveillance and infiltration by the FBI and its local counterparts doesn't just happen in New York City and California, but is widespread in Chicago.
Fight Back! interviews Joe Iosbaker, the Chicago spokesperson for the United Anti War Coalition, on the protests that will coincide with the NATO/G8 Summit that is scheduled for May, 2012.
Raleigh, NC – A massive crowd of 8000 teachers, youth and community members wearing red shirts swelled outside the North Carolina State Legislative Building on May 3 to protest cuts to education. The rally was organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators. Dozens of community and grassroots organizations, including the NAACP, Farm Labor Organizing Committee and Students for a Democratic Society, mobilized to show their support for public school teachers and to defend education from attack by right-wing legislators.
Newark, NJ – The People's Organization for Progress held a protest at the busy Bergen Street and South Orange Avenue intersection, April 16. The call for the demo was “Gas Prices Are too Damn High!” It was a small rally but one of the noisiest ever. “If you think gas prices are too high,” said POP Chairman Lawrence Hamm over the bullhorn, “honk your horn!” Beep! Beep! Be-beep!
April 4 is a day to stand up and be counted. We urge all readers of Fight Back! to join the nationwide protests that are set for April 4, the anniversary of the assassination of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Say no to the attacks on public employees and on the rights of working people.
Minneapolis, MN – Low-income tenants of the Rodeway Inn won a victory! On March 31, Hennepin County Housing Court ruled that homeless families living in the building could stay for another 30 days. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is buying the building and plans to turn it into a parking lot for museum patrons.
As the rich grab up every piece of land they can on Chicago’s South side, thousands of low-income people are being pushed out of the neighborhoods they call home. Powerful institutions like the University of Chicago and its local partner The Woodlawn Organization are colluding with Mayor Daley to subject neighborhoods like Woodlawn to a feeding frenzy by greedy developers – a nightmare for families who can no longer afford skyrocketing rents and property taxes. But as the tenants of the Kimbark Tenants Association are showing, you don't have to just pack up – you can fight back.
Chicago, IL – “Ain’t no power like the power of the people ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop!” echoed up and down Cottage Grove, Aug. 25, during the Hands Around Grove Parc demonstration. Tenants and supporters linked hands and held signs saying “Urban renewal = black removal” and “I live in Grove Parc, I want to stay, not gonna go no way!” as passing cars honked and cheered the demonstrators on.