Tallahassee, FL – On Wednesday, September 21, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Florida State’s Students for a Democratic Society attended the Tallahassee city commission meeting at City Hall to speak on the approval of the upcoming year’s city budget.

Tallahassee, FL – On September 7, Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a march in defense of women’s and reproductive rights, following the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. More than 40 students attended the march from the Legacy Fountain to the Integration Statue, accompanied by chants like “We won’t go back! We will fight back!”

Tallahassee, FL – On September 7 at 6 p.m., members of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) spoke against the current city budget and demanded the institution of a People’s Budget that better reflects the needs of the community. The city of Tallahassee was conducting the first of two public forums on the 2023 City Budget, which includes record pay increases for city executive staff and little to no funding for repaving or creating new sidewalks and infrastructure.

Tallahassee, FL – On September 5, Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) and Serenity’s Bartenders United called strikes. SBWU demanded delayed back pay and Serenity’s Bartenders United wanted the reinstatement of a fired manager.

Tallahassee, FL – On September 1, members of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee and Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society attended the Civilian Police Review Board to condemn the further militarization of the Tallahassee Police Department and fight for greater autonomy for the Civilian Police Review Board.

Tallahassee, FL – Recent social media posts revealed that the Tallahassee Police Department Tactical Apprehension and Control Team took part in a training associated with Eddie Gallagher, a retired Navy SEAL accused of numerous war crimes. Most notably, Gallagher was accused of fatally stabbing an injured 17 year old ISIS prisoner named Khaled Jamal Abdullah, posing with the body and sending the picture to friends. Prosecutors painted a picture of Gallagher as needlessly violent and bloodthirsty, bragging about his number of kills. He even went so far as to gloat about murdering innocent civilians. His own fellow SEAL team members described him as “freaking evil” and said he was “perfectly OK with killing anybody who moves”. Gallagher’s website promotes a “warrior culture” with the tagline, “A true warrior seeks only the battle” and features a logo and merchandise with the phrase “seek battle”.

Commentary by Ben Grant

“So are we not valued?”

Tallahassee, FL – On August 4, the city of Tallahassee convened their monthly Citizen Police Review Board (CPRB) meeting. At this meeting, City Attorney Cassandra Jackson reviewed citizen criticism of the board and the barriers set up by pro-police legislation, like the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights and the Tallahassee city charter. Additionally, the public comment portion showed a clear demand for “Community control of the police now.” One of the major breakthroughs of the meeting was the fact that the city commission has not approved the “end-of-year report” submitted in February, which included questions of expanding authority and approving money for citizen outreach.

Why has Florida State University (FSU) shipped in secrecy 24.32 tons of dangerous radioactive waste from a “low-level” nuclear waste disposal site in Tallahassee, Florida? Why was the waste was sent 2100 miles across the country to Clive, Utah?

Tallahassee, FL – On, July 20, the student government of Florida State University passed Resolution 45, “A Resolution to bring attention to the Fair Food Program,” in what comes as a major victory in the national Boycott Wendy’s campaign. The university’s Student/Farmworker Alliance had been pushing for this resolution since it formed as a chapter in 2020. Their reasoning is simple – Wendy’s is profiting off of farmworker exploitation.