News and Views from the People's Struggle
Tampa, FL – On Thursday January 29 around 40 people attended a protest held by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society near the USF campus.
Tampa, FL – On a balmy Saturday evening at Tampa City Hall, January 24, the Tampa community came out for another emergency action after federal agents executed a Minneapolis man, Alex Pretti, for observing ICE operations.
Tampa, FL – On January 20, hundreds of people gathered at Tampa City Hall to protest on the one-year anniversary of Trump's second term. The event was organized by the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee as part of a national day of action called by Legalization for All and 50501 National.
Tampa, FL – House Bill 995 is the most recent attack on public sector unions currently going through the legislature in Florida. This bill may be the most recent anti-union bill, but it comes with a history of bills destabilizing public sector unions.
Tampa, FL – On January 13, approximately 70 people attended a rally at the intersection of USF Palm and Fletcher to demand ICE off campus and justice in the wake of the killing of Nicole Renee Good in Minneapolis.
The protest was organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society as a call to action against ICE.
Tampa, FL – Several hundred people gathered downtown Tampa in front of City Hall Saturday, January 10, to express their anger at the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by ICE agent Jonathan Ross and at Trump for unleashing ICE onto immigrants and the vast community who supports them. Protesters gathered as part of the 50501 National Day of Action: ICE Out For Good.
Tampa, FL – On Friday afternoon, January 9, the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee held a second emergency rally in front of Tampa City Hall in as many days to protest yet another ICE shooting, this time in Portland, Oregon. About 30 people attended the event.
Two Venezuelan immigrants, Luis David Nino-Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, were shot and injured when a Customs and Border Patrol agent fired into the car during a traffic stop. The activists demanded justice for those murdered by ICE and federal agents, as well as getting ICE out of their community.
Tampa, FL – On Thursday, January 9, over 100 Tampa community members rallied in solidarity and protest against the murder of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. The event was held at Tampa City Hall.
The event was organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society and the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee. The protest called for ICE out of everywhere, stop the deportations, justice for all murdered by ICE, and justice for Renee Good. The crowd chanted “ICE off our streets,” “Say her name! Renee Nicole Good!” and “No troops on the ground, no ICE in our streets, end 287(g)!” Several drivers passing by the event honked and cheered in support.
Tampa, FL – On Saturday, November 29, Tampa community members rallied in solidarity with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients impacted by a Texas ruling. They also rallied against the Trump agenda.
Protesters stood on the street corner and loudly chanted, “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state!” and “Trump escucha! Estamos en la lucha!” Many passersby and drivers shouted support and honked. People held signs in English and Spanish that read, “Stop the deportations,” “Legalization for all” and “Uphold DACA.”
Tampa, FL – On November 20, students and community members, including members from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied near the University of South Florida (USF) Tampa campus to demand no war on Venezuela. Slogans and speeches included demands including “Stop the missile attacks now!” “No more U.S. wars for oil!” and “Lift the U.S. sanctions off Venezuela now!” The energy was high, with students passing by taking fliers from the rally, and cars honking in support of the anti-war event.
Tampa, FL – On Wednesday November 12, Tampa protesters led by Tampa Immigrant Rights Coalition (Tampa IRC) rallied in front of the Federal Courthouse to demand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) be upheld for Venezuelans and to stop the deportations. They were supported by groups like Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Tampa Food Not Bombs, and the New Era Young Lords.
Tampa, FL – On Saturday, November 8, over 100 protesters gathered at Tampa City Hall to call for the immediate release of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian American from Palm Bay, Florida, who had been illegally detained by Israeli forces since February, while visiting family in the occupied West Bank.
Tampa, FL – On Friday November 7, students at the University of South Florida rallied against Trump’s higher education compact, officially called his “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” This rally was organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) as part of a National Day of Action called by National Students for a Democratic Society.
Tampa, FL – On November 4, Graduate Assistants United (GAU) negotiated with the University of South Florida (USF) Board of Trustees over the union’s pending contract. GAU’s stipend proposal was made on July 17. However, after months of stalling, the USF negotiations team returned with a measly 2% increase in their counterproposal.
Tampa, FL – Nearly 6000 people came to downtown Tampa, on Saturday October 18 as part of the No Kings day protests. The event began at the Tampa City Hall, before marching to nearby Curtis Hixon Park.
Tampa, FL – On Friday, October 17, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held an emergency rally to demand “Hands off Chicago.”
This action was part of National SDS’s Day of Action on November 16, against Trump’s recent deployment of the National Guard of Texas into Chicago, Illinois due to growing dissent in the city against ICE agents racially targeting immigrants and brutally attacking protesters.
Tampa, FL — On Thursday October 9, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society held a press conference to announce they had filed a lawsuit against the University of South Florida (USF) Board of Trustees, the USF Police Department, President Rhea Law, Dean of Students Danielle McDonald and Assistant Dean Melissa Graham.
Tampa, FL – On October 6, around 30 students and local residents gathered in a rally on the corner of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue to commemorate the two years that have passed since October 7 and the escalation of the genocide of Palestinians.
Tampa, FL- On Tuesday, September 16, around 30 students and community members gathered to protest the recently built XTEND factory in Mango, Florida.
Tampa, FL – On Tuesday September 2, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society held a protest on 50th and Fowler Avenue against Trump and his policies as part of the National Day of Action called by National Students for a Democratic Society. The event had slogans such as “No deportations,” “Protect cultural groups” and “Stop Trump’s agenda.”
Students spoke up against Trump’s attacks on the student body and education, as they chanted to passing cars and passersby. Standing opposite the University of South Florida, they spoke on how the University is enabling Trump’s attacks, as they are willingly tying USFPD with ICE through the 278(g) program. This program allows USF police to profile and detain international students and immigrants the same as an ICE officer would.
International student and SDS member Joseph Charry said: “Many students have already had their visa revoked by the university, and we’re gonna continue to see these deportations from the university, guided by Trump, unless we stand up and fight back!”
Other topics included the shutdown of cultural programs and clubs because of a 50% funding cut by the university’s administration, due to Governor DeSantis and Trump’s agenda to remove diversity, equity and inclusion from education.
SDS Member Dhanvi Patel spoke about it saying: “We demand funding for our cultural groups, increased enrollment and scholarships for Black students, and protect and expand ethnic studies departments. We demand a sanctuary campus now!”
The message clearly resonated with students passing by, as cars honked in support and a group of students stopped by to give the protesters popsicles and water to help against the heat.