Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By Jessica Schwartz

Tampa, FL – On Oct. 2, a group of 15 activists stood outside the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse here, to demand U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tukel drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression-Tampa organized the protest.

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By Jessica Schwartz

Tampa protest against U.S. attacks on Syria

Tampa, FL – 50 anti-war activists protested U.S. bombings on Syria at the corner of Dale Mabry Highway and Gandy Boulevard here, Sept. 27. The Syrian government did not give the U.S. permission to make the attacks in its territory. The U.S. government plans to continue violating the sovereignty of Syria as it targets the group calling itself the Islamic State. The crowd of protesters chanted, “Hands off Syria!” and “No more war!” to express outrage against the U.S. bombings.

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By staff

Tampa, FL – After months of attempting to meet and speak with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Raíces en Tampa decided to organize two actions demanding the sheriffs “Stop ICE Holds” of immigrants. Only two days after Raíces en Tampa called for action, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office quietly changed their policy. According to their letters to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security, the County Sherriff’s Office will only detain immigrants if there is a judge’s order.

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By Gage Lacharite

Tampa, FL – Two dozen protesters from around Florida protested the delivery of Israeli goods to the Port of Tampa on Aug. 30. The huge container ship named the Zim Alabama transports Israeli-made goods for distribution in the southeast U.S. Due to arrive on a Wednesday night, the Zim Alabama was delayed, docking in the early morning on Saturday, Aug. 30, instead. Protesters were ready and picketed at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, staying for several hours in the hot Florida sun.

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By Jared Hamil

Tampa, FL protest against police brutality.

Tampa, FL – On a rainy afternoon, Aug. 23, 70 people rallied in downtown here, demanding justice for Mike Brown of Ferguson, Missouri. Gathering at Lykes Gaslight Park, the people protested outside the Tampa Police Department and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida. Protesters showed solidarity with the people fighting back in Ferguson by demanding the jailing of killer cops in Tampa.

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By Jessica Schwartz

Tampa, FL – Activists and community members gathered on Aug. 16 in front of the Tampa Police Department to protest the police murder of unarmed black teen Mike Brown and police brutality against protesters in Ferguson, Missouri.

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By staff

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Tampa, FL – On July 31, two dozen protesters gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Ybor City, demanding President Obama extend protection to incoming refugee children from Central America. The protesters stood in front of the office doors, brandishing signs and chanting, “Liberation! Not deportation!” The ICE office directs the detentions of undocumented immigrants in the Tampa Bay area.

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By staff

Mazin Abulmeez of USF’s Students for Justice in Palestine

Tampa, FL – 60 people gathered outside the office of U.S. Senator Bill Nelson at the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse July 11. They were there to demand Senator Nelson actively support bringing home Tariq Khdeir, the 15-year-old Tampa resident brutally beaten and arrested by Israeli police while in Jerusalem.

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By staff

One of the signs at press conference denouncing the verdict in Sami Osmakac case

Tampa, FL – On July 1, at the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse, activists and family of Sami Osmakac spoke against the verdict from his recent trial. They talked about how Osmakac's case, like hundreds of others in the U.S., was a result of pre-emptive prosecution. Pre-emptive prosecution is the prosecution of people who have not committed any crimes, and who pose no danger to people. Usually the FBI targets Muslims and Arab-Americans and uses informants and agents to push them into carrying out fake plots invented by the FBI.

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By Tom Burke

Tampa, FL — University of South Florida computer engineering professor Sami Al-Arian was set free today in Virginia. Federal prosecutors decided to finally drop his case today after his family waited in legal limbo for five years. The judge who delayed the ruling presides over a court nicknamed the “rocket docket” for its speed of settling cases.

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By Marisol Márquez

Tampa, FL - Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) is stalled in Congress and no one is touching it – not the Democrats, not the Republicans and not President Obama. There are currently 1100 daily deportations; with a rough estimate of one immigrant deported every 1.3 minutes. Families are being split apart every minute of every day.

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By Jared Hamil

Tampa, FL – On June 10, in one of hundreds of cases targeting Muslim Americans, a Florida family is in disbelief as the FBI successfully framed their son. Following years of FBI plotting and planning, a Florida jury found Sami Osmakac guilty. Osmakac, locked up in solitary confinement for the past two and a half years, is diagnosed with a variety of mental illnesses, including schizoaffective disorder.

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By staff

Tampa, FL – The trial of Sami Osmakac is underway at the Sam Gibbons Federal Court Building here, June 2. Osmakac is being accused by the government of attempted use of weapons of mass destruction. This is part of an ongoing persecution of Muslims and Arab Americans. The government has frequently targeted those who speak out against U.S. wars as well as building cases of ‘terrorism’ on fictitious evidence.

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By staff

Tampa action demands justice for Rasmea Odeh

Tampa, FL – A group of Tampa activists gathered at the intersection of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue, May 27, to show support for Rasmea Odeh, an Arab American leader in Chicago. Cars honked and people waved as the activists chanted, “From Tampa to Palestine, solidarity is not a crime!”

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By Marisol Márquez

Marisol Marquez

Tampa, FL – It is Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, but before you participate in “Cinco de Drink-o” and yell, “Happy Mexico Independence Day!” read this article.

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By staff

Tampa May Day march against deportations

Tampa, FL – On May 3, protesters demanded “not one more” deportation for the millions of undocumented in the U.S. This was Tampa's second May Day protest against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and Obama's record 2 million deportations. Joining together at Centennial Park in Ybor City, they rallied under a banner that read, “Shut down ICE.” Ybor City is known as a home for immigrants and has been a destination for the migration of different peoples for over 100 years.

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By staff

Tampa May Day protest in front of ICE office

Tampa, FL – Activists gathered front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, May 1, to demand not one more deportation.

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By Gage Lacharite

Tampa students demand “Hands off Ukraine.”

Tampa, FL – Tampa Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and anti-war activists from the community protested U.S. interference in Ukraine at Senator Marco Rubio's office, April 16. Marco Rubio supports efforts in the U.S. Senate to increase U.S. intervention and spend billions of taxpayer dollars in Ukraine. Students made three demands at Rubio’s office on the University of South Florida campus: No more U.S. intervention in Ukraine or Crimea; Stop U.S. aid to the illegitimate Ukrainian regime; and Oppose U.S. sanctions against Russia.

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By staff

Some of the participants at Tampa forum on immigration

Tampa, FL – Over two dozen activists attended a panel discussion here, at the University of South Florida in Tampa. “ Legalization for all, stop the deportations!” read the banner at the front of the room. Professor Masao Suzuki of San Jose, California, an economist and expert on immigration, was the guest speaker.

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By staff

Tampa, FL – Young workers at UPS are fighting back against low pay, part-time work and concessionary contracts that attack employee health care. The “Vote No” movement at UPS, a rank-and-file revolt of Teamsters against the cutbacks pushed by UPS management and some sell-out union officials within the Teamster union, sparked young workers across the country to hit the gates of their buildings to leaflet and organize their coworkers.

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