Grand Rapids, MI – On Thursday, October 20, activists held signs under at Monument Park in Grand Rapids to oppose U.S. wars and aggression. The event aligned with the call to action by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) for a week of anti-war protests. Over 60 cities in the U.S. held an event to inform the public about the “endless wars,” no matter which party is in the White House.

The call to action encouraged organizers to get “back to the streets” to oppose U.S. and NATO-imposed wars and sanctions. Near the busiest intersection in downtown Grand Rapids, the group held signs with statements, “Stop endless wars” and “Money for human needs.”

On the bullhorn, Olivia Lashley led a call and response chant: “Money for education: not for war! Money for healthcare: not for war! Money for buses: not for war! Money for housing: not for war!”

Protesters also chanted, “Hands off Haiti!” “No war on Russia! No war on China!” “Free, free Palestine!” and “Free Alex Saab!” Saab is a Venezuelan diplomat the U.S. government illegally seized in 2020 and is now jailed in Miami, Florida.

The public’s response to the group’s signs was positive, with many passersby expressing their support and drivers honking with a fist raised.

According to several recent polls, including ones by POLITICO-Harvard, Pew Research Center and Monmouth University, foreign policy is not a top concern for U.S. voters leading into the November midterm election. Yet, U.S. intervention is escalating in countries like Haiti, Iran, Syria, Yemen and others.

Reading from the UNAC call to action, an attendee said, “While the U.S. pours more weapons into the proxy war in Ukraine – holding open the possibility of direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia – the war fanatics in Washington seem determined to start even more fires around the world.”

Organizers in Grand Rapids hope that a united protest opposing U.S. war and sanctions will build a stronger anti-war movement locally.

“The U.S. is spending billions of dollars on a proxy war in Ukraine when funding for schools, healthcare and housing is needed at home,” said Sam Tunningley with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We must speak out more aggressively against U.S. wars, sanctions and provocations.”

#GrandRapidsMI #AntiwarMovement #Peace #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC

For years, the criminal government of the United States has attempted to remove the democratically elected president of Venezuela and discredit the peoples’ movement in that country that has been so successful in lifting millions of Venezuelans out of extreme poverty. Under the corrupt Trump administration alone, the United States has conducted multiple illegal attacks against President Nicolas Maduro and the people of Venezuela, including: failed assassination attempts by drone, poorly orchestrated military coups, the random declaration of political-nobody Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela, and the continuous use of deadly, multilateral sanctions (even in the midst of a global pandemic).

On Thursday March 26th, in yet another desperate move, the Trump administration announced charges of narco-terrorism against the two-time democratically elected Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and a host of other top Venezuelan officials. US Attorney General William Barr and Secretary of Defense Mike Pompeo declared a $15 million reward for any information leading to the arrest of Maduro. With zero evidence to support their bold claims, the US is alleging that Maduro and other government officials oversaw the use of Venezuelan territory and resources to help the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to move cocaine to the US.

This sensational charge from the DOJ nothing more than the latest transparent attempt by the Trump regime to oust President Maduro, by any means necessary. It is a clear violation of Venezuelan sovereignty aimed at provoking the elite-led opposition in Venezuela into toppling the legitimate government in Venezuela. The opposition, coordinated with the Trump administration, has routinely failed to mount any popularly supported attempt to bring down Maduro in the last three years.

These charges come as Venezuela accuses the governments of Colombia and the United States of plotting to use Colombian paramilitaries to selectively murder Venezuelans and sow chaos through terrorism. This accusation by the Venezuelan government came after a man was detained on March 24th at the Colombian border in a vehicle carrying dozens of weapons and other tactical materials to known terrorist groups training in the region.

Furthermore, it is a gross irony for the US to accuse another government of collaborating with narcotraffickers, given the role the CIA played during the Central American Dirty Wars in the 1980s. During that time, the CIA worked to bring cocaine into the U.S. in order to fuel arms sales to the right-wing Contras in Nicaragua. Meanwhile, those drugs ravaged African-American and Latino communities in the U.S. and Reagan’s War on Drugs created a police state in cities throughout the country.

The Venezuelan government represents an anti-imperialist movement that has refused to bow to the whims of the U.S. empire. And with so many precious minerals, so much oil, and myriad other resources within Venezuelan borders, it is no surprise that the U.S is willing to go to such lengths to install a puppet government in that country instead.

We denounce these bogus charges against the rightful president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro and condemn the Trump administration’s continuous illegal attempts to remove President Maduro from office.

We support the government and people of Venezuela, as they attempt to battle the Covid-19 outbreak, even under crippling U.S. sanctions.

We stand in solidarity with the people’s revolution in Venezuela, which has increasingly taken political and economic power away from neoliberal and corporate interests (foreign and domestic) and given it to the poor and working class.

We call for an end to the deadly, crippling sanctions that the Trump administration continues to impose on the people of Venezuela.

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #Venezuela #US #Americas #Healthcare #PeoplesStruggles #Socialism #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #DonaldTrump #COVID19

New York, NY – On February 22, a Wisconsin delegation invited a conference of nearly 60 organizations to join a major protest at the Democratic National Convention taking place in Milwaukee in July.

The members of the Coalition to March on the DNC made their announcement on the second day of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) national conference. The UNAC conference is a major gathering of international solidarity and anti-oppression activists from across North America, taking place at the People’s Forum in New York City.

The coalition is calling on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist organizations to join the March on the DNC. Points of unity include an end to all U.S. wars and interventions; community control of the police; legalization for all; taxation of the rich; Medicare for all; immediate action on climate change; expansion of workers and union rights; a war on poverty instead of on poor people; and peace, justice and equality for all.

Coalition to March on the DNC spokesperson Adelana Akindes, of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, told the hundreds in the audience, “So be it the DNC or the RNC, we need to show up each time and demonstrate that the people’s movement is where our energies need to go, and that the people’s needs are the true priority.”

The group’s appearance in New York came as new questions were raised about the Democratic Party’s process for nominating a presidential candidate. Widespread skepticism about the Iowa caucus results were compounded by last week’s televised debate, in which all Democratic candidates, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, endorsed the party’s complex system of superdelegates who can override popular vote results at the summer convention.

Repression in Milwaukee

“Mayor Tom Barrett is currently attempting to stifle our march. The coalition applied for a permit to march as early as last April, and yet Barrett and the city of Milwaukee are refusing to grant us our permit,” said Akindes. “It’s a disgusting disregard for our First Amendment rights.”

“Despite all the attempts the city is making, whether it be sabotaging our efforts, denying us permits, or widening security parameters, let’s be very clear: we will still be marching on the DNC,” she continued.

Akindes highlighted how the same city leaders denying the coalition protest permits have failed to improve conditions for residents of the DNC host city. “The city of Milwaukee has extreme problems,” she explained. “Most Black people living in the state of Wisconsin live in Milwaukee. Milwaukee currently holds the record as the most segregated city, not in Wisconsin but the entire United States. Gentrification is on the rise, pushing Black and brown people from their historic neighborhoods. Police brutality and police funding are on the rise. Milwaukee has some of the highest incarceration rates of Black people in the country. The homeless population is being cracked down upon. And in many areas, the rates of lead poisoning from lead water pipes is even worse than Flint, Michigan.”

“We invite you to mobilize with us in Milwaukee on the morning of July 13 and march together on the DNC,” concluded Akindes. “We want to show all who are watching the DNC that the people have the power. We are excited to see you all there!”

Early endorsing organizations include UNAC, Milwaukee and Minnesota Anti-War Committees, Sunrise Movement chapters from Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago, the recently refounded National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, the International League for People’s Struggle, CODEPINK, and dozens of others. More information can be found at MarchOnDNC.org.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #US #PeoplesStruggles #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #Elections #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

New York, NY – Organizers with the Milwaukee-based Coalition to March on the DNC are attending the national conference of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), to build support for a major protest at the Democratic National Convention in July.

The Coalition to March on the DNC is a broad coalition of left and progressive forces who plan to bring popular demands to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, slated to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The march will be held on the opening morning of the convention, Monday, July 13.

“All eyes will be on Milwaukee when the people’s movements protest outside the DNC as it takes place at the Fiserv Forum, July 13 through July 16, 2020. The Coalition calls on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist organizations to join us in unity,” said Omar Flores, spokesperson for the Coalition.

UNAC is celebrating its 10th anniversary as the leading U.S. anti-war coalition, with its fifth national conference taking place February 21-23. Representatives from nearly 60 organizations from across the country attended Friday’s opening panel, titled “Opposing Imperialist Wars,” which featured Bahman Azad of the U.S. Peace Council, Bernadette Ellorin of Filipina-American organization BAYAN-USA, and Camilo Mejia, a Nicaraguan-American who became a prisoner of conscience for refusing U.S. military deployment during the Iraq War. The panel was moderated by longtime anti-war and labor activist Joe Lombardo.

The Coalition to March on the DNC has already received dozens of endorsements from groups across the country, many of which are planning to travel to Milwaukee for the protest.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #US #PeoplesStruggles #DemocraticNationalConventionDNC #Elections #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Minneapolis, MN – On March 30 around 100 people gathered at the busy intersection of Minnehaha Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis to participate in the national call for action issued by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). UNAC’s original call was to draw attention to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO’s) 70th anniversary but as the United States’ attempts to force Juan Guiado into power in Venezuela became more aggressive, the focus of the protest shifted more to #HandsOffVenezuela.

Kim DeFranco, a member of Women Against Military Madness and the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, opened the protest, “Today, we say no to NATO. This year, NATO will be starting its 2019 summit in Washington DC and is set to ‘celebrate’ 70 years of existence on April 4. The U.S., with the support of NATO allies, will continue intervening in other countries around the world. Recently, we see Colombia, now a new NATO partner and U.S. ally, will be playing a big role in the U.S. moves against Venezuela. Trump just announced he wants to add Brazil to NATO, so he can order them to wage war against Venezuela. We need to stand in solidarity with Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolution! We oppose U.S. intervention in Venezuela! We are opposed to U.S. intervention everywhere!”

Sarah Martin, also a member of Women Against Military Madness, recently participated in the U.S. Peace Council delegation to Venezuela and was one of the protest’s main speakers, “They say the country is in a humanitarian crisis caused by the Maduro government’s corruption and mismanagement. This economic crisis is caused by U.S. sanctions and the economic war. These lies and deceptions are nothing new. This is business as usual.”

Martin continued, “Think of the track record and how U.S. intervention always destroys a country – life is never better for the people. In Iraq it was weapons of mass destruction which never existed. That war destroyed and impoverished a once prosperous country. In Afghanistan, which is the longest war in U.S. history, the excuse to stay after not finding Osama bin Laden was to protect the rights of women. Ask the women of Afghanistan how that worked out for them. In Libya, the pretext to bomb was to get rid of an evil dictator, but he’d actually built a country with free health care, housing and education. Now Libya is devastated, in utter turmoil and many Libyans think their only option is to make the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to safety. In Syria the pretext for that U.S. proxy war was also to get rid of a brutal dictator. What these governments all have in common with Venezuela is they have not and will not submit to U.S. pressure and domination. Life is not made better for the people when we intervene. So when your friends and family and coworkers of good will are confused about Venezuela and wonder if we should intervene, remind them of the record and disastrous results.

March 30 was also Land Day in Palestine. Land Day is an important anniversary which marks Israel’s deadly attacks on protesters in 1976. Last year Palestinians organized the Great March of Return which started on Land Day, where tens of thousands protested at the Gaza border. The protest continued every week over the past year despite lethal attacks from the Israeli Defense Forces. Electronic Intifada reports that “Almost 200 Palestinians have been killed during the weekly protests since their launch at the end of March 2018. More than 40 of them were children.”

Sabry Wazwaz, a Palestinian-American activist with the Anti-War Committee, addressed the crowd too, “The Palestinian people are simply asking they have the same rights as Jews on their homeland. We also must remember Palestine also means Palestinian Jews. Palestine does not mean a land for only Arabs. My wife was born in Palestine. So were her parents and their parents and their great grandparents. Why should Jews from Russia who have never even been to Palestine immediately receive more rights and privileges than my wife who was born there? All I am asking is everyone to have the same rights and the laws apply to all equally.”

Across the street, about six counter protesters held up signs in support of ‘self-proclaimed’ president Juan Guaidó as a part of “Operación Libertad” in Minnesota. Guaidó called for protests to help the U.S.-orchestrated coup to success, but Maduro remains in power.

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition. Their next action is called “Yes to Peace No to NATO” on April 4 at the Minnesota State Capitol, 75 MLK Blvd. in Saint Paul, and starts at 12:15 p.m. on the capitol steps.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #AntiwarCommittee #Venezuela #US #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #DonaldTrump #HandsOffVenezuela

Minneapolis, MN – On March 27, 80 people filled 4200 Cedar to witness a report on the conditions in Venezuela delivered by Sarah Martin. Martin, a longtime peace activist and member of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), joined members of organizations such as International Action Center, Veterans for Peace, Canadian Peace Council, and United National Antiwar Coalition as part of an international peace delegation organized by the U.S. Peace Council and Black Alliance for Peace. The delegation's stated intention was to bring a message of solidarity to the Venezuelan people, to witness firsthand the effects of the United States’ political and economic war on the country, and to see the ways that the Venezuelan people resist the constant onslaught.

The Trump government's continued aggression towards Venezuela has intensified in recent months – beginning with John Bolton's declaration that Venezuela is a tyrannical state and culminating in the U.S.'s recent efforts to materially support the right-wing opposition led by Juan Guaido.

Martin explained that the stage for the current situation in Venezuela was set over 20 years ago. “This latest chapter to destabilize Venezuela and bring it under U.S. domination has been going on since 1998, when Hugo Chavez was swept into power in landslide election after decades of struggle by progressive movements,” Martin said, “They threw out a regime which only benefited the rich, leaving the vast majority of Venezuelans in abject poverty.”

The delegation arrived in Venezuela in the midst of the electrical blackout that was caused by a U.S.-engineered attack, and witnessed firsthand the collective strength of the Bolivarian process and the Venezuelan people's faith in their movement. “It became very obvious that Maduro and the government were in charge,” remarked Martin, “Whereas it was very obvious that Guaido is not in charge of anything – and even worse, wraps himself in U.S. intervention, even calling for a military intervention. [President Nicolas] Maduro is clearly on the rise, and Guaido is fading into oblivion.”

Martin detailed the incredible improvements made to the lives of the working people of Venezuela, with gains in healthcare, education, housing and food security exemplifying the progressive nature of the Bolivarian Revolution. Historically oppressed sectors of Venezuelan society such as women, Indigenous and Afro-Venezuelans, and the LGBT community have seen historic gains in civil rights under the system.

“The level of political understanding and commitment among the people is deep and happens in many ways and places,” Martin said. Witnessing the ways that the Venezuelan people engaged with their government – the weekly solidarity marches, engagement with popular media and even a people's occupation around the presidential palace to protect President Maduro from foreign attack – the delegation was able to see firsthand the grassroots popular support behind the Maduro government and the Bolivarian revolution.

The delegation met with President Maduro and his family on March 15. “He talked about history of Venezuela’s relationship with U.S.,” recalled Martin. “Maduro stated, ‘For 200 years it has been a struggle between Bolivar and Monroe, and now between the two systems, capitalism and socialism, for future of humanity.’” Martin informed President Maduro of the protest in support of Venezuela's sovereignty organized by the Anti-War Committee (AWC) in Minneapolis; Maduro later published a video on Twitter in which he stood with the delegation in a video saluting the work of anti-war activists in Minnesota.

The event was opposed by a group of local Venezuelan expats as part of a series of actions called Operación Libertad en Minnesota. According to their Facebook event page, Operación Libertad en Minnesota was organized to assert that the Venezuelan expats in Minnesota “recognize the National Assembly as the only legitimate organ in office and Juan Guaido as Acting President of Venezuela.” Martin displayed patience and determination despite the yelling and posturing by the pro-Guaido and pro-intervention disruptors.

Martin concluded the presentation by emphasizing that the people's movements in the U.S. need to continue to mobilize in solidarity with the Venezuelan masses. Stating “Their struggle is our struggle, and we must mobilize. Only when the people are in motion will we be able to put a brake on imperialism, and it must be stopped in Venezuela. President Maduro is right. The future of humanity depends on it. It’s all hands on deck!”

The March 27 event was organized by Women Against Military Madness and the Anti-War Committee.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #Venezuela #US #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness #Socialism #NicolásMaduro #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #DonaldTrump

Washington DC – Hundreds of people gathered in Lafayette Square, a park opposite the White House, March 30, to respond to the call to action against NATO, racism and war. The organizers also strongly emphasized the slogan “Hands off Venezuela” to protest the Trump administration and NATO’s attempts to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Nicolás Maduro.

The park was full of banners, signs and flags held by protesters who loudly cheered and chanted throughout the program. The chants ranged from, “Hands off Venezuela” to “How do you spell racist? N-A-T-O!”

The speakers each masterfully highlighted the importance of opposing NATO and U.S. intervention from the lens of the struggle their group was taking on. Groups represented movements from labor, national liberation, queer rights, student activism and more.

Elizabeth Kramer, a member of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, spoke on how young people can be and should be involved in the anti-imperialist movement. She also touched upon why displaced people move to the United States, “The domestic and foreign policy of the U.S. reflect each other: the internal war of the U.S. against immigrants and working people is reflected outside of the U.S. and vice versa. Many people immigrate because the United States and other NATO powers bomb or starve them to end progressive governments and exploit their resources and labor.”

Cassia Laham, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and a leading member of UNAC, began her speech by having the crowd face the White House and chant, “1-2-3-4 we won’t fight a rich man’s war!” She continued by telling the crowd of her experience marching against the war and occupation in Iraq when she was 17, and the lesson she learned from her years organizing against imperialism. “Building the anti-war movement is only half of our job. The other half requires us to build toward a system in which the people are in power, not the one percent. The one percent are the only ones who profit from wars of exploitation, and so they'll continue to wage war. But the people have nothing to gain. So we must strive for a government controlled by the working people. And that is why we stand in solidarity with the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela, because the working people there are taking power there and are creating the society we strike for. And that scares the crap out of the politicians in D.C.!” You can see her full speech here:

The march took the hundreds that gathered in the park and set them into the streets of D.C. The protesters loudly chanted as they passed onlookers. The route had the protesters stop by different prominent buildings that were connected to NATO, imperialism, and other symbols of oppression. Once they got back to the starting location, there were a few more speeches to close a militant and successful day.

#WashingtonDC #International #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #US #PeoplesStruggles #NATO #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganizationFRSO #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC #DonaldTrump

Secaucus, NJ – Over 300 people attended the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) convention at a hotel here, May 8-10. Prominent anti-war leaders and experts came together in an effort to stop the endless U.S. wars and occupations.

Joe Lombardo, Sara Flounders, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, Medea Benjamin, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, Joe Iosbaker and many other important anti-war leaders spoke. People’s lawyer Lynne Stewart made a special appearance, warmly greeted by revolutionary hip-hop artists Rebel Diaz, before making a passionate speech on Saturday afternoon. Panels included, “Endless Imperial Wars” and “Free Political Prisoners.” There were dozens of workshops about international solidarity and connecting with other movements here at home to infuse anti-war politics.

Mark Burton, the lawyer for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad, also known as Ricardo Palmera, spoke in workshop and on a panel. Burton said, “There is a growing international movement to free Simon Trinidad from the Florence, Colorado Supermax prison where he is held as a political prisoner.”

Kait McIntyre of the Anti-War Committee Chicago said of the weekend, “The speakers at the conference were energetic, concise, and most importantly, dedicated to including other movements in their vision of the future of the anti-war movement. They emphasized the connections of these movements and the necessity of working together to fight back against Wall Street and the 1%.”

McIntyre led a workshop about the Palestine solidarity movement and the importance of protesting U.S. government support and funding of Israel. In another workshop she spoke about the growing movement against the Boeing corporation’s drones and described the Anti-War Committee Chicago’s noisy protests outside Boeing’s headquarters.

Joe Iosbaker, a UNAC leader said, “The UNAC conference was the first national meeting of the anti-war movement since the march against NATO in 2012 in Chicago. That was the largest national anti-war protest against the wars of the Obama administration. UNAC plays a leading role against drone warfare, proxy armies, so called color revolutions and the U.S. backing for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”

Iosbaker spoke on the opening plenary and urged the movement to mobilize in support of Rasmea Odeh when her appeal takes place in Cincinnati, Ohio in September. Adopted unanimously, the resolution reads, “UNAC supports the call for justice For Rasmea Odeh. The appeal of her conviction will take place in Cincinnati in September. We join with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network and the Rasmea Defense Committee to pack the courthouse when the appeal occurs.”

#SecaucusNJ #AntiwarMovement #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC