News and Views from the People's Struggle
On Saturday, September 13, over 100 protesters with the Coalition for Justice in Palestine shut down one of Chicago’s busiest streets to demand an end to the genocide and famine in Gaza and for an arms embargo on Israel.
San José, CA – On Wednesday, September 17, San Jose State University students gathered outside an ongoing career fair for STEM undergraduate students, for a noon protest against SJSU’s ties with Lockheed Martin.
New York City – This Thursday, September 25, lucky people are gathering in Manhattan for a historic evening to recognize the global struggle for peace and liberation.
Two high-profile speakers from Venezuela will present their political views: Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil and Blanca Eekhart, president of the Simon Bolivar Institute for Peace and Solidarity Among Peoples. Both will be attending a meeting at the United Nations that week, as well as the Riverside event.
Tampa, FL- On Tuesday, September 16, around 30 students and community members gathered to protest the recently built XTEND factory in Mango, Florida.
Garland, TX – Over two dozen people gathered on Saturday, September 13, for a town hall meeting for the DFW Anti-War Committee's “Stop the Bombs” campaign to shut down the Repkon munitions factory.
Orlando, FL – On Friday, September 13, 20 activists held an emergency rally outside the Federal Courthouse in downtown Orlando to denounce the recent U.S. military attacks, and any future aggression, against Venezuela.
The rally was organized by FRSO Orlando and co-sponsored by Orlando DSA, University of Central Florida Students for a Democratic Society, Orlando for Peace, and several other organizations.
Charleston, SC – On September 15, an organizer with the Elbit Out Of South Carolina Coalition, Matt Colburn, appeared in court on a charge of “damaging or tampering with a vehicle.” The charge stemmed from an alleged incident on Thursday, August 7, during which time the Coalition was engaged in their weekly picket outside of the local Elbit Systems Facility in Ladson, South Carolina.
Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Solidarity Committee on the Americas (SCOTA) , a committee of Women Against Military Madness along with their supporters, gathered September 10, on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge, which connects Minneapolis and Saint Paul, protesting Trump’s attacks against Venezuela and the Caribbean.
Milwaukee, WI – At noon on Saturday, September 6, a flotilla of boats and kayaks set sail on the Milwaukee River to express solidarity with and demand safe passage for the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is an international effort to deliver aid to Gaza and break the Israeli blockade. It is made up of more than 50 vessels with over 15,000 participating activists from 44 countries. The Milwaukee flotilla consisted of four larger pontoon boats and a handful of smaller boats and kayaks, all decked out in Palestine flags, keffiyehs and signs.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns President Trump’s outrageous attacks upon Venezuela and President Maduro. Trump claims he had the U.S. Navy attack a boat and that eleven Venezuelans were killed. Assuming it so, it is another in a long list of violent attacks by the U.S. against the independent country of Venezuela and its leadership.
The loss of innocent Venezuelan lives with no investigation, evidence, or trial is shameful. It is an act of war. The U.S. needs to seek peace and friendship, not war and intervention.
This time Trump mobilized multiple U.S. Navy missile ships, 4000 marines and sailors, and a nuclear-powered submarine. In response, masses of Venezuelans flocked to join the people’s militias in their communities and at their jobs. The militias are a reserve force of citizen soldiers, the eyes and ears of the revolution, trained under the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela (FANB) to defend their homeland.
While Trump’s attacks are dangerous, the past U.S. provocations and repeated coup attempts against both President Chavez and President Maduro have failed again and again. Instead of hurting the Bolivarian Revolution, the U.S. interventions strengthen it.
The Bolivarian Revolution emerged out of the Venezuelan armed forces, under the leadership of high-ranking military officers sickened by corruption and thievery of the nation’s resources. It spread among working people, farmers and the poor. It is a democratic revolution with broad participation. It is based on the idea that Venezuela belongs to the masses of Venezuela, instead of rich elites who serve U.S. oil companies and Wall Street capitalists.
Ever since Comandante Hugo Chavez won the presidency in 1999, the U.S. has harassed, sanctioned and violently attacked Venezuela. Trump is now intensifying these attacks against the former bus driver and union leader President Nicolas Maduro. The whole world sees the lies and slander of Trump and his media kooks. None of it is worth repeating.
President Maduro continues to build and develop an independent and sovereign Venezuela benefiting the people instead of Wall Street capitalists and U.S. oil corporations. The leadership is provided by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which recently won elections in all but one state. The Bolivarian Revolution has broad support, and people’s participation is reaching an all-time peak due to U.S. threats.
As Venezuela builds a new society, a new economy for the people, with steady economic growth for the past couple of years, we can see what it is that Wall Street fears. As the U.S. empire continues to decline at a rapid pace, Trump fears the example of Venezuela. He can try to bully Maduro and Venezuela’s leadership, but it isn’t working. So now the U.S. is escalating toward missile attacks and threatening an invasion.
The FRSO stands in solidarity with President Maduro, the PSUV and the Bolivarian revolution! No to U.S. attacks and war! Bring the U.S. warships and Marines home now!
#Venezuela #Imperialism #AntiWarMovement #International #Trump #InternationalSolidarity
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).
The Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) calls on all cities nationally to mark another year of genocide and resistance!
AWAN calls on all anti-war, anti-imperialist organizations around the country for a week of action from September 22-26th. During this year's UN General Assembly High-level Week, Palestine will take center stage due to the genocide and starvation in Gaza. A free Palestine will be the main focus both inside the UN, outside on the streets, and at protests across the country! That week Netanyahu will come to the U.S. to try to justify his efforts to steal Gaza and the ongoing genocide. There will be protests in NYC, but we need protests across the country to demand that we hold war criminals accountable! Arrest Netanyahu! End aid to Israel! End the siege of Gaza!
Resistance is justified when people are occupied!
End all U.S. aid to Israel!
End the siege of Gaza!
San Jose – On Thursday, August 2, dozens of people attended the Santa Clara County Housing, Land-Use, Environment, and Transportation (HLUET) subcommittee meeting and the San Jose City Council Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support (PSFSS) subcommittee meetings to demand that they divest from companies complicit in genocide.
At the HLUET subcommittee meeting people spoke to the County Supervisors Margaret Abe-Koga and Sylvia Arenas, calling on them to divest from fossil-fuel companies and to introduce and pass an ethical investment policy.
Tim Samson, member of San Jose Against War, spoke to the supervisors saying, “Chevron is one of the largest producers of fossil fuels for Israel with a significant stake in Israel’s energy sector. As a resident of this county, I see the human rights abuses of Palestinians as a local issue. The county has a moral obligation to divest from companies such as Chevron.”
A dozen more in-person and a handful of virtual attendees spoke of the people’s demand to divest from Chevron and their desire to see an ethical investment policy introduced and passed by the county.
At the San Jose PSFSS subcommittee, around two dozen people showed up to give public comment that is only available in-person. San Jose City has upwards of $50 million invested in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide in Palestine including Alphabet, Microsoft and Caterpillar.
This mobilization was a follow up from a previous city council meeting where Councilmember Peter Ortiz directed Finance Director Maria Oberg to provide report to present at the PSFSS meeting.
Drusie Kasanova, a member of San Jose Against War, spoke to the subcommittee saying, “I’m disappointed to hear the investigation on the city’s investment portfolio were not presented. But we are still here to mobilize and raise that concern and express our support for divestment in-line with the city’s ethical investment policy and to support divestment from Alphabet, Microsoft and Caterpillar.”
San Jose community member and Palestinian American Dina Saba stated, “The 2% of the city’s funds in these companies are investments supporting genocide, the mass slaughter of over 20,000 children, and intentional starvation by Israel and that is 1000% unacceptable.”
Saba continued, “I don’t want my beloved city’s investments supporting the mass slaughter of my family and my people.”
Two dozen more people spoke on supporting the moral obligation of divestment from companies complicit in enabling genocide in Palestine.
There are plans to continue the divestment campaign through applying pressure to the finance director and councilmembers to support divestment.
Chicago, IL – The Chicago Coalition for Justice In Palestine held another protest against the genocide in Gaza on Saturday, August 30, as Israel’s campaign of destruction and famine nears its 23rd month. The coalition mobilized about 100 Chicagoans to the riverwalk near Trump Tower even as many Chicago-area activists and organizers were attending the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit, Michigan the same day.
The protest demanded an immediate end to the genocide, sanctions imposed on and divestment from the state of Israel, an arms embargo, the right of Palestinian return, and justice for journalists martyred while covering the genocide. Many protesters held signs honoring the Al-Jazeera crew that was murdered by Israel three weeks before.
In addition to targeting journalists, Israel’s war crimes include the indiscriminate, forced starvation of the people of Gaza as the Israeli occupation forces block the flow of food and essential aid into the occupied territories. On Thursday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the known number of people who have starved to death reached at least 317, including 121 children.
With the “looming threat of an intensified military operation in Gaza, any escalation will further devastate Palestinians already living under famine conditions,” said Nadia Alyafai, a leader with the U.S. Palestinian Community Network who spoke at the protest. “And we know who will suffer the most: the sick, malnourished children, the elderly and people with disabilities who can’t evacuate, who continue to be displaced, and now have nowhere to go.”
“The media, the US, and the Zionist entity continue to lie about access to aid — but we have the pictures, we have witnesses on the ground — this is a man-made famine,” Alyafai said.
Alyafai then stated, “A few hours ago, the genocidal Zionist entity targeted my homeland, Yemen, killing the prime minister alongside several other ministers in the Yemeni government,” Alyafai continued, “This comes after the people of Yemen have continued to stand for the Palestinian people by any means necessary: blocking ships and cargo in the Red Sea, and taking the streets to resist the genocidal Zionist entity.”
The crowd cheered in response and chanted “Yemen Yemen stand your ground! They will never break you down!”
Alyafai closed her remarks by calling out Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and the Illinois Board of Investments for investing state tax dollars in Israeli Bonds, despite Israel’s genocidal war crimes.
“We have been fighting and marching every week demanding the very basic rights guaranteed to all of humanity – Palestinians are not lesser than any other human being on Earth,” said Tarek Muhammad Khalil with American Muslims for Palestine, who was next to speak. “If anything, I would venture to argue the people of Gaza have shown us that they are better than us – that their face is stronger than us. They have renewed our faith by giving us strength. We should not be looking down to them but we should be looking up to them, because they have shown us the way!”
“We call for an end to the occupation of Palestinian lands by the illegal Zionist entity – and in Chicago we also call to an end to the occupation of Black and brown working-class neighborhoods by a police force who was trained alongside the racist IOF soldiers,” said a member of the Chicago Alliance against Racism and Political Repression (CAARPR). “Our Palestinian comrades gave unwavering support to us during the George Floyd rebellion, and have always stood with us in our fight for community control of the police – and just as they have stood with us year after year, I can promise you that CAARPR will always stand shoulder to shoulder with you until we see a free Palestine.”
After the rally, the protesters took Michigan Avenue and marched south, past the Art Institute of Chicago. Demonstrators called out to the shoppers to join them, chanting “Out of the sidewalks, into the streets!”
Protesters will be back out again in Chicago next week on Saturday.
#ChicagoIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Gaza #CCJP #CAARPR
Minneapolis, MN – On August 28, approximately 50 protesters rallied outside Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to protest U.S. support for Israel's forced starvation of Palestinians. The rally drew much attention from onlookers on what was a day of multiple protests in the city. This action was organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC).
On August 22, the UN officially declared a famine in Gaza. In recent months, Israel's intentional starvation campaign has produced countless images of malnourished, skeletal Palestinians, shocking people around the world. In response, MPAC speakers expressed disgust at Israel's actions and at those who have contributed to the bombing and starvation, not least of which is Amy Klobuchar.
Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, August 17, 75 cars filled Milwaukee streets in solidarity with Palestine. The Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, a coalition of 80-plus organizations spanning across the state, took to the streets for the Anti-War Action Networks national call to action.
Garland, TX – Two dozen people gathered on Sunday, August 24 for a community discussion and screening of Don’t Frack with Denton as part of DFW Anti-War Committee’s campaign to shut down the Repkon bomb factory in Garland, Texas.
This factory, located across the street from a high school football stadium in the middle of a working-class neighborhood, manufactures the MK-80 bomb series, which, according to Al Jazeera, are the primary aerial munitions used in the U.S./Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following August 29 statement from the MN Anti-War Committee. SBI stands for the State Board of Investment.
SBI Chief Investment Officer Jill Schurtz recently told a Minnesota Public Radio reporter that the quarterly SBI meeting scheduled for August 20 was postponed due to the shootings of state legislators Melissa Hortman, John Hoffman and their spouses at their homes in June. We believe this is a disingenuous exploitation of a tragedy to avoid growing public calls for Minnesota divestment from Israel.
Tacoma, WA – On August 24, standing in intense heat, over 200 supporters rallied outside of Tacoma’s Northwest Detention Center in response to the detainment of Zahid Chaudhry.
Chicago, IL – The Chicago Coalition for Justice In Palestine continued with its weekly protests on Saturday, August 23, mobilizing 150 Chicagoans to the riverwalk near Trump Tower. Protesters continue to demand an end to both the genocide and famine in Gaza, as well as an arms embargo, divestment of Illinois bonds from the Zionist entity, and justice for martyred journalists.
This protest came days after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which works with the UN, has officially declared that Gaza is in famine.
“The violence the Zionist entity has inflicted on Palestine before is unlike anything we have seen in modern history, shaking every person to their core,” said Lara Hadadin, an organizer with the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, who opened the agenda for the rally.
“We have witnessed the murder of 250 journalists, the death of over 63,000 Palestinians, and the injury of at least 150,000 Palestinians,” Hadadin said. “And we know these numbers are vastly undercounted because people are still buried under the rubble from 2023.”
Hadadin criticized politicians who are only now starting to denounce the famine in Gaza, despite having supported the entity perpetuating it for nearly two years.
“Though it is true [Netanyahu] doesn’t care about the settler hostages in Gaza, most of Zionist society supports the genocide, and regularly, sexually, verbally, and physically assaults Palestinians in their daily lives,” Hadadin continued.
“Just as South Africa didn’t have the right to exist as a racist white supremacist state, the Zionist entity does not have a right to exist — as a racist, white supremacist, apartheid, settler colonial Zionist state!” Hadadin then demanded the Palestinian right of return, a major demand of the Palestinian liberation movement.
To close the program, the organizers read aloud the final message of Al-Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif’s before his assassination by Israel. The protesters then took Michigan Avenue and marched down the Magnificent Mile, disrupting weekend commerce to remind shoppers of the genocide their own tax dollars being used to fund.
Some of the shoppers raised their fists in support or chanted along with the protesters as they marched past boycott targets such as Starbucks and Zara.
“I never want to hear a Republican talk about pro-life and support this genocide,” said Tarek Muhammad Khalil with American Muslims for Palestine, as the crowd marched. “I never want to hear a Democrat talk about free and universal healthcare and supporting the quality of life of the citizens here — while they send bombs, to bomb children in Gaza. These are hypocrites representing us!
“So tell your representatives, whether it's Sean Casten, Jan Schakowsky – or whether it's any senator, such as Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth – you tell them, your days are numbered if you continue to support this genocidal regime,” Khalil said.
As the march concluded, the organizers encouraged protesters to register for the People’s Conference for Palestine 2025 from August 29 to 31 in Detroit, Michigan.
By Zainab Almehdi and Kyle Cansler
Philadelphia, PA – On August 26, upon learning that Republic of Korea President Lee Jae Myung would be speaking at Hanwha’s Philadelphia shipyard, anti-imperialist activists quickly mobilized to oppose the war-mongering, $5 billion investment into Philly shipbuilding. This investment is a condition of the recent trade deal brokered by Lee and Trump, who met the day before in Washington, DC.
The deal entailed the lowering of the U.S. tariff rate for South Korean goods from the proposed 25% down to 15% in exchange for a direct investment of $150 billion into the U.S. shipbuilding industry, a deal proposed by Lee as “MASGA” or “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.” $5 billion of that $150 billion will be spent on developing Hanwha’s shipbuilding venture in Philadelphia.