Salt Lake City – On March 6, more than 30 cars gathered in a parking lot in downtown Salt Lake City, where activists, organizers and community members demanded justice in the upcoming trial of killer cop Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, nearly one year ago.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 1000 protested March 8 outside the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis as the trial of Derek Chauvin, the disgraced ex-police officer who murdered George Floyd on May 25, 2020, started his trial at 8 a.m.
Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of 20-plus Minnesota activist organizations plan to protest outside the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 8, the first day of the trial of Derek Chauvin. Chauvin killed George Floyd in May 2020.
Tallahassee, FL – On March 2, the first day of legislative session, organizers from across the state of Florida gathered in front of the Old Historic Capitol Building to highlight the statewide fight against Governor Ron DeSantis’ anti-protest legislation, House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 484 (HB1/SB484).
Tallahassee, FL – On March 2, the first day of Florida legislative session, over 30 cars from Jacksonville joined with hundreds of protesters from around the state to rally against House Bill 1/Senate Bill 484, the repressive, anti-speech and racist legislation proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and the right-wing Florida legislature.
Milwaukee, WI – Most people in the movement know that on the morning of March 8, Derek Chauvin, one of the most recent killer cop out of the Twin Cities area, goes on trial for the murder of George Floyd. What many of those same people don’t know, however, is that another killer cop from the Midwest goes on trial on March 8 for a similar act of murder. Michael Mattioli, an officer with the Milwaukee Police Department, strangled Joel Acevedo to death at a house party in April 2020 while off duty.
Tallahassee, FL – Around 50 people gathered at the Florida State Capitol building, February 20, to protest the ‘combating public disorder bill,’ otherwise known as HB1/SB484. Speakers from organizations all over Tallahassee expressed their dissent and demanded state senators and representatives oppose the bill.
Tallahassee, FL – On February 23, at the Leon County Clerk of Courts, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) held an outdoor press conference to amplify demands of the #Tally19 – activists arrested last September during and in the days following a Black Lives Matter protest to condemn a grand jury decision that let three Tallahassee killer cops walk free.
Sheriffs disrupt press event, anti-protest law denounced
Tallahassee, FL – On February 11, several Tally19ers planned an 11 a.m. press conference downtown at the Clerk of Courts across from the Capitol, in support of Tally19er Ben Grant, who is the only one still facing felony charges. Grant was due in court that morning.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the text of remarks by Frank Chapman of The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), given at the February 19 with the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA).
Minneapolis, MN – On February 17, Mayor Jacob Frey, other city officials, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and various other entities held two separate press conferences to address what their departments are doing to ‘ensure the safety’ of residents, businesses and other surrounding cities during the upcoming March court trial for Derek Chauvin, who is being tried for the brutal murder of George Floyd. At least a dozen organizations, including Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, are working together to plan a major rally on the opening day of court March 8, and plan continuing actions throughout the trial.
Los Angeles, CA – On December 7, 2020, newly-elected Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon on his first day in office announced sweeping reforms to the LA criminal justice system. This system has a long history of mass incarceration of Brown and Black men and women, so much so that the Police Protective League (PPL) of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Association of Deputy District Attorneys have started to attack him and the progressive reforms. The pro-police Association went so far as to file a lawsuit to stop these much-needed changes.
Minneapolis, MN – On February 8, over 100 people attended the court support for Amina McCaskill. McCaskill and over 646 others are targets of political repression from the November 4, 2020 national day of action to demand a “People’s Agenda” post-Trump. They were arrested as they were trying to march off of Interstate 94.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 protesters rallied out in the blistering cold in downtown Minneapolis on Friday, February 5 to demand that the trumped-up charges against Amina McCaskill be dropped immediately. The Friday action served as a prelude to McCaskill’s Monday, February 8 court date. Activists are encouraging everyone to attend the February 8 Zoom court hearing: https://fb.me/e/264yfAUkY
Jacksonville, FL – On January 30, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) organized a protest against Florida House Bill 1 (HB1/SB484): Combating Public Disorder. This bill is a 60-page document that prohibits and criminalizes successful tactics of people’s movements throughout history.
Tampa, FL – On January 30, the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), alongside other local organizations and around two dozen people gathered near city hall to demand that state legislators reject HB1, the repressive bill being proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Groups announce campaign to restore pages and to fight censorship
Minneapolis, MN – On January 22, Facebook disabled the main pages of two major community organizations, Peoples Power Assembly and Women In Struggle/Mujeres En Lucha, as well as activists around the country who have played roles in either group, including Puerto Rican activist Berta Joubert-Ceci; Greg Butterfield, Struggle La Lucha writer; Cheryl La Bash, co-chair, National Network on Cuba; Maggie Vascassenno, Los Angeles Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice; and others.
Fight Back! interviews Mark Burton, attorney for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad who is a political prisoner held by the U.S. government. Simon Trinidad, also known as Ricardo Palmera, is a good man who has done nothing wrong. His only crime is to fight for the freedom and independence of his own country, taking the side of Colombian workers and peasants. Due to U.S. government repression, we are unable to interview Simon Trinidad directly. Check out the campaign to Free Simon Trinidad at http://freesimontrinidad.org.