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.

Minneapolis, MN – About 25 people joined at the Federal Building here, Oct. 2 at 4:30 p.m., to demand an end to government repression against Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh and to support the struggle against the occupation of Palestine.

Detroit courtroom packed

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Oct. 2 statement from the Rasmea Defense Committee

Jacksonville, FL – After a week and a half of keeping watch over the Duval County Courthouse, a verdict has been reached in the retrial of Michael Dunn, Oct. 1. Dunn is the white racist who murdered African American youth Jordan Davis in 2012. After two years and a mistrial, the family of Jordan Davis finally won some measure of justice today when the jury came back with a guilty verdict.

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over two dozen people rallied in support of Palestinian activist Rasmea Odeh outside of the Federal Courthouse here, Sept. 27. Protesters demanded that charges against Odeh be dropped by U.S. prosecutors or dismissed by presiding Judge Gershwin Drain.

Regular readers of Fight Back! know that on Sept. 24, 2010, Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists woke to loud banging on their front doors and were confronted with scores of FBI agents breaking things and rifling through children’s toys and books. At the end of the day, seven homes and the office of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee were raided by the FBI, who took away boxes of books and papers on decades of political activity. At the raided homes, activists received subpoenas to a grand jury in Chicago investigating material support of terrorism.

Jacksonville, FL – Two dozen protesters gathered outside of the courthouse here, Sept. 22, demanding justice for Jordan Davis as the retrial of Michael Dunn gets underway. Jury selection began today and protesters, many from the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition gathered at 8:00 a.m.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Sept. 3 statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

Detroit, MI – 70 supporters of Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh gathered here in the rain Sept. 2, before the latest court hearing in her case. When pressed by security to leave the sidewalk in front of the courthouse, the crowd stood firm. They addressed the U.S. Attorney in charge of Odeh’s case with chants led from a bullhorn across the street, shouting, “Hey McQuade, you must know, Rasmea’s case has got to go!”

Chicago, IL – On, Aug. 25, 250 people gathered in the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) campus quad to commemorate Michael Brown. UIC was one the colleges across the U.S. to hold demonstrations and student walk-outs on the day of Brown's funeral. At UIC, speakers read a list of Black lives lost as a result of police brutality. The UIC action was called by the Black Student Union (BSU). The national call for protests said Aug. 25 should have been Mike Brown's first day of college had he not been the victim of a racist police murder.

Salt Lake City, UT – More than 30 people marched through the streets here, Aug. 25, to demand justice for Dillon Taylor, Danielle Willard and Mike Brown. Protesters were outraged at the recent killing of Dillon Taylor, an unarmed man, at the hands of the Salt Lake City Police, as well as other killings by the police, such as Danielle Willard and Ferguson, Missouri’s Mike Brown.

Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of Aug. 5, students, activists and community members gathered at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to hear Hatem Abudayyeh speak about the political repression and the case of Rasmea Odeh. Abudayyeh is a spokesperson for the Rasmea Odeh Defense Committee. The event was organized by Progressive Students of Milwaukee.

Defense says charges are product of illegal investigation violating First Amendment

Chicago, IL – Attorneys representing Chicago’s long-time Palestinian community leader, Rasmea Odeh, have filed a motion in Detroit’s U.S. District Court to dismiss the indictment against her. They are doing so on the grounds that the charges are the product of an illegal investigation targeting both Palestine solidarity efforts and organizing in the Palestinian community.

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.

Minneapolis, MN – About 150 people gathered, Aug. 21 on Minneapolis’s West Bank, carrying signs and banners demanding an end the U.S.-backed Israeli siege of Gaza. The demonstration also called for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and a halt to state sponsored violence “from Ferguson to Palestine.” The rally was organized by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee.

Milwaukee, WI – More than 200 people gathered for a rally, Aug. 22, at Red Arrow Park in downtown here to continue the fight against the police brutality that’s directed against Black and Latino communities. Organizers brought public attention back to the many victims of police killings and white vigilantism, including Dontre Hamilton, Corey Stingley and Derek Williams. The rally was also showed solidarity with the people of Ferguson.

Salt Lake City, UT – Chants of “No justice, no peace, no killer police!” and “Hands up, don’t shoot!” filled the streets here, Aug. 20, with about 100 people rallying at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building. Organizer Fatima Badran urged protesters to make two phone calls: the first call to Salt Lake City police chief Chris Burbank one demanding justice for Dillon Taylor and the second to Missouri Governor Dixon to demand that he withdraw the National Guard from the streets of Ferguson. People must be allowed to have their democratic rights to address injustice without living under a military occupation.

Newark, NJ – Hundreds turned out for an Aug. 20 rally here to demand justice for Michael Brown. The protest was sponsored by the People’s Organization for Progress in Newark, NJ.

Miami, FL – Around 100 protesters met on the Wolfston campus of Miami-Dade Community College, Aug. 14, to demand justice for Mike Brown. Led by groups like Dream Defenders, Miami Workers Center, and Power U, protesters held signs reading “Hands up don’t shoot!” and chanted “No justice, no peace, no killer police.”

Salt Lake City, UT – The recent wave of police brutality has made headlines in Ferguson, Missouri and here in Salt Lake City, where police confronted Dillon Taylor Aug. 11, outside of a 7-Eleven store and killed him. Thus far, police authorities have worked to cover up the shootings.