News and Views from the People's Struggle
San Jose, CA – On Saturday, July 6, around 20 people gathered in San Jose for a protest in solidarity with the national mobilizations against NATO and RIMPAC that are occurring in Hawaii, San Diego and Washington D.C.
Washington, DC – On July 7, hundreds of activists from over 60 organizations mobilized to protest the 75th anniversary NATO Summit occurring July 9 -11 in the city. The protest, organized the Resist NATO coalition started at McPherson Square and marched to the White House, demanding an end to U.S.- NATO aggression and to defend peoples’ struggles.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joins the various patriotic and democratic sectors in denouncing the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) that is scheduled to be signed today by representatives of Japan and the Marcos government, at the behest of the interventionist US imperialist government.
The RAA, similar to the notorious US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement, will pave the way for Japanese military forces to establish their presence in the country as part of the plan to deploy overseas troops, preposition their vessels, conduct war exercises and preparations, and bind the Philippines more tightly to the US-led military alliances. Through the RAA, Marcos is allowing Japan to heighten its intervention in the Philippines in exchange for the transfer of military equipment, as well as promises of investments and loans, which only means deepening the country’s dependence on foreign capital.
The RAA is being signed in the context of intensified overseas military operations of Japan within the framework of the US-led Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) and increasing role in war exercises and preparations. It aims to increase the part of Japanese military forces in the current US geopolitical strategy, as elaborated in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to contain and counter the growth of China’s economic and military power and influence. The RAA, in particular, will allow Japan to use the Philippines to expand its reach and influence, at the behest of the US military.
On US goading over the past years, Japan has been strengthening and expanding its so-called self-defense force (SDF) as a belligerent force, long prohibited under the Japanese constitution. The US has been putting pressure on Japan to increase its military spending to 2% (from 1%) of its GDP to “share the burden” of “deterring Chinese aggression.”
Since its defeat at the end of World War II, Japan has served as a junior imperialist power of the US. In pushing Japan to increase its military strength, the US is making the calculated risk of emboldening the expansionist aspirations of Japanese monopoly capitalists.
In signing the RAA with Japan, the Marcos regime will further tie the country to the US-led imperialist jingoist alliance, and shackle the Philippines more firmly to the military and economic interests of the US and Japan. It will further erode the country’s capacity to independently assert its own interests and aspirations.
By signing the RAA, Marcos will pave the way for the return to the Philippines of the military forces of imperialist Japan, which has never fully acknowledged and rectified the crimes perpetrated by its soldiers who occupied the country in 1942-1945, including the rape of thousands of Filipino comfort women.
Appleton, WI – On June 23, a local office for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin was the focus of a demonstration against the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Activists covered the county Democrats’ office with the names of hundreds of Palestinian martyrs.
Los Angeles, CA – On Tuesday, July 2, protesters congregated outside and within the Los Angeles City Hall to disrupt the city council’s motion to provide $1 million to Zionist security forces.
Orlando, FL – On July 1, 15 activists confronted U.S. House Representative Darren Soto at a meet-and-greet event, where they condemned his legislative track record of supporting the genocide in Palestine.
Detroit, MI – On Sunday, June 30, The recently formed Detroit Anti-War Committee (DAWC) announced their campaign to divest the city of Detroit from Israel, with a banner drop over a city highway.
DAWC is demanding that the Detroit city council withdraw any funds granted to or invested in companies which do business with the apartheid state. Additionally, DAWC is demanding that the Detroit Police Department be banned from any future training with the Israeli military or police.
Tampa, FL – On June 28, approximately 15 students and community members gathered in front of the University of South Florida (USF) for a press conference in response to the recent attacks on Victoria Hinckley and Joseph Charry. The two students were targeted by university administration for participating in a Gaza solidarity encampment at USF.
After the encampment, the school suspended both Hinckley and Charry and ultimately expelled Hinckley and suspended Charry for a year.
New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, June 29, nearly 100 community members gathered in Lafayette Square to show support for Palestine, and to put pressure on local lawmakers to pass a ceasefire resolution.
Leading up to the rally, the city’s local Palestinian coalition hosted cultural and political events from morning to evening. The day started with a cultural exchange and bazaar in Harvey. Bazaar participants then drove in a motorcade to Lafayette Square. At the Square, speakers from many local groups and one politician addressed the crowd. English and Arabic chants, such as “Free, free Palestine,” rang off the walls of the many federal and local government buildings in the area.
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, June 26, the Resist NATO coalition and the Cancel RIMPAC campaign held a joint press conference ahead of the upcoming Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise and the NATO summit.