Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

People's Struggles

By Keadin Stayer

Donovan LaBella holding speaker at rally shortly before being shot.

Portland, OR – In a display of state violence, federal officers sent by the Trump administration brutally attacked protesters near the Justice Center in downtown Portland. In video capturing the incident, the officers can be seen firing tear gas as well as so-called ‘less-lethal’ munitions at the crowd. We can see Donovan LaBella, 26, being struck in the head by one of these projectiles, immediately causing him to fall to the ground unconscious and bleeding profusely before being moved to safety by fellow protesters. The attack has left LaBella with facial and skull fractures requiring reconstructive surgery.

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By staff

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Fight Back! interviews Masao Suzuki, professor of economics and a leading member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

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By staff

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Colombian revolutionary and political prisoner of the U.S. empire, Simón Trinidad, will have his 70th birthday in solitary confinement in a federal Supermax prison. Simón Trinidad, born Ricardo Palmera, is languishing in the Florence, Colorado Supermax prison after a bogus extradition to the United States in 2004, convicted on trumped-up charges, and sentenced to 60 years.

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By Tom Burke

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Grand Rapids, MI – Fifty local people gathered for an emotional vigil to remember Vanessa Guillen, the U.S. Army soldier murdered and disappeared by another soldier at Fort Hood, Texas. The U.S. armed forces are rife with sexual harassment and rape, both on and off military bases. The unrelenting response of Guillen’s family, demanding answers, has top military leaders on the defensive, scrambling.

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By Tom Burke

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Grand Rapids, MI – Fifty local people gathered for an emotional vigil to remember Vanessa Guillen, the U.S. Army soldier murdered and disappeared by another soldier at Fort Hood, Texas. The U.S. armed forces are rife with sexual harassment and rape, both on and off military bases. The unrelenting response of Guillen’s family, demanding answers, has top military leaders on the defensive, scrambling.

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By Tom Burke

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Grand Rapids, MI – Fifty local people gathered for an emotional vigil to remember Vanessa Guillen, the U.S. Army soldier murdered and disappeared by another soldier at Fort Hood, Texas. The U.S. armed forces are rife with sexual harassment and rape, both on and off military bases. The unrelenting response of Guillen’s family, demanding answers, has top military leaders on the defensive, scrambling.

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By staff

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Oshkosh, WI – 30 community members came out, July 8, to protest the leadership of the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh. Community activists, artists, teachers, parents and children gathered peacefully on a corner armed with chalk, chants and messages of anti-racism and solidarity with the pro-Black Lives Matter workers.

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By staff

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Oshkosh, WI – 30 community members came out, July 8, to protest the leadership of the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh. Community activists, artists, teachers, parents and children gathered peacefully on a corner armed with chalk, chants and messages of anti-racism and solidarity with the pro-Black Lives Matter workers.

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By Sol Márquez

Sumaya Aden speaking, surrounded by the young organizers of June 7 march.

Los Angeles, CA – Over the last few years, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has been in the hot seat as deputies have killed a staggering number of Black and Chicano young men. With the recent Minnesota rebellion and protests across Los Angeles, the heat continues.

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By staff

Coalition to March on RNC protesting in Cleveland, OH, Republican National Conve

Jacksonville, FL – Members of the Coalition to March on the RNC applied for permits several weeks ago from the City of Jacksonville to march against Donald Trump and the Republican National Convention on August 27. After not receiving any response about the permit application for several weeks, the Coalition still plans to march against Trump and the RNC regardless of the city’s decision to issue or deny a permit for the march.

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By Rory Donovan

Milwaukee students honor the memory of Vanessa Guillén.

Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of July 8, students and community members rallied at Spaights Plaza on UW-Milwaukee’s campus. They came together to honor Texas’ Vanessa Guillén and others who have lost their lives to sexual violence, and to hold Professor Betsy Schoeller accountable for her harmful comments about the situation, and the administration of UW-Milwaukee accountable for not taking action on hate speech.

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By Masao Suzuki

COVID-19 infections and end to enhanced benefits to make a bad situation worse

San José, CA – On Thursday, July 9, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the broadest measure of people on unemployment continued to climb. In the week ending June 20, the total number was 32.9 million, up by 1.4 million from a week earlier. This number includes those who are receiving the regular state unemployment insurance benefits, the growing number getting the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA, the Federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation or PEUC, and other smaller programs.

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By staff

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Chicago, IL – More than 80 progressive Filipinos and supporters gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate, July 8, to protest the repressive ‘anti-terrorism’ measure recently signed into law by President Duterte. The law criminalizes trade union, student, environmental and other activists who are working for social and national liberation. The protest was one of many held across the U.S.

#ChicagoIL #Philippines #PeoplesStruggles #Antifascism #Duterte #Asia

By staff

Enter a descriptive sentence about the photo here.

Chicago, IL – More than 80 progressive Filipinos and supporters gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate, July 8, to protest the repressive ‘anti-terrorism’ measure recently signed into law by President Duterte. The law criminalizes trade union, student, environmental and other activists who are working for social and national liberation. The protest was one of many held across the U.S.

#ChicagoIL #Philippines #PeoplesStruggles #Antifascism #Duterte #Asia

By staff

Pittsburgh, PA – Members of the Graduate Student Organizing Committee at the University of Pittsburgh (GSOC-USW) issued a statement, July 8, expressing solidarity with international students and denouncing the Trump administration’s recent modifications of existing ICE Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) rules.

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By staff

Pittsburgh, PA – Members of the Graduate Student Organizing Committee at the University of Pittsburgh (GSOC-USW) issued a statement, July 8, expressing solidarity with international students and denouncing the Trump administration’s recent modifications of existing ICE Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) rules.

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By Rick Majumdar

Arlington, TX – As an international student, I am frankly disillusioned at the silence of the University of Texas Arlington (UTA) administration as they failed to address the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) plan for the deportation of international students if they enroll in an online classes in the upcoming fall semester. As of yet no email has arrived from the acting provost's office to either calm international students or provide them with any sort of protections to assure their safety against these federal mandates.

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By Tom Burke

Stagehands and gig workers demand extension of benefits for the unemployed.

Grand Rapids, MI – After a lively rally on June 24 with nearly 100 workers, the stagehands union IATSE is calling a new rally on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol for July 15. The stagehands and other gig workers are demanding the passage of the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act by the U.S. Senate. July 25 is looming as the $600 per week unemployment boost that keeps people paying their bills is set to run out. Tensions are rising not just in Michigan, but also for stagehands from New York City to Hollywood, across the whole country.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization

FRSO condemns Duterte's terror law, demands U.S. out of Philippines

The U.S.-backed government of Philippines and its President Duterte is putting in place the legal framework to carry out a wave of repression against activists in the popular movements who are fighting for social and national liberation. Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the recently signed Republic Act 1147, also called Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, for what it is: an attempt to criminalize trade unionists, environmentalists, women’s groups, student organizations or anyone else who wants to challenge the cruel rule of Duterte.

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By staff

Green Bay, WI – On Sunday, July 5, the Oneida Nation held a memorial ride and rally for Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man killed in police custody nearly two years ago. Jonathon’s family, which has filed a civil lawsuit against members of the Green Bay Police Department, had requested a one-year mourning period before beginning public advocacy. That one-year period ended in November 2019 and the family has been pursuing justice ever since.

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