Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Student Movement

By Vince Olson

May Day march in Chicago.  | Fight Back! News/Rich Varnes

Chicago, IL – On May 3, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention held a rally and march to celebrate International Workers Day. The 400 attendees heeded the call from the coalition to come stand with Palestine for May Day and vowed to show up again to protest against the Democratic National Convention (DNC) when the convention comes to Chicago August 19 through 22.

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By Kim DeFranco

St. Paul, MN – On the evening of April 27, the Hamline Students for Justice (HSJ) announced President Kathleen Murray and other college officials had agreed to meet with them, after their April 26 occupation of the campus’ administration building and holding an encampment outside.

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By staff

Students and community members released after arrests at Palestine solidarity encampment.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – The 16 student and community activists who were arrested Thursday evening, May 2, after taking part in the Gaza solidarity encampment at University of North Florida were all been freed from the Duval County Jail in Jacksonville on Friday at 6 p.m.

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By staff

Protesters march against police collaboration with Israeli occupation forces

Atlanta, GA – Over 150 students from Georgia State University and members of the broader Atlanta community converged in Hurt Park downtown Friday, May 3, in a protest against the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

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By staff

Protester arrested for supporting encampment

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Tulane and Loyola SDS.

At approximately 3:00 am, when students were sleeping and supporters who had gathered to ensure their safety were resting, a militarized coalition consisting of TUPD, NOPD, and Louisiana State Police (LSP) violently disassembled the peaceful encampment. With no dispersal warning, over 100 officers put the safety of students and community members at great risk by brutally arresting 14 unarmed individuals, including 3 bystanders, using riot gear, assault rifles, and armored vehicles. Louisiana State Police specifically targeted student organizers, resulting in two injured students being taken to the hospital.

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By staff

Police surround Palestine encampment in Jacksonville, Florida.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Students for a Democratic Society at the University of North Florida began a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza on Tuesday, April 30. They set up on the UNF Green to demand that UNF divest from any partnerships with the racist state of Israel, and to show solidarity with college students across the country protesting for the people of Gaza.

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By staff

Milwaukee encampment in solidarity with Palestine.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – May 2 marks the fourth day since students, faculty and community supporters flocked to Mitchell Lawn at UW-Milwaukee on April 29 after a massive rally and march. The end of the march saw the rapid assembly of tents and the official launch of an encampment for Palestine, bringing Milwaukee into the national movement sparked by the actions of heroic students at Columbia University and Cal Poly Humboldt.

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By Simon Rowe

Crowd marches carrying Palestinian flags lead by a group carrying a banner that reads "STOP THE USA-ISRAEL GENOCIDE IN GAZA"

Tampa, FL – On May 1, students at the University of South Florida began the third day of their Gaza solidarity encampment at the MLK Plaza. Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society started the encampment Monday after their Nakba anniversary protest. They demanded USF disclose and divest its investments in Israel, support Palestinian students and stop attacks on student movements.

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By Chrisley Carpio

Group of protesters stand in a circle facing outward with their elbows interlocked. In the background several lines of police officer with riot shields are visible.

Tampa, FL – On Wednesday, April 30, University of South Florida students and community members embarked on their second day of setting up a solidarity encampment for Gaza at the Martin Luther King Plaza. Their demands are to disclose the university's investments in companies that fund and prop up Israel, divest from them, publicly condemn the genocide happening in Gaza and express support for Palestinian students, and stop all attacks on pro-Palestine student protesters.

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By staff

Milwaukee workers in solidarity with Palestine.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – On International Workers Day, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council AFL-CIO passed a resolution supporting the “Popular University” encampment for Palestine at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

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By Cas Casanova

Five arrestees hold up fists outside the jail where they were held.

Tallahassee, FL – On the morning of Wednesday, May 1, about 30 students at Florida State University (FSU) established a Palestine solidarity encampment on Landis Green, the epicenter of FSU campus. They had camped for three days prior to demand a meeting with FSU President Richard McCullough.

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By staff

UCF residence hall with patio tables in a courtyard.

Orlando, FL – On April 26, an informal student conduct hearing was held at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the political repression case of Marcus Polzer, a UCF Students for a Democratic Society member.

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By staff

Students face off with riot police in Austin, Texas. | Fight Back! News/staff

Austin, TX – On Monday, April 28, around 1 p.m., University of Texas at Austin students and community members gathered on the UT South Lawn to set up a Popular University encampment. A group of around 40 people was quickly joined by hundreds more supporting students, as booming chants of, “Free free Palestine,” echoed throughout UT’s South Mall.

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By Serena Sojic-Borne

Riot police surround encampment at Tulane.  | Fight Back! News/staff

New Orleans, LA – Around 2 a.m., May 1, police raided an encampment for Palestine. On Monday, Students for a Democratic Society at Tulane and Loyola organized the camp at Tulane University. Protesters demand that Tulane end all aid to Israel.

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By David Pulido

Palestine solidarity encampment at UC Irvine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Irvine, CA – On Monday, April 29, a gathering of about 70 students and faculty swelled to over 200 people to demand that the University of California, Irvine (UCI) divest completely from Israel.

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By staff

Palestine solidarity encampment in Jacksonville, Florida demands divestment from apartheid Israel. | Fight Back! News/staff

Jacksonville, FL – Student activists and others, led by University of North Florida Students for a Democratic Society, started a Palestine solidarity encampment on UNF campus, demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel as well as complete divestment from Israel financially and breaking of academic ties. SDS activists are also demanding UNF end its partnerships with weapons manufactures like Raytheon and Boeing, all responsible for creating weapons being used by the racist Israeli apartheid state.

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By staff

Tampa, FL – Police deployed tear gas against protesters who erected an encampment in solidarity with Palestine on the University of South Florida campus, April 30. Tampa Bay SDS denounced the attack and vows to continue its efforts.

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By staff

Pro-Palestine encampment at Gibson Hall on the Tulane campus. | Fight Back! News/staff

New Orleans, LA – On Monday, April 29, around 5 p.m., Students for a Democratic Society at Loyola and Tulane universities held a joint rally and march which gathered over 300 people. Students, university staff and community allies marched on both Tulane and Loyola’s campuses. The protesters paused on a sidewalk in front of Tulane’s admissions building and Gibson Hall, the oldest structure. Suddenly, the students took to the lawn in front of the building to set up their camping site.

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By Kim DeFranco

Students at Hamline University continue their student occupation. | Fight Back! News/Kim DeFranco

St. Paul, MN – As of April 27, Hamline Students for Justice (HSJ) continue their occupation for Palestine inside the administration building on campus. The students sent out a call to supporters to join them throughout the day. Students and community members heeded the call and came with Palestinian flags, signs, blankets, food and tents.

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By staff

Tampa encampment for Palestine. | Fight Back! News/staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

On Monday, April 29, Tampa Bay SDS held an event at the University of South Florida (USF) to remember the Nakba which was met with admin and campus police trying to shut down the protest in an attempt to limit our free speech. At the conclusion of this protest, Tampa Bay SDS announced our immediate plan to set up a Gaza solidarity encampment at USF. Upon setting up our initial tents and tarps USF admin sent in USFPD to brutalize students and arrest protestors. We absolutely condemn the three arrests made by USFPD. Those arrested were Simon Rowe, who is a USF alumni and community member, one fellow student, and one USF staff member.

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