Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Student Movement

By staff

NYU students chase the CIA off campus.

New York, NY – On February 12, the New York University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a picket outside of the NYU Kimmel Center to protest the presence of the Central Intelligence Agency at a school career fair.

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By Clio Jensen

Seattle, WA – On February 6, around 100 students gathered outside Thompson Hall to rally against ICE on campus. The 5 p.m. protest was organized in response to a planned recruitment event with ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, titled “Career as a Special Agent” that had been set to take place on that day.

The UW Jackson School of International Studies originally planned to host two agents from Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, for a workshop aiming to recruit UW students on February 6. After backlash from students and campus organizations, the workshop was suddenly rescheduled. Students are now demanding a full cancellation of the event, a formal apology for planning the event, and that UW administration refuse to host ICE and partner agencies at future events.

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By staff

Protest against deportations in Austin, Texas.

Austin, TX – 100 University of Texas students and community members rallied on February 12 in front of Littlefield Fountain, calling for protection of immigrant rights and demanding that ICE not be allowed to operate on campus. Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally in response to Trump’s plan for mass deportations and sightings of ICE agents on and around campus.

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By Al Lamperouge

MN Anti-War Committee panel "Black Against Empire."

St. Paul, MN – On February 8, in honor of Black History Month, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) presented an educational panel titled “Black Against Empire: Perspectives On Liberation In Haiti, Congo, Sudan, and the U.S.A.”

The panel was held at Macalester College in Saint Paul. Experts, activists and community leaders spoke about the timelines, struggles and victories of African people throughout history against imperialist oppression.

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By Drusie Kazanova

Estudiantes de preparatoria en San José salen de clases para protestar contra las deportaciones.

San Jose, CA – Cientos de personas se manifestaron en el este de San José este lunes, 28 de enero, contra las recientes detenciones realizadas por ICE en un vecindario predominantemente chicano. La manifestación comenzó cuando cientos de estudiantes organizaron un paro estudiantil en la preparatoria Overfelt y marcharon hacia la intersección de King y Story Road. King y Story es un lugar histórico en el movimiento chicano y de derechos de los inmigrantes, y fue el punto de partida de las mega-marchas del pasado.

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By Rose Schaeffel

U of MN students march against deportations.

Minneapolis, MN – 130 U of MN Twin Cities students and supporters gathered outside of the Student Union in the windy, freezing weather on Thursday, February 6, to demand safety for all immigrant and international students on campus.

Shortly after the university announced they plan to comply with ICE orders on campus, UMN SDS announced an emergency rally and march to call for a “Sanctuary Campus” where undocumented students and faculty are protected from the threat of deportation from federal authorities. This message was echoed throughout the various speeches and on signs in the crowd, including, “School is for education, nor deportation” and “My dreams are bigger than your walls.”

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By staff

Athens, GA – Students at the University of Georgia are protesting the school’s continued employment of a neo-Nazi. On January 15 and February 3, students and community activists rallied on campus to oppose the re-instatement of UGA employee George Haynie III following a brief period of administrative leave. Haynie, a staff member in the College of Engineering, was outed as a member of the Aryan Freedom Network (AFN), a Texas-based neo-Nazi organization.

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By Ryan Spalt

Louisiana State University students stand up for free speech.

Baton Rouge, LA – On Tuesday January 28, about 20 students gathered in front of Louisiana State University (LSU) Law Center to demand the university reinstate Professor Ken Levy.

Levy was suspended for criticizing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and explaining Trump’s presidency would have implications for certain amendments to the constitution during one of his lectures.

Professor Levy’s attorney, Jill Craft, explained Levy revealed he was a Democrat and expressed a dislike for Trump. However, Craft believed Levy said nothing to warrant suspension.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Louisiana State University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

On Monday January 20th, LSU SDS led a march on the capitol with other organizations to unite in opposition to Trump’s backwards agenda. Days before, our reactionary governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order that encouraged all Louisiana residents to raise a “Make America Great Again” flag in celebration of Trump’s inauguration. He also participated in this by flying a MAGA flag in front of his mansion.

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By Micah Colby

Students hold signs and a Palestinian flag in a campus square.

Allendale, MI – On January 29, Grand Valley State University's Progressive Student Union (PSU) led a speak-out against the new Trump administration. People held signs relating to healthcare, immigration, LGBTQ rights and other causes. The mood was casual, and people joined the students in protest throughout the event.

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By staff

Protesters gather in a snowy park with signs reading things like “Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win @NYUSDS”.

New York, NY – On January 24, over 50 NYU students gathered at a rally called by the NYU Students for a Democratic Society (NYU SDS) to protest against Trump’s backwards agenda for his second term as president. The rally took place at Garibaldi Plaza at Washington Square Park, a popular rallying spot for NYU student organizations. 

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By Grady Bell

Texas students oppose Trump's reactionary agenda.

Arlington, TX – Student organizers carried out an anti-Trump banner drop and mass recruiting event at a club fair hosted on UTA campus, January 22.

Members of the Progressive Student Union at UT Arlington arrived early at a club fair to secure a table which we are often denied. Admin and university staff do everything in their power to block student outreach. Many organizers came out and dedicated a large part of their day to flyering and tabling around the event. This effort attracted a large number of students to the cause, which was shown in the meeting the organization had later that night.

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By staff

A group of protesters holding signs.

Austin, TX – On Wednesday, January 22, around 20 students, faculty and community members gathered outside the Perry–Castañeda Library on the UT Austin campus as a part of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) National Day of Action to resist Trump’s right-wing agenda.

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By Gregory Butler

Anti Trump event in Denton, Texas.

Denton, TX – Activists from Freedom Road Socialist Organization organized a local resource fair to rally against the incoming Trump administration, January 20, drawing hundreds from the community to engage local organizations and learn about the about the efforts to change the political landscape.

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By staff

Protesters pack pretrial hearing demanding felony charge against pro-Palestine protest be dropped.

Minneapolis, MN – On January 17, supporters held a press conference and packed the room for Robyn Harbison’s pre-trial hearing. He is currently facing a fourth degree felony assault charge after his arrest alongside ten other protestors at the occupation of Morrill Hall at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (UMN SDS) was protesting the university’s continued refusal to divest from Israel. Protesters renamed the building to Halimy Hall, after Palestinian student killed by Israel in August 2023.

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By Oliver Cheese and Justin Jordan

FSU students march against Trump.

Tallahassee, FL – On January 14, students marched and rallied at Florida State University as part of a national upsurge to resist the right-wing agenda of President-elect Donald Trump. Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) led the march across campus as the afternoon’s classes were ending, showing hundreds of onlookers that Trump’s election victory wouldn’t silence the student movement.

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By staff

Panelists speak to crowd at anti-Zionist evert at University of New Orleans.

New Orleans, LA – During a visit to New Orleans, Dr. Rabab Abduhadi held an evening talk addressing students, community members and activists about the dangers and impacts of institutional Zionism and ways to combat it in academia and beyond.

On January 11, at the University of New Orleans, Dr. Abdulhadi shared her decades-long experience battling institutionally embedded Zionism, its various modes of operation, and tactics it uses to repress Palestinian activism.

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By Logan Michael

Person with red hair and an orange dress speaks while reading off a phone. In the background people are lying on the ground holding signs.

Tallahassee, FL – Tuesday, November 19, Student Activists at Florida State University came together to condemn the institution’s complicity in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. Student demonstrators laid themselves along the graveled concrete, just outside one of the campus’s most busy academic buildings and refused to move – symbolizing the 40,000 plus Palestinians killed since October 7, 2023.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

As the first step of our national campaign to defeat Trump, National SDS is calling for a national week of action during the week of Trump’s inauguration, from November 20th through November 24th. SDS invites other student organizations and groups to protest the week of January 20th. National SDS encourages our chapters to take up campaigns against Trump’s policies and attacks on education and to demand that their campuses shut down Trump’s agenda. We will be rallying to say, “Defeat Trump’s Agenda!”

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the Liberate and Unite New Orleans Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) statement on the suspension of Carson Cruse.

On December 13, Loyola University student and SDS member Carson Cruse was suspended for speaking at the Port of New Orleans public hearing in October. Carson was there supporting New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) and their demands which included that New Orleans stop shipping arms to Israel, ends its ties to the Port of Ashdod in Israel, and to suspend its contracts with entities that do business with Israel, i.e. Møller-Mærsk.

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