Madison, WI – As part of a Global Weekend of Action called by the BDS Movement, a contingent of about 40 peace activists led by World Beyond War-UW, including the newly formed Students for a Democratic Society-UW Madison chapter, community members and religious organizations, followed by Madison Area DSA, made the cause of Palestine impossible to ignore at the city's 48th annual Willy Street Fair, September 21.

As is tradition for the second day of the festival, a parade kicked off from the 900 block of Williamson Street, set to march about six blocks through the historic Williamson-Marquette neighborhood. Front and center, behind the sponsors, the beloved “Bubblemobile” coughed large clumps of bubbles into the air and immediately the chanting began.

In a typically light-hearted and proudly “weird” environment like the Willy Street Fair, chants of “From the river to the sea,” and “Stand up, fight back” echoed between the homes and small businesses. Ensuring that no fair-goer forget that while their funnel cakes fry, children are dying in Palestine. Not only from starvation, but from weapons provided by the U.S. government.

Later in the day, as part of the same BDS Movement call to action, World Beyond War-UW led a significantly longer walk, with 20 or so people carrying signs and banners around the entirety of Lake Monona, a 12-mile journey, to continue bringing attention to American complicity in Israel's crimes.

#MadisonWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #BDS #StudentMovement #SDS

Milwaukee, WI – On Wednesday, September 3, students gathered at the Maryland Street Bridge on the UWM campus, demanding an end to the Trump administration’s attacks on students, DEI initiatives and educational funding. The event was part of an SDS national day of action.

Led by members of the UW-Milwaukee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (UWM SDS), the banner drop was a response to the ongoing cuts to education, cuts to multicultural and inclusivity programs, and constant student repression by the UWM administration.

As students were about to unfurl the banner around noon, they were confronted by a known administrative agitator part of the Dean of Students Office. Despite her insistence that the students and SDS members were breaking so-called “campus free speech regulations,” the students stood their ground against the intimidation.

SDS chair Chris Van Valkenberg demanded to see what rules they were actually breaking, stating that “unless you can prove we broke any rules, we will continue with the banner drop whether you like it or not.” While debating with the administrator about the legality of the banner drop, students discovered many of these campus freedom of speech policies were added recently by the university administration without notifying the student body. After the brief stand-off, the official could not find any rules that the students were breaking and retreated, and the banner drop continued successfully.

UWM SDS has been fighting consistent attacks on and harassment of its members by the university administration. Students pushing for university acknowledgement of the genocide in Palestine, and who are calling to fix the imbalance of power the university holds over its students, have been suspended, banned from campus, put on disciplinary probation, stalked by administrative officials, and harassed daily by those same officials.

As the Trump administration’s attacks on students continue to grow, students have felt the pressure of this through a losses of educational funding, satellite campuses, research funds, DEI programs, and overall student safety. These losses, combined with an increase in campus police presence and intimidation, strict campus free speech laws targeting student activism, and purposefully deregistering and suspending any detracting student organizations, are a call to action for all students on UWM’s campus to call for its administration to end its complicity with Trump’s anti-education and anti-student policies.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #StudentMovement #Trump #SDS

Tampa, FL – On Tuesday September 2, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society held a protest on 50th and Fowler Avenue against Trump and his policies as part of the National Day of Action called by National Students for a Democratic Society. The event had slogans such as “No deportations,” “Protect cultural groups” and “Stop Trump’s agenda.”

Students spoke up against Trump’s attacks on the student body and education, as they chanted to passing cars and passersby. Standing opposite the University of South Florida, they spoke on how the University is enabling Trump’s attacks, as they are willingly tying USFPD with ICE through the 278(g) program. This program allows USF police to profile and detain international students and immigrants the same as an ICE officer would.

International student and SDS member Joseph Charry said: “Many students have already had their visa revoked by the university, and we’re gonna continue to see these deportations from the university, guided by Trump, unless we stand up and fight back!”

Other topics included the shutdown of cultural programs and clubs because of a 50% funding cut by the university’s administration, due to Governor DeSantis and Trump’s agenda to remove diversity, equity and inclusion from education.

SDS Member Dhanvi Patel spoke about it saying: “We demand funding for our cultural groups, increased enrollment and scholarships for Black students, and protect and expand ethnic studies departments. We demand a sanctuary campus now!”

The message clearly resonated with students passing by, as cars honked in support and a group of students stopped by to give the protesters popsicles and water to help against the heat.

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #Trump #SDS

Fight Back! News is circulating the following statement from the New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago (New SDS at UIC).

We are calling on students and youth from the Chicagoland area to attend the Progressive Student Conference on Saturday, September 13th  from 12pm-4pm at the Chicago Teachers Union Hall (1901 W Carroll Ave).

The conference will bring together student and youth groups from various areas of the movement to talk about lessons and ongoing struggles under the reactionary Trump administration. From Black liberation, Palestine/Filipino solidarity, fights to defend and fund education and cultural centers/studies, labor on campus, and much more!

Since it has taken power, the Trump administration has brought down heavy attacks on the people of Chicago. It has continued to greenlight the genocide in Gaza, find ways to conduct mass deportation in sanctuary cities, and committed to “strengthening and unleashing” police against black communities. Chicago politicians and followers of Trump’s agenda have tried to overturn Chicago’s welcoming city ordinance, restrict free speech on campus, and continue to criminalize black youth with racist curfews.

The attacks on the people of Chicago are heightening. Trump has promised the deployment of the National Guard, and increased ICE raids in the city. 

Trump’s particular hatred for Chicago is a reaction to the progress that has been made over the past decades. But in Chicago these things were not charitably brought down to us. It came about through people getting organized, demanding, and fighting back. This same strategy will be used to defend what we have won, and fight back against the Trump agenda!

Students and youth play an important role in fighting back. Our education, our democratic rights, and our futures are under attack. An occupation of the city is on its way.

As society becomes more and more hostile, our action is powerful and necessary to building a better future!

Register for the conference here. 

Come out to the Progressive Student Conference!

Build the student movement against Trump!

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #Trump #SDS

Jacksonville, FL – On Wednesday, August 27, students at the University of North Florida rallied in protest against their university police department joining ICE’s 287(g) task force, a program that gives officers training and authorization to carry out immigration arrests.

The rally, organized by Jacksonville Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), mobilized over a dozen students. Protesters held signs reading, “We say: No UPD/ICE collaboration” and “No human is illegal,” while chanting, “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here!” Protesters raised demands including declaring UNF a sanctuary campus and pulling university police from the 287(g) task force.

“Let’s call this what it is – an attack on students,” said Angi Alva, a UNF student and member of SDS.

Alva continued, “We do not need university police acting as ICE on campus. This does not make students safer; it only presents a new danger.”

The rally started small but drew a crowd as it progressed. Several students walking by stopped to grab a sign and participate, saying they were glad to see people fighting back against the threat of deportations on campus. Around half a dozen students joined SDS on the spot.

The UNF Police Department submitted a request to join the ICE task force in April but didn’t receive confirmation until late in the summer. UNF administration has tried to keep quiet about the change, with UNF President Moez Limayem claiming university police are carrying out “business as usual” and saying student protesters are overreacting to the news.

However, recent events show the administration is hiding the severity of the threat to students. On the same day as the protest, UNF confirmed two officers were receiving ICE training, but only four days before, Limayem claimed no such training had been scheduled.

SDS Vice President Lorelai Dodge called out university administration on its lack of transparency, saying, “People need to realize admin is not on our side. The only ones we [students] can count on are ourselves.”

In addition to demanding a sanctuary campus, protesters also raised demands including protections for majors and DEI programs amid state budget cuts, as well as demanding divestment from Israel.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #StudentMovement #Trump #SDS