Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Student Movement

By Danya Zituni

Palestine solidarity activists at USF support the resolution which includes dive

Tampa, FL – The University of South Florida (USF) student government passed a resolution to divest from Israel Jan. 19. The vote was 32 to 12, with 5 abstentions. Palestine solidarity activists packed the chamber in the Marshall Student Center at USF to support the resolution, which includes divestment from corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid.

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By Michael Sampson

Richmond students demand free education on MLK Day.

Richmond, VA – On the morning of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18, around 100 students with the Virginia Student Power Network rallied outside the Virginia state capitol, demanding the right to a free education. Students chanted, “Education is a right, that is why we, fight, fight, fight!” and “No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities.”

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By Daniel Williams

Milwaukee SDS protesting education cuts

Milwaukee, WI – About 50 students, teachers and community members rallied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Dec. 9 to protest an impending $250 million cut to the UW system. The rally was organized by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) which had collected petition signatures demanding:

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By Chrisley Carpio

Tampa students drop giant banner in support of affirmative action.

Tampa, FL – On Dec. 3, a dozen University of South Florida students gave out hundreds of flyers and dropped a banner in support of affirmative action for African American and Latino students. As part of the National Day to Demand Affirmative Action called by the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), chapters held events calling for increased African American enrollment, a defense of affirmative action and an end to racist admissions policies.

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By Katherine Draken

Tallahassee, FL – A crowd of students rallied near the administration building on the Florida State University (FSU) campus, Dec. 3 in support of affirmative action and to demand an end to the racist exclusion of African American students. Protesters held a banner reading, “Increase Black enrollment now! FSU students demand affirmative action!” They held signs reading, “Black education matters,” and “End racism on campus.”

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By staff

U of MN students rally against white supremacist shooting of Black protesters

Minneapolis, MN – 400 students at the University of Minnesota rallied Nov. 24 on Northrop Plaza in response to the prior night’s white supremacist shooting of five Black Lives Matter protesters in North Minneapolis. After the U of MN rally, they went together to the city-wide march for Justice for Jamar Clark, the Black man who was executed by the Minneapolis police a week ago, sparking an around-the-clock occupation of the front of the Fourth Police Precinct in North Minneapolis.

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By Tom Burke

SDS and Colombia solidarity activists at School of the Americas protest

Columbus, GA – A large group of anti-war and international solidarity activists passed out hundreds of flyers at the annual School of the Americas (SOA) protest at Fort Benning, Georgia on Nov. 21. The flyer calls to support the peace process in Colombia, freedom for Simon Trinidad and to close the SOA, where Latin American death squads and dictators are trained. The Colombian military trains regularly at the SOA and has the worst human rights record in the hemisphere.

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By Regina Joseph

Students at FSU celebrate International Students' Day

Tallahassee, FL – On Nov. 17, 50 students gathered on the Florida State University (FSU) campus to celebrate International Students’ Day and express solidarity with student movements across the world, including the recent protests and strikes by students at the University of Missouri. Students held a banner stating “FSU stands with Mizzou: International Students’ Day 2015,” as well as various signs, including “End racism on campus: FSU to Mizzou” and “Justice for the Ayotzinapa 43.”

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By Ian Gallagher

West Chester, PA – Students for a Democratic Society at West Chester University held a special event on Nov. 12 with history professor Jim Jones speaking on, “The Case for Reparations for Slavery.”

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By Adrian Romero

Million Student March protest in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT – 65 Students gathered outside the Union building on University of Utah campus, Nov. 12, as part of the national Million Student March. Student chanted slogans demanding free tuition, a $15 minimum wage for campus workers, an end to student debt and expressed solidarity with the African American student struggle at the University of Missouri.

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By Matt Boynton

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 students gathered at the University of Minnesota (UMN), Nov. 12, to show solidarity with student protesters at the University of Missouri. The rally, organized by the UMN Black Student Union, consisted of speakers representing a number of different student and community groups, including Whose Diversity?, Students for Justice in Palestine, and APIs for Equity and Diversity.

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By Jack Ling

Tampa students stand with African American students at Univ. of Missouri

Tampa, FL – Over 100 University of South Florida (USF) students and faculty members gathered on the steps of the Martin Luther King Plaza, Nov. 12, linking arms and holding a banner that declared “USF stands with Mizzou.”

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By Gage Lacharite

University of South Florida (USF) students demand name change for campus buildi

Tampa, FL – A group of 20 University of South Florida (USF) students rallied at Cooper Hall, Nov. 12, to demand the name change of the C. W. Bill Young building. Students are upset that USF administrators named the building after a Republican politician who worked to ruin the careers of college professors and schoolteachers.

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By Stephanie Taylor

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Minneapolis, MN – Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) delivered a letter addressed to University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and the university's board of regents, Nov. 6, which put forward student concerns over the sexual harassment and assaults that have been perpetrated by members of the university's own administration.

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By Dave Schneider

Columbia, MO – On Nov. 9, both the president and chancellor of the University of Missouri announced their resignation after mass protests by the student body against racism on campus. The announcement came after about 30 African American players on the school's football team threatened to strike and not play Saturday's game if University President Tim Wolfe did not resign. Had the football strike taken place and the team not played, the school would have suffered a $1 million fine for breaking its contract with Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

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By Michael Sampson

On Nov. 9, University of Missouri President Timothy Wolfe resigned, under intense pressure from Black student protesters and activists at the University of Missouri, Columbia campus. Black students formed the organization, Concerned Students 1950, demanding University President Wolfe step down over his mishandling of racist incidents on campus as well as calling for an increase in Black student enrollment and Black faculty representation at the predominantly white university. Jonathan Butler, an African American graduate student even went on hunger strike, demanding President Wolfe resign. The student uprising and struggled tipped to a boiling point and got national attention when the Black Missouri football players threatened to strike, not playing another game until President Wolfe stepped down. Such a strike would have cost the university at least $1 million dollars in fines as well as a loss in other revenue, negatively affecting their bottom line.

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By Students for a Democratic Society

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Nov. 9 statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

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By Zachary Schultz

Tallahassee students fight for increase African American enrollment

Tallahassee, FL – 20 students gathered at Florida State University (FSU) Nov. 5 to begin their campaign to increase African American enrollment. According to the FSU Office of Institutional Research, African American students made up 6.9% of the freshmen class in 2014, a drop of 46% since 1999 when Governor Jeb Bush signed an executive order ending affirmative action programs in Florida.

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By Jessica Wichmann

Milwaukee students stand in solidarity with Palestine

Milwaukee. WI – About 50 students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee rallied in solidarity with Palestine, Oct. 28. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally in response to the increase in violence by Israeli occupation forces in which over 50 Palestinians have been killed just this month.

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By Gage Lacharite

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Tampa, FL – Tampa Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) disrupted a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruiting event at the University of South Florida on Oct. 21. The CIA spoke to 250 students in the Marshall Student Center, hoping to recruit students for their projects. The CIA spies on, destabilizes and even overthrows governments and movements opposed to Wall Street domination of their economies.

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