Chicago, IL -The Chicago Coalition for Justice In Palestine held another weekly protest on Saturday, August 16. Around 100 protesters came out to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza, an arms embargo, and justice for Anas al-Sharif, the martyred Al Jazeera reporter who the Zionist entity bombed outside of a hospital.d

Chicago, IL – 150 protesters gathered in Federal Plaza on Thursday to stand up against Trump’s threats of military occupation and demand an end to racist policing. The protest and march that followed were organized by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR).

Patricia Williams, one of CAARPR’s co-chairs, opened the rally by reading a letter from the sickbed of Frank Chapman, executive director of the National Alliance (NAARPR).

Chicago, IL – 100 Chicagoans braved pouring rain in Daley Plaza on Tuesday, August 12, for an emergency protest for Gaza. The Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine  (CJP) called the protest in response to the Zionist entity’s assassination on Sunday of Al Jazeera crew members Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qraiqea, Mohammed al-Khaldi, Ibrahim al-Thaher and Mohamed Nofal. 

Chicago, IL – The South Side celebrated the last days of summer at the 96th Bud Billiken parade on Saturday, August 9. The Bud Billiken is the largest African American parade in the country. Young people received school supplies while dancers and musicians showed off their skills. Some organizations also raised political demands such as community control of police, fully funded public services, and progressive taxation.

Chicago, IL – “We are here today to demand that the U.S. government stop funding and being co-conspirators in this genocide!” With these words, Father Michael Pfleger added Saint Sabina Catholic Church, a prominent Civil Rights congregation, to the chorus of voices calling for an end to U.S. support of Israel’s military.

Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday August 7, around 1400 facilities and dining workers at the University of Minnesota filed an intent to strike notice with the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services. The strike notice comes after the recent announcement of a 97% vote to authorize the strike.

Chicago, IL – On August 4, a crowd packed Pilsen Community Books for a teach-in led by Educators for Palestine. Organizations from across Chicago presented their campaigns for immediate divestment from Israel. The teach-in was aimed at Chicago teachers, who have 1.8% of their pension funds invested in companies listed in the boycott, divest, sanction (BDS) list.

By Kaya Rial and Gabe Miller

Chicago, IL – Activists gathered at the Cook County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 6 to support three survivors of wrongful conviction. They demanded freedom and certificates of innocence for Rico Clark, Douglas Livingston and Kevin Jackson. They also demanded that torture-cops Brian Forberg, John Foster and Kevin Eberle be held accountable for the wrongful convictions of Clark, Livingston, Jackson, and 38 other Black men.

“We won’t stop fighting until all our loved ones are free from these god-forsaken slave ships,” said Jasmine Smith, loved one of Rico Clark and co-chair of the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Torture (CFIST), at a press conference in the courthouse.

Chicago, IL – The Chicago Coalition for Justice In Palestine held another weekly protest on Saturday, August 2, the same time as the Lollapalooza music event. While downtown was full of festival goers, about 700 Chicagoans came out demanding an arms embargo and an end to the genocide and famine against Gaza.

Chicago, IL – 150 Chicagoans banging pots and pans gathered near Trump Tower to protest the Gaza genocide, July 26. It was the third Chicago protest held in a single week in response to the ongoing genocide and famine against Gaza.

La Grange, IL- 50 activists disrupted Congressman Sean Casten’s town hall on Wednesday night, July 30. They raised their voices to demand that Casten sign the Block the Bombs act. Some of the same organizers had disrupted Congressman Bill Foster’s town hall on Tuesday night to make the same demand.

Chicago, IL – Ryan Coogler’s movie Sinners is densely packed with social commentary. Much has been written about the film's reflections on a range of topics. This review is grounded in how the film addresses national liberation. Sinners demonstrates through its plot that Black liberation is incompatible with capitalism.

Chicago, IL – Chicago's Area 5 Police Districts had a special meeting on Monday, July 28, in response to community outrage over slow investigation into sexual assaults. The commander tasked with helping residents “learn more about how CPD works” was John Foster, who is linked to multiple cases of wrongful convictions. Survivors of police torture and their allies confronted Foster and demanded his removal from CPD.

Chicago IL – 50 demonstrators rallied outside Chicago’s Philippine consulate for a People’s State of the Nation Address (PSONA), July 27. Filipino activists organized the PSONA to illuminate the real conditions faced by the Filipino masses a day before Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. delivered his SONA. Protesters demanded freedom for Filipino immigrants in the U.S. arrested by ICE, and an end to U.S. support for the Marcos regime.

Chicago, IL – Hundreds of people rallied outside McNally Capital headquarters on Tuesday evening, July 22, and chanted “Stop starving Gaza now!” Some banged pots and pans to make noise in a way symbolic of Palestinians waiting for food aid in Gaza.

The emergency rally was hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM).

Chicago, IL- On Thursday afternoon, July 24, 300 Chicagoans gathered for an emergency noise demonstration outside the Zionist entity’s consulate in Chicago in response to the intentional mass starvation in Gaza. The protesters demanded the immediate and unconditional lifting of the siege on Gaza and an end to all U.S. aid to Israel.

Chicago, IL – A crowd of Chicago Teachers Union members attended the school board meeting, July 24, carrying giant cardboard cupcakes with price tags representing the net worth of Illinois billionaires. Their demands are for Governor JB Pritzker to call a special legislative session and secure more funding for public education and other services, and for higher taxes on the rich to counteract the effects of Trump's “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

Chicago, IL – Immigrant rights groups held a press conference July 22, calling for the shutdown of an ICE facility in the Chicago suburbs and demanding that local officials take action. When they attempted to deliver a letter detailing their demands to Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen Burke O’Neill, they were threatened with arrest.

Chicago, IL – “The Make Polluters Pay campaign gives the state and Pritzker the chance to show that they stand with the people and not with big oil and gas. These polluters should pay for the damage they have done to our community,“ said Gianna Escareno to a crowd of over 40 people who rallied in front of the University of Chicago’s David Rubenstein Forum on June 20, where the Aspen Ideas Climate Conference was happening.

Chicago, IL – 100 Chicagoans came out in the rain on Saturday, July 19, to protest the continued genocide in Gaza and stand with the people of Syria and Palestine. The Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP) called this protest in response to escalations of Zionist attacks on Syria. Protesters demanded “Not a penny not a dollar” for the Zionist entity’s crimes and chanted “Gaza needs food and water! Israel, stop the slaughter!”