San Jose, CA – On February 27, over 100 people gathered at a candlelight vigil in San Jose to honor the life and sacrifice of Aaron Bushnell.
Aaron Bushnell was an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force who self-immolated on Sunday in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. His death was an act of protest against the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Tampa, FL – Dozens of people in the Tampa community came together at the C. Blythe Andrews Library on Saturday, February 24 to discuss the connection between Black and Palestinian Liberation.
The panel members included Deanna Joseph of the Andrew Joseph III Foundation; Lamia Moukaddam, of Central Florida Queers for Palestine; and Kobi Guillory, of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Columbia Heights, MN – On Monday, February 26, the city council of Columbia Heights voted 4-1 to pass a resolution calling for an end to Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza. The Columbia Heights community packed the room, as it did at a previous city council meeting to provide public comment and encourage the council to vote in favor of the resolution.
St. Paul, MN – On February 27, over 100 students rallied on Macalester College campus, followed by a march to the high-traffic intersection of Snelling and Summit Avenues, to demand that Saint Paul city council take a stand and pass a ceasefire resolution.
At the intersection the students chanted, “City council you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!” at rush hour traffic, with a dozen supporters who joined off the street.
Minneapolis, Saint Paul’s neighboring city, passed one of the most progressive ceasefire resolutions in the country on February 8, calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. Despite this, Saint Paul city council has shown considerable resistance to even introducing a ceasefire resolution, which has already been written by a coalition of local organizations, to be voted on.
New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, February 24, students and community members gathered outside of Loyola University New Orleans to protest a pro-Israel event occuring on campus.
March 8th is celebrated around the world as International Women’s Day. In the United States, the rights of women, including reproductive rights, are currently under attack by right-wing reactionaries. The movement to defend and expand these rights is gaining momentum and takes inspiration from struggles waged around the world. For International Women’s Day 2024, Freedom Road Socialist Organization would like to emphasize showing solidarity with the brave and courageous women of Palestine as they fight not only for their own lives, but for the lives of their families and all the people of Palestine struggling against Zionist oppression. We encourage all those who support peace and justice to take action and celebrate International Women’s Day by holding a demonstration, march, program or gathering.
St. Paul, MN – On February 25, over 1000 people carrying Palestinian flags and signs lined both sides of the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River and then marched to Governor Tim Walz’ Eastcliff Mansion residence to demand that the Minnesota State Board of Investments (SBI) divest from Israeli weapons manufacturers, banks and bonds, and other entities complicit in Israel’s apartheid system in Palestine. Research done by the MN Anti-War Committee (AWC) shows that the MN SBI invests more than $3 billion this way.
San Jose, CA – On February 18, over 300 people gathered in San Jose to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of Executive Order 9066, the directive that facilitated the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II.
The Nihonmachi Outreach Committee has been holding annual Day of Remembrance events in San Jose since 1981.
Tampa, FL – On Monday, February 19, around 15 students gathered in front of the University of South Florida Library to participate in an emergency protest in response to the recent Israeli ground assault in Rafah.
Tacoma, WA – On Wednesday, February 21, over 100 students and community members gathered to protest a lecture by a Washington state representative, Derek Kilmer, hosted by the University of Puget Sound. Kilmer was originally scheduled to speak at 7 p.m., however, he never got the opportunity after protesters flooded the auditorium and took the stage.