By ADAM RITSCHER — MINNEAPOLIS — On Nov. 7 over 800 people turned out to protest the racist name of the Washington Redskins football team. The protest was held just before the Washington team was scheduled to play the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The event was organized by the American Indian Movement, the … Continue reading Racist ‘Redskins’ football name protested
Category: Actions & Protest
March on Washington ignored fightback
By ANDREW POLLACK The 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington, held on Aug. 24, drew perhaps 100,000 participants. The main conclusions to be drawn from the day’s happenings are how very far we need to go to organize, educate, and mobilize around the issues that were raised, and especially, how far we … Continue reading March on Washington ignored fightback
What one ‘neighborhood watchman’ did
By JOE AUCIELLO Sooner or later, every politician in the United States learns to handle an unwanted or uncomfortable question, either by answering a different question than the one that was asked or by simply changing the subject. Something similar is happening in the national dialogue in America with the conclusion of the Trayvon Martin … Continue reading What one ‘neighborhood watchman’ did
Trayvon Martin verdict stirs mass outrage
By MICHAEL SCHREIBER The acquittal of the vigilante killer, George Zimmerman, gave notice to the world that racism is alive and well in the United States. For many days after the verdict was handed down, protesters repeatedly took to the streets of cities and towns throughout the U.S. and internationally. The initial marches and rallies … Continue reading Trayvon Martin verdict stirs mass outrage
May Day celebrated around the world
By LISA LUINENBURG International Workers’ Day, May 1, commemorates the anniversary of the Haymarket riots in Chicago. When workers struck for an eight-hour day in 1886, an unknown person (likely a police provocateur) threw a bomb into the peaceful crowd, killing several people and provoking a riot. Over 100 years later, with austerity measures and … Continue reading May Day celebrated around the world
Millions join protests against Monsanto
By MICHAEL SCHREIBER An estimated 2 million people demonstrated worldwide on May 25 to protest Monsanto. The corporation, headquartered in St. Louis, is the largest producer and distributor of genetically modified seeds (GMOs)—which are a grave and growing threat to the natural environment, the livelihood of small farmers, and a healthful food supply. GMOs are … Continue reading Millions join protests against Monsanto
Days of Action against Drones
By MICHAEL SCHREIBER April saw a coordinated series of protests against the Obama administration’s steadily escalating drone-warfare campaign. The National Days of Action Against Drones was endorsed by a number of U.S. groups, including United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), No Drones Network, Code Pink, the American Friends Service Committee, and ANSWER. Thousands of people in … Continue reading Days of Action against Drones
Occupy’s “Strike Debt” Campaign
By ANDREW POLLACK From its beginning Occupy Wall Street has had a focus on debt—student, homeowner, health care, etc.—and has encouraged debt refusal and resistance. Part of the logic behind that focus is the tens of millions affected by debt, and their common interest in rejecting the misery imposed on them by the huge financial … Continue reading Occupy’s “Strike Debt” Campaign
European workers mobilize against austerity
By MICHAEL SCHREIBER Last month saw huge street mobilizations in several European countries in which the working class has been besieged by austerity demands by their governments and the European Union. Demonstrations and general strikes took place in Portugal, Spain, and Greece. On Sept. 26, over 100,000 people marched in Athens as workplaces closed down … Continue reading European workers mobilize against austerity
Join fall protests against war & repression!
By CHRISTINE MARIE Antiwar groups around the United States have designated the weekend of Oct. 5-7, the 11th anniversary of the launch of the U.S. war on Afghanistan, as a time for public demonstrations and major educational events. The United National Antiwar Coalition hosted an Aug. 29 national phone organizing meeting attended by 49 representatives … Continue reading Join fall protests against war & repression!
AFL-CIO calls unions to ‘Stand for America’ rally
By BILL ONASCH Last month, AP ran a story about union officials expressing their displeasure with Democrats by organizing what was described as a “shadow convention” in Philadelphia prior to the boss parties’ nominating rituals. But those organizing the Workers Stand for America rally on Aug. 11 reject that term. I suppose they don’t like … Continue reading AFL-CIO calls unions to ‘Stand for America’ rally
QUEBEC: Mass struggle continues / Election pending
By ROBBIE MAHOODMONTREAL—As many as 80,000 protesters hit the streets of Montreal on July 22, proof that the mass struggle over the Liberal government`s unilateral decision to raise university tuition fees has far from dissipated. The central slogan this time was “Out with the Neo-Liberal Parties,” reflecting the growing radicalization produced by the struggle and … Continue reading QUEBEC: Mass struggle continues / Election pending
Chicago Teachers Union authorizes strike
<!--[if !mso]><![endif]--> CHICAGO—In a strong show of rank-and-file unity, close to 90% of the membership of the Chicago Teachers Union authorized the union to strike if the union’s leadership is unable to negotiate a contract with Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s handpicked school board. The strike vote was conducted as the mayor has conducted a union-busting campaign against … Continue reading Chicago Teachers Union authorizes strike
NY protest against ‘stop & frisk’
<!--[if !mso]><![endif]--> On Father’s Day, June 17, several thousand marched behind a banner demanding that the New York City police “End Stop and Frisk” and “End Racial Profiling.” Said NAACP President Ben Jealous, a central march organizer: “Stop and frisk is the most massive local racial profiling program in the country.” The ethnically diverse rally … Continue reading NY protest against ‘stop & frisk’
Quebec Student Revolt Continues
<!--[if !mso]><![endif]--> MONTREAL—On May 19, Quebec’s Liberal government passed draconian legislation, Law 78, to smash the mass student strike that has shaken Quebec society over the past four months. The so-called Loi de Matraque (truncheon law) is an attack on the rights of association, demonstration and free speech. It suspends academic sessions at all Quebec … Continue reading Quebec Student Revolt Continues
Report on May 20 Anti-NATO Protest in Chicago
Led by Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, 15,000 people took to the streets of Chicago to protest on May 20, the opening day of the NATO summit. The demonstration was the largest antiwar demonstration in the U.S. in several years. The mass demonstration was the culmination of a week of activity against NATO and the … Continue reading Report on May 20 Anti-NATO Protest in Chicago
May 20: March to protest NATO summit in Chicago!
The NATO war-makers, fresh from their missile barrage on Libya, are coming to Chicago this month for a summit meeting. We can expect that U.S. politicians and the compliant media will spare no effort to glad-hand the NATO representatives on their arrival. But protesters, who are weary of the endless war in Afghanistan and dazed … Continue reading May 20: March to protest NATO summit in Chicago!
Another look at the ILWU Longview strike
Real victories in today’s labor movement are few and far between. Indeed, there are none over the past 40 years or so, especially in the U.S., that were powerful enough to stop the crisis-ridden system of exploitation and oppression in its tracks and open the door for a labor offensive capable of inspiring millions to … Continue reading Another look at the ILWU Longview strike
Big May Day Turnout in New York City
NEW YORK—May 1 was a day of celebration, rage, and solidarity. Taking to the streets for International Worker’s Day were some 10,000 to 20,000 mostly working-class New Yorkers. Dozens of May Day actions culminated in a big rally and march from Union Square in lower Manhattan. The march went south on Broadway to Wall Street, … Continue reading Big May Day Turnout in New York City
May Day in Arizona
TUCSON, Ariz.—On May Day (International Workers’ Day), the march and rally for immigrants’ and other workers’ rights was smaller than in previous years, only about 500. In contrast, in 2006, nearly 20,000 marched in Tucson on April 10, and about the same number two years ago, to protest Arizona’s racial profiling law, SB 1070, which … Continue reading May Day in Arizona
May Day in Oregon
SALEM, Ore.—About 2000 people attended “The Light of Hope March And Rally: A Celebration Of Working Families, Regardless Of Immigration Status.” The event was sponsored by Causa Oregon, PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos Del Noroeste) Oregon’s Farm Worker Union, Vos Hispana Causa Chavista, Mujeres Luchadores Progresista, Willamette University Causa Chapter, Oregon AFL-CIO. The only visible … Continue reading May Day in Oregon
Minneapolis May Day March
On May 1, people gathered in the Latino neighborhood of Minneapolis and marched through the main immigrant business sector, to end at a local park for a rally. Police estimated 2000 participants (compared to 400 last year). The crowd was probably about one-third Latino immigrants. MIRAc (the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee) spent over three months organizing … Continue reading Minneapolis May Day March
May Day Statement
This May 1st, Socialist Action salutes all workers and immigrants as we celebrate International Workers’ Day! Attacks against workers’ organizing rights through Right to Work and other anti-union legislation are being battled across the country. Immigrant workers are being criminalized and deported through programs like E-verify and Secure Communities, while Muslim communities are being spied … Continue reading May Day Statement
UNAC conference challenges U.S./NATO war policies
<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]-->On April 1 The New York Times reported that the U.S. and the Gulf states, meeting as the “Friends of Syria” in Istanbul, had moved dramatically closer to direct military intervention against the Assad regime. The pro-U.S. Arab nations pledged $100 million to pay the fighters of the Free Syrian Army, and the … Continue reading UNAC conference challenges U.S./NATO war policies
We’ll demand our right to protest within sight of the NATO Summit
Below are introductory remarks to the March 23-25 UNAC conference by UNAC co-cordinator Marilyn Levin.When I started preparing for this talk, I thought back to July 2010, when UNAC began, and where we are today. It is astounding how much has changed over the past year and a half, although many of the challenges we face … Continue reading We’ll demand our right to protest within sight of the NATO Summit