Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By Jo Hargis

A Gate labeled "General Dynamics ordnance and tactical systems gate 1" is visible in the background behind a fence with barbed wire on top. In the foreground, a protester wearing a keffiyeh stands on top of a car and chants while holding a sign that says "The Israeli occupation uses BLU-109 bombs built by General Dynamics!"

Garland, TX – On March 7,  a pro-Palestine demonstration at the General Dynamics Ordnance plant in Garland, Texas stopped production for about six hours. General Dynamics produces several classes of bombs currently being used to kill Palestinians.

Some protesters used their cars to block entrances at the plant. Shortly after the protesters' arrival, workers began to arrive at the plant but were unable to enter. An 18-wheeler loaded with bomb parts was forced to wait outside the facility for the duration of the demonstration.

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By David Pulido

Anaheim demands boycott of Zionist Sadaf products. | Fight Back! News/staff

Anaheim, CA – “You join the heroes who stood up and said, ‘War? Not in our name! Death? Not in our name! Money toward genocide? Not in our name!’” declared Kareem Youssef, member of the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), to a crowd of over 20 protesters in front of a Super King Market on March 3.

The action was part of the larger “Boycott Sadaf” campaign, whose goal is to remove Sadaf Food products from grocery stores. Sadaf Foods is a Zionist company that sources its products in occupied Palestine and tries to normalize the state of Israel.

Activists took the parking lot chanting, “Super King, hear our voice! Zionist food is not a choice!” and “Not another nickel, not another dime! No more money for Israel’s crimes!”

They were confronted by security guards who tried to intimidate them into moving out of the parking lot, but Youssef and others asserted their right to protest Super King market for shelving Sadaf Food products. As seven police SUVs and one motorcycle officer poured into the lot, another organizer from USPCN said he had spoken with the manager of Super King before staging this action, and the manager sent him to customer service. “How ridiculous! They want us to go through a bureaucracy when we tell them to stop funding genocide, when we tell them that you’re profiting off of the stolen food while our people are starving in Gaza, while children are starving! And instead, they call the cops on us. Shame on Super King! Shame on Sadaf! Boycott Sadaf!”

Diana Terreros, member of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, stated that “CSO stands in unequivocal solidarity with the Palestinian resistance against the occupation of Israel, who is committing a genocide and has been dispossessing Palestinians for 75 years.” She also spoke on the recent victory of the Boycott Sadaf campaign in Garden Grove, where an action forced Harvest Fresh market to deshelve its Sadaf products just 30 minutes into the rally. Terreros stated, “We will keep fighting against these Zionist corporations! Our struggles as Chicanos and Palestinians may be different, but we are united against the common enemy of U.S. imperialism, and together we can win.”

Even as the police tried to violate protesters’ First Amendment rights, activists urged customers to boycott Super King until the manager made a contractual agreement to deshelve its Sadaf Food products. Some customers even joined the ranks of activists, taking up signs and shouting back at police and security. The police were forced to stand and watch.

Palestinian flags waved in the lot as Youssef closed the boycott action by warning, “We will be checking on different stores seeking Sadaf across Southern California until every single one of these Southern California stores removes Sadaf Foods from their shelves! Because this is what we can do to make an impact and to address Zionism ourselves, and show them that people power, just us, is enough to cost Sadaf millions!”

The boycott was organized by USPCN, and it included activists from Free Democratic Movement for Palestine, Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, the Palestinian American Women’s Association, Community Service Organization Orange County, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

#AnaheimCA #International #AntiWarMovement #MiddleEast #Palestine #BDS #USPCN #AlAwda #PAWA #CSOOC #FRSO

By Meredith Aby

Twin Cities marches in solidarity with Palestine. | Fight Back! News/Sabry Wazwaz

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.

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By Robyn Harbison

Crowd marches behind banner that says "Divest from genocide. Human rights for all."

Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, the MN Anti-War Committee (AWC) organized a rally and march of 2000 people on International Human Rights Day to draw attention to the U.S.-sponsored human rights abuses enacted by Israel on Palestinians. The AWC holds a protest every year to highlight the importance of International Human Rights Day.

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By Merlin Van Alstine

U of MN SDS disrupts regents meeting demanding divestment from Israel. | Fight Back! News/staff

Minneapolis, MN – On December 8, students at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and members of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities chapter of Students for a Democratic Society attended the monthly Board of Regents meeting to demand that the University of Minnesota divest from Israel.

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By Sorcha Lona

Crowd gathers waving Palestinian flags in front of the Minnesota State Capitol building.

St. Paul, MN – On the evening of November 28, 500 protesters gathered in below freezing temperatures on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol. The protest, organized by the Free Palestine Coalition,  demanded that the State Board of Investment (SBI) divest over $1 billion currently invested in Israeli bonds, banks, weapons manufacturers and other entities that profit from Israeli apartheid.

In total, the SBI manages and invests over $128 billion of Minnesota taxpayer money. Board members include Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, State Auditor Julie Blaha and Secretary of State Steve Simon.

Held on the eve of the SBI meeting on November 29, which is also the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the protest was a continuation of a multi-year campaign spearheaded by groups, including the MN Anti-War Committee, to demand the SBI divest public pension funds from the system of apartheid and ethnic cleansing in occupied Palestine.

Despite the cold, a large crowd formed on the capitol steps to attend the rally. It was evidence of the passion and dedication the Palestinian cause has brought about during the decades of occupation.

Mariam El-Khatib, a member of American Muslims for Palestine, kicked off the rally, “America, it’s a fact. Israel would not be able to do what it’s doing without the U.S. We are funding the ethnic cleansing of the people of Palestine. We are funding the killing of children. We are funding the killing of civilians. We are funding the bombing of hospitals. We are funding Israel’s war crimes and atrocities. So whether you like it or not, all of us are implicated – because we live in this country and pay tax dollars. So whether you like it or not we have to speak up!”

Skyler Dorr, a rank-and-file member of AFSCME 3800 at the University of Minnesota and an anti-Zionist Jew, stated, “I am a pissed off public employee, and I don’t want my retirement fund invested in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine! Shame on the State Board of Investment for implicating all of us in genocide, shame!”

As the last speaker on the program, Brian Chval from the MN Anti-War Committee rallied the crowd, “As the tax paying constituents of the state of Minnesota, I think we should have a say in how our money is invested. So I ask you, $283 million for weapons manufacturers that sell to Israel. Invest or divest? Nearly $50 million for Siemens, who provides electrical grid services to Israel and its settlements on stolen Palestinian land. Invest or divest? Almost $25 million in direct investments in Israel in the form of bonds, who has occupied and oppressed Palestinians for over 75 years. Invest or divest?”

Each time, the crowd erupted, “Divest!”

Other speakers included Julia Pearlstein-Levy from Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Palestinian activist Dr. Christine Harb, and Natasha Dockter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59.

Protesters were encouraged to come back to the capitol the next day to attend the State Board of Investment meeting.

#StPaulMN #FreePalestine #UMN #SBI #Divest #BDS

By Wyatt Miller

Group of protesters wearing keffiyehs and holding Palestinian flags raise their hands to disrupt a meeting.

St. Paul, MN – On Wednesday, November 29, Palestine solidarity activists spoke at the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI)’s quarterly meeting, demanding divestment of state-managed pension funds and other public monies from Israeli weapons manufacturers, banks and bonds, and other entities complicit in Israel’s apartheid system in Palestine.

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By Josh Rudd

Dallas Black Friday die-in exposing the genocide in Gaza. | Fight Back! News/staff

Dallas, TX – Residents of Dallas gathered at NorthPark Mall on Black Friday, November 24, as at least 200 community members showed up for three simultaneous actions for Palestine, including a die-in inside the mall, a banner-drop off of Highway 75, and a picket outside of the main entrance to the mall.

Organizers handed out flyers and held signs to spread awareness of both the international boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign, as well as flyers promoting an online petition calling on the Dallas City Council to pass a resolution condemning the occupation and genocide in Palestine, and demanding direct U.S. humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine.

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By Sarah Martin

Protestors hold signs that say slogans like "Let Gaza Live" and "Say No To Genocide".

 St Paul, MN – 100 people rallied at the weekly Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) bannering at rush hour at the intersection of Snelling and Summit Avenues, November 17. People gathered to show their outrage of against the Israeli bombings on children, hospitals, homes and schools.

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By Gage Lacharite

Students protest university funding of Israeli apartheid. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tampa, FL – Students at the University of South Florida demonstrated their opposition to the ongoing bombing of Gaza on Thursday, October 26. 75 students representing a slew of organizations marched across campus from a busy intersection across from the administrative building, over to a plaza near the student center, chanting “Free Palestine” and “Hey USF you can’t hide! You are funding genocide!”

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