Chicago, IL – On March 13, over 150 students, staff and faculty members at the University of Illinois-Chicago rallied in front of their administration building to protest budget cuts which threaten five majors, non-tenured faculty, and cultural programs. The emergency protest was called to demand funding for education and a “chop from the top” model, as inflated admin salaries were called to attention. The protest had support from a broad collection of student organizations, faculty and local activists.

Speaking on behalf of Student for a Democratic Society at UIC, Jeremiah Munoz kicked things off by stating, “Instead of cutting out classes, cut the bloated administrator salaries, not our education! Don’t play with our future for that bloated salary. Stop funneling money into police while students struggle to afford tuition. Invest in our cultural centers, our language programs, our communities—not in executives who do nothing but approve cuts to education while collecting a premium salary.”

Next was Liz Rathburn, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, who stated, “UIC can find the money to advertise its diversity, it can find the money to raise the salaries of its admin, it can find the money to fund its own police force and it can even find money to buy new real estate, but when students and faculty need support, when it comes to funding what actually makes our university great, admin pleads poverty.”

Ending the rally on behalf of Students for a Democratic Society at UIC, April Rogers stated, “UIC is probably paying a lot to bring military recruiters on campus. They are probably paying a lot to have the CIA, the FBI, and even the State Department come to campus, as has happened multiple times since the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. UIC also gives millions of dollars to companies involved in the Israeli occupation of Palestine, including Boeing and Caterpillar. In 2023, this alone amounted to $21 million. Instead, UIC goes after cultural and language studies.”

Speakers from the Italian Club, Eastern European Student Association and Housing Staff United made it clear that the budget cuts are targeting the entire student body, and a cultural performance during the rally demonstrated the importance of preserving cultural studies and programs at UIC.

Although UIC administration forced the protest to move locations at the very last minute, students, staff and faculty remained undeterred. Despite the change in location, over 150 people marched through the campus chanting, demanding proper funding for education.

The protest was endorsed by Anakbayan, Sokoly, Housing Staff United, Eastern European Student Association, Italian Club, New Students for a Democratic Society. Students for Justice in Palestine, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#ChicagoIL #StudentMovement #SDS #Anakbayan #Sokoly #HousingStaffUnited #EasternEuropeanStudentAssociation #ItalianClub #SJP #FRSO

Washington, DC – On February 26, Wednesday evening, community organizers and activists gathered outside of the Embassy of the Philippines in DC to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA Peoples Power uprisings.

The action began with Tagalog chants of “Makibaka! Huwag matakot!” (Fight! Don’t be afraid!) and “From Palestine to the Philippines! Stop the U.S. war machine!” while speakers detailed the history of the EDSA uprisings and sacrifices of the Filipino people to oust the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Co-sponsoring organizations included the International League of Peoples Struggles Baltimore-DMV, Anakbayan DC and Montgomery County, Malaya Movement DC, and Katarungan DC.

After chants, a member of the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression speaking on behalf of ILPS-DMV, stated, “The wave of political repression we’re seeing in the forms of ICE raids, police brutality, national oppression, and attacks on the rights of all oppressed peoples, draws parallels to horrors the Filipino people faced in their revolutionary struggle against the brutal dictator Ferdinand Marcos.”

The day before, Malaya Movement DC, in partnership with other organizations, held a panel discussion on the People Power anniversary at Cleveland Park Library. It included speakers from many Filipino organizations, as well as Tita Delia, an activist who organized during martial law in the Philippines.

Tita Delia spoke on how martial law and the decades- long occupation of the Philippines would not be possible without the backing and support of the United States government. When asked how Filipino consciousness has changed over the decades, Tita Delia answered that Filipino youth in particular are much more sensitive to gender and LGBTQ issues, but many are unaware of the fascist dictatorship that terrorized the Philippines, and that this is largely due to the Marcos regime’s revision of history.

A speaker from Malaya Movement DC also stressed the importance of the decades-long struggle waged by the New People’s Army in the Philippines in the countryside.

#WashingtonDC #International #Philippines #ILPS #Anakbayan #Malaya #Katarungan #NAARPR

Washington, DC — El viernes por la noche, 15 de noviembre, Anakbayan DC celebró su quinto aniversario con presentaciones culturales que incluyeron canciones, bailes, poesía, comida y más en la Universidad American.

Miembros de la comunidad, estudiantes y otras organizaciones, como Anakbayan del Condado de Montgomery, Movimiento Malaya DC, la Alianza de DC Contra la Represión Racista y Política, Occupation Free DC, entre otras más, también estuvieron presentes.

Armand Cuevas, un organizador con Anakbayan DC, comentó, “Anakbayan originalmente empezó en las Filipinas y el capítulo local de DC empezó en 2019, entonces tuvimos una noche cultural el 15 de noviembre para celebrar cinco años de excitando, organizando y movilizando nuestras comunidades locales. Esperamos muchos más años de unir a la juventud filipina y sus aliados locales, luchando contra el descuido del estado y el saqueo en las Filipinas, y poniendo fin al imperialismo estadounidense a través de nuestro trabajo aquí dentro la panza de la bestia.”

Anakbayan USA es una organización nacional de jóvenes y estudiantes filipinos luchando por la democracia nacional en las Filipinas. Los organizadores del evento declararon los tres aspectos que el Movimiento Democratico Nacional busca combatir en Filipinas son el feudalismo, el imperialismo y el capitalismo burocrático. Adicionalmente, un organizador de Anakbayan DC habló brevemente sobre su experiencia asistiendo un viaje de exposición donde viajaron a las Filipinas, se integraron a varias comunidades, y aprendieron de los organizadores en el terreno.

Cuevas declaró, “Anakbayan DC es una organización local de base anti-imperialista luchando por la democracia nacional en las Filipinas con una perspectiva socialista. Queremos ver una Filipinas justa y libre de intervención extranjera con un gobierno que sea realmente para el pueblo.”

#WashingtonDC #DC #International #Philippines #Anakbayan

Washington, DC – On Friday evening, November 15, Anakbayan DC celebrated their five-year anniversary with cultural performances including songs, dances, poetry, food and more at American University.

Community members, students and other organizations, such as Anakbayan Montgomery County, Malaya Movement DC, the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Occupation Free DC, and others were also in attendance.

Armand Cuevas, an organizer with Anakbayan DC, stated, “Anakbayan originally started in the Philippines and the DC localized chapter started in 2019, so we had a cultural night on November 15 to celebrate five years of arousing, organizing and mobilizing our local communities. We look forward to many more years of uniting the local Filipino youth and allies, fighting against state neglect and plunder in the Philippines, and ending U.S. imperialism through our work here in the belly of the beast.”

Anakbayan USA is a national organization of Filipino youth and students fighting for national democracy in the Philippines. The organizers of the event stated the three aspects that the National Democratic Movement aims to combat in the Philippines are feudalism, imperialism and bureaucrat capitalism. Additionally, an organizer from Anakbayan DC briefly discussed their experience attending an exposure trip where they traveled to the Philippines, integrated into various communities, and learned from organizers on the ground.

Cuevas stated, “Anakbayan DC is an anti-imperialist local grassroots organization fighting for national democracy in the Philippines with a socialist perspective. We want to see a just and free Philippines without foreign intervention with a government that is truly for the people.”

#WashingtonDC #International #Philippines #Anakbayan

Chicago, IL – On Thursday, August 29, New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) started the week strong with a demonstration on campus, with about 90 students, demanding U.S. hands off Lebanon, an end of U.S. aid to Israel and to stand strong with Palestine.

Speakers from other progressive student organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at UIC, and Anakbayan at UIC, also spoke. The rally strengthened the students’ message of funding for education – such as cultural centers and student resources – not for genocide, war and occupation in Palestine.

Jeremiah Munoz, a member of SDS, told the crowd, “Here at UIC, complicity in genocide is nothing new. The institution allows military recruiters on a campus supposedly dedicated to education; the same military who will not hesitate to bring on a major war in the interests of corporations.”

Munoz continued, “UIC receives millions of dollars from the Department of Defense to fund weapons research used to bomb people in Palestine. This university allows ROTC to operate, continuing to train a generation that will carry out agendas of suffering abroad on behalf of a military that has been engaged in warfare against the Third World for the majority of its existence.”

Munoz called for students to mobilize against the university’s support of Israel and for complete divestment from apartheid Israel.

Sathvik Gowda, speaking for SJP at UIC, stated, “This past week Israel has raided and attacked countless villages in southern Lebanon. On July 31, Israel struck and assassinated the Palestinian resistance leader, Ismail Haniyeh, within the capital of Iran. Irael has deliberately assassinated the main ceasefire negotiator of the Palestinian resistance.”

Gowda also pushed for the mobilization of students and the continuation of the student intifada here in the United States.

Gowda stated, “As students in the U.S., it is our obligation and duty to not only hold our government accountable for genocide, but also hold our universities accountable for aiding and abetting this genocide. SJP has tried for close to a year now to meet with administration around these investments; however they continue to refuse to,” adding, “It is clear, the students at UIC overwhelmingly support divestment. Now the question is to UIC admin, will they stand for genocide or liberation?”

Liz Rathburn, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), gave a fiery speech on the power of the Palestinian resistance, stating, “The Al Aqsa Flood of October 7 was a shot heard around the world, one that has shattered the myth of the invincibility of the Israeli occupation forces.”

As the Palestinian resistance and people’s movement continue to build their unity and strength against the occupation, they’ve shown more and more a future reality of a liberated Palestine. In Gaza, the United States, and all around the world, the racist state of Israel continues to be pushed to defeat. And in reaction, it has intensified its genocide and its brutality against the Palestinian resistance.

Rathburn stated, “Now the Zionists are invading the West Bank and bombing south Lebanon. The U.S. and Israel have assassinated political leaders all over the region and have engaged in illegal acts of war by bombing Yemen, Iran, Syria and Lebanon. It is clear that it wants to start a wider war and bring in their patron, the U.S. empire.”

After the program, students marched around campus, with others joining the march as it went along. The march was also able to loop around UIC’s University Hall, where it was in sight and sound of the administration.

This first demonstration shows the continuation of the student movement here at UIC. It is still strong and daring to struggle, despite repression against the movement intensifying.

#ChicagoIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #Lebanon #Palestine #StudentMovement #SDS #FRSO #SJP #Anakbayan #Feature

Philadelphia, PA – Over 70 people took to the streets of North Philadelphia on May 1, International Workers Day. Community members and political organizations rallied together at the Philadelphia Peace Park, an area that has been liberated by the community from the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s racist management. It is now the site of a community garden where Peace Park volunteers are building a structure to hold community and educational events.

Although it is an international holiday and is more widely recognized in some countries than it is in the United States, the origins of May Day stretch back to Chicago in the 1880s. For over 100 years, May 1 has marked a day for the international working class to show solidarity as a class and support the rights of all.

The initial rally at the Peace Park stressed both the solidarity of those present in their fight against the oppressors and the memory of those fighters who live on through their contributions to the struggle.

The crowd formed up in the street and proceeded to the beat of drums to wave the red flag of socialism, the red, black and green flag of Black liberation, and the banners of embattled Palestine and the Philippines. Police shut down the roads three blocks in each direction of the demonstration as it moved. They marched chanting, “What’s the plan? Free the land! What’s the call? Free them all,“ to the office of the Philadelphia Housing Authority to deliver a statement demanding the deed to the land where the park is located. Marchers made it clear that Peace Park isn’t going anywhere and will not be surrendered back to the housing authority to be used for gentrification.

Organizers stopped two more times and took the mic to speak on imperialism, the history of Philadelphia, and the need for organization and solidarity in the international struggle against capitalism and national oppression.

Krystal Strong, representing Black Lives Matter Philly, spoke on the importance of organization and solidarity, stating “If you look at our history when we’ve been our strongest, when we’ve been the closest to liberation there's two things that we’ve done: the first is to join an organization, there is a place for every single member of our community, including the children, in our struggle; and we have connected across our organizations.”

Demonstrators finished their march back at the Peace Park where they shared a delicious and healthy meal.

Many organizations contributed to and supported the day’s events including the Philly Peace Park, We Charge Colonialism, African People’s Socialist Party, Philly Black Worker’s Project, Black Lives Matter Philly, Ubuntu Freedom, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, Voices of the People Podcast, Anakbayan Philly with many others present including Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#PhiladelphiaPA #PA #Labor #MayDay #FRSO #APSP #WCC #BLM #BWP #AAPRP #Anakbayan

Washington, DC — On April 25, at 5 a.m., students from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters from multiple DC universities took to George Washington University’s campus and started a Washington DC student encampment for Palestine.

George Washington University has been criticized for repressing its Palestinian students and their allies on campus while defending both on and off-campus Zionists. The university called the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to intimidate the students and start the sweep of the encampment. The MPD then sent out a notice to all students ordering their dispersal at 7 p.m.. In response, the organizers in DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) SJP made a call for increased community mobilization to stave off the police. Within a few hours, the DC community mobilized to support the encampment in the thousands. At its peak, around 2000 people were on campus at the event, chanting and supporting the students. University faculty and alumni from multiple DC universities formed a barrier between students and the police.

Because of this mass mobilization effort, 7 p.m. came and went; the police did not follow through on their dispersal order, instead waiting until late in the evening, when people had started to go home, to try to sweep the encampment.

As of April 26, the encampment is still standing, and the community continues to rally around the four demands of the students, which are for the university to one, disclose how their endowment is spent; two, divest from all companies and partnerships who participate in the colonization and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people; three, defend Palestine activism which has been repressed and censored, and four, declare the Zionist occupation, colonization and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people and the U.S.-Israeli genocide on Gaza illegal and indefensible.

There were many community organizations present, participating in teach-ins and protests, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, Anakbayan DC, the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR), and many more.

A member of DCAARPR stated in their speech, “We are engaged in an act of rebellion. This moment of struggle on GW’s campus is a powerful thread in the worldwide struggle against Zionism and, by extension, American imperialism. The student movement has always been at the forefront of anti-imperialist struggles, and who has always been called as the first line of defense against them? The police!” This was followed by the masses of people chanting in unison, “MPD, KKK, IOF, they’re all the same!”.

The students continue to call for community mobilization and support in the D.C. area.

#WashingtonDC #StudentMovement #SDS #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #DCAARPR #PYM #Anakbayan #GWU

Chicago, IL – Organizers with the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention held a press conference outside City Hall on Tuesday morning to speak out against the denial of their permit applications. The Chicago Department of Transportation gave the coalition an alternate route four miles away from where the DNC is scheduled to happen.

“We reject their decision because we have the right to voice the demands of the people within sight and sound of the DNC. We demand a permit to march as a gesture of good faith that the police will not introduce violence into our family-friendly protest.” said Jasmine Smith, a co-chair of the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Torture (CFIST), which is a campaign of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

“Many of the attendees of the DNC are responsible for or complicit in U.S. aggression against other countries including genocide in Palestine, police committing crimes with impunity, mass incarceration, deportations, neglect of LGBTQ and reproductive rights, undermining of workers’ demands, and other injustices against the people,” Smith continued.

“We all have the right to protest within sight and sound of the DNC, but right now, Palestinians should be afforded even more of this right, since the politicians that will be here, including Genocide Joe Biden, are the ones responsible for the almost 30,000 Palestinians who have been killed in Gaza by the U.S.-funded Israeli military since October 7,” said Nazek Sankari with the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN)

Tthe Democratic Party base in Chicago wants a ceasefire, wants to see Israel stop the genocide, wants to see its nominal leader, Joe Biden, stop arming Israel and end U.S. aid to Israel,” Sankari continued.

“We want money for jobs and education, not for wars and occupation. From Palestine to the Philippines, we demand an end to the U.S. war machine,” said Diana Balitaan with Anakbayan Chicago, after explaining how Democratic Party politicians are allied with the reactionary Marcos Duterte regime in the Philippines.

“We’re demanding that the Democrats act and vote on our behalf, on behalf of asylum seekers and all immigrants,” said Maggie Lugo, executive director of the Federation of Michoacan Clubs. “We’re not asking, we're demanding what we deserve.''

“With or without a permit we are going to be out there. They can't stop u,” said Regina Russell, member of Mothers Advancing Movements for Abolition and Solidarity (MAMAS) in a written statement.

The coalition will be appealing the decision in court this week, but organizers emphasized that the mass movement will ultimately be responsible for winning the permit.

“This is not our first rodeo,” Joe Iosbaker with CAARPR said in reference to his and other coalition members’ experience organizing marches on NATO and the RNC, as well as mass rallies for all the fights coalition members are involved in.

Iosbaker continued, “We’re going to get a permit because the power of the people is stronger than the people in power.”

#ChicagoIL #PeoplesStruggles #UnitedStates #DNC #MarchOnDNC2024 #NAARPR #CAARPR #USPCN #CFIST #Anakbayan

Santa Ana, CA – On Wednesday, October 25, chants of “When people are occupied, resistance is justified!” and “Not another nickel! Not another dollar! No more money for Israel’s slaughter!” filled the streets of Santa Ana as over 50 people rallied outside the Ronald Reagan Federal Building to protest Israeli occupation of Palestine.

This rally occurred as part of a national student walkout for the following demands: for the University of California system to divest from weapon’s manufacturers arming Israel’s genocide in Gaza; for Israel to end its siege on Gaza, and for the U.S. to end its funding for Israel.

A representative of SoCal Students for Justice in Palestine put the bombing of Gaza in historical context, going back to 1948, when “the violent expulsion of indigenous Palestinian people displaced over 600,000 Palestinians.” She also called out the UC school system for its complicity in funding Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which includes the use of “internationally prohibited weapons such as white phosphorus shells and new chemical weaponry, burning victims beyond recognition.”

An organizer with the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition supported student demands for universities to divest from the weapons manufacturers that profit from Israeli occupation, stating, “These same weapons manufacturers produce tools to police and surveil our communities here and at the U.S./Mexico border.”

A member of Anakbayan Long Beach spoke in solidarity with Palestine, stressing that they support “the people of Palestine as they fight for liberation from the U.S.-backed Zionist settler-colonialist state.” The speaker underscored not only the U.S. role in maintaining the occupation of Palestine, but also of the resistance of the Palestinian people, who continue to “fight resolutely for their land and liberation, even in the face of the unrelenting Israeli military siege in Gaza.”

The rally concluded with chants such as, “From the belly of the beast! No justice, no peace!” and “Free, free, free Palestine!”

#SantaAnaCA #Palestine #SJP #Anakbayan

Chicago IL – On October 25, over 400 students at the University of Illinois Chicago walked out of their classes and rallied to demand that Israel end its genocidal siege of Gaza. The protest was coordinated with dozens of campuses across the country holding actions simultaneously.

UIC’s protest was called by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Students for a Democratic Society, Anakbayan, and Dissenters.

Activists led the crowd in chants of “There is only one solution, intifada revolution!” and “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes!”

The rally kicked off with speeches from faculty members Nesreen Hassan and Andy Clarno. Hassan emphasized the importance of faculty supporting students organizing to support Palestinian liberation in the face of repression, stating, “Students who speak for Palestinian rights are facing a lot, you’re being vilified by the media, you’re being attacked. But everyone is standing by you, the public is standing with you.”

SJP UIC President Jenin Zayed condemned the discrimination Palestinian students face from UIC administrators. During an informational Zoom call on the university’s study abroad program in Israel Palestinian students were denied access to the call until they changed their display names to white-sounding names like Hayley and Rebecca. On another occasion members of SJP had the police called on them for flyering against a Zionist speaker, this led to police grabbing one student by her hijab. Zayed denounced the racist actions of the administration and called on the university to cut its ties with Israel.

SDSer Angel Naranjo denounced the U.S. government's support for Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestine, stating, “The mass murder of Palestinians is not an issue for Palestinians only. It’s not an issue for politicians only – and it can’t be – because many of them are also supporting the ongoing genocide of Palestinians. It’s an issue for everybody.”

Naranjo continued, “We must understand that we have way more in common with the Palestinian people than we do with many of our so-called ‘elected officials.’ In fact, we share a common enemy: the corporate Democrats and the reactionary Republicans of these United States. So my message to our ‘elected’ officials is stop calling the weapons that you are supplying these racists ‘aid.’ Stand with the Palestinian people if you are truly about justice!”

Naranjo ended in a message of support for the Palestinian resistance, stating, “In SDS we say dare to struggle, dare to win! But, we don’t gotta tell the Palestinians that, because they’ve been struggling their whole lives. And they will win!”

#ChicagoIL #Palestine #StudentMovement #SDS #SJP #Anakbayan #Dissenters

Salt Lake City, UT – On October 21, hundreds of protesters gathered at the steps of the University of Utah’s administrative offices in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance. Speakers condemned the University’s cooperation with Israel and called for the community to take action towards an academic boycott of Israel.

The action came on the heels of University of Utah President Taylor Randall’s noncommittal, pro-Israel statement concerning the attempted ethnic cleansing of the Gaza strip and the ongoing rebellion throughout Palestine.

Julio Irungaray, an organizer with MECHA at the University of Utah, said “There are no both sides to this genocide. The U.S. government should end aid to apartheid!”

Adrian Romero from Utah Students for a Democratic Society condemned the university’s study abroad program with Israel, saying, “By working with an Israeli university, the U is complicit in the atrocities against the Palestinian people. We demand that the U end this partnership.”

Protesters chanted “From Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go!” and “Intifada, intifada!” as they marched to the Legacy Bridge over Mario Capecchi Drive, a major thoroughfare in northern Salt Lake City. Protesters waved Palestinian flags over the side of the bridge, and many passing cars honked in a show of support for the event.

The event was organized by MECHA of U of U, Utah Students for a Democratic Society, and Anakbayan Phoenix.

#SaltLakeCityUT #Palestine #StudentMovement #SDS #MECHA #Anakbayan

Celine Qussiny from Palestinian Youth Movement explained that Palestinians have a right to resist and respond to the ongoing Zionist attacks and occupation. “This escalation is a direct response to 75 years of ongoing Nakba and ethnic cleansing. The Zionist entity bears full responsibility for this escalation.” She ended her speech with “the struggle for Palestinian liberation continues and will continue until the complete liberation and return of our people!”

President Joe Biden has called the operation a terrorist assault and has stated that the U.S. is “ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.”

In response to these accusations of terrorism, John Nonato from Anakbayan University of California, Irvine and Bayan Southern California, stated: “We understand that it’s the U.S. imperialists that are the number one terrorists. The U.S. imperialists funding the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces], the occupation forces that are also training the armed forces in the Philippines to suppress our people. We have a right to resist – it is not terrorism.”

#AnaheimCA #Palestine #PalestinianYouthMovement #Anakbayan #Bayan

New York, NY – Starting the morning of Monday, May 9, Filipinos and allies across the tri-state area began hosting a vigil outside of the Consulate General of the Philippines. They committed to stay until the results of a historic election were announced.

The Northeast Vigil for Democracy was one of dozens across the U.S. calling for a fair election as Filipinos voted for a variety of different positions. All eyes are on the presidency as two main candidates fight it out – Bongbong Marcos and Leni Robredo. While Marcos ran on a robust social media campaign based on rewriting history of his family, Robredo brought forward the people in effort to affect positive change.

At 7 p.m. that day, a rally began with close to 100 protesters. Speakers from different organizations, such as BAYAN, Malaya, Anakbayan, and others spoke about the meaning of this election, and why it was important that all voted. A few of the speakers emphasized how this was an avenue to explore when it came to change, but regardless of the results it was important to continue organizing.

Jessica Schwartz from the New York Community Action Project gave a speech in solidarity, stating, “That is why those of us fighting against the police here must also stand with the national democratic movement of the Philippines. We have a shared interest in the overthrow of U.S. imperialism and freedom for the Philippines and all nations facing violence by the U.S. government. None of us will be free until all of us are free. Long live international solidarity!”

The rally ended in high spirits as protesters set up to keep vigil overnight.

Unfortunately, in the morning hours, the results showed that Marcos, who is guilty of massive election fraud, had won. However, this didn’t deter the protesters from keeping vigil outside of the consulate. They are currently still protesting and calling for justice and democracy.

#NewYorkNY #Philippines #BAYAN #ANAKBAYAN #NewYorkCommunityActionProjectNYCAP #Asia

The speakers recognized the need for systemic change and racism’s connection to capitalism. One speaker, Alex Woolner of the Northern California Unemployed Committee, stated, “It is poverty that drives crime. With millions unemployed crime will only go up, something that our militarized police will use to justify increasing their already bloated budgets,” and he continued, “They will siphon money that could provide us with meaningful employment, with housing, and unemployment benefits, which is money that is desperately needed as our government’s lack of response to COVID-19 grinds on.” Speakers pointed out that we should remember that the militarization of the police comes at the expense of badly needed social services; we can either have a militarized police force or higher standards of living and a better quality of life. The choice is obvious to a majority of the population.

Filipino activists connected George Floyd’s execution to a local killing. Angelo Quinto was a Filipino-American from Antioch, California, and the Antioch Police Department murdered him on December 26, 2020 in the same fashion as Floyd. He suffered from mental illness. He would have turned 31 on March 10, 2021. Their murders are similar. A speaker from Anakbayan, Basheer Rydhan, declared that one can “trace back all of these problems and you will find that they all lead to a fundamental problem of capitalism with imperialism as its highest stage, and racism is its conjoined twin.”

Mike Paradela, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, demanded that communities have control over police, stating, “History shows that when the oppressed masses assert control over the police and have independent political power, the ruling class is unnerved and labels them a threat. Why are they a threat one might ask? They’re a threat because they are expressing their democratic rights! They are a threat because they have the political means to safeguard their humanity, dignity and right to life! They are a threat because they are the masters of their own destiny and makers of their history and their future.”

Another key highlight included the necessity of all oppressed nationalities to unite against the common enemy of the U.S. monopoly capitalists. All the speakers expressed the need for people to unite as one to win justice for George Floyd.

Anakbayan, FRSO, NAARPR, and the Northern California Unemployed Committee all demanded that communities have control over the police.

Seeing a coalition of activists and a community gather to demand justice is a welcome sight. The action excited many of the organizers to build a local movement to fight for George Floyd and Angelo Quinto!

#SanJoséCA #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #ANAKBAYAN #GeorgeFloyd #NorthernCaliforniaUnemployedCommittee

Seattle, WA – The Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) held a rally at Cal Anderson Park. September 6, as a crowd of around 50 people listened to speakers demanding the city of Seattle move to community control of the police.

Cole Palmer, emcee and SAARPR member, said, “Community control of the police is an avenue not only for demilitarization, defunding and reallocating of resources, but also abolition.”

A central component of SAARPR’s demand for community control is subjecting the budget, union and policies of the Seattle Police Department to the will of the people through an elected civilian body.

Along with the demands for community control, there was an agreement between everybody in the crowd that a major roadblock to progress was the local police union, the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild, or SPOG. Other speakers included members of Anakbayan, union members from labor groups who supported SPOG’s removal from the King County Labor Council, and leaders from other local organizations.

At the end of the rally, the crowd was led in a reciting of Assata Shakur’s Famous quote:

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

#SeattleWA #ANAKBAYAN #CommunityControlOfThePolice #SeattleAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepressionSAARPR

Los Angeles, CA – On November 30, Anakbayan-USA had their Third Congress, with more than 200 members from 12 chapters across the country in attendance. They learned lessons on solidarity, talked about the economic situation in the United States and reported back on the progress being made on a national and local level.

Anakbayan-USA had three national organizations they invited to speak on their “International Solidarity” panel: the Palestinian Youth Movement, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, and National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

CISPES and PYM spoke on bridging the gap between the community and activist organizations, and activities they do, such as trauma healing, in order to get both young and old more integrated into the work. National SDS’s speaker, Mark Napieralski, talked about attacks against immigrant communities in the United States and how the struggle to save DACA must be concerned around building policies to protect all people on campuses.

#LosAngelesCA #Philippines #ANAKBAYAN

Chicago, IL – On the afternoon of August 28, members of Students for a Democratic Society and AnakBayan Chicago, at the University of Illinois at Chicago, passed out flyers on the quad to oppose the partnership that the university has with the CIA. SDS members held a banner reading “CIA off campus,” the slogan that has been used in past decades by student activists around the country in similar campaigns. Protesters held signs each detailing a different CIA operation and the number of deaths it caused.

In February 2018, the UIC announced that they had become a CIA Signature School. Only three months later, Gina Haspel was named the director of the Agency. Haspel has a long history of running torture operations across the globe.

The CIA Signature School program aims to recruit students, particularly international students, into their ranks. Student activists are opposed to the partnership because of issues of privacy, a troubling history of how the CIA interacts with international students on university campuses, and because the CIA is an tool of U.S. imperialism.

UIC is the fourth university to enter into this partnership, coming after the City University of New York Baruch Campus, the University of New Mexico, and Florida International University. All these universities were targeted because of their large populations of students of color and international students. Student and faculty activists at CUNY Baruch College forced their university to release the memorandum of understanding with the CIA in 2018, which includes the statement that one of the purposes of the partnership is to “push a diversity and inclusion brand.”

“Partnerships like this normalize imperialism, and that’s something we have to stand against whenever it shows up,” said one SDS member.

UIC student activists held two CIA Off Campus events during the Spring 2019 semester, but this is their first action as a newly-formed chapter of SDS. AnakBayan Chicago is also starting a student chapter at UIC. “CIA Off Campus” is an ongoing campaign at UIC.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #ANAKBAYAN #CIA #UICSDS

San Francisco, CA – On July 22, more than 300 people packed the street in front of the Philippine consulate in San Francisco. Chants of “People power now!” and “No justice, no peace! Stop the killings in the Philippines!” rang out as protestors called for the ousting of Philippine President Duterte, who has killed thousands in his so-called ‘war on drugs.’ The occasion was the “Peoples’ SONA” on the occasion of the official State of the Nation Address given by the Philippine president each year.

Speakers from the BAYAN/Anakbayan of San Francisco, Migrante, and other organizations including the Arab Resource and Organizing Committee and the National Lawyers Guild spoke out against the Duterte and U.S. military aid to his regime. Included in the program was a professor from San Francisco State University, Reverends Sadie Stone and Michael Yoshi, and former elected official Rodel Rodis.

People waved flags reading “Oust Duterte” and “Stop the killing in the Philippines” along with banners representing PAWIS, MIGRANTE, Gabriella, BAYAN, and Anakbayan. In a daring action, activists hung a huge banner saying “Oust Duterte, stop the killing in the Philippines” above the door of the Philippine Consulate.

The Hip-hop artist Bambu fired up the crowd and ended by saying “Take it beyond social media – take it to the streets – that is how change is made!” to the roaring approval of the crowd.

After the action at the Philippine Consulate, the protest moved two blocks to Union Square, where it ended with organizers taking a group photo. The protest was organized by Malaya, and was one of eight protests in cities across the United States including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon; Houston and Washington, DC.

#SanFranciscoCA #OppressedNationalities #Philippines #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #AsianNationalities #ANAKBAYAN #RodrigoDuterte #Migrante

New York, NY – 50 activists gathered for an emergency rally for Philippine activist for Rafael Baylosis in front of the Philippine consulate here, Feb. 5. Baylosis is the labor leader and consultant for the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, who was arrested on Jan. 31 on trumped-up charges. The arrest is in violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHR-IHL), which the Philippine government is bound to by being a signatory of both.

The rally was organized by BAYAN USA, and included speeches from New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC, Gabriela NY, Anakbayan NY, International Action Center, and Labor Against Racist Terror.

“The crackdown on BAYAN leaders is a sign of desperation, is a sign that Duterte’s popularity is falling,” said Bernadette Ellorin of BAYAN USA. “His supporters are small in numbers, and therefore, he must unleash attacks on the people. He must intimidate the opposition, in order to keep the appearance of still being popular.”

Toward the end of the protest, protesters from NYC Shut It Down joined the rally from Grand Central, leading to a march to Times Square. The demonstartion ended with a chant made famous by Assata Shakur, to make the connection between repression of Philippine activists and African-Americans, in honor of Black History Month.

#NewYorkNY #Philippines #ANAKBAYAN #NationalDemocraticFrontOfPhilippines #PoliticalRepression #RafaelBaylosis #Asia

Peace in Mindanao Hinges on Eradicating Poverty, Landlessness, Ending U.S. Counterinsurgency Ops; Not Greater Militarization

BAYAN-USA, Anakbayan-USA and GABRIELA USA condemn the declaration of martial law by the Duterte administration in Mindanao and call for it to be immediately revoked to ensure the protection of civilian communities from greater militarization and violence.

“The increased militarization and bombings in Marawi City must stop! Martial law will never lead to peace in Mindanao. It will only aggravate the roots of the armed conflict in the region and place thousands of innocent civilians in danger of violent attack,” states Bernadette Ellorin, BAYAN-USA Chairperson.

“With more military operations, women and children will be even more vulnerable to rape, harassment and other sexual abuse,” says Irma Shauf-Bajar, GABRIELA USA Chairperson.

We call on President Rodrigo Duterte to pursue diplomatic and peaceful means to address not only the attacks by the Maute group in Marawi, but also the roots of the armed conflict in Mindanao. This includes implementing urgent social and economic reforms outlined in the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms. Discussion of these reforms is part of the ongoing peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which include respecting the Moro people’s right to self-determination and respect for ancestral domain.

“The declaration of martial law throughout the island of Mindanao denies the historic right of the Moro people to self-determination, and it puts those who continue to legitimately fight for their right to land and self-determination, including the Moro people and the Lumad, at increased risk of state repression,” states Adrian Bonifacio, Anakbayan-USA Chair.

Crushing Poverty, Landlessness Amidst Natural Wealth

The social unrest and armed conflict in the Bangasamoro region of Mindanao must be placed within the proper socio-economic and historical context. Lanao del Sur, the province where the Maute group operates, has the highest poverty rate in the Philippines, yet remains one of the most resource-rich in the country, a prime attraction for foreign corporations for lucrative investments and large-scale extractive operations.

A February 2006 leaked cable from Wikileaks revealed the Liguasan Marsh in the Cotabato Basin, spanning 288,000 hectares, and stronghold of several armed Moro groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, holds the largest deposits of oil and natural gas in the Philippines and in the region, worth hundreds of billions in U.S. dollars.

“The armed conflict in the Bangsamoro territory of Mindanao is essentially rooted in the Moro people’s legitimate struggle for self-determination, including aspirations for genuine sustainable development that would allow for the Moro people’s livelihood off of their own land. It would also mean freedom from over a century of U.S. counterinsurgency (COIN) operations that continue until this day, designed to keep the natural resources of the region under foreign control,” Ellorin continued.

Vigilance Against U.S. Warmongering

“But the U.S.-backed mainstream media and die-hard militarists in the Duterte administration, such as Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, opportunistically distort the narrative into one of so-called Islamic extremism, so-called terrorism, and drumbeat a pretext for greater militarization, especially U.S. military intervention, just as the US-backed Arroyo administration did in 2002. The media’s aggressive highlighting of the involvement of US-CIA trained and armed groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda speaks directly to US warmongering,” Ellorin asserted.

In addition, BAYAN-USA, Anakbayan-USA and GABRIELA USA also call for greater vigilance against increasing U.S. intervention in the region, as the Trump administration recently increased the U.S. defense budget by $59 billion, resulting in $639 billion for US-led war and militarization abroad, and especially in Asia. “The Trump administration’s increase in military spending goes hand in hand with a proposed $10.6 billion cut in the national budget for public education, alongside cuts to other social services. We condemn the diversion of funds that should be spent on the people toward war and militarization in the Philippines and around the world,” continued Bonifacio. Mindanao remains the region in the Philippines with the largest deployments of Philippine military and largest concentration of U.S. military personnel.

GENUINE & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, NOT MARTIAL LAW, IN MINDANAO!

NO TO US WARMONGERING IN THE PHILIPPINES!

SOLIDARITY WITH THE MORO PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION!

ADVANCE THE GRP-NDFP PEACE TALKS TOWARDS A JUST AND LASTING PEACE!

#UnitedStates #OppressedNationalities #Philippines #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #BAYAN #ANAKBAYAN