International Action Center cites September 22nd - 29th has
reason to be proud of its membership in
Troops Out Now Coalition LA
Front of march on Olympic & Broadway September 29th in Los Angeles.
September 29th, culminating from the week-long tent city to “Occupy the Occupiers” was historic in many ways from Washingon, D.C. to Los Angeles.
When the idea to parallel the D.C. action here in Los Angeles was first introduced by members of the Troops Out Now Coalition LA, many in the anti-war movement were excited about this idea since it was a powerful way to move from protest to resistance. However, many also believed it too ambitious and probably not allowed by Federal authorities, since a week-long anti-war encampment on Federal property had never been done before in Los Angeles.
However, the determination by the Troops Out Now Coalition LA members (BAYAN USA, Latinos Against the War, March 25th Coalition for Immigrant Rights and the International Action Center LA) not only made the encampment a reality but added to it the bringing together of various anti-war and social justice organizations that organized their own teach-ins and actions at the encampment. As if this wasn’t enough the tent city not only occupied one Federal building in Westwood, but, during midweek organizers marched 15.1 miles to the Downtown Federal Building to repeat the encampment there for another 4 days culminating in the march and rally on the 29th.
Organizers march 15.1 miles from Westwood Federal Building to Downtown Federal Building to continue Tent City there.
Each day and evening at these very visible encampments included informative workshops, discussions and anti-war films focusing on how to build a movement to stop U.S. imperialist aggression around the world. Although there were different views on how to make that happen, everyone learned from each other and drew strength and optimism from the unity that was built with individuals and organizations that hadn’t worked so closely together before.
From top left:
1) Downtown Federal Building Encampment - Don Bustany of Middle East in Focus leads teach-in. 2) Iraqi trade unionists discuss Iraq and U.S. occupation.
3) Westwood Federal Building Encampment - Group shot on first day of encampment. 4) Ron Kovic (top right) leads teach-in on creative non-violence and historic look at Westwood sit-in by Kovic and others in 1974.
Presenters at the encampment included Ron Kovic, author of Born on the Fourth of July; Eisha Mason of AFSC; Namibia Donadio of FIST; Don Bustany of Pacifica Radio’s Middle East in Focus; Carol Frances Likins of the Coalition in Solidarity with Cuba; Andy Griggs and Tom McKenzie of USLAW; Carlos Montes of Latinos Against the War; Martha Rojas of the March 25th Coalition and Eric Gardner of SDS and the Freedom Roads Socialist Party; Berny Motto of the FMLN; Mazen Almoukdad, member of Al Awda; Terrie Cervas, Bev Tang and Apollo Victoria of BAYAN USA; and Larry Hales of Workers World Party.
One of the most powerful and moving films shown at the encampment was Occupation 101, exposing the horrific nature of the illegal Israeli Occupation of Palestine.
Although some in the anti-war movement advocated dropping all other issues, and by so doing minimizing participation of those effected by such issues, the TONC demonstrations in both Washington, DC and L.A. included, not only the struggle for Palestine, but the fight against racism. The large beautiful lead banners in the demonstration in LA said: “Cut All War Funding for Iraq and Afghanistan – No War on Iran” next to “Stop the War – No War on Immigrants, Fight Racism – Free the Jena 6.” In D.C. the march rallied at FEMA, ICE and Department of Social Services and Education offices to make the connections to the domestic war and included a 6-hour standoff with the police during a sit-down blocking traffic on major streets in front of the Capitol (for video and more on the Washington action click here).
Left: Lead Banner at Washington D.C. march. Right: Larry Holmes, TONC leading organizer, (3rd from front right) participates with youth blocking street by Constitution Ave. in D.C.
In Los Angeles, the slogans highlighting the domestic war was reflected in the makeup of the very militant demonstration that included proportionately more people of color with more official union participation than previous anti-war protests. In fact, SEIU’s banner was moved up alongside the lead banners. Unite/Here and USLAW also had official delegations on the march.
March and Rally in Los Angeles on September 29th - From Top Left:
1) SEIU Banner joins lead banners. 2) Bus Riders Union contingent. 3) Latinos Against the War (TONC member organization) contingent.
4) Jasimen Syler speaks on Jena 6. 5) Mahmud Ahmad, Al-Awda representative in Los Angeles, speaks on Palestine. 6) (From left) Ray Armendariz, IAC organizer; Terrie Cervas, BAYAN USA representative; and Page Getz, TONC media coordinator, lead chants on march.
7) Freddie Monroe speaks on Katrina and racism. 8) Truck leading march
The week of September 22nd to the 29th was a very healthy step forward for the anti-war movement. Although large marches are necessary, large marches that don’t help in building principled unity with important allies, nor help to clarify the nature of U.S. imperialism by identifying and not hiding solidarity with its greatest victims will have the effect of coming in like the tide but then receding and disappearing even faster, with no real affect on the political landscape. We must continue to deepen ourselves in the grassroots working class movements around housing, health care, the fight against racism and repression so that our movement will be the living image in both composition and leadership of the great majority suffering the worst of oppression due to U.S. war and occupation. Once this happens, every action of international solidarity and against war that is taken by the movement will be earth shaking. As a member organization of TONC, the International Action Center is determined to continue on its principled path of clarity and unity and, in addition to calling for an immediate end to U.S. war, will continue to work on the grassroots level around all of the issues that affect our working class here in this country.
There is nothing more important than reviving the anti-imperialist, anti-racist struggle in this country. In our opinion, the TONC actions in LA and DC made that a reality on Sept 29 and challenged the rest of the movement to do the same.
To find out more about TONC give us a call at (323) 936-7266.
www.iacenterla.org TO VOLUNTEER OR DONATE CALL 323-936-7266. Los Angeles Office: 5274 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019 (323) 936-7266 iacenterla@action-mail.org The International Action Center (IAC) was launched in 1992 by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark and many others who had worked together against the Gulf War. The IAC organizes against U.S. imperialism and war abroad and fights its reflection of racism, injustice and poverty here in the U.S.
International Action Center
5C - Solidarity Center
55 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
email: mailto:iacenter@action-mail.org
En Espanol: iac-cai@action-mail.org
Web: http://www.iacenter.org
Support Mumia Abu-Jamal: http://www.millions4mumia.org/
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
Make a donation to the IAC and its projects
The International Action Center
Home ActionAlerts Press
Share this page with a friend