2023 was a tough year in the trenches for many in the US. This was a year of fireand smoke not only globally but domestically as well. The long-discussed “cold civil war”in the US seems not to be quite as cold as it’s used to be. Much of the menace of 2020 has returned.
Notable events include:
Before the year could even begin, the last week of 2022 features four threatened drag shows and the defense of them
The J6 2nd anniversary in DC.
The murder of tort-and the resulting fire and fury of the Cop City campaignwhich continued all year but most intensely with the March 5 raid by forest defenderson the Cop City staging area and its complete destruction by fire.
Police and prosecutors acting like Nazi Gestapo (all year)
All out attempts by DeSantis to wipe out or drive away FL’s LGBTQ community backfire,he ends the year all but out of contention for the White House.
*A very nasty 2023 session in Tallahasse-including warrants for protest after the fact
*Very, very tense Pride festivals as the DeSantis drag ban posed a menace before being tossed in Federal court days before St Petersburg FL’s major Pride event
Protests in FL around July 1 as some of DeSantis’s fascistic new laws went into effect.A ferocious drag defense in Lakeland against Christian nationalists, one of many in the US
Oct 7: The Gaza war breaks out and Israel responds with all-out bombardment and overt genocide. Most of the rest of the year focussed on resisting “Genocide Joe” Biden’s support with armsof genocide in Gaza, with notable exceptions including:
The Nov 13 protests taking the offensive against Cop City and the fires the following night
Climate Defiance breaking up and closing down an awards ceremony featuring the CEO of Exxon-Mobil
Both “ThingsTaking” and Christmas events were the focus of pro-Palestine protests. Shopping wasdirectly targetted with many protests striking shopping areas and the “While you’re shopping,bombs are dropping” chant some remember from GW Bush’s Iraq War
One of the year’s late events was the Dec 11 blockade of the Kennedy Street Bridge in Tampa, FLon a nationwide day of action for Gaza. Bridges and highways have been subject to blockadethroughout the country.
Getting the vehicles that defended that protest out was difficult, and cops picked off several forticketing and threats on the way out. This was but a taste of the menacing police, university,employer, and related efforts to forciby shut up anyone who dares to speak out against the genocidein Gaza.
As the year closed the shadows of 2016 and 2020 loomed. DeSantis is no longer a contender but withGenocide Joe having all but thrown away his chance of a second term, it appears we are going to haveto fight Trump again, this time with him speaking openly of dictatorship and learning from last timearound.
Yet hope rises: On Dec 20 the Colorado Supreme Court tossed Trump off the ballot in that state on14th Amendment/insurrection grounds. In addition, the recent threats and police harassment havecompletely failed to silence the Palestine protests.
Be ready for a very rough ride in 2024-see you in the streets!