U.S. officials have chosen to operate outside the bounds of law and basic morality — from supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza and illegal settlement expansion, to launching a direct military strike on Venezuela that kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, to escalating repression against migrants and racialized communities inside the U.S. that has led to murder. These are not isolated policies, but interconnected expressions of an empire that relies on illegal violence abroad and domestically to enforce dominance. Friday January 23rd was one of the largest labor mobilizations in recent U.S. history with 10s of thousands of Minnesotans taking to the street to end the tyrannical violence of ICE and its anti-immigrant operations.
One day later, ICE agents in Minnesota have murdered another person — this time a 37-year-old man. The federal government is systematically violating the most fundamental of human rights: the right to life. While federal officials run cover for their crimes, state and local officials do nothing but stand by, make statements but take no action. We must demand that these democratically elected officials act immediately to defend their constituents and combat all attempts to clean the image of this neo-fascist state.
This includes the World Cup, which should not be used to launder state violence or normalize genocide and international gangsterism. We must hold state and local authorities accountable and demand they use their power to defend the human rights and safety of the people they claim to represent. Organizations and people of conscience must demand that FIFA move the games out of the U.S. and take a stand for people-centered human rights rather than empire, repression, and impunity. Sign the petition demanding that FIFA and the IOC ban the U.S. and Israel from hosting or participating in international sporting events.
More information on the printable 1-pager here.