CHICAGO, June 10 – A multiracial group of over a dozen Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members and friends united downtown this evening to inject communist internationalism and antiracism into the ongoing fight against the fascist Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A mass mobilization was called for today to show solidarity with the ongoing militant rebellion of workers in Los Angeles who are resisting open capitalist state terror in the struggle for a better world.
Workers and youth present were eager for our revolutionary energy and analysis, and we distributed 300 bilingual flyers and just as many copies of CHALLENGE newspaper. We led many communist chants in both Spanish and English, while giving speeches that blasted racist bloodsucking capitalism being at the root of deportations, imperialist war, and environmental devastation.
Antiracist uprisings like those were involved in now are necessary and justified responses to a wretched profit system that destroys countless lives every second. But rebellion alone, however bold, will not lead to our liberation as a working class. It’s essential to build a mass international communist PLP of millions of workers and soldiers who can elevate the fight from pitiful reforms to the revolutionary class war that finally creates a borderless communist society.
Workers fight back against fascist deception, attack
Although Los Angeles is being seen as the epicenter of national fightback against fascist deportations, resistance against raids and arrests has been ongoing across the country. Prior to today’s march, in Chicago on June 4th, there was a rapid mobilization to defend immigrant workers against a despicable attack from ICE.
On that day, several immigrant workers connected with a federal program called Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) received text messages ordering them to attend a “surprise check-in” about their legal proceedings. Upon getting to the office, however, at least ten were arrested and detained (Block Club Chicago, 6/9).
Dozens of antiracist fighters, including several PLP members, learned of the attack through rapid response networks and were on the scene promptly trying to de-arrest, document, and give whatever support possible. Upon getting there they squared off with the ICE neo-slave catchers armed with military-grade weapons and gear.
While the liberal politicians running Chicago proudly like to flout the city’s “sanctuary” status and how local kkkops won’t cooperate with ICE, we know they’ll never do anything significant to protect our class. Although it’s President Donald Trump and his faction of white nationalist bosses running the deportation machine today, we can never forget that it has been the racist liberal bosses who built and perfected that machine, from Clinton to Obama to Biden. Capitalism can’t maximize profit without dividing and terrorizing workers – It doesn’t matter who’s in office!
Take the streets, join the Party
It was this class-conscious understanding and anger that we brought with us today to share with the rebellious masses downtown. After realizing that there was no one giving much direction to the rally or march, we gladly took over political leadership.
Chants such as “Democrats, Republicans, All the Same – Racist Terror is the Name of their Game” and “Obreros unidos, jamás serán vencidos!” were picked up with enthusiasm by many others. We called out the kkkops flanking the march for their fundamental role in upholding the capitalist dictatorship, shouting “CPD (Chicago Police Department), KKK, IOF, they’re all the same!”
Some marchers tried to contrast our communist chant of “The workers united, will never be defeated” with the more liberal version “The people united, will never be defeated!” We pointed out that in the history of the working-class movement the term “people” has been used to include nationalist bosses and other exploiters who block the path to communist revolution. We proudly chant “workers” because we know that our class is truly the only progressive force that can bring about an egalitarian world.
At the conclusion of the march in Daley Plaza, a comrade addressed the crowd on our bullhorn attacking capitalism and inviting everyone there to join the Party. Many came up to us to get more literature and give contact information afterwards, and we will be following up with them in the weeks and months of struggle to come.
We need communism ASAP
Participating in recent antiracist struggles is showing that much of the working class is deeply enraged with the status quo of capitalism. Witnessing families being torn apart, as the world burns through imperialist wars and unchecked climate chaos, has our class seeking a real alternative. Let’s work even harder to build this movement and PLP to bring communist revolution on as soon as possible!
