From the January-February 2018 issue of News & Letters

Chicago—On the Second Day of Rage for Syria, Jan. 7, Chicago was one of several cities across the world that held a demonstration in solidarity with the people of Syria fighting for freedom and against their genocidal ruler, Bashar al-Assad.

Ukrainians in Chicago opposing Russian imperialism in Crimea and in Syria join others on the 2nd Day of Rage for Syria. Photo: David Turpin.

Signs and slogans conspicuously declared solidarity not only with Syrians but with the Iranian revolt, with political prisoners in Egypt, with Palestinians in Jerusalem, and with Yemenis being bombed. We were joined for a time by Ukrainians demanding an end to the Russian annexation of Crimea, agreeing with us that Russian imperialism must be opposed, whether in Ukraine or in Syria, where Assad’s greatest supporters have been Russian bombs.

Some protesters were from the Indiana Anti-war Committee in Solidarity with the Struggles for Self Determination, some were originally from Syria, and some from News and Letters Committees.

Though chilled to the bone from a frigid wind whipping off Lake Michigan and the Chicago River as we stood in front of the Chicago Tribune Tower, we were cognizant of the far greater risks taken by protesters that day in places like Aleppo and Moscow.

We declared that, like them, we recognize the serious setbacks that the freedom struggles have undergone, but we are not giving up. We want the world to know that the struggle continues and all should support it.

­­—Franklin Dmitryev