Los Angeles protests U.S. proxy war, media censorship

Soaring utility rates, rising food costs, and other inflationary prices are impoverishing many in Los Angeles. And it’s been brewing more and more anger against war spending and escalation in Ukraine. 

Some of that anger was expressed March 18 at the CNN building, with about 200 people demanding an end to the U.S. proxy war on Russia and an end to NATO.

The rally was organized by a coalition including the ANSWER coalition and CODEPINK. Many of those who attended feel that CNN is a co-conspirator with the U.S. in escalating this war. Like other corporate media outlets, CNN censors stories that contradict the U.S. narrative.

John Parker of the Socialist Unity Party was present at a table shared by the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice and the Black Alliance For Peace. Parker was one of the voices censored by CNN and other corporate media, which refused to publicize his eyewitness account from Ukraine and the Donbass region that was reported by Struggle-La Lucha, CovertAction Magazine and Black Agenda Report.

Najeeb Jones, who was also staffing the table, spoke at the rally, representing the Black Alliance for Peace. Najeeb is also a member of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party.

Many people who found out about the rally from the postings and emails of the Harriet Tubman Center stopped at the table. Others were attracted by the banner for the campaign to “Roll Back Prices – No to Inflation and War.” 

People signed up for future actions, like tabling at grocery stores and marching against SoCalGas, which has raised utility rates, sometimes by eight times the previous month’s rate. They also signed up for activities of the Black Alliance for Peace. 

Organizers are hopeful that these contacts will help in building even larger actions against the war, reaching further into the working class of Los Angeles.