Mantak Singh
Mantak Singh is a Seattle activist.
'U.S hands off Iran'
On April 14, 2024 in Tollefson Plaza, approximately 30 protesters gathered in Tacoma to demand “U.S hands off Iran” at a rally called for by several New Students for a Democratic Society chapters (SDS).
As activists began to gather at Tollefson Plaza, they chanted, “We demand justice, we demand peace! U.S. out of the Middle East!” Students and community members then gave speeches to condemn the provocation of Iran by the U.S. and Israel, amid the ongoing genocide being committed by Israel in Palestine.
SDS chapters present included the University of Puget Sound Students for a Democratic Society, School of the Arts Tacoma Students for a Democratic Society, the University of Washington Seattle Progressive Student Union, and the University of Washington Tacoma Progressive Student Union.
Xanat Romo, a member of School of the Arts Tacoma Students for a Democratic Society, added “Israel is starting to realize that the United States is steadily growing weaker and unstable and soon, they won't have the one of the world’s most hellish empires backing them up. Israel is starting to realize that whatever they get from the U.S. now is the most they’ll be getting.”
Annika Freeling, a member of University of Puget Sound Students for a Democratic Society, continued as to why the decline of U.S. imperialism has led to Israel’s genocidal aggression. She explained, “they’re scared that they can no longer launch air strikes on other countries without consequence. They know the time of their dominance is ending. This is why they were scared of Yemen; this is why they were scared of Lebanon, and most of all, this is why they were scared of Palestine.”
Talison Crosby, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “This is a critical moment in history. The U.S. empire is declining. It's trying desperately to maintain its hegemonic grip, but the people of the world are not having it. The people want freedom and national liberation!”
As speeches wrapped up, Mantak Singh, a member of University of Washington Seattle Progressive Student Union, took to the stage to encourage attendees to join the march on the Democratic National Convention planned for August 19, stating, “The Democratic Party has shown itself, especially in the past few months, to be more than willing to continue and further arm the genocide in Gaza.”
Singh continued, “This is why we are planning to march on the Democratic National Convention come August. In Chicago, the Democratic Party, with all their donors, delegates and politicians will descend on the city to coronate Genocide Joe as their nominee once again. They are going to celebrate themselves, clap themselves on the back, and prepare for another four years of arming a genocide.”[1]
Solidarity with Rafah
On March 20 2024, about 50 people gathered in Tollefson Plaza for a protest in solidarity with Rafah organized by School Of the Arts Students For A Democratic Society (SOTA SDS). Through this action, the protesters stood in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance and demanded an end of U.S. aid to Israel.
During the event, the crowd heard several speeches interspersed with chants. Gemini Gnull, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, led the demonstrators in chants such as, “Yemen Yemen, make us proud! Turn another ship around!” and “What do we want? What do we really, really want? Justice!”
To start the rally, Xanat Romo, the co-founder of SOTA SDS, said, “Let me tell you this – they’re counting on us to forget about all this for the genocide to be successful. They’re counting on us to gradually get bored and give up on doing what’s right. But if we shut up, they get away with it, but I’ve never been very good at shutting up. I know it. You know it, too, right? I want them to know it.”
Following this, Mantak Singh, a member of University of Washington Progressive Student Union, a chapter of New SDS, said, “ Our government provides billions of dollars in aid, our factories produce the bombs and bullets the IOF uses, and here in Tacoma, they even used the port to load up weapons to send on over. This is not a distant conflict. This is a genocide armed and financed right here, in the U.S.”
After another round of chants, Romo explained how he was inspired to start organizing after attending a disruption of city hall. After connecting with organizers there, she learned about how University of Puget Sound Students for a Democratic Society (UPS SDS) disrupted a speaking event of Derek Kilmer, a Zionist congressman, and how that further inspired him to start an SDS chapter before inviting Lauren Garelick, a member of UPS SDS, to speak.[2]
Anti-Israel protest
On November 9 2023, over 200 students from high schools across Seattle walked out and gathered in front of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to demand no more U.S. aid to Israel.
As students from Cleveland, Franklin, Nathan Hale and Garfield schools marched and converged at the Federal Building, joined by activists and community members from across the city, the energy was electric. The crowd chanted “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go!” and “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes!”
Mantak Singh, a member of the University of Washington Progressive Student Union, helped kick off the rally, stating, “The United States sends billions of dollars yearly to Israel, and has just approved $14 billion in ‘aid’ that will go to weapons and bombs, and kill more Palestinians. Over 10,000 Palestinians have already died this past month. Many of them are children. So, there is a very clear demand that we must put forward to our government: end U.S. aid to Israel!”
Zainab Chatta and Munira Mohamed, members of the Muslim Student Association at Nathan Hale High School, then took to the stage to tell a powerful story of Palestinian resistance against occupation. Faris Odeh, a Palestinian boy, regularly skipped school to throw rocks at Israeli Defense Force tanks. “After constant attempts to stop him from throwing stones, he kept picking them up. Never once was there any hesitation. Never once did his determination waiver,” said Chatta. Odeh was photographed throwing rocks at these tanks on November 8, 2000 and was killed by Israeli defense forces ten days later.
“Faris is one of many Palestinian martyrs who fought for their land and freedom time and time again. They all inspire us to speak out against injustice in any way we can – whether that be throwing stones at tanks, or taking to the streets in protest,” continued Chatta, to cheers from the crowd.
Jonathan Toledo, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, was the last to take the stage, delivering a final, powerful speech. “We must stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and demand that our governments end their aid to Israel! The Israeli occupation forces are paid for by American dollars. The Israeli occupation forces drop American bombs.”[3]
US Teamsters on the Frontlines!
US Teamsters on the Frontlines! was a July 16 2023 Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! webinar on the looming UPS strike.
Participants included Mantak Singh University of Washington Progressive Student Union.
FRSO comrade
Mantak Singh is a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization - Seattle.
Sara Nelson with Mantak Singh, August 2023.
Justice for Tyre Nichols
According to Dylan Pruitt, protesters and community members rallied at Dexter Avenue N and Thomas Street in the late afternoon of January 29, 2023 to call for justice for Tyre Nichols, Jaahnavi Kandula and all victims of police violence.
Eighty people gathered at the rally organized by the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and held at the intersection where Jaahnavi Kandula was killed by a speeding police vehicle.
“We hate that we have to be out here again and again, but we still don’t have justice for those killed by police terror,” said Clio Jensen, an organizer with SAARPR.
“The end goal is abolition. We just need a tool to get us there,” says Mantak Singh from the University of Washington Progressive Student Union. “Community control of the police, through a civilian police accountability council, is the best way to achieve that.”
“Enough is enough, we need to take back control for the people,” said Mantak Singh.[4]
“Don’t Say Gay” protest
According to Mantak Singh, on November 18, the University of Washington Progressive Student Union (PSU) held a banner drop in protest of the national “Don’t Say Gay” bill, introduced by Congressional Republicans last month.
Raymond Chen of PSU said, “This bill is a shameless exploitation of LGBTQ people in education, medical care and legal aid. This rally promoted the unreasonableness of this bill and has taken a solid step in promoting our reputation.”[5]
Abortion protest
According to Mantak Singh, sixty people gathered on the University of Washington campus, October 16, 2022 to rally for reproductive rights. Called by University of Washington Progressive Student Union (PSU), this protest was in response to the national call to action by New Students for a Democratic Society.
“While it’s important to get educated on these issues, it is also important to take action!” declared Anjali Sinha of Progressive Student Union. Local labor organizers, activists and students at the University of Washington echoed this call and gave ways to get involved.
“Police budgets increasing while our rights are rolled back is a disturbing trend, even here in Washington where reproductive rights seem safer,” said Vicki Amole of the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
“Reproductive rights are worker’s rights. Unions build power so that workers can have autonomy over their lives - from improving wages and closing the gender wage gap to having access to healthcare,” Unite Here Local 8 organizer Sydney Lankford asserted.
Toward the end, Clio Jensen of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization explained, “Queer liberation, trans liberation and women’s liberation necessitate an end to capitalism - only a revolution that puts working people in power can do that.”[6]