PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS CONDEMNS TRUMP INVASION OF VENEZUELA

Today, the People’s Organization For Progress condemned the Trump administration’s military invasion of Venezuela and the kidnapping of that country’s president.

“The military attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of the country’s president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores was an illegal act of war. We unequivocally condemn this action as a war crime,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“It was an illegal military intervention because the Congress of the United States has not declared war on Venezuela. According to the Constitution it is Congress not the President that has the power to declare war,” Hamm said.

“President Trump attacked and invaded a country that did not attack the United States. This was an act of aggression. This was a war crime,” he declared.

“Kidnapping and holding hostage that country’s president on trumped up drug charges is also a war crime. Everyone knows that our attack on Venezuela has little to do with drugs and everything to do with oil, rare earths and valuable minerals,” he said.

“And if we occupy that country militarily as President Trump says he plans to do, that too shall be a war crime. When he ran for president he said he wouldn’t engage in regime change. That’s exactly what this is,” he stated.

“Trump said that we wouldn’t have any more never ending wars. So, how long will U.S. troops be in Venezuela? Will it be twenty years like Afghanistan? How much will it cost U.S. taxpayers?,” he asked.

“If we occupy that country for a prolonged period it will probably end up costing billions of dollars. Rather than spending all of that money on war we should spend it on health care, jobs, housing, and education,” he said.

“We just went through a round of federal budget cuts that slashed billions from social programs. It never fails. There is never enough money to fund people’s needs but there is always money for another war,” he said.

Hamm said the removal of Maduro is the latest in a long line of coups and military interventions aimed at removing leaders of other nations who stand in the way of U.S. interests and acquisition of their natural resources.

He said Mossadegh, Arbenz, Lumumba, Diem, Sukarno, Nkrumah, Sankara, Aristide, Hussein, Gaddafi, Maduro and others were overthrown by our government. The CIA also assisted in the capture of Nelson Mandela when he was fighting against the racist white minority apathied regime in South Africa.“The extraction of Maduro brings to mind that of another victim of U.S. regime change, Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.  He was also accused of drug smuggling, was imprisoned and subsequently died,” he said.

“The U.S. should cease all hostilities immediately, withdraw our forces from that country, and return President Maduro and his wife to Venezuela. This attack is all wrong and it will have catastrophic consequences,” he said.

“Congress must do its job and rein in this out of control president before he destroys that country, brings dangerous unrest to the region, destabilizes the hemisphere, and sets the world on fire,” he said.

For more information contact the People’s Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001.

PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS WILL PROTEST TRUMP POLICIES AND TREATMENT OF DETAINEES AT ICE FACILITY

An “Eyes On ICE” protest against Trump administration policies and unjust treatment of immigrant detainees will take place tomorrow, Saturday, November 22nd, 12:00 noon, at Delaney Hall, 451 Doremus Avenue in Newark.

It is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP) in conjunction with other organizations that have been having weekly and daily justice vigils for months at Delaney Hall.

“The purpose of this demonstration is to protest against the unfair and inhumane treatment of immigrant detainees and their families, and the failed policies of the Trump regime on immigration and other related issues,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“We will protest against the brutality, violence, kidnappings, illegal detentions, and murders committed by ICE agents, border patrol officers, and police. We will demand an end mass deportation and incarceration, and private prisons,” Hamm said.

“We will demand the closure of Delaney Hall, a migrant detention center that has been operating in Newark. Many people from New Jersey, and other states have been held there, and we believe their rights have been violated,” he said.

“We will call for an end to troops in our streets, violations of constitutional, civil and human rights, mass surveillance and political repression, and the unjust prosecution of protestors and elected representatives who speak out against Trump’s unjust policies,” he said.

The social justice activist said that he believed that the arrest of Mayor Baraka on May 9th at Delaney Hall, and the subsequent indictment of Congresswoman LaMonica McIver who was present when it occurred was politically motivated.

The charges against Baraka in connection with that arrest were dropped. However, Congresswoman McIver has been indicted on three counts of assault, resisting arrest, and interfering with federal officials. If convicted she could face up to 17 years in prison.

“POP believes that Congresswoman McIver is innocent. She should not have been charged,” he said.

“When the incident occurred she was there doing her job, conducting an oversight visit which she has the authority to do as a congressional representative,” he said.

Hamm said they will also be protesting against war with Venezuela, and the genocide in Gaza. “These U.S. wars abroad are directly connected to our oppression at home,” he said.

POP is organizing a caravan to get people to the demonstration at Delaney Hall. People who need transportation to the event and those who can provide rides should meet 10:30am in front of City Hall, 920 Broad street in Newark.

For more information call the People's Organization For Progress (POP) at (973)801-0001.

NO KINGS PROTEST IN NEWARK, NJ OCTOBER 16TH

A No Kings II March And Rally to protest policies of the Trump administration will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2025, 1:00pm, at the Lincoln Statue, 12 Springfield Avenue, in Newark, New Jersey.

The purpose of this protest is to demonstrate continued opposition to
President Trump’s anti-democratic policies. “Trump was elected president but he is trying to be a king,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“The United States is supposed to be a democracy not a monarchy. Trump is trying to make himself a dictator. He wants to be emperor over an American empire. We don’t want a dictatorship. We want democracy,” Hamm stated. 

“What Trump has been doing since his return to office is an extension of his attempted January 6, 2021 coup. We will be marching to oppose his corrupt fascist, racist and imperialist policies,” Hamm said.

The event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP) and a coalition of organizations which it is a part of that held the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance in April. 

The demonstration will begin with a rally at the Lincoln Statue. Following the rally protesters marched will march to the Federal Building, 970 Broad Street and then back to the Lincoln Statue where there will be a closing rally.

The No Kings II March & Rally is one of many being organized across the country. Millions of people are expected to participate in protests taking place in more than 2100 cities and towns. The first wave No Kings protests took place in June. 

“In violation of the Constitution, the law, and orders by federal judges Trump has put troops in our cities for no valid reason. Trump’s “gestapo” masked ICE agents are intimidating people, violating their constitutional rights and legal rights, brutalizing them, kidnapping people off the streets, disappearing them to parts unknown, and killing them,” Hamm said. 

“He is attempting to outlaw free speech and criticism of his regime. Trump is attempting to criminalize his opposition and has weaponized the criminal justice system to persecute and prosecute his political enemies,” Hamm said. 

He said that Trump has threatened to have mayors, Congress people, judges and even governors who oppose his policies arrested. That he is trying to exercise control over what is taught at colleges and universities, bullying the media through law suits and political pressure into being his mouthpiece, and has had celebrities who have been critical of him removed from their television shows.

“His administration has forced colleges and universities, government agencies and private businesses to cancel Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. He has supported efforts to weaken the Voting Rights Act, and bolster voter suppression, and gerrymandering. He has shut down the data base on bad cops at the Justice Department and blocked all other initiatives for police reform,” Hamm said. 

“Trump has ordered the African American Museum in Washington DCand other agencies to purge content that does not fit with his white supremacist narrative of history. He has reinstalled monuments to racist, slavery supporting Confederate traitors that had been removed and reimposed the names of Confederate generals on military bases,” he said. 

Hamm said that the Trump administration’s economic policies have led to the layoff of hundreds of thousands workers. This includes 318,000 black women in the last quarter. And the tariffs imposed by Trump have contributed to a rise in consumer prices that have hurt working and poor families.

Also, as many as 15 million people may lose their health care coverage because of his cuts to Medicaid and failure to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. These cuts are going to cause the cost of health care insurance to double, triple, even quadruple for 20 million more. It is also going to cause some hospitals and clinics in urban and rural areas across the country to close.

Hamm said Trump’s refusal to compromise on his proposed budget cuts has caused a government shutdown which may trigger more government worker layoffs. He has done all this while using his office and the government to enrich himself and his family in violation of the emoluments clause of the constitution.

“While increasing oppression at home he has been fomenting war abroad. Trump has continued to arm Israel in its genocidal war against the Palestinians. He is threatening war against Venezuela and other countries,” Hamm said. 

“In violation of United Nations conventions and international law he has attacked and killed civilians on boats in the Caribbean. The foreign policies of his administration continue to perpetuate genocide in Sudan and Congo, and catastrophe in Haiti. For all of the aforementioned reasons and many others Trump must go,” he said. 

For more information go to https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/841639/  or call the People's Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001, 

March For Jayland Walker to be held in Newark NJ

The People’s Organization For Progress (POP) will have a march and rally to demand justice for Jayland Walker on Friday, July 15, 2022, 5:00pm starting at the Lincoln Statue, 12 Springfield Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.

The Lincoln Statue is located at the intersection of Springfield Avenue and West Market Street.

Mr Walker was killed by Akron, Ohio police on June 27, 2022. He was unarmed when police fired 90 rounds hitting him 60 times.

“The manner in which Jayland Walker was killed, the amount of force and number of bullets fired was abominable and should be condemned by people of conscience across the country and around the world,” stated Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress.

“The officers who killed Mr Walker must be held accountable. They should be fired immediately and prosecuted at both the state and federal levels,” Hamm said.