A personal recounting of the top ten stories of 2003.

Dec. 9 - About 600 community members under the leadership of Community and Labor United for Baltimore (CLUB) protested City School lay-offs at a Baltimore City School Board meeting. Demonstrators "took over" the board by sitting in the board member seats and conducting a mock meeting to fire the actual BCPS Board.

On the afternoon of December 7, despite snow and blustery cold weather, about 150 individuals met in Washington DC to rally and march in opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). The event kicked off a week full of scheduled protests, direct actions and vigils and served as an immediate response to the CAFTA negotiations taking place this week in the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, located at 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW.

YORK, PA (12/6/03) - About 50 protesters rallied at the York County, PA prison and at a distribution plant owned by the Caterpillar Corporation. The protest was called by the Convergence for Human Rights. The rally at the York County Prison protested the continued illegal detention of immigrants following 9-11. This was followed by a march to the nearby Caterpillar Parts Distribution Plant to protest Caterpillar's continuing support for Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine.

See the reports by William Hughes, Max Obuszewski, John Stoner and Scott Loughrey. See also the statement by Ben Price at the Caterpillar plant and photos by William Hughes.

On Monday November 24th, one week before World AIDS day, an overwhelmingly black and brown throng of 800 people – representing those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, and AIDS service and advocacy groups -- gathered in Washington DC to send a direct message to President Bush.

The writers dedicate this coverage to Jordan Feder, the wonderful Towson/Baltimore/New Jersey activist who passed away from meningitis early on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 26 after travelling to the protests in Miami. Jordan was a good friend and leader, who went to Miami to help others and lost his own life on the way home. For more information, please see the memorial website, Miami Herald, or Towson Towerlight.

Baltimore reports from the anti-FTAA protests in Miami:

"This week, Nov 17-21, international trade ministers will be in Miami, FL for a round of negotiations on the pending Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA). My first exploration into downtown Miami was a drive to the Independent Media Center (IMC), twenty five blocks away from ground zero of where demonstrations in opposition to the FTAA are to occur on Thursday November 20. One focus of the most militant demonstrators will be the security fence around the negotiation site of the Intercontinental Hotel on Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL. My hotel is directly across the Biscayne Blvd from the fence...": Reporting from the FTAA Security Fence (Jim George)

"An anti-capitalist march of 200 activists left the Convergence Center at 23rd and N. Miami Avenue at 6:30am on Thursday morning, marching behind banners proclaiming “Capitalism Cannot Be Reformed,” “Internationalism Yes! Globalization No!,” “Against All Authority! Anarchists Against the FTAA()!.” The march ‘snaked’ over to Biscayne Blvd then headed south until bicycle and riot cops blocked the path at 13th and Bayshore. From there, the marchers headed west, where a long stand-off occurred at 14th Street and 1st Avenue NW..." From Puppets to Rubber Bullets: Baltimore IMC reports on the... (Chuck D'Adamo, Laura Goren, Heather Rounds, Melissa Noonan)

"We noticed people moving toward the line of police, and several groups of people changing into black clothing. One person walked briskly toward the police line with a small black flag on a long thin pole. Soon, a crowd had positioned themselves in front of the police line. We noted several bright green hats in the crowd, indicating that legal observers were present. Given the strength of the police line, two deep or deeper, we expected a long stand-off. Within five minutes, our expectations were proved wrong as we obeserved people running from the police line and puffs of white smoke that were attributed to discharges of rubber bullets or bean-bags..." FTAA Protest in Review (Jim George)

A report on some events in Miami on November 21--a free open-air bazaar, the police attack on people engaged in a peaceful jail solidarity rally, concern over a police raid at the Convergence Center, and a press conference Market & State in Miami on November 21 (Chuck D'Adamo & Heather Rounds)

"Thursday, November 20 - Tonight a lively group of union leaders and local activists held a march in protest of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA()) treaty. The march was in solidarity of no FTAA actions taking place in Miami on the same day. Our march was totally fun..." (From Scott44) [full article].

"About 30 Baltimoreans including students, activists, steelworkers and regular locals gathered at Broadway and Fayette Streets to March in solidarity with those demonstrating in Miami against the FTAA meetings on Thursday.

At first glance the demonstration was tiny, but proved quickly to be quite energetic. Participants had dressed up as Baltimore industries which were shut down or are on their way out including Behlehem Steel, London Fog, National Bohemian, Proctor and Gamble and Joseph A. Bank." (From Julie Adamo/Jean Cushman) [full article].

This is a first look into the operation of homeland security in Maryland.