Denver, CO – A crowd of about 30 people gathered at the Colorado State Capitol on Saturday, July 30, in solidarity with the people in Akron, Ohio and the family of Jayland Walker. Participants included victims of police crimes and their families in the Denver area. Protesters demanded the indictment of the eight Akron Police Department officers who murdered Jayland Walker, an immediate investigation into Akron PD by the Department of Justice, and community control of police through a civilian police accountability council.
Oak Lawn, IL – Hadi Abuatelah is a 17-year-old Palestinian youth in Oak Lawn, Illinois. On Thursday, July 28, a cell phone video taken by a Black woman captured the savage beating of Hadi by three white police officers. The video went viral, and the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) immediately called for a protest.
Chicago, IL – The families of a group of wrongfully convicted Black men – Michael Minnifield, Isaiah Brady, Omarr Parks, Chaz Thrailkill and Kenyatta Brown – who are incarcerated in Menard prison held a rally of over 100 people on Monday, August 1 outside the ABC TV headquarters in Chicago.
Chicago, IL – A series of victories was won in the past month by the movement to free survivors of torture and wrongful conviction at the hands of Chicago Police Department. Clayborn Smith, Marcellous Pittman, Juan Hernandez, Rosendo Hernandez, Arthur Almendarez, John Galvan, Eruby Abrego, Jeremiah Cain, David Gecht and David Colon have all had historic judgments in their cases.
Milwaukee, WI – On Friday, July 29, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a press conference with the family of Brieon Green, a 21-year-old African American male who died last month at Milwaukee County Jail hours after his arrest. The Milwaukee Alliance joined Green’s family to voice the following demands:
Milwaukee, WI – On July 28, a group of more than 20 people rallied at Dontre Hamilton (Red Arrow) Park in downtown Milwaukee before marching a half mile to the Wisconsin Club, where the Milwaukee chapter of the notorious Federalist Society were hosting its summer cocktail party. The crowd included members of the Democratic Socialists for America, Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the National Lawyers Guild. Speeches were made just outside the big front windows of the building with some of the Federalists looking on.
Denver, CO – About 200 people took to the streets on Thursday, July 21, protesting Denver police officers opening fire into a crowd of people early Sunday morning, injuring seven people. Their demands included the immediate release of the unedited body cam footage, restitution for the victims and community control of police. The event was led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society and supported by groups such as Denver Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Denver Democratic Socialists of America, Young Communist League of Colorado, and the newly formed Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee.
Mlwaukee, WI – On Saturday, July 23, members of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression attended the first of 15 community engagement sessions designed to gather community input about the recently launched “Community Oriented Policing” initiative. The Milwaukee Police Department, in partnership with the Community Collaborative Commission (CCC), the Fire and Police Commission (FPC), and the Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC has launched this new initiative to, as they claim, “reimagine public safety together.”
Defend our rights to speak and organize! Stop political repression!
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Tampa, FL – Hundreds came out to protest the right-wing, billionaire-funded “student group” Turning Point USA summit, July 23. The Turning Point summit featured a gaggle of reactionary, racist and chauvinistic speakers, not the least of whom was Donald Trump, looking to build momentum for a possible second presidential run.
Chicago, IL – The Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) Coalition held a press conference on July 20, to demand that Mayor Lori Lightfoot appoint the Interim Commission for Public Safety and Accountability immediately. According to the ECPS ordinance passed on July 21 last year, the Interim Commission should have been appointed in December.
Minneapolis, MN – Minneapolis police once again proved that Black lives in this city do not matter when they shot and killed a 20-year-old man, Tekle Sundberg, who was having a mental health crisis, July 14. MPD officers Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphine shot him early Thursday morning after a six-hour standoff at an apartment building in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Both officers were also part of the SWAT team that murdered Amir Locke in Minneapolis in February of this year.
Brooklyn, NY – On July 10 community organizers hosted a speak-out in Brooklyn to demand justice for Jayland Walker and other victims of police crimes while raising the demand for community control over the NYPD.
Milwaukee, WI – After a series of storms this week, the skies cleared up and the sun shone down on a lively Milwaukee crowd of 30 people gathering for a vigil on July 9 at Lucille Berrien Park hosted by the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR). The vigil honored Jayland Walker and various victims of police crimes in Milwaukee, especially Ernest Lacy, who was murdered by Milwaukee police 41 years ago to the date.
Chicago, IL – 200 protesters marched in Chicago's Federal Plaza, Wednesday evening, July 6, to demand justice for Jayland Walker, who was murdered on June 27 by Akron Ohio police. Speakers at the rally connected the murder to similar police killings and other police crimes such as torture and wrongful conviction. The protesters demanded that the officers who killed Jayland Walker be convicted, and that community control of the police be enacted.
Milwaukee, WI – In the calm before the storms hitting Milwaukee on July 4, over 1000 protested around the following six demands: True separation of church and state; repeal of Wisconsin State Statute 940.04; law enforcement shall not enforce abortion bans; the state of Wisconsin shall require law enforcement officials to read off Miranda Rights to those being detained; the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County shall not prosecute abortion cases – dismiss them all; and community control of the police now.
Tampa, FL – Tampa community members protested July 4 to demand Justice for Jayland Walker and community control of the police. The protest was organized by the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC) and was held at Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa.
Akron, OH – On July 3, hundreds of people took to the streets and participated in marches demanding justice for Jayland Walker, an African American man who was murdered by Akron police on June 27. Shot over 60 times and then handcuffed after his body was full of holes and bleeding wounds, Jayland Walker was unarmed while murdered by police. The organized protests follow days of sporadic unrest throughout the city. After the seventh day, the Akron Police Department finally held a press conference which released body-cam footage detailing the incident to the public.
![More than 1000 march in Milwaukee for "People's Independence Day."](https://i.snap.as/cR7MVT13.jpg "More than 1000 march in Milwaukee for \\"People's Independence Day.\\" \(Fight Back! News/staff\)")
