Tallahassee, FL – I found out about the right-wing attack on the U.S. Capitol while casually scrolling through social media on my phone. It started off as one Facebook post about Mike Pence being dragged away by the Secret Service. It had no context. More information trickled, then flooded, in – “protesters stormed the capitol,” then more videos, images and of course memes – painting a picture of the most nauseating, gut-wrenching and insulting scenes. Cops taking selfies with white supremacist reactionaries. Trump supporters are in politician’s’ offices. One man joyfully flung his boot-clad feet up on House Leader Nancy Pelosi’s desk, and felt so immune that he broadcast himself doing so, live. Some of the far-right wing reactionaries even wore t-shirts that read “MAGA Civil War Jan 6, 2021”, stylized to parody the Marvel movie franchise installment titled Civil War.
On January 5, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced that there would be no charges against police officer Rusten Sheskey, who attempted to execute Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, by shooting him seven times in the back at point blank range on August 23, 2020. Blake was shot while his children watched in horror from the back seat of his vehicle. The other two officers who assisted Sheskey in his crime will also face no charges.
Kenosha, WI – Activists from multiple southeastern Wisconsin organizations gathered Monday, January 4, blocks from downtown Kenosha, to hear from Jacob Blake’s family and demand justice. The gathering came together in response to the upcoming decision from Kenosha District Attorney Michael Graveley on whether Rusten Sheskey will be charged with any kind of crime. Sheskey is the officer who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times in August, which sparked a week of protest in Kenosha and surrounding areas.
Minneapolis, MN – On January 3, over 1200 people marched in South Minneapolis to demand justice for Dolal Idd, who was killed by the Minneapolis police department on December 30.
Chicago, IL – On December 28, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declined to participate in a public forum organized by Anjanette Young and her attorney, Keenan Saulter, to discuss transparency, accountability and justice for Young in the wake of the botched police raid and coverup perpetrated against her.
Milwaukee, WI – On December 15, the Milwaukee Common Council, after a backlash from the people, voted no on approving a grant that would give the Milwaukee Police Department $10 million. The grant would be given through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program with the expectation that Milwaukee Police Department would carry out tasks through a federal program called Operation Legend. Operation Legend’s stated purpose is to cut down on violence in cities. The reality is that Operation Legend is terrorizing oppressed nationality neighborhoods.
Green Bay, WI – On the evening of December 15, the Green Bay City Council voted unanimously to require the Green Bay Police Department to wear body cameras while on duty, part of a $2.5 million overhaul to the department over five years. This comes over two years after Jonathon Tubby of the Oneida Nation was shot five times in the sally port of the GBPD building, murdered by Officer Erik O’Brien while he laid on the ground, handcuffed, pepper sprayed, and restrained by a police dog. The implementation of a body camera policy for officers of the GBPD is a win for the family of Jonathon as it was one of the primary demands in their fight for justice.
Bayport, MN – After 18 long years, Myon Burrell walked out the doors of Stillwater prison, to a cheering crowd of family and 100-plus community supporters. First embraced by his sister Ianna Burrell from the front, and his son Myon Burrell, Jr. from the back, he slowly made his way to the outside stairs to chants of, “Welcome home!” and “Myon’s free!”
Jacksonville, FL – On December 11, activists both locally and nationally joined the family of Devon Gregory, an 18-year-old Black man shot 35 times by four Jacksonville Sheriff’s officers, in a day of action for Devon.
Columbus, OH – A crowd of 500 people took to the streets of Columbus, Ohio on December 11 to protest the police killing of Casey Goodson Jr. Hundreds of young people, led by Goodson’s family, marched through the streets carrying signs and surrounded the Ohio Statehouse.
New Orleans, LA – On November 16, about 30 students gathered on Tulane University’s campus in protest. The recently formed Abolish TUPD led the action, calling for a campus without police. Rallying at the campus entrance, the group created a paper chain with reasons to abolish the Tulane University Police Department (TUPD). They taped it to the front doors of Gibson Hall, the school administrative building. An unidentified employee tore it down the next morning.
Tampa, FL – On December 5, Tampa community members, the family of Josiah Pinner, and the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC) rallied outside of Tampa City Hall where they demanded justice for victims of police terror. Josiah Pinner, 15, was murdered in a hit-and-run by Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) deputy Philip Montesi in 2019. Jonas Joseph was shot at over 125 times and killed while in his vehicle in April of 2020, with the Tampa Police Department (TPD) officers facing no charges or other repercussions. Dominique Mulkey was shot at over 40 times and killed by TPD officers in October of 2020 after stealing food from a Dollar General because he was hungry.
Los Angeles, CA – December 5 will mark a year since the murder of UPS driver Frank Ordonez. Last year, Ordonez, while delivering on route, was kidnapped by jewel thieves and held hostage in the delivery vehicle. The truck was pursued by police for hours. The pursuit came to a slowdown at a busy intersection, where police opened fire on the vehicle. The police fired over 200 rounds, killing Ordonez, the thieves and a bystander. The bystander, Rick Cutshaw, was a business rep for OPEIU Local 100. A year later, no one has been charged for the murders, and the officers still remain on active duty. And none of the police or police departments have been held accountable for their actions. The entire murder was captured on live television via helicopter.
Minneapolis, MN – About 50 people gathered for a noon press conference on the frontage road above Interstate 94 to demand that charges be dropped against the 646-plus protesters who were arrested there one month ago.
Fight Back! Interview with Frank Chapman, the Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.Fight Back!: Could you say a few words about the refounding of NAARPR last year?
Minneapolis, MN – Over 100 protesters gathered in Minneapolis to stand in solidarity with Indigenous people on Thanksgiving, November 26, for a National Day of Mourning. It is a reminder of the genocide and suffering of Native Americans that still continues today. 400 years have passed since Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and colonized the land Native Americans had been living on for thousands of years. In the shadow of the Minneapolis skyline, several speakers touched on the many struggles Indigenous people face today and the erasure of their people.
Jacksonville, FL – On November 21, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC), alongside other organizations and over 250 community members, gathered at the Duval County Courthouse to rally against the repressive and undemocratic legislative proposal by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as well as the killing of 18-year-old Devon Tillman Gregory by four Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers: Nicholas McDonald, James Mills, Aaron Roe and Brandon Shea.
Tallahassee, FL – On November 19, students from the Tallahassee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally in front of the Westcott building on the Florida State University campus to demand community and student control of the Florida State University Police Department (FSUPD) and that the charges against the Tally19 be dropped. The students called for an end to political repression and that FSUPD be held accountable to the community and student body they police.
Jacksonville, FL – Over 200 people gathered on the westside of Jacksonville, on the corner of San Juan and Cassett Avenues, to celebrate the life of Devon Gregory Tillman, along with protesting against his death at the hands of the police. Devon Gregory Tillman was an 18-year-old African American worker who was murdered by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office earlier this week during a traffic stop. Police surrounded the vehicle, pulling out Tillman’s two passengers before opening fire. Police fired 35 times into his car.
