Minneapolis, MN – In response to the ketamine drugging scandal of the Minneapolis Police Department and Hennepin County Emergency Medical Services, community members gathered at City Hall on June 19. Representatives of Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J), the Racial Justice Network, ACLU of Minnesota and New North addressed the media to demand justice, accountability and reparations for victims.
Chicago, IL – Nearly 700 Chicagoans united to celebrate the coming home of over three dozen wrongfully convicted torture survivors during the People Power Weekend, hosted by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression on June 16 and 17.
Minneapolis, MN – The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding the Trump’s Muslim ban in April and is expected to announce its decision before its summer recess in July. The MN Anti-War Committee and the Council on American Islamic Relations have called for an emergency response protest at the Federal Courts building (300 S. 4th Street in Minneapolis) at 6 p.m. on the day that the court announces their decision.
Minneapolis, MN – Opponents of police crimes blasted the Minneapolis Police Department, June 15, after it was revealed by the Star Tribune newspaper that cops have directed emergency medical personal to use the date-rape drug ketamine on people who were detained or arrested.
St. Paul, MN – Oral arguments were made before a three-judge panel from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, June 18, in Saint Paul on behalf of Guled Omar, Mohamed Farah and Abdirahman Daud, who were found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder abroad in 2016. Their lawyers argued today that the jury instructions were grounds for granting their clients’ appeal. Bruce Nestor, representing Daud, argued to the court that the jury instructions conflated wanting to join ISIS with conspiracy to commit murder and that the prosecution had never proven that his client had any intent to kill.
Struggle continues against police terror in Chicago
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Chicago, IL – In the past two years in Chicago, over 50 cases of wrongful convictions have been thrown out of court, and most of the Black and Latino men involved have walked out of prison, or had their charges dismissed. These cases have been overturned because of the exposure of crimes by officers of the Chicago Police Department, including many cases of people’s confessions that were exacted through torture. According to attorneys involved in these cases, there are hundreds more that will be making their way through the courts in the coming years.
Los Angeles, CA – A press conference was held in Boyle Heights, May 29, to release the body camera footage from two LAPD officers involved in the killing of 14-year-old Jesse Romero, a student at Mendez High School. The killing occurred on August 9, 2016. Romero’s parents, Teresa Dominguez and Jesus Romero, their lawyer Humberto Guizar, members of Centro CSO, Romero’s high school classmates, teachers and other families of loved ones killed by police were also present.
Chicago, IL – Juan and Rosendo Herndandez have been prisoners for 21 years. The two brothers were falsely accused of a murder by the notorious Detective Reynaldo Guevara, once head of the Gang Crimes Unit in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, and his partner, Joe Miedzianowski, who was convicted years ago for running a drug ring out of the Grand and Central police station. Miedzianowski was out to get Juan Herndandez to protect his drug ring. With no physical evidence linking them to the crime, Guevara framed them by manipulating eye witnesses to pick them out of a lineup.
Chicago, IL – City council allies of Mayor Rahm Emanuel held a hearing in the South Side neighborhood of Roseland Tuesday night, May 15, to consider several pieces of legislation on police accountability. They attempted to use a rigged process to smother the voices of the mainly Black movement for community control of the police. For six years, the movement has supported legislation to create an elected, civilian police accountability council (CPAC).
Jacksonville, FL – Over 75 people gathered in Klutho Park, May 11, to honor several mothers of the movement against police crimes, including the mothers of Keegan Von Roberts, Maurice Hobbs and Vernell Bing Jr., three Black men murdered in Jacksonville over the past two years. In all three cases, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) either murdered the men (Bing Jr.), failed to prosecute the killer (Von Roberts) or refused to even investigate the murder despite having evidence about the case (Hobbs).
Minneapolis, MN – On May 10, over 50 people gathered for a rally and march on the five-year anniversary of the murder of Terrance Franklin by the Minneapolis Police Department. The event was called by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J) and was endorsed by Terrance’s family.
Jacksonville, FL – The “Protect and Serve Act” is new federal legislation introduced this week that looks to strengthen the Trump era mandate for a stronger police state. The legislation seeks to classify cops as a protected class and create another layer of protections and privileges for police officers, even though they already exist at certain state and local levels. Backed by police unions and introduced by pro-cop legislators like Orin Hatch from Utah in the Senate and John Rutherford, a congressman and former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office top cop, this legislation seeks to codify promises Trump made during his election to be back police and be the ‘law and order’ president.
Los Angeles, CA – On May 1, International Worker’s Day was marked in LA’s Eastside Boyle Heights. Boyle Heights is a historically Chicano/Latino neighborhood. In the past five years the neighborhood has seen an upsurge in police killings and an influx of charter schools trying to move in and poach students from public schools.
Minneapolis, MN – On May 3, around 50 people gathered for a remembrance of Jamar Clark’s birthday. The event was called by the Burns’ side of Jamar Clark’s family with support from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J).
West Valley City, UT – Police have been silent since they released footage of Elijah Smith’s murder at the hands of a trigger-happy cop, but there was no silence May 3 as protesters took over the West Valley City Police Department lobby. For two solid hours, chants of “Justice for Elijah!” and “Community control now!” filled every inch of the small space, and when protesters could chant no longer, they shared stories about why they fight police violence and talked about what they think community control should look like.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 125 people gathered together for the Twin Cities Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s annual International Worker’s Day program, April 28. The night started with dinner and conversation. Childcare was provided.
Salt Lake City, UT – Shouts of “Stand up! Fight back!” echoed off the buildings of downtown Salt Lake City April 28 as more than 40 people gathered to celebrate working-class victories on May Day.
Los Angeles, CA – This spring has brought a rising tide of protests in the in the primarily Chicano communities of East Los Angeles (ELA) and Boyle Heights. The community has taken to the street to protest privatization of public schools, for student rights, and against police terror. Preparations are underway for a powerful May Day protest that will unite the community on the many issues, with the main demands being “Legalization for all” and “No deportations.”
West Valley City, UT – Elijah Smith was desperately trying to put his right arm in the air in order to comply with police orders when a still-unnamed officer fired the shots that took his life. His left was already raised, and he posed absolutely no threat, according to body camera footage released after police caved to activist demands and recently made the video public.
Fight Back! interviewed Aaron Leonard, who, along with Conor Gallagher, wrote two pathbreaking books that largely deal with the government repression employed against one of the largest groups of the new communist movement, the Revolutionary Union (RU).
