News and Views from the People's Struggle
Los Angeles, CA – Over 50 angry people protested in front of the Los Angeles Police Department Boyle Heights Hollenbeck police station, Feb. 17. Cardboard signs with slogans like, “Justice for Christian Escobedo,” “Stop police brutality,” “Stop killing our youth,” and “De-escalation not violence” were waved at the people driving by and at the LAPD.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Feb. 1 statement from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines
Chicago, IL – More than three years after the death of Laquan McDonald in Chicago, his killer, Jason Van Dyke, will be going on trial in the coming weeks or months. In preparation, the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression has issued the following statement announcing their plan to protest outside the court house on that day. The Alliance is asking for endorsers, for activists in the region to travel to Chicago that day, and for activists in cities further away to hold solidarity rallies.
Chicago, IL – In 1997, a corrupt police detective in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, Joseph Miedzianowski, arrested 17-year-old Jaime Hauad. After torturing Hauad into making statements that were used to incriminate him, he was charged with murder, wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Years later, Miedzianowski and Gang Crimes Unit head, Reynaldo Guevara, were exposed for having wrongfully convicted 51 young men, mainly Puerto Rican and Chicanos/Latinos. Hauad’s mother, Anabel Perez, has fought for freedom for her son since then, joining the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and working in the movement against police crimes. On Friday, Jan. 19, Hauad finally walked free from prison. Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression issued the following statement to mark this important victory: Welcome home Jaime Hauad!!! All power to the people!!! Now let’s free Gerald Reed and all the torture victims!
New York, NY—On Jan. 18, several dozen organizers gathered in the below-freezing evening to demand an end to all U.S.-led wars and imperialism.
New York, NY – Organizers gathered at the International Action Center, Jan. 16, for a panel called “After J20: Fighting Back Against Political Repression.” The panel was organized by the Committee to Stop FBI Repression – NYC (CSFR) as part of the #DaysOfRage. The #DaysOfRage is building towards a final rally on Jan. 20, which is the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of Trump.
#WalkingWhileBlack is not a crime
Jacksonville, FL – Around 25 members of different civil rights organizations spoke out at the Jacksonville city council meeting, Dec. 12, to demand an end to the racial profiling and the racist ticketing policies of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Members of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC), the Northside Coalition, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, UNF Students for a Democratic Society as well as the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference spoke out at city council, saying that #WalkingWhileBlack is not a crime and demanded a halt to the pedestrian ticketing program run by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Minneapolis, MN – A group of union members and community activists from Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar confronted Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman for dragging his feet in the case of Justine Damond, who was killed by Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor in July. After investigators turned over evidence in the case in September, Freeman had promised a decision by the end of the year. Freeman was caught on tape in a conversation at the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation holiday reception on Wednesday evening. In that conversation, Freeman blamed the wait on investigators who he says have not given him the evidence he needs to bring charges in Damond's death.
#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJusticeForJamar #JustineDamond
Chicago, IL – More than 200 people took part in a protest against killings by police, Nov. 24, boycotting Black Friday on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. This is the third year in a row that marchers came out to demand justice for Laquan McDonald, murdered by a Chicago cop in 2014. The protest also demanded freedom for torture victims of the Chicago police, and an elected civilian police accountability council (CPAC). The march was organized by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #BlackFriday #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #CPAC
Chicago, IL- Hundreds of activists will take to the streets on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile to interrupt business on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year.
Por: Redacción
The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) has been organizing against police crimes for decades. Since 2012, they’ve led a five-year campaign for community control of the police. They have also organized several protests against Donald Trump since he was elected. Fight Back! interviewed Frank Chapman, Field Organizer of the Alliance, about the situation in the U.S., after Charlottesville, Virginia was the scene of the racist ‘Unite the Right’ rally and assault on counter-protesters.
Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) has been busy organizing this year against the city’s $4.4 million budget proposal to add 100 new cops to ‘fight crime.’ This plan leaves out any training or accountability for the already existing officers guilty of misconduct on the force – and there are too many of those to count in the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).
Jacksonville, FL – The civil rights organization Color of Change, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee and the family of Keegan Roberts held a press conference in front of State Attorney Melissa Nelson's office demanding justice, Nov. 1. They dropped off signed petitions from around 60,000 people across the country to the state attorney office demanding the arrest of man who murdered Keegan Roberts – Michael Centanni IV, a white supremacist vigilante. Protesters chanted, “Justice for Keegan,” and “Arrest Centanni now!”
Jacksonville, FL – Over 75 people gathered in front of the Duval County Courthouse, Sept. 20, to demand community control of the police, and to get justice for justice for Vernell Bing and Keagan Roberts. Called by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC), just days after Jacksonville State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced no charges against Jacksonville Sheriff's Office cop Tyler Landreville for the murder of Bing in May of 2016, protesters connected the police crimes of the JSO with why a Jacksonville Police Accountability Council (JPAC) is needed.
Chicago, IL – Today, Sept. 24, is the seventh anniversary of the 2010 FBI raids targeting 7 homes of anti-war, international solidarity and Palestinian-American activists. Subsequent grand jury subpoenas were served to nine additional activists in December of that same year.
Chicago, IL — About 150 people gathered outside the international terminal, Sept. 19, at Chicago's O'Hare airport in support of Rasmea Odeh. The send-off rally was the last chance for supporters to say goodbye, as Rasmea was forced to depart the U.S. after an almost four-year legal and political struggle. Speakers applauded Rasmea and a defense campaign that put Israel on trial for its crimes, and lifted up the cause of Palestinian liberation.
Los Angeles, CA – Black and Brown activists, along with the families of people killed by the police, are uniting to demand Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey prosecute killer cops in LA County. At a press conference, Sept. 11, Black Lives Matter-LA members and Centro CSO of Boyle Heights announced a petition drive to pressures DA Lacey to investigate and prosecute the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), LA Sheriffs and other departments due the high number of police killings in Los Angeles. 300 have been killed in the last five years, with no police ever prosecuted.
Minneapolis, MN — About 2500 people marched through the streets of Minneapolis, Sept. 5, demanding “Hands off DACA! No more deportations!” Protesters gathered at the Minnesota Republican Party headquarters and marched to downtown where they joined another powerful rally organized by Asamblea de Derechos Civiles.
Minneapolis, MN — About 2500 people marched through the streets of Minneapolis, Sept. 5, demanding “Hands off DACA! No more deportations!” Protesters gathered at the Minnesota Republican Party headquarters and marched to downtown where they joined another powerful rally organized by Asamblea de Derechos Civiles.