Jacksonville, FL – On June 20, Devonte Shipman, a young African American in Jacksonville, was stopped and harassed by police officers for simply walking across the street. Claiming to have seen him illegally cross the street, Officer J.S Bolen of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) harassed and badgered Shipman, even threatening him with jail time. Shipman recorded the encounter with his cellphone, a clip that went viral and made national and international news.
Minneapolis, MN – On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court deviated from previous lower court rulings to allow portions of the Trump Muslim ban to go into effect. This new interim policy will allow the Trump administration to prevent travel for people from six Muslim majority countries – Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen – who lack a “bona fide relationship” with an American person or entity. The court also ruled that during this time, national security concerns related to these countries can take precedence over other obligations to accept refugees. The U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear oral arguments on the travel ban in October.
Minneapolis, MN – Tens of thousands lined Hennepin Avenue to watch the annual Twin Cities LGBTQ Pride parade on June 25. A group of hundreds behind a banner reading “Justice for Philando #NoJusticeNoPride” took the lead of the parade, a few blocks ahead of the police car that was supposed to lead the official parade. The group was protesting Pride’s decision to allow police to lead the parade and be present throughout the festival, despite an epidemic of police violence that particularly targets queer and trans people of color.
Doral, FL – About 40 activists marched from Trump National Resort in Doral to U.S. Southern Command, June 25, to demand that President Trump shut down Guantanamo Bay prison. The prison currently holds 41 detainees, 26 of whom have not been charged or tried for any crimes and five of whom have been cleared for release.
Jacksonville, FL – Around 50 people rallied for trans rights at Memorial Park in Jacksonville, June 24. Organized by the Coalition for Consent, Jacksonville Transgender Action Committee along with other groups, protesters rallied to demand an end to attacks on the trans community, especially oppressed nationality trans women.
Los Angeles, CA – Public school teachers at Roosevelt High School (RHS), joined by professors from Cal-State LA and students from RHS Magnet joined together to demand that authorities free 22-year-old Claudia Rueda.
Los Angeles, CA – On June 15, 18-year-old Pedro Echevarria was shot four times by LA Police Department Hollenbeck station cop Carbajal. He survived after neighbor Darlene intervened, yelling, “Stop shooting! Don’t kill him!”
Chicago, IL – 500 people gathered in Chicago’s Washington Park June 18 to protest the acquittal of the cop that killed Philando Castile in Minnesota. The marchers began with a rally at the location where Ronald “Ronnieman” Johnson was shot in the back by Chicago police in October 2014.
St. Paul, MN – A massive protest is underway at the Minnesota State Capitol building, tonight, June 16, in response to the not guilty verdict in the case of Philando Castile. Castile was killed by Saint Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez.
St. Paul, MN – A massive protest is underway at the Minnesota State Capitol building, tonight, June 16, in response to the not guilty verdict in the case of Philando Castile. Castile was killed by Saint Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez.
St. Paul, MN – The world is watching Saint Paul, Minnesota this week, hoping that the family of Philando Castile will get justice for his death at the hands of Saint Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez. In the Twin Cities, community organizations have come to together to hold a unified response, whatever the verdict. A march and rally will take place at the Minnesota State Capitol building, 7 p.m., on the day the verdict is announced.
New Hope, MN – Protesters packed the June 12 city council work session in New Hope, a suburb of Minneapolis, to demand that the city fire police officer Andy Lamers. Until recently, in addition to his job in New Hope, Lamers also had a part-time job as a police officer with Metro Transit, which operates public transit in the Twin Cities area.
Minneapolis, MN – Judge Hilary Caliguiri approved a deal today, June 12, between Hennepin County prosecutors and Nathan Gustavsson, one of the white supremacists involved in the November 2015 shooting of five Black men at a protest demanding justice for Jamar Clark.
Milwaukee, WI – This evening, June 12, 50 people gathered at the site of last night's police shooting on Milwaukee’s lakefront. Two African Americans, who had been pulled over and allegedly tried to drive away, were shot at least a dozen times by an on-foot officer. This happened at one of the busiest intersections on Milwaukee’s lakefront, in broad daylight, and was witnessed by hundreds of Milwaukeeans.
Milwaukee, WI – At dusk on the evening of June 11, a Milwaukee police officer shot, in front of hundreds of beachgoers, two unarmed African Americans who were driving a vehicle down the lakefront. Both individuals were in a car that had been pulled over. When the police told them to get out of the car, they allegedly tried to drive away. Then, another police officer who happened to be walking by on foot fired around a dozen bullets into the windshield of the vehicle, hitting the driver and his girlfriend and causing them to crash into a nearby vehicle. There were hundreds of witnesses, with the shooting happening right next to the busiest beach in the city. A massive crowd quickly gathered and dozens of police were called to the scene. Within an hour, the police had cordoned off the street nearly a mile in each direction, and had cordoned off the streets on the bluffs overlooking the shooting scene.
Jacksonville, FL – Four of the five activists beaten and arrested by police at an April anti-war protest spoke out at a press conference, June 5, held outside the Duval County Courthouse. Dubbed the 'Jax5' by supporters, the activists discussed the favorable outcome of their cases and announced a campaign for community control of the police in Jacksonville. It marked the first public statement by the Jax5 since their arrest nearly two months earlier.
Houston, TX – Assembling at the Guadalupe Plaza, angry family members and supporters marched through downtown Houston, June 7, demanding justice for John Hernandez.
Miami, FL – On June 25, at 5 p.m., protesters will take to the streets of Doral, Florida in front of U.S. Southern Command to demand that Trump shut down the torture prison at Guantanamo Bay once and for all. The march coincides with the International Day in Solidarity with Victims of Torture and will mark the 15th year since the first detainees were sent to the U.S. prison facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Since then, 779 men have been sent to Guantanamo Bay without trial and have been jailed without ever having been officially charged with any crime.
Jacksonville, FL – Around 30 members of the Northside Coalition and the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) rallied in downtown Jacksonville, June 1, for community control of the police. Northside Coalition leader Ben Frazier spoke on why we need more police accountability in the city of Jacksonville.
Jacksonville, FL – Activists in Jacksonville Florida have a lot to celebrate after the Florida Times Union reported June 1 that the state attorney was dropping the remaining charges on the #Jax5.
