St. Paul, MN – More than 50 people gathered in below freezing temperatures for more than an hour Jan. 14, in front of a Saint Paul Police Station, for a memorial balloon release for Marcus Golden. On Jan. 14, 2015, Golden was executed, shot in the back of his head, by Saint Paul Police Officers Jeremy Doverspike and Dan Peck. Golden was unarmed, but SPPD's Detective Shelia Lambie used a search warrant to retrieve a gun legally owned by Golden from his residence. This is why it took SPPD approximately 11 hours after Golden was wrongfully killed, to ‘confirm’ Golden was armed.
Two of the young African American activists who helped disrupt the Jeff Sessions confirmation hearing Jan. 10 talked to Fight Back! about the action that gained worldwide attention.
St. Paul, MN – “We are here today on opening day of the legislature to let the politicians know this is the day of reckoning for the poor! This is day of reckoning for the children! This is the day of reckoning for the homeless!” declared Angella Khan as she read the opening statement at the Welfare Rights Committee’s protest at the Minnesota state capitol, here, Jan. 3.
Fight back News Service is circulating the following Dec. 22 statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine saluted the imprisoned strugglers Ahmad Abu Fara and Anas Shadid on their steadfastness in the confrontation with the executioner in the battle of empty stomachs. It saluted their victory, saying that their struggle is marked on the proud record of the prisoners’ movement’s many battles of steadfastness and confrontation with the Zionist prison administration and intelligence agencies seeking to break the will of the Palestinian prisoners.
Minneapolis, MN – Jan. 10 is the date set for the new trial of Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh. The new trial comes after a successful appeal to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and legal wrangling before Judge Drain of Detroit’s federal court.
Minneapolis, MN – On Dec. 3, community members and activists gathered at Wayman AME Church in North Minneapolis for a panel discussion about how to “bring back transparency in law enforcement.” Panelists included Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, police federation President Lt. Bob Kroll, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputy Kellace McDaniel and Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey. All were unprepared for the heat they got from the crowd assembled in the church.
After cancelling a November 29 Daubert hearing last week, Eastern District of Michigan Federal Judge Gershwin Drain reviewed written arguments, and ruled today that Palestinian American community organizer Rasmea Odeh will be granted a new trial.
Minneapolis, MN – An audience of over 500 people gathered at North Community High School in Minneapolis, Nov. 30, to hear Shaun King speak on the rise of police killings of African Americans.
Tampa, FL – The Tampa Anti-War Committee (TAWC) held a sign-waving for Rasmea Odeh on the day of her scheduled hearing, Nov. 29. The Daubert hearing, which would have been to discuss the use of expert testimony regarding the torture of Odeh during her time in an Israeli prison, was canceled the day before , but TAWC followed through with the action to demand #Justice4Rasmea on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.
New York, NY -On Nov. 28, several dozen activists gathered at Zuccotti Park behind a Palestinian flag and a banner reading “Justice for Rasmea Odeh” to rally and march in solidarity with the Chicago Palestinian American leader.
Houston, TX – Activists protested in front of the Mickey Leland Federal Building, Nov. 26, to demand justice for Rasmea Odeh. Odeh, a hero of the Palestinian people, is being attacked by the U.S. government in an attempt to silence her for her political activism. They have trumped-up charges against her and are doing everything to lock her up and deport her.
Chicago, IL – On Black Friday, Nov. 25, the busiest shopping day of the year, 500 people marched on the Magnificent Mile, Chicago’s upscale retail district, calling for a boycott.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Legalization for All (L4A) network.
On Friday, January 20, 2017 Donald Trump will be inaugurated as President of the United States. Trump ran a racist campaign, calling Mexicans “rapists, criminals, and drug dealers…” His plans for his first 100 days includes ending DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), deporting millions of undocumented, building a wall on the border with Mexico, further criminalizing the undocumented, cutting off Federal funds to sanctuary cities, and more attacks on immigrants. 70% of the undocumented are from Mexico and Central America, and these are the people that Trump is primarily targeting.
Over 100 people marched to the steps of the Durham Police Department, Nov. 23, to demand justice for 34-year-old Frank “Scooter Bug” Clark. Clark, an African American, was shot multiple times by Durham police on the afternoon of Nov. 22 in the McDougald Terrace public housing project. Protesters blocked the streets in front of the police department for over an hour while speakers railed against the police shooting.
On Nov. 16, three Somali American youth were sentenced to decades in prison. Guled Omar was given a prison sentence of 35 years and Abdirahman Daud and Mohamed Farah were each given sentences of 30 years in prison by Judge Davis in what the mainstream media has called the ‘ISIS trial.’
