Chicago, IL - 500 people gathered here Dec. 28 for an emergency rally and press conference to condemn the Israeli attacks in the Gaza. The crowd formed a circle around the speakers in front of the Water Tower at noon. The real anger was felt when most of the group moved to the corner to chant at the lone Zionist with an Israeli flag across the street. The militant chanting ranged from, “Free, free Palestine!” to “ End the occupation now!”

Chicago, IL – On November 17, 300 students and community activists protested against police brutality at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The rally challenged the administration's cover up of police brutality.

Chicago, IL – Over 50 activists in the anti-police brutality movement rallied at the Chicago Police Board September meeting. They confronted the Board members, slamming the decision that the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) made in response to the police murder of Northwestern student, Bobby Russ.

Chicago, IL – More than 700 protesters, angered by a Chicago police killing spree, packed a June 17 hearing of the Police Board, and filled the streets around Police Headquarters. As chants of “No Justice, No Peace!” rang out, police shut down a nearby bridge, attempting to close-off the area around their headquarters.

Chicago, IL – October 22nd, over 600 Chicagoans gathered in the Daley Plaza to rally to stop police brutality and the criminalization of a generation. The event marked the third year in a row that Chicago anti-police brutality activists came together to demand that the Chicago Police are held accountable for their actions.

Police Frame-Up Exposed

Chicago, IL – On April 6, a jury of twelve women and men told the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office that they didn't buy their story about a police shooting last happened last June 10th. Community members from the Lathrop Homes housing projects and anti-police brutality activists are now celebrating the verdict in the Agenor Roman case, though the jury's decision is a partial victory.

Chicago, IL – Across the country the rich are grabbing up land, pushing poor people and people of color to the suburbs and on to the streets. In Chicago this has meant the demolition of whole communities, the tearing down of public housing, violations of renters’ rights, condo conversions and working-class displacement.

“Here’s the fix, tax the rich!” chanted 350 University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) workers, as they marched on May 26. Employees were mad as hell because of Governor Blagojevich’s threats against state pensions.

Chicago, IL – Aaron Patterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison on trumped-up gun and drug charges, Aug. 14. Patterson was targeted for prosecution because of his powerful activism against police misconduct in Chicago. The case hinged on a government informant, a known drug dealer and gang leader, who Patterson says was trying to entrap him.

Chicago, IL – The need for an independent federal investigation into the death of May Molina – a Puerto Rican activist who died in police custody May 27 – is becoming more urgent. The son of Molina, Michael Ortiz, was arrested with his mother in the police raid. He was charged with drug possession and jailed.

Chicago, IL – Two nights of protest have erupted in Chicago after the police murder of May Molina.

Chicago, IL – May Molina, a long-time activist against wrongful imprisonment with the group Families of the Wrongfully Convicted and a founder of Comité Exigimos Justicia (We Demand Justice Committee), died in police custody May 26.

Chicago, IL – Juan and Henry Johnson spent almost their entire adult lives in prison, fighting charges for a murder they didn’t commit.

Chicago, IL – Former death row inmate Aaron Patterson, who was pardoned by Illinois governor George Ryan in January, filed a federal lawsuit seeking $30 million. The lawsuit targets Commander Jon Burge and seven other police officers from Area 2 police station. They were involved in the torture of Patterson and many others. The lawsuit also targets current and former top police officials, the current prosecutor and a former prosecutor for covering up the systematic torture.

Chicago, IL – Aaron Patterson is one of the four death row inmates pardoned by Illinois Governor Ryan on Jan. 10. Sentenced to die in 1989 for murders he did not commit, he is one of the many tortured by Area 2 Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge.

Chicago, IL – Ricardo Jimenez was the first newly freed Independista to speak to the 300 strong rally, welcoming home the patriots who were jailed for fighting against the U.S. colonization of Puerto Rico. Jimenez told the cheering crowd “the struggle for independence continues!”

Fight Back! conveys the following news with great regret:

The whole world is watching

“Todo el mundo está viendo”

Locked Out Workers to be Paid

As reported by Fight Back News Service on March 20, workers in the Patient Access department at UIC were locked out of their workplace for wearing t-shirts that opposed a recent decision to nearly double their workloads.