Chicago, IL – Over 100 people on foot, and an 80-car caravan with about 200 riders, gathered in downtown Chicago, September 19, to protest police crimes, state repression of activists, demand that federal troops and agents be sent home, and to call for community control of the police. The demonstration was part of a national day of action called by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and was organized by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

“Our people are being arrested and charged for protesting all across the country. Some are being charged with felonies,” said NAARPR Executive Director Frank Chapman, “We demand freedom for the Tallahassee 19. These are 19 of our comrades who were arrested and are being prosecuted. We demand that all charges be dropped. And this is why we are fighting for community control of the police.”

Speakers included representatives from Black Lives Matter Chicago, SEIU Local 73, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Los Brown Berets Chicago, and others.

“I’m proud to say that Local 73 was one of the first unions to support CPAC, the legislation for community control of the police in Chicago,” said, Angie Ross, a strike captain for SEIU Local 73. “Many of our members and their families are victims of police crimes.”

#ChicagoIL #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #NationalAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepressionNAARPR