Chicago South Side march to stop police crimes
Chicago, IL – Over 100 people rallied and marched here to demand justice for Eric Garner, Michael Brown and all police crime victims. The demonstration was called by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Speakers included Emmett Farmer, whose son Flint was gunned down and killed by a Chicago police officer in 2011 while he was lying on his stomach. Bertha Escamilla spoke about her son, Nick, a victim of the infamous torturer, police officer Jon Burge. Joyce Brown demanded answers surrounding the death of her son Charles. In April, 20-year-old Charles Brown was shot and killed by the police in the suburb of Harvey.
The protest then marched to the police station at 71st and Cottage Grove Streets. The march was led by community members and Mark Clement, an activist with the Alliance and another victim of Jon Burge. Clement spent 27 years in prison after having been tortured into confessing to crimes he didn’t commit. The 3rd District station had been under the command of Glenn Evans, the cop who was indicted for shoving his pistol down an unarmed man's throat, pressing a Taser against his groin and threatening to kill him. In front of the police station the crowd held die-ins, blocking traffic. The march continued, eventually covering seven miles, and blocking Lake Shore Drive.
The Alliance has a campaign to bring an end to police control of the African American and Latino communities. They have gathered over 10,000 signatures for an elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), to hold the police accountable for their crimes.