Austin, TX – Protesters gathered in front of the Capitol building to listen to speeches in solidarity with Minneapolis on March 8, the first day of Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd.

Organizers from Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) denounced police violence and demanded justice for George Floyd, Jamar Clark, Philando Castile and countless others whose lives have been ended by police.

Jake Holtzman, speaker for FRSO, stated “At the end of the day, police are a tool of the ruling class to protect private property. We recognize that, ultimately, national liberation struggles are closely linked with the fight for a socialist revolution.”

The rally closed out with chants, including, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!”

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