Chicago: Protests Against Police Murder of May Molina
Chicago, IL – Two nights of protest have erupted in Chicago after the police murder of May Molina.
Molina, a leader of the group Families of the Wrongfully Convicted, died in police custody Wednesday morning, May 27.
On Wednesday night, 200 grief-stricken family members and others gathered outside the police station where she died. Locked out of the station, people pounded on the doors, demanding justice. The police responded by arresting two. Some women outside were so angry, they spit on the cops who had spit on the life of this fighter.
On Thursday night, 225 protesters surged into the Police Board meeting. Ruth Peña, who along with May Molina founded the Comité Exigimos Justicia (We Demand Justice Committee), rallied the crowd outside with chants of “Murderers!”
Once inside, after two hours of speeches by May Molina’s supporters, Aaron Patterson, the wrongfully-convicted death row inmate freed last year, led the crowd to the Police Board table. The board members had to leave the room.
The struggle for justice for May Molina will continue. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, June 1, from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., at Laskowdki and Sons Funeral Home. Funeral services will be on Wednesday. Following the funeral, a protest is planned to demand an independent investigation into Molina’s death. The family is collecting money to pay for funeral expenses.