The Peoples Power Assembly page, which has over 11,000 followers, was disabled along with several other pages affiliated with the event.

Before this lockout, the Peoples Power Assembly’s main phone was barraged with harassing calls from Trump supporters and calls from the Department of Homeland Security connected to the Baltimore federal courthouse.

Some of the above groups including Struggle La Lucha and Women In Struggle are national, and have been targeted.

It is important to note that the Peoples Power Assembly in Baltimore has led protests of thousands of people against racism and police terror since this spring.

Sharon Black, an organizer with the Peoples Power Assembly, stated, “We take these attacks very seriously; they are a violation of our constitutional rights and are a blatant attempt to shut down organizing for the November 4 march and car caravan in opposition to the possibility of Trump stealing the upcoming election.”

Black continued, “It is also an attempt to silence a ‘Peoples Mandate’ which calls for jobs or income now, stimulus for workers, not billionaires; and end to racism and police terror, community control now; health care for all; no evictions, foreclosures, or utility shutoffs; safe work conditions and hazard pay; no wars or sanction, and feed the people not the Pentagon.

“This unconstitutional and undemocratic attack on our movement is a threat to activists and the general community everywhere and we are monitoring this closely to see if these attacks become more widespread as we get closer to the election.

“At present we will mobilize mass support both locally and nationally against these illegal attacks and also seek legal remedies.

“Our movement is united and strong and will not be deterred or defeated.”

#BaltimoreMD #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalRepression #PeoplesPowerAssembly #StruggleLaLucha

Baltimore, MD – Several dozen Baltimore community activists and youth endured sleet, hail, snow and rain to stage a march January 18 from East to West Baltimore and to downtown to draw the connections to ongoing war and racism with food stamp cuts and workers’ rights.

The group rallied at Penn North, the neighborhood of Freddie Gray, and ended at Lexington Market. Organizers reported that the response was deeply encouraging. The group then held a car caravan to a general assembly of the FMLN (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front) of the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

The march was initiated by the Peoples Power Assembly and endorsed by dozens of groups including Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#BaltimoreMD #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganizationFRSO #Antiracism #PeoplesPowerAssembly

Shakur helped run the free breakfast program for Black youth on top of her day to day community organizing duties with the party.

According a statement released by the National Alumni Association of the Black Panther Party, “Afeni had a deep and profound love for the community and a passion for the people that made her a dynamic organizer and dedicated activist. She embodied the spirit of what it meant to be a Black Panther, waking up at 5:00 a.m. to cook for the free breakfast program, coordinating the day to day office duties and personally being in the field.

“Afeni's organizing laid the seeds for a legacy we still bear witness to today. While working with tenant organizations, Afeni led numerous rent strikes, resulting in several tenant owned buildings, some of which still exist today. She was instrumental in organizing health care professionals and patients at Lincoln Hospital and Harlem Hospital to develop the first patient bill of rights, a forerunner of the patient bill of rights now posted in every hospital.”

Shakur, along with 20 others known as the Panther 21, were victims of racist political repression, part of the U.S. government’s ‘War on the Panthers.’ They were accused and faced trumped-up charges of conspiracy to bomb police stations. Shakur decided to represent herself in the case after reading, History Will Absolve Me, a speech by Cuban Revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. The Panther 21 were acquitted of all charges.

Shakur will be remembered as a true fighter in the Black liberation movement. More than being the mother of Tupac Shakur, she showed the revolutionary leadership of Black women in the Black Panther Party as well as the importance of organizing to win the peoples struggles.

#BaltimoreMD #Remembrances #PeoplesStruggles #BlackPantherParty #Antiracism #PoliticalRepression #Socialism #AfeniShakur #TupacShakur

This protest came in light of a Baltimore City Council subcommittee vote to give interim City Police Commissioner Keith Davis a permanent title without community input – or significant overhauls in Baltimore policing since the murder of Freddie Grey earlier this year by Baltimore police officers. Protesters also called for an end to police militarization in Baltimore as well as proper education funding for Baltimore community schools, to be decided by the Baltimore community.

At around 5:00 a.m. Oc. 15, police arrested at least 12 youth and student protesters on trespassing charges. Protesters had demanded a meeting with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Organizers for Baltimore Bloc are urging the public to call the Baltimore city jail at 443-263-8706 and 410-545-8122 demanding the release of the black youth protesters and their supporters.

#BaltimoreMD #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #FreddieGray #BaltimoreBloc

They chanted, “Can't stop, won't stop, til killer cops in cell blocks!” as well as, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell.”

The organizer of the protest, Baltimore United, called for the arrest of the killer cops who murder African Americans as well as for an end to the Maryland Police Bill of Rights, a reactionary policy in Maryland that protects cops from paying for their crimes.

Danielle Williams, a Baltimore resident who attended the march said, “I'm here for my city and black people as a whole to stand for justice.”

Williams continued, “The police aren't here to protect us. They're here to protect property. They aren't here to protect us.”

Protesters have pledged to stay in the streets until justice is served.

#BaltimoreMD #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #FreddieGray #BaltimoreUnited

Baltimore, MD – Protesters’ clashes with police continued throughout the evening of April 27 as police moved into West Baltimore, setting up blockades of riot police everywhere and stopping residents from coming and going freely where they live.

A rebellion is sweeping Baltimore in response to the police murder of Freddie Gray.

Police used tear gas, smoke bombs and the LRAD sound canons attempting to disperse protesters. Those efforts had little effect in stopping the people of West Baltimore. Some shouted at police, “Get out of our community.”

The governor of Maryland called in the National Guard an attempt to quell protests demanding justice for Freddy Gray. The city has issued a curfew throughout this week for Baltimore residents.

#BaltimoreMD #PoliceBrutality #FreddieGray #BaltimorePoliceDepartment

Baltimore, MD – High school students leaving school, protesting for Justice For Freddy Gray were met by Baltimore Police in riot gear on the afternoon of April 27. Police responded to the student protest near the Mondawin Mall on Baltimore's West side with well over 200 police officers in riot gear, who tear-gassed high school students when they didn't disperse. Police also shot rubber bullets into the crowd.

Students and youth met the riot police with rocks, throwing them from across the street as cops moved for arrests. However, most youth were successful at evading the police.

#BaltimoreMD #PoliceBrutality #FreddieGray

Baltimore, MD – Over 4000 protesters took to the streets here, April 25, shutting down major intersections, while demanding justice for Freddie Gray. The protests started in West Baltimore, where Gray lived and demonstrators marched all the way to City Hall where speakers gathered to address the crowd.

Police were out in force, wearing riot gear, seeking to intimidate protesters. The crowd marched through downtown, bringing the traffic to a grinding halt. The march was organized by several groups, such as the Baltimore People's Assembly, Baltimore Bloc as well as Black clergy. The mother of Freddie Gray spoke to the large crowd before the protest.

“I came out to support and unite with demands that the six officers who killed Gray be arrested,” said Kevin Banatte, an activist from Washington D.C. “Cops have been killing us for too long and it's time we organized and fought back.”

Protests are expected to continue throughout the upcoming week. Make sure to visit fightbacknews.org for future updates.

#BaltimoreMD #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #FreddieGray

Baltimore, MD – Hundreds of Baltimore residents took to the streets for the fourth consecutive day, April 22, demanding justice for Freddie Gray. Gray was an African American man murdered while in Baltimore police custody. Protesters held a long marched from West Baltimore to City Hall, shutting down major intersections along the way, chanting, “All night, all day, we gonna fight for Freddie Gray.”

Protesters demanded the six police officers involved with Gray's murder be arrested and jailed for their crimes. They chanted, “We want all six!”

“Cops don't appreciate our lives. Police suppose to protect us but are the ones that are killing us,” said Joseph Snowden, long-time West Baltimore resident. “All we have is ourselves.”

Protesters attempted to march on Interstate 83 but were met with police car barricades and officers in formation. Protesters then marched back to the Western District Police Department headquarters, joining other demonstrators already gathered. Speakers called for more actions until justice is done and the six police are arrested and jailed.

#BaltimoreMD #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #FreddieGray

Baltimore, MD – On the evening of April 21, over 1000 community members in West Baltimore met on the corner of Mount Street and Presbury. The angry crowd marched on the Western District of the Baltimore Police Department. Protesters marched demanding justice for Freddie Gray, an African American man murdered by police.

Gray was forced to the ground and then abused by Baltimore Police on April 12. While being detained, Gray's voice box was crushed and his spine damaged by police. Gray died of the spinal injury one week later on April 19 after lapsing into a coma.

Protesters chanted, “Tell the truth and stop the lies, Freddie Gray didn't have to die” as well as “No justice, no peace!”

The family of Freddie Gray called for the action. Other organizations such as the Baltimore Bloc, Baltimore People's Power Assembly and local African American clergy played a role as well. Protesters demanded that the Baltimore Police stop lying about the accounts of what happened to Gray while he was in police custody. Marchers called for the cops involved in Gray's brutal arrest and murder to be arrested and charged.

Those killer cops are Lt. Brian Rice, 41, who joined the department in 1997; Officer Caesar Goodson, 45, who joined in 1999; Sgt. Alicia White, 30, who joined in 2010; Officer William Porter, 25, who joined in 2012; Officer Garrett Miller, 26, who joined in 2012; and Officer Edward Nero, 29, who joined in 2012. Community members at the protest where outraged by the murder of Gray and promised more action until police terror in Baltimore is brought to an end. Eniubong Iniunam expressed the view of many people who live in West Baltimore, “I'm out here to support. There have been so many protests and this one hit real close to home. I saw pictures of the victim. I knew this kid. He's from here. I can be seriously next”. Baltimore Bloc, one of the groups leading protests said in a statement, “Baltimore Bloc stands in solidarity with the victims of this week's police violence and all the victims of the vicious, bloodthirsty gang known as the Baltimore Police Department. We will do everything in our power to bring this killing spree to an end.” Police detained one of the Baltimore Bloc organizers at the start of the protest, only releasing him when the protest ended.

#BaltimoreMD #BalitmoreMD #PoliceBrutality #NationalOppression #FreddieGray #BaltimorePoliceDepartment