News and Views from the People's Struggle
Houston, TX – Over 30 students at the University of Houston participated in a protest against police brutality on Sept. 16. They began with a rally in front of the MD Anderson library on campus, with signs reading, “Black lives matter,” “End police brutality” and “Stop racist killer cops.”
Lufkin, TX – On Sept. 14, students at Angelina College painted a banner for a Black Lives Matter rally being organized by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
Olinka Green speaks
Fight Back! interviewed Olinka Green, a Dallas area activist who has been very prominent in the Black Lives Matter movement, but who is also known for Palestine solidarity work, support for the struggle of trans people, anti-war work, and activism on many other issues that are important to progressives. We sat down with her to hear what she had to say about recent events in Dallas.
Highlights the need for a alliance between the working class and the Black liberation movement
It's hard to imagine a movie like Free State of Jones coming out at a better time. A little over a year ago, a white supremacist murdered nine Black members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina, drawing inspiration from the Confederate States of America (CSA) and the KKK. In response, activists battled to tear down the Confederate flag from state buildings and won. All of this took place exactly 150 years after the end of the Civil War.
Jacksonville, FL – Over 500 people marched through downtown Jacksonville on July 10 demanding an end to racist police crimes. Local organizers affiliated with the #BlackLivesMatter movement called the protest in response to the recent murders of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
Minneapolis, MN – Today at Noon NAACP head Nekima Levy-Pounds and hundreds of people held a press conference in front of the Minnesota Governors mansion to protest the police murder of Philando Castile on July 6, 2016. The aftermath of the shooting and death of Philando Castile was livestreamed by his partner Diamond Reynolds. Philando Castile had been driving while black when he was pulled over for a broken tail light. When asked by the officer for his license and registration he informed the man that he was a concealed carry permit holder and had a gun on his person. This is in compliance with Minnesota law and the procedures permit holders are instructed to use. The officer opened fire upon hearing that he had a gun, shooting him 3-5 times in the arm. Officers held Ms. Reynolds and her daughter in the car at gunpoint while Philando Castile bled to death in front of them. The livestream broadcast brought people to the scene who protested the murder throughout the night, eventually occupying the street in front of the MN Governors mansion. Philando Castile is remembered as a kind man who gave out extra graham crackers to the kids at J.J Hill school in St. Paul where he was a lunchroom supervisor. He was a 15 year member of Teamsters Local 320. This is at least the second police murder of an African American man this week
#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #MN #BlackLivesMatter #PhilandoCastile
Jacksonville, FL – The atmosphere at Simonds-Johnson Park was revolutionary on May 14, as people from across Jacksonville gathered for the second annual Malcolm X Festival.
Minneapolis musical legend, Black movement supporter, gender-bending pioneer
“His songs were musical arguments to live free.” -Boots Riley
Minneapolis, MN – For the fourth week in a row, Friday, March 4 brought a crowd of protesters to the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, demanding justice for Jamar Clark, who was killed by Minneapolis police in November. Once again, Freeman was out of the office. This week, protesters came armed with a letter from Jamar’s parents, James and Wilma Clark. The open letter was directed to Freeman, as well as Governor Mark Dayton and Minneapolis Chief of Police Janeé Harteau, and was also shared with the media.
Austin, TX – Over 300 students and activists marched at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Austin on Jan. 30. The large crowd of both students and community activists rallied at the University of Austin campus to hear speeches and then marched to the Texas state capitol building.