Minneapolis, MN – More than 250 people gathered at 3:00 p.m. Nov. 15, to protest the previous night’s shooting of Jamar Clark by Minneapolis cops. Witness to Clarks’ shooting say that he was shot in the head while handcuffed. His family says he is brain dead. Neighborhood people confronted police at the Fourth Precinct for much of the evening. Minneapolis Black Lives Matter began an occupation of the Fourth Precinct building demanding that the officer who shot Clark be arrested.
St. Paul, MN – 150 people protested at the Twin Cities marathon here, Oct. 4, to call attention to police violence on Black and Native people. Organized by Black Lives Matter-Saint Paul, the #BlackMarathon protest focused on the cases of Phill Quinn, Tyree Tucker and Marcus Golden. The protest began with a rally in Boyd Park featuring speeches by members of the Quinn, Tucker and Golden families, continued with a march through the community and was followed by a die-in at the Twin Cities marathon finish line.
Houston, TX – The Houston chapter of Black Lives Matter (BLMHTX) held a large symposium, Sept. 18, at Saint John's United Methodist church. In the beautiful church setting, BLMHTX brought together over 400 people to discuss the importance of the growing movement of African Americans in the U.S. against police brutality and for liberation.
Fort Lauderdale, FL – 50 militant anti-racist protesters confronted 200 racist bikers, skinheads and Confederate sympathizers on August 16. The pro-Confederate racists rode in from all over the South to invade Broward County, Florida. The racists planned to parade the Confederate battle flag through the streets of South Florida before rallying in Markham Park in Sunrise. Instead, they were met with a powerful local resistance in the form of local Black Lives Matter activists.
Jacksonville, FL – On August 8, activists in Jacksonville staged two demonstrations tied to the Black Lives Matter movement. In the morning, community organizers rallied for a press conference outside of the Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center against the mass incarceration of Black youth. Later that day, young activists led a Black Lives Matter march through downtown Jacksonville against racist police crimes.
Jacksonville, FL – On August 2, more than 35 people from across Jacksonville attended a forum on institutionalized racism. Sponsored by the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC), the event featured a stack of speakers who addressed the Black Lives Matter movement, the struggle against police crimes and the fight against mass incarceration.
Minneapolis, MN – Attorneys appeared in court, August 5, before Judge Peter Cahill for a status conference in the #BlackLivesMatter demonstration case. Notably, Bloomington Prosecutor Sandra Johnson has dropped all substantive trespassing charges against the alleged organizers of the Black Lives Matter demonstration. The move came on the heels of motions to dismiss that were filed by lead attorneys Jordan Kushner and Bruce Nestor, who are representing 10 of 11 individuals identified as ‘ringleaders’ of the Black Lives Matter gathering at the Mall of America last December.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 200 protesters marched here, July 31, demanding justice for Sandra Bland. Bland’s death has come to the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement because of her suspicious jail cell death while in police custody.
Jacksonville, FL – Over 100 activists and community members gathered here, July 26, to honor Sandra Bland. Bland, who supported the Black Lives Matter movement, became national news when she was found dead in her jail cell after being arrested for a minor traffic offense. Many doubt the official story that Bland committed suicide, especially after video evidence surfaced of Bland being handled roughly by the police.
Bloomington, MN – Over 25 community members and 15 members of the clergy gathered at the Mall of America, July 26, to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, to call for an end to the terrorization of people of color through police violence and mass incarceration and to urge Mall of America (MOA) to drop its charges against 36 organizers and bystanders stemming from last December’s MOA protest.
