News and Views from the People's Struggle
Chicago, IL – The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and Black Lives Matter-Chicago are calling for a protest Monday, July 16, 6 p.m., at 71st and Jeffrey to demand Justice for Harith Augustus, who was shot in the back Saturday afternoon by a Chicago police officer.
Chicago, IL – Nearly 700 Chicagoans united to celebrate the coming home of over three dozen wrongfully convicted torture survivors during the People Power Weekend, hosted by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression on June 16 and 17.
Struggle continues against police terror in Chicago
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Chicago, IL – In the past two years in Chicago, over 50 cases of wrongful convictions have been thrown out of court, and most of the Black and Latino men involved have walked out of prison, or had their charges dismissed. These cases have been overturned because of the exposure of crimes by officers of the Chicago Police Department, including many cases of people’s confessions that were exacted through torture. According to attorneys involved in these cases, there are hundreds more that will be making their way through the courts in the coming years.
Chicago, IL – More than three years after the death of Laquan McDonald in Chicago, his killer, Jason Van Dyke, will be going on trial in the coming weeks or months. In preparation, the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression has issued the following statement announcing their plan to protest outside the court house on that day. The Alliance is asking for endorsers, for activists in the region to travel to Chicago that day, and for activists in cities further away to hold solidarity rallies.
Chicago, IL – In 1997, a corrupt police detective in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, Joseph Miedzianowski, arrested 17-year-old Jaime Hauad. After torturing Hauad into making statements that were used to incriminate him, he was charged with murder, wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Years later, Miedzianowski and Gang Crimes Unit head, Reynaldo Guevara, were exposed for having wrongfully convicted 51 young men, mainly Puerto Rican and Chicanos/Latinos. Hauad’s mother, Anabel Perez, has fought for freedom for her son since then, joining the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and working in the movement against police crimes. On Friday, Jan. 19, Hauad finally walked free from prison. Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression issued the following statement to mark this important victory: Welcome home Jaime Hauad!!! All power to the people!!! Now let’s free Gerald Reed and all the torture victims!
Chicago, IL – More than 200 people took part in a protest against killings by police, Nov. 24, boycotting Black Friday on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. This is the third year in a row that marchers came out to demand justice for Laquan McDonald, murdered by a Chicago cop in 2014. The protest also demanded freedom for torture victims of the Chicago police, and an elected civilian police accountability council (CPAC). The march was organized by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #BlackFriday #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #CPAC
Chicago, IL- Hundreds of activists will take to the streets on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile to interrupt business on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year.
Chicago, IL – A memorial was held, Nov. 11, where friends, family, and comrades of Josephine Wyatt gathered to remember her 95 years of life and struggle.
Chicago, IL – La Alianza de Chicago contra la Represión Racista y Política llevó a las familias de 17 hombres condenados injustamente a reunirse con el Fiscal del Condado de Cook, Kim Foxx, en febrero. En la reunión, Foxx se comprometió a investigar cada uno de los casos y donde hay pruebas de inocencia, dijo que los liberaría.
Chicago, IL – The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression led the families of 17 wrongfully-convicted men to meet with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx in February. In the meeting, Foxx committed to investigate each of the cases and where there is proof of innocence, she said she would release them.
Chicago, IL – For many years the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression has campaigned to win freedom for the many victims of torture and other crimes by the Chicago police. This week, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced that she was dropping the case against two men, Robert Almodovar and William Negron, who had been framed by the notorious gang of Detective Reynoldo Guevara. Almodovar walked out of prison April 14, and we continue to demand freedom for Negron, who remains jailed on an unrelated case.
“No wall no registry, no white supremacy”
Activists in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago, rallied 400 people today, Feb. 4, to make their village a strong sanctuary. They urged the village trustees and mayor to keep their word and adopt a Welcoming Village Ordinance that would protect immigrants. The organizers opposed a previous proposal with deportation loopholes.
Chicago, IL – The crisis in city hall continues in Chicago. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is desperate to create a new review system to cover up the crimes of the Chicago Police Department. His city council cronies, Carrie Austin and Ariel Reboyras held hearings supposedly for community input. However, they held them with no involvement of any of the forces that have fought for justice for the victims of the Chicago Police Department. The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression convened a press conference on the first day of hearings, July 6, to expose the sham, and to call for community control of police through an elected, civilian, police accountability council.
#ChicagoIL #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression
Eisenhower Expressway blocked
Chicago, IL – 300 people came out to a vigil, April 12, to commemorate the murder of 16-year-old Pierre Loury, the latest Black youth killed by the Chicago police.
Struggle against Mayor Emanuel continues
Chicago, IL – On Friday, Dec. 18, people in Chicago will again walk out of school and off their jobs to call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez to resign. The protesters will assemble outside Chicago City Hall, around Daley Plaza.
Chicago, IL – Hundreds of Black youth marched through the streets of Chicago Nov. 24, to express out-rage at the police murder of a Black high school student, Laquan McDonald.
Chicago, IL – When thousands of people gathered at Federal Plaza Saturday, August 29, LaCreshia Birts and Michael Sampson of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression started the rally with a chant: “When we say fight back, you say CPAC!”
Chicago, IL – An historic mobilization took place in Chicago’s Loop, the center of the city, August 29, when 3000 people marched to demand an elected, civilian police accountability council.
Chicago, IL – Activists from all over the U.S. are arriving here to join the August 29 march against police crimes and to demand community control of the police.
Interview with Frank Chapman
The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) is calling for a march on August 29 to demand civilian control of the police. They have written legislation to create a Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), elected by the voters. Fight Back! interviewed Frank Chapman, Field Organizer of the Alliance, about the fight against police crimes, the march in August and CPAC. Fight Back!: Why is the Alliance campaigning for this legislation? Doesn’t Chicago already have a civilian review board?
