Chicago, IL – Over 100 people rallied and marched here to demand justice for Eric Garner, Michael Brown and all police crime victims. The demonstration was called by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Speakers included Emmett Farmer, whose son Flint was gunned down and killed by a Chicago police officer in 2011 while he was lying on his stomach. Bertha Escamilla spoke about her son, Nick, a victim of the infamous torturer, police officer Jon Burge. Joyce Brown demanded answers surrounding the death of her son Charles. In April, 20-year-old Charles Brown was shot and killed by the police in the suburb of Harvey.

The protest then marched to the police station at 71st and Cottage Grove Streets. The march was led by community members and Mark Clement, an activist with the Alliance and another victim of Jon Burge. Clement spent 27 years in prison after having been tortured into confessing to crimes he didn’t commit. The 3rd District station had been under the command of Glenn Evans, the cop who was indicted for shoving his pistol down an unarmed man's throat, pressing a Taser against his groin and threatening to kill him. In front of the police station the crowd held die-ins, blocking traffic. The march continued, eventually covering seven miles, and blocking Lake Shore Drive.

The Alliance has a campaign to bring an end to police control of the African American and Latino communities. They have gathered over 10,000 signatures for an elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), to hold the police accountable for their crimes.

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #EricGarner #ICantBreathe

Tampa, FL – Over 250 protesters gathered on Dec. 5 to protest police terror and to end the killing of African American men by the police. Protesters demanded “Jail killer cops” – like police officer Darren Wilson who shot Mike Brown to death in Ferguson, Missouri, and officer Daniel Pantaleo who killed Eric Garner in New York.

The nationwide protests follow the grand jury decision not to indict the NYPD’s Daniel Pantaleo, observed on video choke-holding Eric Garner who died saying, “I can’t breathe.” This failure to indict follows the Ferguson grand jury failure just two weeks earlier.

100 protesters initially gathered at Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa for the march. After several rounds of chanting and fiery speeches, protesters took the streets in an unpermitted march. The protest quickly grew in number, more than doubling to 250 people.

Protesters marched up Kennedy Boulevard, halting traffic across two intersections, before stopping on the Lafayette Street Bridge over the Hillsborough River. Protesters continued across the bridge, then turned around and headed back over the bridge. They then marched towards Curtis Hixon Park where Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was hosting a tree lighting ceremony. Protesters filed into the ceremony and drowned out a Christmas themed concert, chanting, “I can’t breathe!” and “No justice, no peace. No killer police!” The band finished their song and quickly filed off stage. Afterwards, protesters once again marched back to Lykes Gaslight Park, where they finished with more speeches.

Crystal Wilson of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee said, “It's obvious that people are angry and tired of this system of police violence, and if this continues the people will only get more sick and more tired. The only thing we want is an end to the violence against our communities.”

Reign Hervey, a student at the University of South Florida had to say, “If we all don't get together we won't see any change. If the people want change, we're going to have fight for it here in the streets.”

Protests are planned for both Sarasota and Saint Petersburg, Florida over next few days.

#TampaFL #PoliceBrutality #EricGarner #ICantBreathe