News and Views from the People's Struggle
By Gabriel Quiroz Jr. and Verita Topete
Los Angeles, CA – On the morning of Wednesday, May 20, Nadia Topete, a Chicana organizer with Centro Community Service Organization (CSO), was served with a subpoena to appear June 3 in front of a grand jury.
Jacksonville, FL- A broad coalition, led by Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN), rallied outside Duval County Jail on May 20 to condemn the guilty verdict against local organizer Conor Cauley, who now faces up to five years in prison.
Oakland, CA – On May 12, around 20 Oakland city workers, activists and community members mobilized to City Hall in support of civilians taking over the 38 administrative jobs currently occupied by the Oakland Police Department (OPD).
Candidate Forum | FightBack! News”)
Washington, D.C. – On Sunday, May 17, community members, organizers and faith leaders gathered at Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast Washington, DC for the Washington Interfaith Network’s (WIN) Candidate Forum ahead of the upcoming mayoral, city council and congressional primary elections this June.
Santa Ana, CA – En la mañana del 29 de abril, gritos de “¡Fuera Kingsley!” resonaron afuera de la sala donde se reunía la División de Estabilización de Alquileres (RSD, por sus siglas en inglés). Los residentes del parque de casas móviles Coach Royal, junto con miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC), tuvieron una conferencia de prensa antes de una audiencia con la RSD. Desde hace años, los residentes han sufrido abusos y acoso por parte de Kingsley Management Corporation, los propietarios del parque.
Charleston, SC – On Wednesday, May 13, organizers with the Lowcountry Action Committee (LAC), a South Carolina branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), gathered in support of members of the family of Walter Scott against the early release of former North Charleston Police Department Michael Slager.
By Sierra Jones Frishman
Jacksonville, FL – On Tuesday, May 12, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee led another mobilization to city council demanding the permanent installment of a mental health emergency response team. This demand is co-signed by a coalition of families who have lost loved ones at the hands of the inept and violent Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO).
Orlando, FL – An hour before the Orlando City Commission meeting, community organizers rallied outside City Hall to put police accountability back on the agenda. Activists and community members toughed it out in the heat. They crowded around a banner that read, “Say their names” and held “Bring back the Civilian Review Board” signs.
Anaheim, CA – Rosie Camacho se acercó al podio del Ayuntamiento de Anaheim el 21 de abril, apretando contra su pecho una muñeca tejida. Camacho era la madre de Albert Arzola, y la muñeca simbolizaba el espíritu de su hijo.
Camacho dijo, “El 6 de diciembre nunca volverá a ser lo mismo. ¡Las personas que se suponía que debían cuidar de él lo asesinaron! ¡Asesinaron a mi hijo, justo delante de mis ojos! ¿Y quieres que confíe en ellos?”
Anaheim, CA – On May 5, Community Service Organization (CSO OC) along with the family of Albert Arzola mobilized to Anaheim City Council to demand that killer cop Nathan Garcia be fired from Anaheim Police Department. When the family and CSO OC arrived, they came with signs that read “Fire killer cop Nathan Garcia.” The city council was visibly shaken and rattled by the signs.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, authored by Alissa Washington and Jae Yates.
Minneapolis, MN – On Wednesday, April 22, the city of Minneapolis released a long-awaited after-action review examining the Minneapolis Police Department’s failures in the handling of the murder of Allison Lussier and the shooting of Davis Moturi.
Colorado Springs, CO – On May 2, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered in the parking lot of the McDonald’s where Benjamin “Benji” Greenfield was shot and killed by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD). The gathering was a planned vigil called by Greenfield’s family. Around 20 people gathered to remember Benji and to protest against the police killing.
Los Ángeles, CA – En la mañana de abril 20, el movimiento contra los crímenes policiales en Los Ángeles ganó una gran victoria ya que un juez dictó que el caso civil de Joseph Perez contra la Ciudad de Los Ángeles iba a proceder. Docenas – principalmente chicanos, afroamericanos, e incluso coreanos que han sufrido violencia policial y están en las calles luchando en contra – llenaron el Juzgado Stanley Mosk para exigir justicia por Joseph Perez.
Brooklyn, NY — Dedicated community members and activists gathered at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct on Thursday, April 30, to once again demand Justice for Eudes Pierre. The New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) organized this protest along with Pierre’s family to demand that the cops who murdered Pierre be fired and charged with murder.
Washington, D.C. – Around 50 activists and community members gathered on Monday, April 27 at Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) 4th District Precinct for a justice vigil held in honor of Isaac Carlos Aguirre, a 19-year-old who was found hanging from a tree outside of the precinct two weeks before.
Oakland, CA – On April 25, around 20 community members attended a cookout and rally at Arroyo Viejo Park in East Oakland. The gathering was organized by the Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression to raise funds for the second independent autopsy of Jalani Lovett, who died in custody at Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail in 2021.
Anaheim, CA – Rosie Camacho approached the Anaheim City Council podium, April 21, clutching a woven doll to her chest. Camacho was Albert Arzola’s mother, and the doll symbolized the spirit of her son.
Detroit, MI – On Saturday, April 18, the Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a rally at the corner of Clark Avenue and West Fisher Service Drive to demand that the Detroit City Council pass the People’s Bodycam Ordinance, a progressive city ordinance that would force the police to release body-worn camera footage from incidents of police violence. Banners were held by the road and over the highway overpass, with the slogans. “Stop protecting killer cops! Pass the People’s Bodycam Ordinance!” Protesters at the rally chanted, “When killer cops are on patrol, what’s the answer? Community control!”
Eureka, CA – Around 25 protesters gathered outside the Humboldt County Courthouse on April 20 to demand that charges be dropped against student activist Rick Toledo, who is facing repression from Cal Poly Humboldt after a Palestine solidarity protest.
Los Angeles, CA – On the morning of April 20, the movement against police crimes in Los Angeles won a major victory as a judge ruled that Joseph Perez’s civil case against the City of Los Angeles would proceed. Dozens – mainly Chicanos, African Americans and even Koreans who have experienced police violence and are on the ground in Los Angeles fighting back – packed the Stanley Mosk Courthouse to demand justice for Joseph Perez.
In 2020, Joseph Perez was brutally beaten by sheriff deputy gang members using the name “Indians” and who operated out of the City of Industry Sheriff's Station. A deputy gang is made up of police officers who participate in beatings, planting of evidence, and even extrajudicial executions. The deputy gangsters identify each other with a deputy gang tattoo, which they earn by committing crimes in the furtherance of their gang. Some deputy gangs like the “Banditos” out of the East Los Angeles sheriff’s substation and the “Executioners” out of Compton substation are known nationally and even internationally for their crimes. The Industry Indians are well known to those who they terrorize but are one of the newer deputy gangs.
LA County wanted this civil case to be dismissed but Vanessa Perez, the mother of Joseph Perez, and their supporters struck a blow to the county. The judge ruled that the case will move on to trial in September of 2027, a big win and what Vanessa Perez wanted.
Fight Back! interviewed Vanessa Perez on the courthouse steps immediately after the ruling.
Fight Back!: We’re outside the courthouse with Vanessa Perez, can you let us know what happened today?
Vanessa Perez: The judge went ahead and agreed that we will move forward to the next step and we’re coming back to court for Joseph. The next step we’re going to end up getting is the discovery and we will find out what they did to Joseph.
Fight Back!: What you want is that that Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department be put on trial for what they did to Joseph?
Perez: Yes, pretty much. We want the truth.
Fight Back!: What does justice look like to you?
Perez: What we asked the judge today is to allow the case to move forward so that we can understand better what happened to Joseph. Joseph is a person of brown skin with development issues and mental health issues. He is the exact kind of person who is statistically more likely to experience police violence in his lifetime. The justice system should be flexible with people like Joseph so these cases can be heard and the police can be held accountable for abusing vulnerable people like my son. Today we are fighting for Joseph so something might go differently for others like him, so that the next mother who calls 911 seeking help for their child in crisis doesn't have to be afraid that something terrible will happen like what they did to Joseph. We will continue to fight in and out of this courtroom until we see that world become a reality.
Fight Back!: Is there anything else you would want to add?
Perez: We have been trying our best to get justice for Joseph Perez but the system is not built for people like him. Instead of getting physical and mental healthcare that he needed, he spent two years incarcerated for the beating that was done to him while these deputy gang members are beating other kids out here.
Deputy Shawn Merrick and Deputy Adam Nelson are both confirmed Industry Indians deputy gang members. Together with their trainees Jake Adamo and Sabastian Pombal, they beat Joseph Perez. They also beat young teens outside of a Montclair bowling alley where the deputies were arrested and Merrick and Nelson admitted to being part of a deputy gang. These four deputies were later fired. Vincent Rodriguez, Paul Saldana and Abraham Rivera are other deputies who beat Joseph Perez and are still on duty.
Centro CSO – a community organization that fights back against police crimes in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles – has supported Vanessa Perez in her fight for justice. In December of 2025, they made history together by having the first protest outside of the Industry Sheriff’s Station. To stay updated with this fight for justice, follow @JusticeforJosephPerez and @CentroCSO.
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