Columbus, OH – Hundreds of Columbus area residents gathered over the Labor Day weekend to protest the murder of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis by Columbus police officer Ricky Anderson. The demonstrations called for the firing and conviction of Ricky Anderson. They also demanded an end to qualified immunity, criticized nighttime raids, and showed support for the Lewis family by collecting signatures and donations.

Tallahassee, FL – On September 1, members of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee and Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society attended the Civilian Police Review Board to condemn the further militarization of the Tallahassee Police Department and fight for greater autonomy for the Civilian Police Review Board.

Chicago, IL – Chicago saw two developments this past week in the struggle for democratic control of the police by the Black and Latino communities in Chicago. First, after a long delay, Mayor Lori Lightfoot appointed the interim Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA). This was created out of the passage of historic legislation in 2021, Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS), the most democratic legislation for police accountability in the country.

Chicago, IL – The Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) Coalition held a press conference on Tuesday morning, August 30, in response to Mayor Lightfoot's Monday appointment of the citywide Interim Commission for Public Safety. According to the ECPS ordinance, the commission should have been appointed in January. The coalition held a press conference on July 20 demanding that the mayor end the delays and appoint the Interim Commission. With the appointments made, the coalition set its eyes towards the local District Council elections coming up in February 2023.

Milwaukee, WI – On August 26, the family of Earl Lawhorn joined the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression in a car caravan to demand justice for him and his family. Lawhorn was murdered by Milwaukee police exactly one year before. Cops initiated a high-speed chase with Lawhorn. The chase culminated in a fatal shooting, which the police officers justified by claiming Lawhorn had fired on them. Evidence presented by the district attorney to the family revealed that the firearm in Lawhorn’s possession was broken and unable to fire.

Tallahassee, FL – Recent social media posts revealed that the Tallahassee Police Department Tactical Apprehension and Control Team took part in a training associated with Eddie Gallagher, a retired Navy SEAL accused of numerous war crimes. Most notably, Gallagher was accused of fatally stabbing an injured 17 year old ISIS prisoner named Khaled Jamal Abdullah, posing with the body and sending the picture to friends. Prosecutors painted a picture of Gallagher as needlessly violent and bloodthirsty, bragging about his number of kills. He even went so far as to gloat about murdering innocent civilians. His own fellow SEAL team members described him as “freaking evil” and said he was “perfectly OK with killing anybody who moves”. Gallagher’s website promotes a “warrior culture” with the tagline, “A true warrior seeks only the battle” and features a logo and merchandise with the phrase “seek battle”.

Commentary by Ben Grant

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture (CFIST) of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, August 6, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a march and vigil with the family of Brieon Green and other community members. Green died at the jail on June 26. With a small but energetic crowd, the Milwaukee Alliance led people in a loop through the downtown area that began and ended in front of the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

“So are we not valued?”

Tallahassee, FL – On August 4, the city of Tallahassee convened their monthly Citizen Police Review Board (CPRB) meeting. At this meeting, City Attorney Cassandra Jackson reviewed citizen criticism of the board and the barriers set up by pro-police legislation, like the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights and the Tallahassee city charter. Additionally, the public comment portion showed a clear demand for “Community control of the police now.” One of the major breakthroughs of the meeting was the fact that the city commission has not approved the “end-of-year report” submitted in February, which included questions of expanding authority and approving money for citizen outreach.