Santa Ana, CA – La tensión fue palpable el martes 17 de marzo, cuando residentes de Santa Ana, junto con la Organización de Servicios Comunitarios del Condado de Orange (CSO OC), asistieron a la sesión del Concejo Municipal. Exigieron que los policías asesinos Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra fueran despedidos del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD).

El 1 de diciembre de 2024, Noe Rodríguez fue asesinado por la Policía de Santa Ana. Jocelyn Pacheco, de CSO OC, declaró: “Noe Rodríguez estaba desarmado y atravesando una crisis de salud mental. Fue entonces cuando los agentes del SAPD, Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra, le dispararon 29 veces. Las imágenes de las cámaras corporales muestran que abrieron fuego apenas 30 segundos después de la llegada de los agentes”.

Hacia el final de la intervención de Pacheco, le cortaron el micrófono, a pesar de que solo se había pasado por 17 segundos del tiempo asignado. Los asistentes a la reunión gritaron: “¡Déjenla hablar!” y “¡Qué vergüenza!”.

Matthew Compton relató un incidente ocurrido con el agente Ibarra el 18 de febrero, afirmando: “Miembros de CSO, junto con la familia de Noe Rodríguez, se encontraban fuera del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana grabando videos. Isaac Ibarra salió deliberadamente del departamento, justo hacia donde estábamos parados, en un intento de intimidarnos”.

Compton continuó: “Isaac nos dio un codazo tanto a mí como a otro miembro de CSO; más tarde me golpeó con el hombro y lanzó un golpe falso a otro miembro de CSO. Isaac es una persona sumamente inestable mentalmente y no se le debería permitir formar parte de la fuerza policial, y mucho menos portar armas letales”.

En respuesta a otros comentarios que expresaban inquietudes sobre el comportamiento del agente Ibarra, la alcaldesa Valerie Amezcua—quien recibe fondos de campaña de la Asociación de Agentes de Policía de Santa Ana—declaró lo siguiente: “Le pedí a mi esposo que viera ese video con el agente Ibarra, y sentí mucha pena por él”. Y continuó: “Creo que se comportó de una manera que me hizo exclamar: ‘¡Vaya!’. Es una situación difícil; él simplemente iba caminando hacia su auto”.

Familiares de víctimas de la violencia policial estuvieron presentes en la sesión, incluyendo a la familia de Noe Rodríguez y a la familia de Albert Arzola. Tenía solo 19 años cuando fue asesinado por agentes de la policía de Anaheim el 6 de diciembre de 2025.

Grace Arzola reprendió al concejo, declarando: “Valerie y Phil, el lenguaje corporal es todo. Ustedes están más preocupados por una carta constitutiva y por postes de luz que no reparan que por personas que están perdiendo la vida.” Arzola señaló que el alcalde no estaba prestando atención y permanecía encorvado durante los comentarios del público.

David Pulido, miembro de CSO OC, mencionó: “Luis Casillas mató a dos personas en el lapso de un mes. A Noe Rodríguez el 1 de diciembre de 2024 y a Henry González Jr. el 1 de enero de 2025. Casillas también estuvo involucrado en una brutal paliza a un menor de 15 años, Mario Díaz. A pesar de todos sus crímenes, SAPD no ha despedido a Luis Casillas; en su lugar, lo trasladaron de la patrulla a la división de crímenes contra las personas.”

Pulido concluyó: “¡Exigimos que Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra sean despedidos antes de que puedan volver a matar! Si no hacen nada, la sangre estará en sus manos. La sangre está en las manos del jefe de policía Robert Rodríguez. La sangre estará en sus manos, administrador de la ciudad Álvaro Núñez. La sangre estará en las manos de cualquier concejal que se oponga a la rendición de cuentas. ¡Ese será su legado, y nunca permitiremos que nadie lo olvide!” El público aplaudió y gritó porras.

Al finalizar la sesión, algunos concejales—como Jonathan Hernández—mostraron su apoyo al despido de Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra. Otros mostraron su desdén hacia los residentes de Santa Ana.

La familia de Noe Rodríguez, junto con CSO OC y residentes de Santa Ana, llevan más de un año luchando para obtener justicia para Noe Rodríguez. Los miembros de CSO declararon que no se detendrán hasta que Luis Casillas e Isaac Ibarra sean despedidos y encarcelados por sus crímenes.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #CSOOC

Oak Lawn, IL – On Wednesday, March 30, the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) led a disruption of the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commission meeting to demand justice for Murod Kurdi, a young Arab man struck and killed outside his home in June 2023 by white drunk driver Leanne Cusack.

Cusack was released by Oak Lawn Police Department (OLPD) officers without a breathalyzer or blood test despite telling officers that she was driving drunk, leaving only with a traffic ticket that she nevertheless contested in court. After three years of monthly protests by Kurdi’s family, AAAN and other organizations and community members, the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commissioners still refuse to hold Cusack truly accountable for killing Kurdi, or the OLPD officers for neglecting their duty.

As with past meetings, OLPD officers surrounded meeting attendees, ready to contain and remove anyone challenging the commission. The commissioners did not mention Kurdi or acknowledge those present and began to move the unusually short meeting to a close – despite the entirety of the non-commissioner participants were there to call for justice and police accountability.

In response, several meeting attendees stood up to reveal their shirts, each with the name of a commissioner, and put on pig masks. The protesters called out the racist practices and history of Oak Lawn towards the Arab community and other oppressed nationality residents until OLPD officers removed them from the building. One of the protesters repeatedly mocked one of the commissioners, saying, “My name is Jim Baker and I am a racist! I don’t care about what happens to the Arab residents in Oak Lawn.”

Another incident of racist violence involved three OLPD officers ganging up on 17-year-old teenager Hadi Abuatelah in 2022, breaking several of his ribs and putting him in a coma for weeks. Only in 2025, after consistent mobilization to commission meetings, did the Abuatelah family finally secure a partial victory in their struggle in the form of a settlement from Oak Lawn.

The family’s demand to charge the three officers with aggravated battery and official misconduct was denied when Cook County Prosecutor Eileen Burke dropped the charges a single day into taking office, signaling her intention to operate in political alignment with Oak Lawn in tolerating or encouraging police crimes directed at its nationally oppressed residents.

Burke has since become more infamous for her refusal to criminally charge Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, especially after their brutal attacks on immigrants in the Chicagoland area, such as the vicious murder of beloved community member Silverio Villegas Gonzales, and revenge shooting of Marimar Martinez for speaking out against ICE.

After the meeting, AAAN organizer Rania Salem called on attendees to continue showing up at the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commission meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at 9446 Raymond Avenue, Oak Lawn, 60453, with the next one on Wednesday, May 6 at 5 p.m.

Salem said, “We will keep coming, month after month, to every Fire & Police Commission meeting until we get the justice Murod’s beloved family and our community deserves. So next month, it’ll hopefully be warm out again, bring your family and your friends, and we will see you soon again!”

In addition to organizing monthly protests, AAAN is gathering organizational and individual signatures calling on Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to launch an investigation into the racist practices of Oak Lawn. Please sign on to the letter and its demands here.

#OakLawnIL #IL #AAAN #MurodKurdi #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem

Jacksonville, FL – Dozens of people gathered on the steps of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Memorial Building Tuesday, April 7, marking one year since Charles Faggart was killed inside the Duval County Jail.

Faggart's family stood alongside the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC), demanding answers.

It's been a full year since Faggart, a 31-year-old food truck owner, was arrested on misdemeanor charges. His bond was set at $8500. On April 7, 2025, he was rushed from the jail to UF Health with critical injuries. The next day, Sheriff T.K. Waters held a news briefing about an injured inmate. On April 10, Faggart was declared brain dead.

Twelve months later, his family still doesn't know what actually happened to him.

No charges have been filed against any of the nine corrections officers involved. The FBI investigation Waters requested is still open, with no updates for the public. And JSO (the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office) keeps pointing to that “ongoing investigation” as the reason they won't release anything.

“We came here today because one year ago, my son was taken from us, and we still know nothing,” said Tracey Karpas, Faggart's mother.

Karpas has sued Sheriff Waters and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to force them to turn over records, including any video footage of what happened that day. That case is still pending.

The only real window into Faggart's death has come from his medical records.

Family attorneys obtained records from UF Health that tell a very different story than what JSO initially put out. Doctors who treated Faggart found:

-– No fentanyl in his system, contradicting the heavily redacted JSO report that claimed Faggart told officers he had done fentanyl.

-– No seizure, even though JSO listed a seizure as the reason for the medical emergency.

-– Taser barbs removed from his back. That detail never showed up in the redacted JSO report.

-– Multiple broken bones: nasal bone fractures, facial fractures, rib fractures.

-– Significant damage to his kidneys and liver.

-– Lung damage and signs of pepper spray exposure.

Amelia Moss, an organizer with JCAC, tied Faggart's case to the broader fight over a proposed $1 billion new jail. She argued that building a new facility won't fix the problems inside the current one; those problems will just move to a new building. The money, she said, would be better spent elsewhere in the community.

JCAC has pledged to keep standing with Faggart's family and friends until they get the answers they've been waiting for.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #CharlesFaggart #InjusticeSystem #JCAC

Los Angeles, CA – In the early morning hours of April 1, East Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed 29-year-old Erik Torres while he was going through a mental health crisis. Although Torres was unarmed and needed help, deputies murdered him.

Local media outlets incorrectly reported that an exchange of gunfire occurred between Torres and deputies, resulting in an hours-long standoff. However, this initial report that Torres was armed, and that an exchange of gunfire occurred with deputies has been proven false.

The case is now being investigated by the California Department of Justice and Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant under California Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), which requires the department to investigate, “all incidents of an officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state,” per the Office of the Attorney General website.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department deputies have even had to admit this: Eric Torres did not have a gun when he was shot and killed, and there was no “exchange of gunfire.” The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department murdered Erick Torres in cold blood.

In the aftermath of the fatal shooting, members of Centro CSO made contact with the family, who immediately dismissed the narrative being pushed by the media and the department. Torres’ brother made it known that deputies from the Sheriff's Department had routinely responded to calls at the Torres residence, and were aware of his brother’s mental health struggles. The night of the incident, the family made it known to deputies that Torres was unarmed, but deputies disregarded this information and killed him anyway.

Chicanos on the Eastside know all too well that the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station – home of the Banditos gang – is infamous for officers’ aggressive, violent behavior and long history of killing young Chicano men. Deputies out of the East LA Station have killed those experiencing mental health crises in the past, instead of getting them the help they deserve.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #EastLA #InjusticeSystem #LASD #OppressedNationalities #Featured

New Orleans, LA – On March 30, Jace Lee Scott's family and supporting activists rallied outside the city council's Criminal Justice Committee hearing. About 15 community members then packed the meeting and made public comments demanding that NOPD officer Victor Gant Jr. be fired for his role in his son Andrew Gant's coverup and killing of Jace.

During public comment on the NOPD's quarterly report, Jace's mother Shanta Scott had her mic abruptly cut and the council cleared the chambers, arresting one activist: Toni Jones of the New Orleans Alliance.

During the course of the five-hour meeting, public comment was repeatedly interrupted by the committee cutting the microphone on Shanta Scott and her supporters.

When commenting on one presentation Scott stated, “My trust has been damaged by NOPD and the criminal court system. Justice is not just a concept, it is something that families must be able to see, feel and experience. And I haven't, due to the corruption of NOPD officer Victor Gant Jr.” Scott continued, “I'm demanding that the city should have a Civilian Police Accountability Council so families like mine can get the proper justice.”

Committee Chairman Freddie King III justified the repeated silencing of community members by saying that the comments on policy, racial discrimination and Gant's abuse of power were not germane to the self-congratulatory progress reports being presented by the city departments.

Twice during the meeting, King left the council chambers and signaled to NOPD officers to physically remove Shanta Scott for her comments. Both times, activists in the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NOAARPR) stood by her and demanded that she be heard. When NOAARPR chair Toni Jones objected to the second threat to remove Scott, Jones was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace and city council.

After the arrest, activists called the Orleans Parish Jail and the city attorney. Toni Jones was released within hours. A press conference was immediately held upon release and those gathered representing NOAARPR, Jace's family, and supporting organizations demanded that the charges be dropped, Victor Gant Jr. be fired and charged, and a Civilian Police Accountability Council be established.

The family will be at the next criminal justice committee hearing on April 27.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #JaceLeeScott #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #NOAARPR

New Orleans, LA — On Tuesday March 31 at 10 a.m., a crowd of about 15 people came out to New Orleans Municipal Court to support activist Toni Jones and demand her charges be dropped. Jones is facing trumped-up charges of disturbing the peace and disrupting city council following an action for Jace Lee Scott at the Criminal Justice Committee (CJC) meeting on Monday March 30.

M. R. Framboise from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke in support of her fellow organizer saying, “This is not only an attack on Toni. It is a government-driven attack on the people of the City of New Orleans and the broad masses of the people at large.”

Framboise continued, “The NOPD and city council have clearly communicated to the community that when the people stand up for themselves, their mics will be truncated; they will be brutalized, and they will be detained.”

Jones, chairwoman of the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NOAARPR), was defending the right to public comment when she was arrested. Shanta Scott, Jace’s mother, spoke to the CJC Councilmembers Eugene Green and Freddie King III about her son’s murder by Andrew Gant and the cover-up by the New Orleans Police Department. Scott spoke to ask about NOPD policy when an officer’s family member is involved in a murder. As soon as she mentioned the name of NOPD’s crooked cop Victor Gant Jr., Andrew’s father, Councilman Freddie King III cut off Scott’s mic despite her comments remaining entirely germane.

Jones spoke out against the cut mic, insisting to King that Scott’s comments were germane to the discussion on NOPD policy. Instead of responding to Scott’s pleas for answers, Councilmembers Green and King turned their backs on her and left the chambers. New Orleans police then surrounded the crowd of supporters and targeted Jones, putting her in handcuffs and dragging her out of the chambers. NOAARPR quickly released a call-in statement that put pressure on the city attorney and Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office that resulted in her release with no bond.

Jones herself also spoke at the rally, “One of places I go in the search for justice is to the jailhouse, and all I see are people going through unnecessary misery for months, without even having a trial.” Jones referred to the community support that she knew was present from within the jailhouse, saying, “When I was in the jail, I knew that I had all of you with me. My jailers themselves came down to let me know, ‘They support you. They are with you, so don’t even bother taking your medical [exam], you’re going home.’”

Jones concluded, “Even in the places where justice cannot be found, we can build momentum. We can build hope, and we can build the fight for liberation!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #ToniJones #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #NOAARPR

The Grand Rapids Alliance is stunned but not surprised at the decision by Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker to shield the murderers of Da’Quain Tre Johnson. We condemn this decision and are filled with emotion alongside his family as they will no longer get their day in court due to the inaction of the justice system in Grand Rapids. We call upon the Attorney General Nessel to rectify this and bring charges against these officers.

Once again, we see a justice system that protects the powerful and not the broader community. We see decisions made behind closed doors with no explanation in court. The police department plays public relations games while investigations are ongoing, tainting evidence and swaying the public before any decision can be made. Officers are empowered to be judge, jury, and executioner with no recourse for the victim or the community.

The city should launch an independent 3rd party investigation immediately and begin a review of its policy of deadly force by police officers. We stand by the Johnson family as they pursue a civil case against the city. We renew our call for community control of the police department. Until those who use deadly force are held accountable by the community they are supposed to keep safe, peace is not possible.

Justice for Da’Quain Tre Johnson!

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #DaQuainTreJohnson #InjusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities

Brooklyn, NY – Dozens of community members gathered for a picket at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct in Brooklyn on March 31. In December 2021, 26-year-old Haitian American Eudes Pierre dialed 911 while experiencing a mental health crisis. Instead of assistance or care, officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez from the 71st Precinct followed him in and out of a train station and to his home before shooting him ten times.

The murder of Eudes Pierre demonstrates how the NYPD continues to kill and brutalize the people of New York with near-impunity. Their violence falls disproportionately on Black, brown, immigrant and unhoused New Yorkers, as well as those experiencing mental health crises.

Abreu-Gerez continues to work at the 71st Precinct. The New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR), along with Eudes Pierre’s family, organized the picket to confront Abreu-Gerez along with his associates and demand that he be immediately fired and prosecuted.

Daniel Koh of the New York Alliance described Abreu-Gerez’s history of violence before and after the murder of Eudes Pierre. Around eight months earlier, he was part of a mob of police officers who brutalized Isiah Day, fracturing his spine. Since the murder of Eudes Pierre, the NYPD awarded Abreu-Gerez five times for “excellent police duty” and once for “meritorious police duty.” Over the same period, he has had five additional complaints ranging from police brutality to abuse of authority.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) ruled that Lan and Abreu-Gerez had acted “within NYPD guidelines.” Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue charges against them. James is running this year for reelection to a third term. Her website calls her “the People’s Lawyer” and the “guardian of the legal rights of the people of New York.”

In their speech, NYAARPR Chair Shivani Ishwar addressed James directly, “You cannot be the People’s Lawyer if you don’t truly represent the people! You cannot win our vote while ignoring our demands!”

Attendees carried signs with a picture of Eudes Pierre on one side and a wanted poster of Conrado Abreu-Gerez on the other. Officers from the 71st Precinct watched the picket from the other side of their barricade, showing visible discomfort at the signs, speeches and chants which included “Fire killer cops!” and “How do you spell murderer? NYPD!”

To maintain and build pressure on the NYPD, the New York Alliance will continue to picket the 71st Precinct on the last Thursday of each month. The next picket will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Along with Eudes Pierre’s family, the New York Alliance continues to fight for justice for Eudes Pierre and for community control of the police.

#NewYorkNY #NY #BrooklynNY #NYAARPR #EudesPierre #OppressedNationalities #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop

Anaheim, CA – On March 24, the family of Albert Arzola along with Community Service Organization (CSO OC) confronted the Anaheim City Council to show their anger with Anaheim Police Department.

Albert Arzola was murdered by the Anaheim Police Department on December 6, 2025. Since then, Anaheim PD has been harassing the Arzola family.

Pearl Arzola stated, “Since then we have been getting harassed daily by Anaheim PD. On February 24 during the city council, you guys lit up my house with headlights from police squad cars. On the 16th you guys lit up my cousin with a flashlight while he was taking out the trash. I want you guys to let us grieve in peace. Our neighbors can’t even throw a baptism without you guys harassing and keep flashing lights on them.”

Arzola’s anger and frustration grew as she said “It’s a fucking baptism, what are they gonna do? We're not out here having guns at baby showers. Anaheim police are fucking cowards. We can’t throw our own trash away?”

The anger that Arzola vocalized continued throughout the entire city council meeting. Christine Lopez had this to say, “After 21 emails to the mayor and no response. The family of Albert Arzola no longer wanted to meet with you. I validate the families frustration. Is the mayor really that busy? Perhaps you are, however the mayor works for us, the residents of Anaheim.”

Ariana Avalos continued, “My cousin was killed over graffiti he wasn’t even doing. You can see him standing on the other side of the street in the video. It’s nine dollars and 98 cents for graffiti removal at Lowe’s. My cousin’s life was not worth nine dollars and 98 cents. 25 dollars for a paint bucket at Home Depot. My cousin’s life was not worth 25 dollars.”

Most of the city council members were not even paying attention to the comments of the Arzola family. Despite this lack of attention, the residents of Anaheim showed immense support. Many of the Anaheim hills residents, who came on their own volition, called for “Justice for Albert” and raised the demands of the family including releasing the names of the officers who killed him.

Jocelyn Pacheco, a member of CSO OC’s police accountability committee told the council, “The gang unit officers said they were on suppression patrol, yet even they admit they don’t know why they tried to make contact with Albert and his friends. Nine days later the department said the reason for the encounter was still being determined. Three months later the names of the officers and body cam footage has still not been released despite the family and community members advocating for those details to be released.”

David Pulido, a member of CSO OC, pointed out the racist comments of Anaheim’s Police Chief Manuel Cid, stating, “He openly said African Americans commit more crimes than whites. The truth is that African Americans, Chicanos, indigenous peoples are over policed, and over sentenced. Killed more often than whites. The mayor said nothing to correct him that day; I remember. You just stood there.” Pulido’s comments were backed up with shouts of “shame!” from the crowd.

The council meeting ended with many questions left unanswered. The lies, lack of communication, and the family's demands remain. However, this hasn’t discouraged community members nor the family of Albert Arzola. They commented that they will keep coming back and keep fighting for justice, and will not be intimated by Anaheim PD.

#AnaheimCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSO #AlbertArzola #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop