Madison, WI – Hundreds gathered, for the third night in a row, July 24, in the spot where the Madison Police Department (MPD) murdered Corey Ruiz. Another police killing took place on this same street 11 years ago, when officer Matt Kenny shot and killed Tony Robinson Jr.

Among the organizations in attendance were Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Madison Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Inc, a group that consistently fights for community control over police.

Miss Jewel of Freedom Inc spoke about the need to keep the fight going, emphasizing that they won’t let up until they have firing and hiring power over the crooked Madison cops. She was met with enthusiastic cheers from a diverse and enraged crowd of community members.

After 30 minutes of rousing speeches from survivors of police crimes and from community organizers, the crowd made its way around rows of barricades and city trucks in the direction of the police precinct, where chants of “Justice for Corey” shook the windows of the sheriff’s office.

After circling the capitol building and turning onto East Washington, one of Madison’s busiest streets, the crowd turned to face the capitol to tell the government exactly what they wanted: jail killer cops. Continuing along the road, they shut down both sides of the street, shouting Ruiz’s name for the entire city to hear.

Hundreds of protesters approached the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin, preparing to continue the people’s occupation indefinitely.

Madison has nearly come to a halt in the past few days. Businesses, both corporate and family-owned, are shutting their doors. Streets have been closed indefinitely. Farmers markets, public markets, festivals and more have been canceled. Bars have canceled concerts or redirected funds to the family of Corey Ruiz. All has been in pursuit of holding the murderer cop to account.

Although a homicide investigation into killer Kiel has been opened, justice still hasn’t been delivered. The spirit of resistance in Madison is alive. Without justice, there will be no peace. Without justice, these killer cops will get no sleep. Justice for Corey Ruiz. Justice for Tony Robinson. Community control of the police now!

#MadisonWI #WI #InjusticeSystem #CoreyRuiz #KillerCop #Featured

Madison, WI – Three days after the brutal July 22 murder of Corey Ruiz by the Madison Police Department, the city continues to mourn. At the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin, protesters are still occupying the street. Hundreds of candles and flowers cover the ground where his life was stolen. All four roads are blocked by barricades and city trucks. The sentiment is firm that they will not leave until justice is achieved.

As the sun beats down on the concrete, in rolls a large statue of a raised fist, which formerly occupied George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. Constructed and delivered by a collective of independent artists, the statue was delivered as a symbol of solidarity and resistance to police violence.

#MadisonWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #CoreyRuiz

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

On Wednesday, July 22nd, a Madison Police Officer murdered Cory Ruiz, with an officer firing three rounds into him while he lay down, unable to fight back. The people of Madison are already protesting, fed up with unjust police killings justified with press conferences and proclamations. They know what happens if we sit back and do nothing. The police and their supporters will offer empty promises of investigation and accountability. They will place a few officers on administrative leave and transfer them to different departments. They will say they did their best. They will attempt to wait for the story to leave the limelight, to fade from the public narrative.

The people in the streets of Madison – and the Alliance- refuse to accept that. We won’t wait for empty answers. We won’t sit back quietly while they try to force us to passively support a system that lets cops kill adults, teenagers, children, and even infants through their negligence and aggression. We will agitate and organize and fight until we make the death of Ruiz impossible to ignore. NAARPR branches across the country should mobilize and protest in solidarity and for all victims of police crimes in their cities.

We know exactly what this is: A modern lynching justified with the language of law and order. It's time to hit the streets and demand an end to police terror!

Justice for Corey Ruiz!

Community Control of the Police Now!

End the War on Black People!

Indict and Convict the Killer Cops!

#InjusticeSystem #NAARPR #CoreyRuiz #MadisonWI #WI

Oakland, CA- On Saturday, July 18, 32 community members gathered at the site where the Oakland Police Department (OPD) shot and killed a man in Oakland's Fruitvale district on Monday afternoon. Mourners placed flowers and candles on a street median near a shopping center where the victim died, held moments of silence, and created protest art in the street to honor his life while demanding justice and accountability.

The vigil, organized by the Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (OAARPR) with support from POOR Magazine, Justice for Jalani, Coalition for Police Accountability, Community Service Organization, Urban Peace Movement and Black Alliance for Peace, transformed the site of the killing into a memorial and a space for community resistance. Throughout the evening, speakers condemned the police killing, criticized the growing role of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in East Oakland, and called for the immediate release of all video evidence.

The shooting happened shortly after 2 p.m. near the 4000 block of International Boulevard, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood. According to the Oakland Police Department, CHP officers requested assistance after a man fled during an operation that began at a nearby homeless encampment. Police claim the man was “armed.”

Police have not identified the man or described the alleged weapon. Despite the shooting taking place on a busy commercial corridor with many surveillance cameras, OPD has not released body camera footage or other video evidence, fueling community demands for transparency.

“This is the third person killed by Oakland police this year,” said Romaine Charite, chair of the impacted families committee of OAARPR. “They aren't releasing the details of these killings. They haven't been releasing body camera footage, which is against California law. We have the California Public Records Act. They are going around killing people, and we are not going to put up with that.”

“If there was not a sweep, no one would have died,” Jeremy Miller from Black Alliance for Peace told the crowd. “Our homeless people are our community. Our street people are our community.”

Terry Lovett, the mother of Jalani Lovett, who has fought for justice since Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies killed her son in 2021, also addressed the vigil from a very personal place, rejecting the claim that expanding policing creates safer neighborhoods.

“We reject the false choice that says our only option is more police and more violence. We need housing, not handcuffs; mental healthcare, not punishment; education instead of fear,” Lovett said. “No one is coming to save our communities. We must save our communities. We keep each other safe.”

“He belongs to somebody,” Lovett said of the man killed by OPD. “He belongs to us if nobody else.”

Community members noted that the man killed by police has still not been publicly identified and condemned media coverage that erased his humanity. One widely circulated news report stated that “no community members were harmed.” Organizers called the language a stark example of the dehumanization of unhoused people and a life lost.

The killing is the third police shooting by OPD officers this year and the department's second fatal shooting. Although OPD says the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave while multiple investigations are underway, those gathered at the vigil said official investigations are meaningless without public evidence. OPD remains under federal oversight stemming from the Riders police misconduct scandal, which resulted in a court-ordered reform process that has continued for more than two decades.

As bouquets of flowers and community artwork covered the pavement where the man was killed, attendees closed the vigil by renewing their demands for the release of all available footage, the public identification of the victim, and accountability for the officers involved. The crowd ended the evening with a chant that captured the spirit of the vigil, “Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe.”

#OaklandCA #CA #InjusticeSystem #OAARPR #KillerCop

On July 1st, Nadia Topete was given a subpoena to a grand jury that ordered her to speak on July 8th. Grand Jurys are kangaroo courts meant to bring down the hammer, evidenced by their 90% indictment rate. Law enforcement is not neutral when it comes to activists, like we’ve seen with Mahmoud Khalil and Alejandro Oreana. Law enforcement attacks activists to repress those fighting for a better world. We demand: Hands Off Nadia!

Nadia Topete, a member of Centro CSO, is an immigrant rights activist in Los Angeles. Centro CSO organizes self defense against racist and illegal ICE raids, that makes them heroes. Los Angeles is a city the Donald Trump administration attacked by mobilizing federal troops, even sending marines. This is because of the bravery and amazing work the people of Los Angeles have done in defending their immigrant neighbors. They tried going after Alejandro Oreana with federal charges after an FBI raid and WE BEAT THEM BACK!

SDS has been organizing sanctuary campus campaigns all over the country because we also understand the need to oppose the attacks on immigrants from Trump and his goons. We are standing with Nadia because we understand that this is an attack on the immigrant rights and people’s movement as a whole.

Hands Off Nadia!

#ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #NadiaTopete #SDS #StudentMovement #CentroCSO #CSFR

New Orleans, LA – On the morning of July 20, Shanta Scott and a group of supporters showed up at city hall to deliver a letter to the mayor and request a meeting. Participants wore t-shirts reading “Justice for Jace Lee Scott” as they walked into the building.

After waiting for the second floor to open at 9 a.m., the group went upstairs to the mayor’s office. They spoke briefly with security who brought out Director of Executive Affairs Leo Maya to greet the group.

“I emailed [the mayor], we’re coming up here to find out if she got the letter. Officer Victor Gant’s son murdered my son. [Gant] has broken protocol in my son’s death investigation and I have been reaching out to her so we can talk,” said Shanta Scott, mother of Jace Scott, to Amaya. She also requested confirmation that her emails are being received by the office, after an employee told her the new mayor’s inbox had not been set up yet earlier this year.

Activists were able to confirm with Amaya that the office did receive the February 9 email. He also took the physical copy of Scott’s letter and assured the group the mayor’s office would reach out about scheduling a meeting. When asked how long this process would take, Amaya claimed he could not provide more information.

“I will bring this up the proper channels so that we can handle it in the most respectful and sensitive way possible,” Amaya told Scott.

“If we don’t hear from y’all in a week, we’ll be back. We’re going to keep it pushing,” said activist Toni Mar with the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. “We want to make sure all of this information about Gant gets pushed up the chain to the mayor so she can help us get justice.”

Just before leaving, Amaya came back out and told Shanta Scott the office sent a response via email and post. The group walked out and chanted “Justice for Jace!” before leaving city hall.

Scott sent a letter to Moreno in February 2026 demanding that New Orleans Police Department officer Victor Gant Jr be investigated and fired for breaking protocol in the case of Jace Lee Scott’s murder in 2019. The killer was his own son, Andrew Gant. Instead of recusing himself from the case, Gant Jr accompanied his son in an NOPD “interrogation” by fellow friend and Homicide Detective Rob Barrere which lasted less than ten minutes. This is just the surface of favoritism and corruption in the case, which includes sloppy paperwork, hasty interviews, improper collection of evidence, and more. Since 2019, Gant Jr has been promoted to work under the mayor.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops

Los Angeles – On July 14, Centro CSO and the family of Jeremy Anthony Flores, along with allies, gathered at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights to honor Jeremy's life on his one year Angelversary. Flores, a 26-year-old Chicano, was shot and killed by officers from LAPD’s Hollenbeck Division on July 14, 2025.

The vigil for Flores began with setting out flowers, photos, candles and handmade posters It was followed by a small program of speakers from local organizations and other impacted families.

Magda Gutierrez, a member of CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, spoke out against the LAPD Board of Police Commissioners recent ruling that the killing of Flores was “within LAPD policy.” Gutierrez further spoke on the need for Community Control of the Police in Los Angeles saying, “We can follow in the footsteps of cities like Chicago and demand community control of police. We have the right; we should have the right to hire and fire police. We should have the right to hold these officers accountable for their actions.”

Karina Lopez of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) spoke of the killing of Flores and other Chicanos in the Southwest as a symptom of national oppression, “What we are seeing today with police brutality, with the deportations, and with ICE killing our community members is a continuation of national oppression. With that we have to fight for our liberation. We have to fight for the liberation of Chicanos. We have to fight for community control of the police.”

Isabella Rivera, mother of Jeremy Flores, speaking about the vigil and the effects of her son’s killing a year later she said, “Marking the first anniversary of Jeremy’s passing, beyond reliving the pain of his absence, was a celebration of his life featuring the food he loved and how he would have wanted it to be. I felt a sense of fulfillment having accomplished this with the help of my children, Centro CSO, and the community. We will continue to fight for Justice for Jeremy Flores.”

Throughout the program, speakers and community members chanted, “Justice for Jeremy Flores!” and “Jail killer cops!”

DeAnna Sullivan, mother of David Sullivan, killed by Buena Park police in 2019, shared words and condolences with Isabella Rivera, the mother of Jeremy Anthony Flores. Speaking about the lack of police accountability she said, “Who is holding the police accountable? Not the chief, not the DOJ. Police are not held accountable at all.”

Afterwards, community members were invited to share Jeremy’s favorite foods with the Flores family. These included tamales and panes con pollo, a traditional Salvadorian dish.

Centro CSO has been on the ground in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles fighting back against police crimes for over ten years. To stay updated, follow them on social media under the handle “CENTROCSO”

#LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #CentroCSO

Los Angeles, CA- On Friday July 17, over 100 community members in Boyle Heights gathered at Mariachi Plaza for a vigil and press conference protesting the recent ICE killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero. This event was one of many held across the country as part of the Legalization for All national week of action.

“Now that these two fathers have lost their life, their children are going to have to deal with the grief and trauma for the rest of their lives,” said Antonieta Garcia from the CSO education committee.

On July 7, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed while on his way to work by ICE agents who apparently mistook him for someone else. Then, on July 13, Joan Sebastian Guerrero was fatally shot in the face in front of his wife and three-year-old daughter. During the past year, over 30 people have died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and over ten fatally shot and killed during enforcement operations.

“For the past two years Trump and his cronies have repeatedly used ICE and DHS to disrupt and destroy the working class. Our oppressors invest billions into these violent agencies instead of funding our communities or raising our wages,” said Henry Cornejo, a Teamster and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

These recent deaths have sparked outrage amongst people from across the country from all walks of life. Organizers and activists everywhere are demanding accountability. However, the administration also wants to crack down on those that are fighting on the front lines for these causes. One such activist, Nadia Topete, has recently become the target of FBI repression.

“They want to intimidate activists and silence our movement, but we will not back down. CSO and L4A stands in solidarity with our sister Nadia and all organizers facing political repression,” said Verita Topete, co-chair of the CSO immigration committee.

As ICE continues to spread terror and violence through their enforcement actions, we cannot allow these murderers to operate with impunity in our communities. Derek Mejia from the CSO police accountability committee told the crowd, “Whether it’s ICE, LAPD or LASD, we need killer cops off our streets!”

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #KillerICE #InJusticeSystem #CentroCSO

Orlando, FL – On Tuesday, July 14, a dozen members of the Orlando community gathered at Lake Eola for a vigil marking one month since an officer with the Senatobia Police Department in Mississippi shot and killed one-year-old Kohen Wiley.

The event was organized by Orlando Against Police Crimes to remember Wiley’s life, cut short by police violence, and to echo the family's call for transparency, accountability and justice for their baby boy.

“Wiley never had a chance to grow up to experience any number of things that we all take for granted on a daily basis – never got to form any childhood memories, never got to experience being a kid,” said Richard Thomas, member of Orlando Against Police Crimes.

Those who spoke made connections between this police shooting and several others that have happened in Orlando at the hands of Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office. In particular, deadly incidents that occurred outside of Walmarts due to suspected theft.

“On February 19, 16-year-old Jairus Jones was shot and killed at a Walmart in Poinciana by an off-duty Osceola County deputy. Just three days later, Jason Anthony Beal, age 48, was shot by Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies and taken to a hospital for his injuries. Both Jones and Beal were suspected of shoplifting.”

The group gathered under the Florida rain to hear speeches from various activists and sang songs of unity and perseverance, led by the Orlando Singing Resistance.

Before leaving, those in attendance called for local accountability by committing themselves to the ongoing campaign to reinstate the Orlando Civilian Police Review Board. They laid flowers at the foot of a large poster of Kohen Wiley and used tea light candles to spell out the word “Justice.”

#OrlandoFL #FL #InjusticeSystem #KohenWiley #KillerCop

Santa Ana, CA – On June 15, Community Service Organization Orange County and movement lawyers with the Peace and Justice Law Center served a demand letter threatening to sue Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) for not disclosing records about the arrest and death of Freddie Washington. On July 1, SAPD was forced to release 18 body camera videos, 58 photographs and two incident reports. These records reveal the moments leading up to Freddie’s arrest on January 15, 2025.

Police were called about a man refusing to pay for his stay at a hotel in Santa Ana. The first officers to respond were Isaac Ibarra and Jonathan Mondragon. Ibarra was one of two officers who killed unarmed Noe Rodriguez in 2024, shooting him 11 times and lying about what Rodriguez was doing before the shooting.

When Freddie Washington did not answer the door, Officer Isaac Ibarra opened it using a set of master keys. Officer Jonathan Mondragon immediately drew his gun and pointed it directly at Washington during about 14 minutes of “negotiation.” Both officers tried to convince him to leave his room, calling for backup as Washington called his lawyer. Mondragon’s report mentions Washington’s “erratic” language and “refusal to comply,” both common justifications for excessive force by police.

Four more officers arrived and Ibarra coordinated the arrest. Police entered with tasers drawn, wrestled Freddie Washington out of his chair and forced him against a hotel room bed. Officers Jonathan Mondragon and Francisco Rodriguez held him down. An officer we can now identify as Frank Corpus punched Washington in the head twice on camera. Washington screamed for help.

Police wrestled Washington to the floor. As three held Washington down, officer Jesse Hernandez pressed his taser against Washington’s body and said, “Stop or you’re going to get tased” and “Stop fighting,” to which Washington replied, “I’m not fighting! Y’all are fighting me!”

Jesse Hernandez was involved in a prior in-custody death: on September 13 2022, Hernandez was one of many SAPD officers who chased unarmed 72-year-old Miguel Chavez into a CVS parking lot after he was in a car accident. In the parking lot, officer Mark Schifflett sicced his K-9 on Chavez, who died two days later from his wounds.

Police pinned Freddie Washington to the floor using their arms and knees for several minutes. They handcuffed him and put him in a restraint device called “the WRAP.” Fully immobilized, Washington asked for tea to drink, and several officers smirked and mocked him. Police hoisted Washington onto a gurney and he yelled as his cuffed wrists were driven into its surface. That is the moment Isaac Ibarra finally decided to offer Washington his tea, but he ultimately withheld it.

This small, sadistic gesture captures the heart of the incident. Throughout the arrest, Freddie Washington refused to surrender his dignity or his right to decide. And while police cited charges like “trespass” and “defrauding an innkeeper” to justify the violence, the truth is that the racist violence speaks for itself. It also speaks to the larger trend of police violence against Black people in the U.S. In California alone in 2025, Black people were 55% times more likely to be killed by police than white people, and Washington’s arrest resembled countless other police crimes that emerged before, during and after the George Floyd Rebellion.

Santa Ana City Attorney Sonia Carvalho said the city would release more records on or about July 8. These records should include materials related to Washington’s in-custody death on January 16, 2025. But SAPD has not released additional records. If it continues its pattern of delaying the release of records, Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) and the Peace and Justice Law Center will resume with the lawsuit.

CSO OC fights for families impacted by police violence and for community control of the police. The fact that the community had to threaten a lawsuit to get more clarity on Freddie Washington’s death reflects SAPD’s culture of impunity, but it also shows the power and necessity of taking action ourselves. The community should also have the right to decide how officers are disciplined for misconduct and excessive use of force, especially when they have histories of violence. In the meantime, you can help support the family of Freddie Washington by donating here.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #CSO #FreddieWashington #InjusticeSystem

Milwaukee, WI – On July 13, dozens of community members and organizers mobilized to the intersection of 35th and Vliet Streets on Milwaukee’s North Side. This corner was the site of a deadly crash in September 2025 in which a reckless police pursuit killed three residents, the youngest victim being just 15 years old. Almost a year later, a spirited fight for community-led policy has only grown and hopes to win big as it soon goes to vote by city alderpeople.

The evening started with chants and remarks from Brian Verdin, a leader of the original Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR). Setting the tone, he named the nine lives stolen by police pursuits, including Pler Moo and her sons Taw and Karlah Ko, killed at that intersection ten months ago.

Veteran MAARPR member Tiffany Stark said, “I want to have a safe police pursuit policy that has restrictions, where we're not chasing people for minor things, only for violent crime.” Stark recently lost a loved one due to causes related to these police pursuits and has been a key player in pushing for policy changes around this: Standard Operating Procedures 575 and 660.

Shortly after, members of Milwaukee Turners and Black Leaders Organizing Communities made brief comments, all stating the necessity for changes around this policy and accountability from the Milwaukee Police Department. Kayla Patterson, co-chair of MAARPR, then closed out the evening with some more chants.

The city of Milwaukee Common Council will be discussing further changes to SOP 575 and 660 on July 30. MAARPR and other community organizations will continue to apply pressure to the alderpeople to vote in favor of the recommended changes pushed by the community.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #NAARPR #MAARPR #PoliceCrimes

Edwin Salazar of the Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and Services (CARAS) stated, “If it’s him this week, is it going to be us next? Who's going to be next?”

Salazar continued “We’re angry, we’re upset. But we can continue to show up consistently every single month, every single week, every single day. We’re supporting our immigrant communities here in San Jose, in California, in America!”

Uriel Magdaleno, a member of CSO San Jose, read a statement by the Legalization for All Network in which he gives details on the unjust pursuit Salgado-Araujo faced by ICE agents. Magdaleno stated “ICE agents had no jurisdiction to perform local traffic stops. They lie and this is what they use to justify an ICE agent opening fire and shooting Salgado-Araujo in the stomach.”

Magdaleno later brought up a case in which ICE, in Texas, took a life in a similar manner, stating, “On February 24, 2026, 23-year-old Ruben-Ray Martinez, a Chicano U.S. citizen, was shot and killed during a traffic stop. Shame!” Magdaleno finished off his speech chanting, “Justice for Lorenzo” and “Hands off Nadia!”

Kim Cortéz-Solorio with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “The monopoly capitalist class is set on attacking the Chicano nation and continues to use ICE as its primary means of carrying out their brutality against Chicanos and immigrants.”

Cortéz-Solorio continued, “Centro CSO members Nadia Topete and Alejandro Orellana are trying to be silenced by [Assistant U.S. Attorney] Bill Essayli. We stand in solidarity and say protesting is not a crime!”

The rally ended with chanting that showed solidarity with those who were martyred by ICE. Kim Cortez-Solorio and Jessica Aviles led chants including, “Justice for Lorenzo,” “Justice For Renee” and “ICE out!” The chanting was followed by a group called Singing Solidarity who brought community members together by singing at the end of the action.

#SanJoseCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #KillerICE #InJusticeSystem #ICE #CSOSanJose

Orlando, FL – On July 9, the family of Milagros “Millie” Ortiz, alongside attorney Ben Crump, announced plans to file a $92 million lawsuit following a t-bone collision by an Orlando Police Department officer on January 18, which resulted in her death.

This comes after the state attorney’s office for Orange and Osceola Counties declined to charge the officer responsible with vehicular manslaughter.

“I am here to say that we will not stop saying my grandmother's name, Milagros B. Ortiz, until justice is served,” her granddaughter Ashley Rodriguez said.

Ortiz, 92 years old, was in the passenger seat returning from her weekly Saturday night game of bingo. Footage obtained from a camera at the intersection of Semoran Boulevard and Hoffner Avenue shows an OPD vehicle stopped at a red light. OPD officer Andrew McKuhen reportedly saw another vehicle make an illegal U-turn, which prompted him to turn on his red and blue lights and begin driving through the intersection. However, the lights that came on were not flashing, but static, and an eyewitness reported not hearing the vehicle’s siren go off.

As the OPD vehicle crossed the middle of the intersection, the emergency lights shut off and the vehicle accelerated, slamming into the driver’s side of the car. Ortiz passed away at a local hospital several days later because of the crash injuries. Video from a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store shows the emergency lights on the vehicle coming back on 27 seconds after the crash.

According to OPD’s own preliminary crash report, the police vehicle “was at fault for the collision due to failure to yield right of way.” However, in June, after months of dodging questions from local news reporters pertaining to the crash, Chief Eric Smith appeared on a podcast and blamed the crash on faulty vehicle emergency lights.

“We will be filing a $92 million lawsuit against the Orlando Police Department, the maintenance company, and the product manufacturer because somebody is going to be held accountable,” Crump said.

During the press conference, Ortiz’s family surrounded the podium along with several large portraits depicting Ortiz. She was a beloved matriarch and a vibrant soul. Family members, including daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, spoke about who Ortiz was and her character.

“My mother was an angel,” daughter Judy Santiago said, adding, “If you all would have known her, you all would have fell in love with my mother.” Ortiz was full of life and vigor, and was known to all as the life of the party.

Ortiz’s family acknowledged that she is not the only victim of OPD traffic-related deaths in recent years, adding that they want to fight for change to ensure no other families experience such a tragedy.

“I don't know when our hearts are going to be healed, if ever,” Santiago said, “but justice for my mother, justice for Millie Ortiz.”

#OrlandoFL #FL #InjusticeSystem #MillieOrtiz #OPD #KillerCop #OppressedNationalities

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the unjust arrest and the U.S. Department of Justice’s extradition attempt of Fergie Chambers, a progressive philanthropist and steadfast supporter of the Palestinian cause. He was dragged away from his family in Spain on dubious charges ranging from money laundering to material support for terrorism. If extradited to the U.S., he could be facing decades in prison.

Chambers is a son of billionaires who made the legitimate choice long ago to direct his funds towards progress, from free medical clinics to legal defense for activists facing repression. Now, the Trump DOJ is fabricating a narrative of terrorist financing. They want to create an upside-down world and twist the legal system so that humanitarian aid and solidarity land you behind bars, but the architects of the ongoing genocide in Gaza walk free. Ultimately, they want to use every avenue to squash and punish the tidal wave of support for the cause of Palestinian liberation that has stretched to every corner of the globe.

We are in a period of intensifying repression, and the imperialists are constantly in search of new ways to crush resistance and silence opposition. And that means that people like Chambers who use their resources to amplify the voices that call for freedom and liberation become targets, too. All those who oppose the Trump administration’s crackdown on our movements and the erosion of democratic rights need to stand against this. Solidarity is not a crime!

#PoliticalRepression #InjusticeSystem #Palestine #AntiWarMovement #PeoplesStruggles

Atlanta, GA – After the killing of Devon Anderson by Atlanta Police Department Officer Melvin Potter, more acts of violence and misconduct by Officer Potter have been made public as the family of Devon Anderson continues their struggle for justice.

On the night of August 5, 2024, in South Fulton County, Devon Anderson was trying to de-escalate a situation outside of a club when off-duty Atlanta Police Officer Melvin Potter shot him three times with his service weapon and killed him. After the shooting that took Devon’s life, Officer Potter refused to take a blood alcohol test and was charged with obstruction of justice. He was out of jail that same night and he remains on the force.

For the family of Devon Anderson and the community, what may be even more troubling is learning that the night Officer Potter killed Devon Anderson is not the first time Officer Melvin Potter was in trouble or even refused to take a breathalyzer test since becoming an officer.

Community organizers began investigating Potter's record only to find multiple incidents that show a pattern of Officer Potter’s reckless and violent behavior. Starting as early as 2018 he was under investigation for domestic violence while in a relationship with a female Atlanta Police Department (APD) officer who was pregnant at the time. Key points highlighted in the incident details describe Potter grabbing and ripping the female APD officer’s shirt and lifting her and throwing her outside. In another incident described by the victim, Potter visited her apartment, grabbed her by the shirt and pushed her against the wall in an attempt to intimidate her. Potter was not charged as a result of the investigation.

Then in June 2021, Officer Potter was pulled over for driving over 100 miles per hour by a Coweta County sheriff’s deputy. According to the bodycam footage, Potter identified himself as an Atlanta police officer and said, “We’re on the same team.” When Potter refused a blood alcohol test, a field sobriety test, and had a strong smell of alcohol coming from the car he was driving, he was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Potter was convicted of DUI in a Coweta County courtroom the next year.

After that, Officer Potter was caught on body camera in June 2023 aggressively grabbing by the neck and taking an unarmed individual to the ground. In the footage, Potter can be seen using his handcuffs as brass knuckles and repeatedly hitting the unarmed man in the face three times while screaming and cursing at him. Despite the clear use of excessive force, the investigation that followed stated that Potter had not done anything wrong in his conduct.

Nearly two years after the killing of 38-year-old Devon Anderson, it was revealed to his family and community members, at the June 22nd Atlanta Public Safety Committee meeting, that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had concluded its investigation and no criminal charges will be filed by District Attorney Fani Willis’ office. APD says they will continue their internal investigation while Melvin Potter remains on the force.

“It seems like we are talking about an extremely dangerous man who I wouldn't trust to protect anybody in this city, I’m wondering why we are keeping these people on staff when they have very clear records of being a danger,” said City Councilmember Kelsea Bond, addressing the APD deputy chief present at the Public Safety Committee meeting.

The investigation into Officer Melvin Potter’s record shows not only that his actions put everyone in the community in danger but also that he has continued to evade accountability, thanks to his uniform and badge. The family of Devon Anderson, their fight for justice, and their demands to have Officer Potter fired and indicted is a step towards accountability and building a safer community.

#AtlantaGA #GA #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #MelvinPotter #DevonAnderson

Santa Ana, CA – On July 8, over 50 Chicanos rallied outside a federal courthouse in support of Nadia Topete, a Chicana immigrant rights activist with Centro CSO who was inside with a grand jury. Just days before, on July 1, federal agents showed up to Nadia's home with another grand jury subpoena, threatening that, if she did not appear, she could be held in contempt.

Nadia Topete walked out the federal courthouse with her head up high and stated she had exercised her Fifth Amendment right. She was greeted by chants of “Hands off Nadia Topete,” “Chinga la migra” and “DOJ hands off Nadia!” that were loud enough to be heard inside the federal building.

“Protesting ICE is not a crime!” said Verita Topete, Nadia’s sister and fellow Chicana organizer. “Our communities are stronger than Trump and the DOJ’s ruling class interests. The targeting of Nadia is a pattern of political repression from the federal government.”

Jasia Topete, older sister of both Nadia and Verita, stated, “Today was a very moving gesture of unity and support for my baby sister, Nadia. Seeing the tremendous support she has gained on a national level through the calls to action online by different organizations was very heartening to see. Witnessing how many people took the time to come out and show her love was very heart warming and reassuring to our family. We know she did nothing wrong. Amplifying the voices of our people is not a crime. She will continue to hold her head high like the confident resilient that she is. Nadia, we love you, Thank you so much to everyone that is rooting for Nadia!”

Mick Kelly of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression told the crowd, “I would like to salute Nadia, a woman of uncommon courage who is standing up for all of us. This will certainly not end here. We will stand with Nadia every inch of the way.”

Emiliano Martin Del Campo, member of Centro CSO, stated, “I see this attack from the DOJ and the Trump administration as not only a direct attack on our sister Nadia but a direct blow to all of us fighting against this administration. An attack on one is an attack on all!”

Speakers from Centro CSO, CSO OC, CLUE, ILPS, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Legalization for All spoke in defense of Topete, condemning the political repression of Immigrant Rights activists.

It is unclear what is next, but if the DOJ witch hunt continues, Centro CSO and their allies will be ready to defend their own, Nadia Topete, a daughter of Aztlan.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #GrandJury #PoliticalRepression #ImmigrantRights #CentroCSO #NadiaTopete #CSFR #Featured

The MORE Caucus stands in absolute solidarity with Nadia Topete, an immigrant’s rights activist who has been subpoenaed a second time to a grand jury for her role protesting ICE. We know grand juries are used by the DOJ and Trump as a weapon to target activists for speaking out.

Protesting and organizing against ICE terror is not a crime. Last year, the UFT’s delegate assembly adopted an organizing resolution that supports both the rights of immigrant students as well as anti-ICE activists and unionists in the face of bogus charges from the corrupt Trump government. We know very well that these blatant attacks will not stop at activists and will attempt to put a muzzle on the brave people’s resistance to ICE, and as progressive educators we cannot allow that to happen. Hands off Nadia Topete!

#InJusticeSystem #ImmigrantRights #NadiaTopete #PoliticalRepression #MORE #UFT

Dallas, TX – On July 8, in response to the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE agents in Houston the day before, NAARPR-Dallas organized an emergency rally at the Dallas City Hall to demand justice and that his killers be held accountable,

Over 50 people crowded in front of Dallas City Hall to make their demands heard. They chanted “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!

Between chants members of DAWC, FRSO-Dallas, and PYM Dallas gave speeches.

Blake Van Wicklen of FRSO-Dallas told the crowd, “We will not allow fear to silence us. We will continue organizing in our workplaces, in our unions, in our neighborhoods and in the streets until every worker, regardless of immigration status, can live with dignity and without fear.”

Jo Hargis of DAWC stated, “It is clear to anyone who is looking that the violence we export to Palestine, to Iran, and around the world is inextricably linked with violence visited upon people here at home. We must hold accountable the forces who profit off of these murders, whether the murdered be a father on his way to work in Texas, or a school full of little girls in Minab, or the steadfast people of Palestine.”

Xavier Velasquez, the chair of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – Dallas stated, “This is what we are up against: ICE had been targeting people thru large raids which resulted in the deaths of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and Keith Porter Jr.. What we've witnessed thru the course of the year is a de-emphasis on large raids and they've been doing smaller scale kidnappings and quieter raids. These new ICE tactics are no less deadly, as we saw yesterday. The spin they are giving this recent killing is the end goal of this racist system. They are now trying to say that this killing is OK because Lorenzo was a so called ‘illegal alien.’ Shame!”

An altar was set up in remembrance of Lorenzo Araujo where people paid their respects. NAARPR members encouraged people to attend a vigil on July 10 in Dallas for Lorenzo Araujo at Huitzitzilin cafe and promoted their “ICE out of the World Cup” protest that is set for July 14.

#DallasTX #TX #InJusticeSystem #ImmigrantRights #KillerCops #KillerICE #Featured

Colorado Springs, CO – On July 5, the family of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento gathered in the parking lot where Martinez-Sarmiento was killed one year before by Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) officer Connor Jacob Wallick.

More than 30 people gathered around a shrine for Martinez-Sarmiento, including members of Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Many attendees held signs and banners demanding justice for Alex and the indictment of Wallick. COSAARPR member Brandon Rincon led the group in chants like “Running away, don’t shoot” and “Indict, convict, send that killer cop to jail.” As the sun set, people in attendance held up candles and released balloons to honor Alex.

On July 5, 2025, Wallick chased and shot Martinez-Sarmiento in the back three times as he was running away, killing him. In the year since then, members of the family and COSAARPR led dozens of actions demanding that Wallick be fired and charged with murder.

On December 10, 2025, District Attorney Michael Allen ruled the shooting justified, angering the family, who continue to fight alongside COSAARPR to get justice and accountability for their loved one. Recently, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Colorado Springs.

“It’s heartbreaking being out here,” said Rincon, “We shouldn’t have to be out here demanding justice. We shouldn’t have to have our loved ones gunned down in the streets by racist, crooked, cowardly police officers like Connor Jacob Wallick.”

Rincon echoed the demands of the family, stating “This family deserves justice, this family deserves peace of mind, this family deserves transparency, accountability and answers, and Connor Wallick deserves to rot in jail.”

FRSO member Bug Peterson condemned the killing as a case of national oppression, saying that “here in Aztlán, the Chicano nation, there’s a long history of racist police violence against Chicanos, Mexicanos and Latinos.” Peterson described how American imperialism brutalized not just nations around the world, but also nations here in the U.S., noting that “police are on the front lines of enacting that brutality.”

As the family mourns, they continue to fight. Alongside COSAARPR and FRSO, they are determined to win justice for Alex and to get violent police officers off the streets of Colorado Springs.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #COSAARPR #OppressedNationalities

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Byron Sigcho-Lopez, the Chicago City Council member representing the 25th Ward.

The Trump administration is again intensifying the repression against immigrant, Latino and Chicano communities across the country. I add my voice to those speaking up to defend Nadia Topete in Los Angeles.

Nadia is an immigrant rights activist with the organization Centro Community Service Organization (CSO). Like many thousands of young people, she rose up to defend her community when ICE terrorized the LA barrios in 2025.

She is being subpoenaed for a second time to appear in front of a federal grand jury. Our movement is well aware that grand juries are unconstitutional tools of political repression.

Nadia acted heroically when she went out to protest ICE last year, and she is again showing real courage. We know Nadia has not committed any crime: it’s the Trump administration and ICE that are guilty of violating the rights of our communities, brutalizing us, breaking up families, and murdering members of the immigrant community, such as Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in a Chicago suburb.

This is a very serious attack on our movement. Nadia Topete is a courageous immigrant rights activist who deserves our support.

Hands off Nadia Topete!

#ChicagoIL #IL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #NadiaTopete #ImmigrantRights #CentroCSO #Featured