Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Frank Chapman, National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression executive director, on the present political landscape, and the need for the people’s organizations to rally towards an all-out mobilization on January 20. NAARPR branches and affiliates across the country should join up with the call to fight back against Trump’s agenda and show out for Inauguration Day!
Statement on Trump’s victory and need to protest January 20
In all of the post-election analysis and armchair commentaries, there emerges a fundamental truth, and that truth is that both parties are controlled and managed by the rich. Meaning that the people are left with the best election money can buy.
Atlanta, GA – On December 9, 2024, Robert Brooks a 43-year-old Black man was beaten while handcuffed in the Marcy Correctional Facility in Marcy, New York. He died the next morning and was transported to a hospital in Utica, New York with cause of death described as “asphyxia due to compression of the neck.” Body camera footage released on December 27 shows 13 corrections officers (COs) involved in the beating and murder of Brooks.
Minneapolis, MN – Disgraced former Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis leader, Bob Kroll, seeks President-elect Trump’s nomination to become U.S. Marshal for the Minnesota Judicial District. Kroll, a 30-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department, had a lengthy disciplinary record, including wrongful arrest and excessive force complaints, before his retirement in 2021.
Anaheim, CA – On Friday, December 27, Anaheim Police Department (APD) killed a 30-year-old man near the intersection of S East Street and E South Street. Four officers from APD were responding to a possible robbery and a replica firearm was recovered at the scene, however it is unclear based on current reports what the victim’s involvement in the robbery was and whether he was holding the replica firearm at the time of the shooting. The name of the victim, the names of the officers, and more details about the shooting have not been released to the public. Several agencies, including the California Department of Justice and APD Major Incident Review Team, are investigating the shooting, but the timeline for the investigation remains unclear.
New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday, December 17, community organizations and New Orleanians impacted by police misconduct or police violence united at the Consent Decree Fairness Hearing to demand that Judge Susie Morgan rule against the New Orleans Police Department sustainment plan.
The consent decree is the federal oversight instituted in 2013. That year, the Department of Justice found the NOPD to be practicing unlawful misconduct and unconstitutional policing. Different community groups rallied outside against the motion.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following December 27 statement from New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP).
On Monday December 23rd, Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal inmates who had been on death row. These 37, including the killer cop Len Davis, will now serve life in prison without parole. The three that did not have their sentences commuted were excluded because they were convicted of crimes of terror.
Colorado Springs, CO – On December 13, at approximately 9:40 p.m., an unidentified man called 911 stating he was suicidal and had a firearm. By the time El Paso County sheriffs responded, an hour later, they could not find the man, as he had made his way to the parking lot of a local business. Colorado Springs Police claim the man refused to comply with demands to drop his weapon, and the police eventually shot and killed him.
Milwaukee, WI – On December 16, the Milwaukee Alliance, Kerrie Hirte, and the Waking Women Healing Institute came together to host a vigil in honor of Cilivea Thyrion, a 20-year-old woman who tragically passed away due to neglect at the Milwaukee County Jail in 2022.
Philadelphia, PA – On December 12, the family of roadside assistance worker Robert Jones, along with members of the Philadelphia Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (PAARPR), confronted Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel over his failure to fire and charge detective Christopher Sweeney for Jones’ murder.
San José, CA – Alrededor de 20 miembros de la comunidad se reunieron en el Centro de Paz y Justicia de San José, el 10 de diciembre, Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, para honrar a Leonard Peltier, líder del Movimiento Indio Americano y prisionero político por casi 50 años.
