They assembled outside Patrick Henry High School, covering their cars with signs bearing slogans such as “Jamar Clark matters” and “Demand community control of police.” After a few announcements, with chants ringing out over a sound system on the roof of a front car, some 60 vehicles caravanned more than three miles through North Minneapolis, ending on Plymouth Avenue, near where Clark was killed.

On November 15, 2015, 24-year-old Jamar Clark was shot in the head just 61 seconds after encountering Minneapolis Police Department officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg. In the 18 days after Clark’s murder, community members occupied the 4th Precinct police station, and demanded prosecution of the two officers. Organizers say that while Jamar Clark did not get the justice he deserved, from that struggle, they won the end of the automatic use of secret grand juries to cover up police homicide cases, forcing a bit of transparency in these killings.

“We are here today, because Jamar Clark matters. We are here today because the officers that murdered Jamar Clark have faced no accountability. We are here today because there have been no systemic changes to prevent this from happening again. There has been no justice,” said Kelly Thomas of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar. “We stand here today, lifted up on the shoulders of our ancestors, demanding justice. Demanding meaningful systemic changes.”

She continued, “In TCC4J, one of the ways that we are fighting for our collective freedom is through a Civilian Police Accountability Commission. CPAC. We want police accountability, and we want community control of the police. We can't regulate what we don't control. We can't hold accountable systems that we have no say in. CPAC is how we take control of our futures. CPAC is how we fight back. CPAC is how we start to get justice for all lives stolen by MPD.”

In addition to Thomas, speakers from Black Lives Matter Minnesota, Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, Communities United Against Police Brutality, and members of Jamar Clark’s family all addressed the crowd. They demanded community control of the police via CPAC, the firing of MPD officers Schwarze and Ringgenberg, justice for all stolen lives, and that a new train route stop in the neighborhood be named in honor of Jamar Clark.

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark #TwinCitiesCoalition4JusticeForJamarTCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – On November 15, over 50 people gathered in North Minneapolis to honor the six-year struggle for justice for Jamar Clark, who was killed in 2015 by the Minneapolis Police Department. After Clark’s murder, the community came together and held an 18-day occupation at the Minneapolis 4th Precinct police station; the action was dubbed the #4thPrecinctShutdown. The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J) combined different circles of organizations and communities in the initial fight for “no grand jury,” releasing any footage, and an independent investigation.

The memorial was hosted by Project Jamar Saving Me, an organization run by Jamar’s family.

Family and TCC4J spoke during the press conference about the historical struggle and its impact in building the movement. After additional fellowship, community moved to the memorial site for a candlelight vigil. The night ended in celebration with a vow to continue the fight for community control of the police.

Loretta VanPelt read the following statement on behalf of TCC4J:

“TCC4J is honored to continue working with the family of Jamar Clark and so many other families who have unfortunately lost loved ones to police crimes. In 2015, after the brutal murders and coverups of Marcus Golden in Saint Paul and Jamar Clark in Minneapolis, we saw the movement to stop police crimes and support Black liberation take a great leap forward. This leap would be the foundation for victories in case after case to combat police terror in our communities from Philando Castile, Justine Damond, George Floyd and too many others.

“However, we have also learned many other valuable lessons along the way. Every day we struggle to build a multi-class, multi-national united front to stop police terror and ensure safety for all in our communities. We have seen that it must be built in conjunction with those most impacted by police terror – in particular, families, Black, brown and indigenous communities, and under the leadership of the working class.

“Recently, we have seen what will happen if this isn’t the strategy in use. Just a few weeks ago we saw a ballot measure to ‘address’ police accountability fail. Almost $4 million that could have gone to impacted families was spent in the struggle over this ballot amendment. The ballet measure and its proponents are so detached from the movement and community, that it was defeated in the Black and brown wards that have seen some of the worst police crimes over the past six years.

“While others may be asking ‘what is to be done?’ members of TCC4J have continued to stay by the sides of families and communities impacted by police crimes. That is why we are here today with Jamar’s family. This is also why we continue to fight for our charter amendment for community control of the police via the Civilian Police Accountability Commission. And why in the next few weeks we will be joining people from across the country in Chicago at the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression meeting to ensure that a National movement to stop police crimes continues.”

TCC4J continues to demand:

Reopen all the cases! Indite, convict, send all the killer cops to jail – especially Schwarze and Ringgenberg! Community control of the police via CPAC! All power to the people!

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark

Minneapolis, MN – On November 14, over 150 people gathered in North Minneapolis to honor the five-year mark since Jamar Clark was killed by the Minneapolis Police department on November 15, 2015. It also marks the five-year anniversary of the heightened struggle locally against police terror and its progression to demand community control of the police to stop killer cops.

New and veteran members of Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) lead the protesters from the neighborhood that Minnesota Attorney General Elision lives in, to the memorial site of Plymouth and James Avenues, where Clark was killed.

Precautions against COVID were taken, including shifting to a well-organized car caravan protest.

In addition to the call for justice for Jamar and TCC4J’s longtime demand of community control of police, the demands for the march include calls to: -- Reopen all the cases against killer cops -- Free all political prisoners, such as Myon Burrell and the protesters who were jailed during the summer uprising -- Ban the use of memory-altering drugs and reassess EMT training, specifically addressing the racial bias within it; hold EMTs accountable for their complicity with the police in administering drugs such as ketamine, and their delaying treatment of victims.

Speakers from the movement, families and TCC4J echoed the lessons learned in the struggle for justice for Jamar and to continue to build the movement. TCC4J encourages people to attend the new member meetings to build the fight for CPAC!

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark #civilianPoliceAccountabilityCouncilCPAC #TwinCitiesCoalition4JusticeForJamarTCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – About 30 vehicles drove through North Minneapolis on Sunday, May 3, to mark the day that Jamar Clark should have turned 29 years old. Horns blaring, the caravan made its way to the block where Clark was killed by police in November 2015. Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar brought together family and community members to celebrate Clark’s life, and to continue the fight for justice through Jamar.

Getting out of their cars at the corner of James and Plymouth Avenues, they raised signs and banners and chanted to honor Jamar Clark’s memory.

As family and community members gathered with banners and signs, the Plymouth Avenue street sign was replaced with one for “Jamar Clark Ave.” After an hour of speeches and chanting, the group marched two blocks to the Fourth Precinct police station where protesters had closed the street for 18 days in 2015 to demand “Justice for Jamar.”

Family members spoke about Jamar’s life, and organizers raised several demands, including: Reopen the case and prosecute Minneapolis Police Department officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg for Clark’s murder; an all-civilian police accountability council – actual, community control of the police; freedom for Myon Burrell, and depopulating prisons and jails in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers also called for an end to the inequalities that have made the pandemic so much more deadly for African Americans and other oppressed people. They took steps to ensure the health and safety of participants, including passing out masks and hand sanitizer donated by the Racial Justice Network, and encouraging social distancing throughout the action.

#MinneapolisMN #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark #TwinCitiesCoalition4JusticeForJamarTCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – On November 15, the community celebrated a “newly installed” Jamar Clark Avenue street sign on the former corner of Plymouth and James Avenues in North Minneapolis. The renaming was in honor of Jamar Clark, on the night that marked four years since November 15, 2015, when Jamar was shot in the head within 61 seconds of an encounter with Minneapolis Police Department officers Schwarze and Ringgenberg. In the 18 days that followed, community members occupied the 4th Precinct police station in North Minneapolis, demanding justice and calling for the prosecution of the two officers that killed Jamar Clark.

There is a permanent memorial installation by the family and community on the place were Jamar Clark was stolen from his family and community. Before the four-year memorial, Jamar’s family prepared the area and setup food and drink for the community in the garden across the street. The night opened up with the family, community and TCC4J joining chants. Families of those who were murdered by the police, including Toshira Garraway, Taren Vang and Irma Burns spoke. Loretta VanPelt, Angel Smith-El, and Daphne Brown emceed and spoke for TCC4J.

VanPelt said, “This year, TCC4J will enter into its fifth year of fighting for justice, standing with community, for Black liberation, and an end to police terror. Today, we see with the opening of Jamar Clark Avenue that it is the community that will take back our power. We will advance the struggle by fighting for community control of the police! Justice through Jamar!” Brown spoke on the upcoming refounding of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which will occur on the weekend of November 22 in Chicago, Illinois.

Community and family joined TCC4J in a march to the 4th Precinct police station, which continues to be the seat of police terror in Minneapolis. Together they chanted and shut down the block in front of the 4th Precinct building. Later a Minneapolis police squad car rolled up alongside the ‘justice-mobile’ [marshal car] which was escorting the marchers. An elderly white man in plain clothes also appeared from the shadows, who oddly was wearing what resembled a police badge. He turned out to be retired lieutenant Steve Sizer. Then the police officer – Sergeant Kenneth Tidgwell – got out and began harassing the driver of the justice-mobile and Sizer began harassing protesters. Tidgwell demanded that the driver run over protesters. Tidgwell is known for assaulting demonstrators at the 2015 occupation.

Sergeant Tidgwell then walked over to the crowd and began assaulting an organizer from TCC4J. The community and family came to their aid. The cop yelled “Who is in charge?” The crowd answered back, “Jamar.” The officer responded, “Jamar who? I need to talk to him now!” The crowd responded with “Jamar Clark, pig! And you can’t talk to him because you killed him four years ago!” The protesters then began chanting, “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11, fuck 12!” and moved forward as the Sizer harassed other protesters. The advance by the community caused the officer Tidgwell to flee; Sizer also got into the cop car and they both drove off.

Protesters returned to the memorial sight and celebrated their continued struggle to defend their community, for Black liberation and an end to police terror. As family, community and TCC4J gathered around the newly minted Jamar Clark Avenue sign, light glittered the night sky.

TCC4J, families, and community will continue to organize and fight back against police terror under the demands of: Reopen the case surrounding the murder of Jamar and prosecute Minneapolis Police Department officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg. Stop police terror in our communities – justice for all victims of police violence including the families and survivors. Community control of the police – actual, community control, not the current rubber-stamp systems that exist.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark

Minneapolis, MN – Community members took over the office of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, June 12. They demanded the mayor take the actions – actions that he has the power to take – to get justice for the family of Jamar Clark.

Earlier that afternoon, after a rally organized by Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice for Jamar (TCC4J), protesters marched into Frey’s office, demanding to meet with him. They bore a funeral wreath constructed of dollar bills to represent the lack of a meaningful settlement in Jamar’s case.

During an all-day session last month – at nearly the same time that the city announced a $20 million settlement for the family of Justine Damond Ruszczyk – the city of Minneapolis refused to even make Jamar’s family a settlement offer. Damond Ruszczyk, a white woman living in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, was murdered by a Minneapolis cop in 2017. Minneapolis cops murdered Jamar Clark was in November 2015.

The three demands for the action were: a just settlement for the family of Jamar Clark; the firing of the officers who killed Jamar and that the mayor refer the two cops for prosecution.

In just a few weeks, over 1000 community members have signed a petition urging city officials to agree to a settlement that could “show that we value the life of a Black man from North Minneapolis as much as that of white woman from Southwest Minneapolis. No amount of money will bring beloved community members back; but if Justine’s life is worth $20 million, so is Jamar’s. Justice demands it.”

Once in the mayor’s office, the 35 protesters started playing videos (with the speakers on blast) that showed witness statements from the scene of Jamar’s murder, to drive home the message to the mayor that he must fire Jamar’s killers, police officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze. They posted dozens of signs to the office walls listing their demands. The emcees read out the names of people who signed the petition. The occupiers gave out phone numbers to the mayor and city councilors and did a mass call-in. Speakers from Native Lives Matter, Communities United Against Police Brutality and others affected by police violence and murder spoke.

A statement sent out by TCCC4J during the occupation read, “The mayor has the power over the police department, so we put the burden of guilt upon him. He could take real action to get a measure of justice for Jamar and other victims. But he does nothing. That is just one of the reasonsTCC4J is fighting for a Minneapolis Police Accountability Council – an elected council of civilians who have the power over the cops. Until that day comes, we will keep fighting officials like the mayor who keep cops like Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze in full MPD uniform, not fired and on trial for murder.”

Building security tried several times to get the community members to leave, but they refused. After four hours, they left in defiance, having exposed Mayor Frey as another do-nothing politician complicit in the murder of Black and brown people.

#MinneapolisMN #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #JamarClark #TwinCitiesCoalition4JusticeForJamarTCC4J #JacobFrey

Minneapolis, MN – Community and family members gathered May 20 for a press conference to demand that the city of Minneapolis give the family of Jamar Clark a settlement equal to that awarded to the family of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. The Jamar Clark’s family has brought a civil suit against the city after the 2015 police murder, and mediation will take place May 21 inside the federal courthouse where the press conference was held.

Mediation comes after a May 3 decision by the Minneapolis city council to reject a settlement with the Clark family. On that same day, the city council announced a $20 million settlement award for the police killing of Damond, a white woman living in an affluent corner of the city. As they head into mediation, both sides of Jamar’s family, the Burns and the Clarks, have broad support.

Hundreds of have signed a petition that says, in part, “We value the life of a Black man from North Minneapolis as much as that of white woman from Southwest Minneapolis. No amount of money will bring beloved community members back; but if Justine’s life is worth $20 million, so is Jamar’s. Justice demands it.”

James Clark, Jamar’s adopted father, said, “It’s sad that a Black man has to go through so much to get justice, and still justice ain’t been done and it’s sad. There is no justice for Black people. I’m sorry, I’m sad, I’m disappointed that this world is like this, because there should be justice for everybody.”

Several of Jamar’s biological siblings were also present. His brother, Eddie Sutton, said, “We are just here to send out a message that justice should be served evenly. We’re here in solidarity with Justine and still fighting for justice for Jamar.”

“Jamar Clark’s killers were never held accountable for their actions. Both sides of Jamar’s family have waited too long for someone to answer for what was taken from them,” said Angel Smith El of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J). “We stand with them. We call on the city of Minneapolis to settle this lawsuit quickly and generously. We want Jamar Clark’s family to get a settlement equal to what Justine’s family got.”

Nekima Levy Armstrong, of the Racial Justice Network and former president of Minneapolis NAACP, blasted the city’s failure to hold police accountable. “The city of Minneapolis and Hennepin County continue to send a message time and time again that Black lives don’t matter. Many of us have been out on the front lines for years demanding that city government officials clean up the Minneapolis Police Department and remove those officers who have a history of excessive force, like [Jamar Clarks’ killers] Ringgenberg and Schwarze, who never should have been on the force in the first place.” After calling for a settlement of “at least $20 million,” she went further. “We also ask that Ringgenberg and Schwarze be fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. They are still armed and dangerous to the people of Minneapolis, and particularly to Black residents. And we call for resignation of our incompetent, racist county attorney Mike Freeman.”

Sarah Kuhnen, of Justice for Justine, stated, “We have to acknowledge that in our city most victims of police violence are people of color, and that racism and white supremacy are the reasons they don’t receive the treatment Justine Damond received. What Justine has gotten, we want for everyone.”

“We need to stop spending millions in taxpayer dollars for the pain that police officers inflict on city residents day after day,” said Angel Smith El. “In Minneapolis, we have a mayor and city council that refuse to get violent cops off our streets. Jamar’s killers had complaints against them, Justine’s killer did, and even the president of the police federation has dozens of complaints and lawsuits. We don’t want these kinds of officers patrolling our streets. We are for taking power over the police back into our hands, and we are organizing for community control of the police through an independent, elected, all-civilian Minneapolis Police Accountability Council, MPAC.”

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #JamarClark

Minneapolis, MN – A defiant crowd shut-down Plymouth Avenue in North Minneapolis, November 15, to mark the third year since the police murder of Jamar Clark. The evening began with a vigil, “at the place where Jamar Clark took his last breaths,” according to an invitation from the organizers, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J).

In 2015, 24-year-old Jamar Clark was shot in the head within 61 seconds of an encounter with Minneapolis police. Plymouth Avenue outside the Fourth Precinct was the site of an 18-day occupation, complete with tents, bonfires and thousands of people taking a historic stand against police crimes, all in protest of the sickening murder of Clark.

Clark’s family started gathering in the early evening, laying out dozens of votive candles spelling out his name, “Jamar,” at the site where he died. Community members joined in, with signs, more candles, and banners, growing to more than 200 people.

After chants demanding “Justice for Jamar,”, Minister Toya Woodland, an organizer with TCC4J, opened the program with prayer calling for justice. Jamar’s nephews and nieces shared a rap dedicated to him, and then Cassandra Tucker – whose son Isaiah was killed last year by police in Oshkosh, Wisconsin – shared a song dedicated to Jamar’s memory. Jamar’s mother, Irma Burns, spoke, urging the crowd to never give up, and to remain united. TCC4J organizer Angel Smith El closed the vigil with the words of Assata Shakur.

Then the vigil took over both sides of Plymouth Avenue and marched to the Fourth Precinct police station, holding high signs reading, “Prosecute Ringgenberg and Schwarze!” in reference to the two police officers who murdered Jamar Clark, and “Justice Thru Jamar Community Control of MPD Now.”

Someone launched several fireworks over the roof of the cops’ building as the march passed. The protesters then stormed into a neighboring building, where a local city council person was hosting a ward meeting.

Earlier in the week, Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison, son of the career politicians Keith Ellison and Kim Ellison, planned a community meeting for that night. Organizers from TCC4J, community members, and family members of Jamar Clark asked the councilmember to change the date of his meeting, which was the same night as the vigil. They pointed out that it was the murder of Jamar Clark that caused several local politicians to be unseated, due demands made by the local movement against police crimes in exposing negligence of politicians who refuse to hold killer cops accountable.

TCC4J organizers and community members were outraged at how tone deaf Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison was to hold such a bland event just blocks from where Jamar Clark was murdered, on the third anniversary of his death. Minister Toya Woodland, an organizer with TCC4J, led the charge into the meeting in which protesters outnumbered attendees eight to one. Organizers and community members Nekima Levy Armstrong, Sam Martinez, Raeisha Williams, Kim Handy Jones, Angel Smith El, Monique Cullor-Doty and several family members of Jamar Clark held the politicians accountable, while Minister Toya kept the crowd going with chants. The event was broadcast live by Dani VanPelt, a  TCC4J youth member. Link to video: https://www.facebook.com/TCC4J/videos/2142792959370803/

The November 15 vigil was one day in a week of action for #JusticeThuJamar. The demands for the week of justice included: Reopen the case surrounding the murder of Jamar and prosecute Minneapolis Police Department officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg; stop police terror in our communities – justice for all victims of police violence; Community Control of the Police – actual, community control, not the current rubber-stamp systems that exist; and justice for Travis Jordan, a native Hawaiian killed last week by Minneapolis police.

For more information, see tinyurl.com/tcc4j or Facebook @tcc4j.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJustice4Jamar