Green Bay, WI – On April 18, nearly 100 members of the Green Bay and surrounding communities gathered for a rally to show solidarity and support with each other in the face of racism and police crimes. Leading the event was Justice for Jonathon, who seeks justice for Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man who was murdered in 2018 by Green Bay police officer Erik O’Bryan while Tubby was handcuffed on the ground in the station sally port, pepper sprayed, and restrained by a police dog.

Speaking at the event was Marla Mahkimetas, a Menominee woman who spoke for her daughter-in-law Katelyn Kelly, who disappeared in June of 2020 and whose remains were only discovered in March 2021. Katelyn’s family had to endure nine months of uncertainty while her disappearance had almost zero media attention or attention from law enforcement.

Mahkimetas spoke about the importance of continuing and teaching indigenous cultural traditions, and the importance of bringing attention to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) who have been ignored by media and law enforcement, which in turn allows this crisis to continue.

“We did not have the coverage or the expertise, of our police departments, or of our national programs, to find [Katelyn], to locate her,” Mahkimetas said. “We are asking and demanding more from our service providers…those people who take an oath to protect the people. We are seeing world-wide that brown people are not protected.”

Also speaking was Noah Reif of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, about the importance of solidarity between different communities and the struggles specific to Black and Indigenous LGBTQ individuals.

A representative from the United Hmong Asian American Community Center spoke on police crimes and the hypocrisy of the police officers who take an oath to protect communities, then abuse their power.

Finally, the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (WAARPR) made some remarks on the importance of the Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) initiative and how it can serve to fight back against the criminal activity of police.

To spread the message of solidarity to the Green Bay community, the crowd then marched while chanting “Black Lives Matter”, “Native Lives Matter”, “Stop Asian Hate”, and “No More Stolen Sisters”, drawing cheers of encouragement and solidarity from passing cars and pedestrians.

This rally marks the beginning of a new phase in the Green Bay area’s fight for justice, whether it be the fight against police crimes, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, racist and political state repression, or bigotry from the forces of reaction. Many of the attendant groups and organizations will be present for the upcoming May Day celebration in Appleton at 4pm on May 1.

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #JonathonTubby

“The family of Jonathon Tubby supports the decision of the Green Bay city council for finally getting body cams for the police force. In Jonathon’s case it’s too late but we hope this prevents any Green Bay officer from killing anyone else. Everything we’ve done since October 19, 2018 was to prevent any other family from experiencing what we went through,” read a statement prepared for Fight Back! by the Tubby family after the decision.

The statement continued, “We hope that having the body cams will prevent more killings and hold officers accountable for their actions. We also hope that the body cams will hold officers accountable for not stepping in and protecting the people they are to protect and serve.”

The total package for the police department includes the body cameras and training officers in de-escalation. A significant portion of the cost was covered by the Green Bay Packers football team, which offered approximately $750,000 to offset the purchase. Many of the city council members raised concerns about the price of the body cameras, but ultimately relented as members of the Green Bay community attending the virtual council meeting called their priorities into question.

The only video evidence of Tubby’s murder came from cameras in the police vehicles. Due to “lack of evidence” and incomplete and false officer testimony, Erik O’Brien was never charged, and later received a promotion to sergeant by the department.

The requirement of body cameras by GBPD is an important step in making sure the people of Green Bay can hold out-of-control police officers accountable for their violence. It shows how community demands can force a police department to take a second look at their conduct. That being said, many understand that simply having these cameras is not enough.

“We celebrate the council’s vote as a victory in the struggle for justice for Jonathon, but we know that cops in other cities around the country continue to kill and get away with murder even while wearing cameras,” said Aodhan Bowman, a member of the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. “In order to hold these killers accountable, and try to prevent more of the same from happening again, we need community control of the police and CPAC.”

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #JonathonTubby #JusticeForJonathonTubby #WisconsinAllianceAgainstRacistPoliticalRepressionWAARPR

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement issued by the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (WAARPR) in conjunction with the Tubby family.

Green Bay, WI – The resurgent movement for Black lives and against police crimes, sparked by the public execution of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25, is maintaining momentum as summer draws to a close. This is because the police continue to kill Black men and other people. 288 people have been killed by police since Floyd’s murder.

Like many other aspects of life in the U.S., sports have been impacted by this country-wide upsurge. Players from various sports have marched in the streets with protesters, practices were called off as a result of player actions, and wildcat labor strikes occurred that resulted in the postponing of games in the NBA and MLB.

On the opening day of their 2020 regular season, the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings paid tribute to the life and family of George Floyd. Their opponents, the Green Bay Packers, have made several statements in support of the struggle against racial injustice and police brutality, particularly since the attempted murder of Jacob Blake by the Kenosha Police Department on August 25. This is good, but we want the Packers to do more in their own community to combat these societal problems.

On October 19, 2018, the Green Bay Police Department and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office jointly participated in the murder of Jonathon Tubby, a proud young indigenous man and member of the Oneida Nation. The injustice has been perpetuated, with Officer Erik O’Brien facing no discipline for the murder. Instead, O’Brien received a promotion with the GBPD. The Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, together with the family of Jonathon Tubby and the Justice for Jonathon group, are calling on the Packers to put their money where their mouths are.

We want the Packers to honor Jonathon’s life like the Vikings honored George Floyd’s, including an invitation to the Tubby family to be welcomed at Lambeau Field for the home opener. We call for the Packers to take part in the struggle for justice for Jonathon by pressuring those with the authority to reopen the investigation and to push for Officer Erik O’Brien to be fired, indicted, and convicted for murder.

We look to the Green Bay Packers to use their platform to elevate the call for justice for Jonathon and show that these issues matter beyond just making comments to the media. The Wisconsin Alliance recognizes that now is the time to stand alongside the Tubby family. If the Packers organization, it’s players, and its coaches are serious about what they’ve said regarding the fight against racial injustice, we hope they will join us.

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #JonathonTubby #WisconsinAllianceAgainstRacistPoliticalRepressionWAARPR

Green Bay, WI – On August 14, more than 30 community members gathered at Brown County Courthouse to protest the recent ‘public service’ videos put out by the Green Bay Police Department. The third video, titled “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot,” is particularly offensive. The videos are meant to portray change, while no actual change takes place, and a murderer, Officer Erik O’Brien, remains employed.

In fact, GBPD promoted O’Brien to sergeant after he murdered Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man, on October 19, 2018. Police Chief Andrew Smith publicly defends O'Brien, while making comments that compare Jonathon Tubby’s murder to other police killings.

Outside the courthouse, protesters rallied at 4 p.m. They soon started marching down residential streets, blocking the busier intersections of Green Bay, chanting for justice for Jonathon Tubby.

At the third intersection that protesters blocked off, a motorist became agitated and began to slowly pull forward while screaming “white power” and other expletives. The police officer following the protest intervened and allowed the motorist through, running a red light. When asked why he allowed the motorist to break the law, the officer replied that “he should be the least of your worries.”

The protest continued until about 7:30 p.m. and another action is planned soon as a result of the widespread community support the protesters received.

The day after the march, on August 15, the Green Bay Police Department released a statement defending the videos. GBPD Lieutenant Chas Ramos did not do himself or his department any favors in the comments he gave to the media.

Summed up, Ramos said that if people don’t show their hands when commanded by the police, even in cases where the police have mistakenly identified a suspect “vaguely matching the description” or where people might “find [themselves] at the wrong place and the wrong time,” they should expect a violent or even lethal response from frightened officers. Ramos said that at the end of the day, the GBPD has the policies they have to “protect people.”

Jonathon Tubby’s family has a different take.

“So the GBPD wants to educate the community about their policies and procedures? Why aren’t they educating their own officers about their policies and procedures? Why aren’t they educating their officers to utilize training they received?” asked Sarah Wunderlich, Tubby’s aunt.

Wunderlich continued, “GBPD – stop trying to front and cover your asses now. You are just trying to put this propaganda out now because you know that killing Jonathon was wrong! GBPD – it’s time to be accountable and honest. Justice for Jonathon Tubby!”

Jonathon Tubby’s family is joining with the Coalition to March on the DNC on August 20 in Milwaukee to shine a national spotlight on his case. They hope to reopen the case against killer cop Erik O’Brien, to get him fired, arrested, indicted and convicted for murder. For anyone looking to contribute to the family to help cover the costs associated with their effort, please visit their GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-jonathon-tubby.

#GreenBayWI #OppressedNationalities #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #IndigenousPeoples #JonathonTubby #GreenBayPoliceDepartment

Waupaca, WI – Nearly 100 people turned out for a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally in the rural Wisconsin town of Waupaca. This huge turnout for an action in such a small town came in the wake of two earlier events that faced a growing amount of harassment from police and white supremacists.

The violent arrest of activist Matt Banta at a march on August 2 and the subsequent rise in racist threats toward others contributed to the organizing of this larger event. Organizers of previous BLM actions in Waupaca have been targeted by white supremacists, with a mass armed counter-protest allegedly being planned.

Hosted at Riverview Park, the event started with an introduction from Kiki Monea, one of the lead organizers. A handful of speakers followed her, from the community and from different organizations from across the state that traveled to Waupaca.

One of the most significant speakers was Sarah Wunderlich or Big Sky Woman (her Oneida name translated into English), the aunt of Jonathon Tubby. She greeted the crowd in Oneida before continuing in English.

“The death of George Floyd has reopened old wounds that we are trying to heal. Our healing has been difficult as we try to make sense of losing our Jonathon,” Wunderlich said, reading from a statement prepared by the Tubby family.

She continued, “Jonathon’s death was preventable. The lack of communication between the Brown County Sheriff's Department and the Green Bay Police Department contributed to his death. To all those naysayers who are out there who keep telling us to let it go, accept it, move on – hell no.”

Jonathon Tubby was murdered on October 19, 2018 by Officer Erik O’Brien of the Green Bay Police Department. Green Bay is about an hour to the northeast of Waupaca. Monea explained afterward that the reason the Tubby family was invited to speak was to highlight that killer cops and police crimes exist everywhere, even just a short drive from the rural Wisconsin town.

After the comments, those in attendance took to Main Street in downtown Waupaca in spite of a heavy police presence. The march was led with a large banner made by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention that read “We can’t breathe.” The white supremacists who threatened to organize a large, armed counter-protest were limited to less than a dozen people holding thin blue line flags, protected by a few police officers.

“Bringing the movement to small towns like Waupaca is crucial to the broader change. These communities have systematic oppression of minorities that has lasted generations,” said Monea, a Waupaca resident and one of the lead organizers. “We have been active in Waupaca for roughly three months, and are still faced with armed counter-protests, aggressive and heavy police presence, threats, and public defamation of those involved in event organization. Despite this, we will move forward.”

#WaupacaWI #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #BLM #JonathonTubby #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Waupaca, WI – Nearly 100 people turned out for a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally in the rural Wisconsin town of Waupaca. This huge turnout for an action in such a small town came in the wake of two earlier events that faced a growing amount of harassment from police and white supremacists.

The violent arrest of activist Matt Banta at a march on August 2 and the subsequent rise in racist threats toward others contributed to the organizing of this larger event. Organizers of previous BLM actions in Waupaca have been targeted by white supremacists, with a mass armed counter-protest allegedly being planned.

Hosted at Riverview Park, the event started with an introduction from Kiki Monea, one of the lead organizers. A handful of speakers followed her, from the community and from different organizations from across the state that traveled to Waupaca.

One of the most significant speakers was Sarah Wunderlich or Big Sky Woman (her Oneida name translated into English), the aunt of Jonathon Tubby. She greeted the crowd in Oneida before continuing in English.

“The death of George Floyd has reopened old wounds that we are trying to heal. Our healing has been difficult as we try to make sense of losing our Jonathon,” Wunderlich said, reading from a statement prepared by the Tubby family.

She continued, “Jonathon’s death was preventable. The lack of communication between the Brown County Sheriff's Department and the Green Bay Police Department contributed to his death. To all those naysayers who are out there who keep telling us to let it go, accept it, move on – hell no.”

Jonathon Tubby was murdered on October 19, 2018 by Officer Erik O’Brien of the Green Bay Police Department. Green Bay is about an hour to the northeast of Waupaca. Monea explained afterward that the reason the Tubby family was invited to speak was to highlight that killer cops and police crimes exist everywhere, even just a short drive from the rural Wisconsin town.

After the comments, those in attendance took to Main Street in downtown Waupaca in spite of a heavy police presence. The march was led with a large banner made by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention that read “We can’t breathe.” The white supremacists who threatened to organize a large, armed counter-protest were limited to less than a dozen people holding thin blue line flags, protected by a few police officers.

“Bringing the movement to small towns like Waupaca is crucial to the broader change. These communities have systematic oppression of minorities that has lasted generations,” said Monea, a Waupaca resident and one of the lead organizers. “We have been active in Waupaca for roughly three months, and are still faced with armed counter-protests, aggressive and heavy police presence, threats, and public defamation of those involved in event organization. Despite this, we will move forward.”

#WaupacaWI #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #BLM #JonathonTubby #CoalitionToMarchOnTheDNC

Approximately 100 vehicles were in a procession through the Oneida reservation with signs reading, “No justice – no peace” and “Justice for Jonathon.” They made stops in residential streets, where they were greeted with cheers and raised fists in solidarity with the Nation, and distributed treats to watching children.

Jonathon Tubby was taken into police custody in October 2018, where he was shot five times by officer Erik O’Brien while “unarmed, in handcuffs, face-down, [and] restrained by a police canine.” Lawyers for the accused officers have moved to dismiss the lawsuit by blaming Jonathon for his own death, saying, “Any injuries or damages suffered by Mr. Tubby were caused by reason of his own wrong acts.”

The family and their allies within the city of Green Bay, across the state of Wisconsin, and across the country, will not rest until justice has been achieved. Officer O’Brien must be immediately fired from the Green Bay Police Department, the case needs to be reopened, and this killer cop must be charged and convicted of murder.

#GreenBayWI #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #OneidaNation #JonathonTubby #JusticeForJonathonTubby

The memorial included traditional Oneida Nation dances meant to celebrate the life of the departed, prayers, and a candlelight vigil. Speakers mourned the loss of their loved one, condemned the violent actions of the Green Bay Police Department (GBPD), demanded justice for Jonathon, and called for police accountability.

The victim’s family had this to say: “Our fight is not over! From the beginning we, Jonathon Tubby’s family, have asked for peace and to move forward with a good mind, following our Great Law of Peace. That request has been respected, and we are forever thankful. Culturally we mourn for one year. We do this to take care of ourselves and our families. We must live these first four seasons learning how to live without Jonathon. This year is over, we have fulfilled our duties and responsibilities. Our grief by no means is final as we are still adjusting to not having Jonathon and the loss of Jonathon still weighs heavy on our hearts. We have now chosen to move our focus and take a path of demanding answers, demanding accountability, and seeking change, so that no other family in our communities have to suffer a same or similar loss of their loved one. These answers that we seek must come from all those involved including but not limited to the Green Bay Police Department, Brown County Police Department, SWAT, Brown County Jail, and all others involved with ending Jonathon’s life. There are so many possibilities of how the night of October 19, 2018 could have ended, but someone decided firing multiple times including one to the head on an unarmed man in handcuffs, face down, restrained by a police canine and in custody in the sally port at the Brown County Jail was the correct answer. But it was not, and we demand answers from everyone, and every agency involved.”

Jonathon Tubby was taken from his family in an unjustified shooting by Officer Erik O’Brien of the Green Bay Police Department on October 19, 2018. The murder took place in the police sally port, where Jonathon was lying face down with his hands cuffed behind his back. Eight bullets were fired by Officer O’Brien; five of them struck the unarmed prisoner lying on the ground. The actions of the people responsible, namely Erik O’Brien, have been ruled by District Attorney David Lasee to be legal and justified. To the victim’s family and people of Green Bay however, the circumstances of Tubby’s death are clearly criminal.

Tubby’s murder at the hands of the police is part of many others like it in a wave of police crime that is sweeping the country. Communities everywhere are calling for community control of the police, and demanding that killer cops be sent to jail. Now is the time to end the reign of terror by police thugs and fight back against racist and political repression.

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #JonathonTubby

Green Bay, WI – After months of waiting for a decision, on February 1, the family, friends and supporters of Jonathon Tubby heard District Attorney David Lasees’ refusal to charge Officer Erik O'Brien. His decision has left many with questions, anger and confusion – not the answers they had sought.

Tubby, a member of the Oneida Nation, was known as a warm, funny person who cared deeply for his friends and family. In pictures shared on his Facebook and other social media pages, his smile is the first thing that catches one's eye.

On the evening of October 19, Tubby was taken to the Brown County Jail for booking after a traffic stop. According to the police, he did not comply with orders, keeping his right hand under his shirt out of sight. The officers claimed they thought he had a concealed weapon on his person even after being thoroughly searched upon arrest.

In the few one-sided videos released by the DA, the police not only utilized their BearCat SWAT car during the altercation, but they also assaulted Tubby with a bean bag round, police dog and Mace.

Tubby was ultimately shot five times from behind as he turned away from the officers. He was handcuffed and unarmed the entire time. There are no visual recording devices in the location where Tubby was murdered.

District Attorney Lasee stated in his findings that “the self-defense privilege would apply in this case” due to the officers believing Tubby was armed. However, it is clear in what little so-called evidence was shared with the public that the aggressive approach by the police to the situation led to intense escalation, crisis and Tubby's death.

Officer Erik O'Brien, the killer cop, is now on paid administrative leave out of concern for his safety, according to the Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith.

The family has since released a statement on the findings of the DA Lasee, writing, “The District Attorney’s findings and conclusions are not facts, they are opinions of the District Attorney as to whether a murder charge could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The District Attorney’s findings and conclusions are not a comprehensive or unbiased summary of all evidence in this case.”

They further emphasized that Tubby's side of the story will never have the chance to be told nor has justice been served in light of the decision. District Attorney Lasee protected his own.

The family of Jonathon Tubby has stated that they will not end the fight for justice here. They have filed a lawsuit, claiming that O'Brien and the other officers at the scene violated Tubby's civil rights. They further demand that there be more cameras installed in the sallyport at the jail.

On February 2, the day after the release of the findings the community came together at a rally led by Black Lives United-Green Bay outside the Green Bay Police Department. A crowd of about 30 people gathered from all over the state, braving the sleet and cold, including members of United Action Oshkosh. Stephanie Ortiz and Robin Hall-Tinnon led chants of “Justice for Jonathon!” and more, as well as a discussion on what brought each person to the rally. It was clear from everyone that they wanted not only justice for Tubby, but also tangible change in the way the police are held accountable in this country.

In her closing statement to the group, Hall-Tinnon stated that it is our responsibility to use collective action for change and to empower others to fight back: “The reality is empowerment is not going in and teaching people empowerment. Empowerment is reminding people of their power.” She urged all of the different organizations present to continue to fight in solidarity for justice for all oppressed people and struggle for police accountability.

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #ErikOBrien #OneidaNation #JonathonTubby