Minneapolis, MN – On May 3, 100 people gathered together for a demonstration remembering Jamar Clark’s 26th birthday. The event was called by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J) who took up organizing and won the ‘No Grand Jury’ campaign after the Fourth Precinct Occupation.

The demonstration began at 8 p.m. across the from the Minneapolis Police Department Fourth Precinct headquarters. After a crowd had gathered, they then took to the streets chanting Jamar Clark’s name. The crowd marched down to Plymouth and James, the site where Jamar Clark was murdered on Nov. 15, 2015 by killer cops Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze. A program was held at the memorial site and then a march back to the Fourth Precinct ended the action after 10 p.m.

Several activists from the Fourth Precinct occupation, Black Lives Matter-Saint Paul, Minneapolis NAACP, Justice Occupation for Philando, Native Lives Matter Grassroots, and Justice for Marcus Golden, joined the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar at the demonstration. Community members also came out and joined the march led by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar and included nearly 20 members of the Burns family.

The protest at the Fourth Precinct started with music from the Black Lives Matter movement, including Kenrick Lamar’s Alright and Vic Mensa’s 16 Shots.

Monique Cullars Doty, aunt of Marcus Golden who was murdered by the Saint Paul Police Department, and member of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice Jamar and Black Lives Matter Saint Paul, spoke on the role police play in protecting property and the ruling class.

Nekima Levy-Pounds, 2015-16 Minneapolis NAACP president spoke on the role of the community in holding police accountable for their actions.

Members from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar also spoke on the role that TCC4J, other community groups, and the twin cities community played in winning the No Grand Jury campaign in the Jamar Clark case and the precedent it set for the movement against police crimes. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman had told the activist community that there would be a grand jury for the murder of Jamar Clark and no one would be able to change it. However, the work of TCC4J did change it and led to Freeman indicating he wouldn’t have grand juries in future cases where police murders members of the community. This victory was integral in the prosecution of Geronimo Yanez, the police offider who killed Philando Castile on July 6, 2016.

After the speeches, the community took to the street. At Plymouth and James – where Jamar Clark was murdered by the Minneapolis Police Department, several members of the Burns family joined TCC4J and the community in decorating the memorial site and lighting over 200 candles along the boulevard.

Levy-Pounds led a prayer as additional family and community members came out to join TCC4J and others from the movement to fight police crimes and fight for Black Lives. Jayanthi Kyle shared a freestyle rendition of one of her songs and A Day’s Gonna Come When I Don’t March No More. TCC4J members spoke on Trump’s racist edicts targeting the Black Lives Matter movement and making room for police to suppress activist movements. A call was made to continue the fight against the police crimes and to fight against white supremacists.

After march back to the Fourth Precinct, chants of “Black lives matter” and “Jamar Clark” continued. The community shut down both lanes of traffic in front of the Fourth precinct and commenced in securing the road. Jayanthi Kyle and youth from the Minnesota Governor’s mansion occupation for Philando Castile led further songs and chants. Chantyll Allen from BLM-Saint Paul led the Assatta Shakur “Fight for Our Freedom” chant. As fireworks were lit, Satara Strong from BLM Saint Paul Youth Squad led Fred Hampton’s “I am a Revolutionary” chant.

The event ended at 10 p.m. However, the community remained gathered in the street.

#MinneapolisMN #US #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #JamarClark #Justice4Jamar

The first call came in to Cameron Clark – the jury would come back in 15 minutes, to say whether the man who shot him would be found guilty for his crimes. Through phone calls, texts and social media, Cameron and friends filled helped filled the courtroom, when Allen “Lance” Scarsella was brought in to face the jury. He was found guilty on all 12 counts against him, for his actions on Nov. 23, 2015, at the protest demanding justice for Jamar Clark, where Scarsella shot and wounded five Black protesters, including Jamar’s cousin Cameron.

The guilty verdicts came as a relief to many who’d been watching the trial and expecting the worst. From the selection of a jury that was nearly all white and suburban, to the defense’s closing argument that Scarsella had acted in self-defense in the face of a crowd of loud, angry Black protesters, the outcome seemed rigged in favor of upholding the violence of white supremacy.

Instead, the jury saw through Scarsella’s lies, laid bare in large part by evidence of his own deeply-seated racism. Dozens of Scarsella’s text messages were shown in court, full of disgusting racist slurs, combined with an obsession using guns to kill Black people. Also, the struggle for justice for Jamar Clark and other fights against police murders certainly helped this jury believe that Black lives do matter.

About the verdict, Cameron said, “I’m happy that the verdict came out the way that it came out, and me and the four other brothers got justice, but you know the fight is not over.” Scarsella had three companions the night of the shooting, who have not yet been tried. Also, a police officer who frequently exchanged racist messages with Scarsella has not been disciplined. Of these, Cameron added, “We’re gonna get the other guys, and the officer he texted racist messages with… we’re coming for all of them, one by one.”

Scarsella will remain in Hennepin County Jail until a sentencing hearing on March 10.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #JamarClark #Justice4Jamar

In less than a second, Scarsella pulled his gun from a shoulder holster, shot that man, and continued firing until his gun was empty and five men were seriously wounded. He claimed he did so because he feared for his life. There was no video evidence, and no knife recovered from the scene or any of the victims, their clothes and belongings were collected by hospital staff and entered into evidence. On cross-examination, Scarsella admitted that aside from a glancing blow several minutes and a block away, he suffered no injuries, no blows, no one choked him, kicked him, or pushed him to the ground.

Despite this, Scarsella wants jurors to believe that he acted in self-defense. Scarsella tried today to paint his group as innocents, who only went to the protest to observe. Asked if he had any sympathy for Jamar Clark (whose killing at the hands of Minneapolis police set off the 18-day protest at the police precinct building), Scarsella answered, “I didn’t feel one way or another about him. I don’t understand your question.”

Scarsella claimed that the Nov. 23 visit to the protest was spontaneous, and was unable to explain a text from Gustavsson on Thursday, Nov. 19, that read, “Dude, if this shit is going down on Monday, we need to get down there. I could rile so much shit up.” The men then spent the weekend camping and shooting guns, but Scarsella claims they never spoke of that text message or made any plans.

On the stand, Scarsella was pressed to explain dozens of violent, racist text messages he had exchanged with his friends in the days and months before the shooting. He dismissed them all as jokes, and “just words.” In one, he wrote how one could, “tempt a chimp to chimp out and then you get to shoot them.” In another, Scarsella praised the gun George Zimmerman used to murder Trayvon Martin, saying, “It’s cool that the gun I’m getting has been proven to kill black guys in a single shot.” He also wrote, “So they can take my gun and throw me in a cage. All for airing out one lousy n——–.” Many texts talked about how his Browning 1911 was particularly effective for killing Black or brown people. This is the gun – one of ten that he owns – that he fired on protesters in this case.

“The prosecution has made it clear enough that Scarsella has racist hate in his heart, but they didn’t charge him with any hate crime. We worry about this almost all-white suburban jury, and whether they will believe that he was afraid for his life in the face of all those angry Black folks, and whether that gives him a right to shoot,” said Loretta VanPelt of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar. She and others have followed the case closely. Closing arguments are expected on Jan. 31.

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #Justice4Jamar #AllenLanceScarsella

The courtroom is expected to be packed for the final days of the trial of Allen “Lance” Scarsella, the white supremacist who shot five Black men at last year’s North Minneapolis protest to demand #Justice4Jamar. The trial started going into its fourth week today, Jan. 30.

In November 2015, Scarsella and three other men came to the site of the protests, the Fourth Precinct police station, with their faces covered. Protesters were on high alert, having seen video of a pair of masked, armed racists – Scarsella and Julio Suarez – who came to the protests just a few days earlier. When the group arrived on Nov. 23, they were quickly approached by a few protesters who asked them to remove their masks. After they refused, the group was escorted out of the protest area.

About a block from the precinct, just after protesters turned to leave them behind, Scarsella turned on them, firing eight shots into the men nearest him, seriously injuring five. “Protesters were absolutely right to remove these dangerous racists from the crowd. If they hadn’t, it’s likely more people would’ve been hurt,” said Loretta Van Pelt of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar. VanPelt and others have been attending the trial.

Many were angry at the charges, which did not include hate crimes or attempted murder, despite video evidence that these racists intended to do harm. Nathan Gustavsson, the man next to Scarsella when he fired, tried to convince the jury that the men were only went to the protest to “sit around the fire, listen to music and talk to people.” When pressed, he admitted to countless racist exchanges between the men. Gustavsson had bragged that he had “a big plan to stir shit up and get [the protesters] to disperse.”

Community members were also frustrated by the jury selection process, which resulted in a jury made up of nine white men, only two men of color and a few women. Despite the fact that African Americans make up 13% of the county population, and despite all of Scarsella’s victims being Black, there is not one African American on this jury.

After the shooting, Scarsella’s first call was to a high school friend-turned cop, Brett Levin. Levin testified that he had exchanged racist text messages with the shooter, which he described as mere “locker room talk.” After his appearance in court last week, he resigned from his current post with the Burnsville Police Department. The Minneapolis NAACP denounced the department for accepting the resignation, saying there should have been disciplinary action to ensure “racist officers … not be able to move from department to department; they must be barred from serving altogether.”

Cameron Clark, one of the victims shot by Scarsella, said that allowing Levin to resign allows him to be rehired by another department willing to turn a blind eye to his racist views. “If a Black man is charged with a felony conviction, he can’t get a decent job but white cops who use their power to oppress can remain in uniform. There are white supremacists who have been given a badge and a gun. Just look at the connection in this case.”

To bolster his claim of self-defense, Scarsella’s defense team has tried to put protesters on trial. Precinct surveillance videos show hundreds of angry people, many of them Black, demanding justice for Jamar Clark, who was killed by Minneapolis police. Gustavsson claims he feared for his life, and Scarsella is expected to say the same when he continues his testimony Monday. According to VanPelt, “With an almost all-white jury, who’ve heard so many cops justify the murder of unarmed Black men by saying they feared for their lives, we are worried that Scarsella will get away with what he did that night.”

Scarsella, Suarez and Gustavsson, along with Daniel Macey and Joseph Backman all came to the precinct to disrupt the protest for Jamar Clark. The night of the shooting, the men shouted “Race war!” and “Trump 2016!” They exemplify the very climate created by now-President Donald Trump – “locker room talk” is much more dangers than talk, when it fuels and emboldens this kind of violence.

All eyes will be on Scarsella, as he continues his testimony Jan. 30. The trial is expected to conclude this week, as the community braces itself for the chance that once again the system may fail to deliver justice.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism

100 people marched through North Minneapolis, Nov. 13, to remember Jamar Clark, and continue the fight for justice and against police crimes. The event kicked off a week of actions to mark one year since Clark was killed by Minneapolis police. Organized by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), the action opened with a rally at Broadway and Lyndale Avenues, then took to the streets for about three miles, marching past the Fourth police precinct and to the site of Clark’s murder at James and Plymouth Avenues.

On Nov. 15, 2015, 24-year-old Jamar Clark was shot in the head during a 61-second encounter with Minneapolis police officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg. In the 18 days that followed, community members occupied the nearby Fourth Precinct police station, demanding justice and calling for the prosecution of the two officers that killed Jamar Clark. Courtney Donelson, who took part in that occupation, opened the rally for the Coalition, with a moment of silence by noting, “It’s almost a year since Jamar Clark was killed by the MPD.” Describing what has become an epidemic of police killings, especially African American communities, she said, “Just remember that this happens way too often.”

Also speaking at the rally was Jamar’s father, James Clark. James shared positive memories of his son, and decried the injustice of his death at the hands of police, who claimed to fear for their lives when they shot him. James said, “Jamar didn’t have no weapon, he didn’t have anything but himself. To me the only person that was in danger was Jamar.” He thanked community members for their support, and urged everyone to keep fighting.

Shvonne Johnson, speaking of how the past year has been difficult, offered comfort with her beautiful rendition of the song Something Inside So Strong.

With that, the group took to the streets behind a banners that read “Justice4Jamar” and “No justice no peace, no racist police!” chanting, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail!” From busy Broadway Avenue, to the quieter streets, on every block, community members cheered for the marchers and joined the chants, as everyone remembered Jamar Clark.

Marchers rallied again outside the Fourth Precinct police station. Austin Jackson of AR-14 for Justice spoke emotionally about beginning his activism there, in the protests for Jamar Clark. 16 shots by Vic Mensa, about the murder of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police, was played before protesters moved to the nearby site of Jamar’s murder. There was another moment of silence, and two of Jamar’s cousins spoke.

In his last days, Jamar wrote on social media that believed his life had a “higher purpose.” Those who took to the streets of Minneapolis to demand justice for him agree, and honor his memory by fighting to win #JusticeThruJamar, which will be the theme for actions all week.

Monday, supporters will call Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman, who failed to charge the cops that killed Jamar. He justified his decision with a series of lies. He told the public that Jamar had been involved in a domestic violence matter the police were responding to. This is a proven lie. He claimed that Jamar was acting aggressively, resisting arrest and trying to take an officer’s gun. But these lies weren’t backed up by video evidence, or the accounts of two dozen Black eyewitnesses. Freeman has also brought lenient charges against the white supremacists that shot five people at the protests for Jamar Clark. Call Mike Freeman at 612-348-5550. Demand that he look at Jamar Clark’s case again, and bring charges against Schwarze and Ringgenberg, and urge him to throw the book at the violent racists who terrorized protesters last year.

Tuesday, Nov. 15, the community will gather at Plymouth and James Avenues at 5 p.m., for a candlelight vigil at the site of Jamar’s murder. More information about this and other #JusticeThruJamar events can be found at facebook.com/tcc4j

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #JamarClark #Justice4Jamar

After Freeman spent some time praising himself for transparency and reviewing legal statutes related to his decision, most of his presentation outlined a one-sided police version. He claimed that Clark was acting aggressively, resisting arrest and trying to take an officer’s gun. According to Freeman, when Ringgenberg felt his utility belt slip, he told his partner that Clark was going for his gun. Ringgenberg repeatedly said, “He has got my gun,” and urged him Schwarze to shoot Clark. Freeman narrated the video clips he showed, but Jamar Clark’s supporters didn’t buy his story.

Pastor Danny Givens, “The video that I watched showed a Jamar Clark that looked concerned about his girlfriend. The video that I watched showed a Jamar Clark that looked tempered. The video that I watched didn’t show a Jamar Clark beating on the door or irate or uncontrollable. The video that I saw didn’t show a Jamar Clark resisting arrest.”

Discounting more than a dozen eyewitnesses who said they saw Clark handcuffed, Freeman’s decision rested entirely on the testimony of police and paramedics. Paramedics who were first on the scene were in their vehicle during the police confrontation with Clark. The others arrived after he was killed. Police say they found handcuffs open, on the grass near Clark’s body, but Ringgenberg and Schwarze claim they never got them on.

Reisha Williams of the NAACP said, “Whether he was handcuffed or not does not give you clearance to kill somebody. He was on the ground, he was already restrained, he had two physical men on top of him. So whether he was handcuffed or not is not the reason why he should have been murdered.”

Freeman also repeated several times that Clark’s last words, as Schwarze held a gun to his mouth, were, “I’m ready to die.” His cousin, Cameron Clark, found this claim unbelievable. “I know he wouldn’t say that, and I know he wouldn’t grab a gun.” He said Jamar had a new job and was turning his life around shortly before he was killed. Giving voice to the determination of many to continue the fight for justice for Jamar Clark, he said, “We’re not running. We can’t have this. We have to get justice.”

Later today, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar Clark will hold an emergency rally at 5:00 p.m. at James and Plymouth Avenues North, in Minneapolis. A memorial has been maintained there, the place Clark was killed. Organizers will rally with the North Minneapolis community to demand prosecution of the police. Black Lives Matter Minneapolis and the Black Liberation Project also have plans for a “Post Announcement Gathering,” at Elliot Park in downtown Minneapolis.

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #JamarClark #Justice4Jamar

According to several witnesses, Clark was on the ground and restrained when the fatal shot was fired, hitting him in the face. The killing of Clark, a 24-year old African American man, sparked intense protests, including an 18-day occupation outside the Fourth Precinct police station, just two blocks from the site of the shooting. Countless rallies and marches have called for prosecution of the police, and no grand jury.

Just two weeks ago, Freeman caved to some of that pressure, announcing he would not send the case to a grand jury. The grand jury process takes place in secret, and never results in an indictment of police officers. Jamar Clark’s family has called for his killers to be tried in open court, so they and the community can know the truth behind his tragic death.

“We hope Wednesday’s announcement will bring us another win, with charges against Ringgenberg and Schwarze. Even that will only be one more step toward justice for Jamar Clark. We are fighting not only for indictment, but we want to see a prosecution that can take those killer cops off the streets and put them behind bars. No matter what Freeman announces this week, we’ll keep hitting the streets until we see justice,” said Jess Sundin of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

On the day of Freeman’s announcement, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar Clark will hold an emergency rally at 5:00 p.m. at James and Plymouth Avenues North, in Minneapolis. A memorial has been maintained there, the place Clark was killed. Organizers will rally with the North Minneapolis community to demand prosecution of the police. Black Lives Matter Minneapolis and the Black Liberation Project also have plans that day for a post-announcement gathering at Elliot Park in downtown Minneapolis.

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #HennepinCountyAttorneyMichaelFreeman #JamarClark #Justice4Jamar

Minneapolis, MN – Community leaders spoke out in united opposition, March 25, to Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau’s remarks about protests that are calling for justice for Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old African American man who was killed by police in November. Tensions are high as the community waits for Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to announce whether or not he will charge the officers for Clark’s murder.

On Thursday, March 24, Chief Harteau released a video statement and held a press conference in which she insinuated the potential for a violent community response to Mike Freeman's pending charging decision. At a joint press conference, Minneapolis NAACP, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis, and Black Clergy United for Change challenged Harteau’s remarks and urged the community to come together and come out for a rally on Saturday, March 26 at 12:00 noon at the Hennepin County Government Center.

“Many in our community find Chief Harteau's recent statements to be offensive, insensitive and divisive. Beyond that, her comments deflect from the underlying causes of outrage and frustration in the Black community – sustained levels of violence being inflicted by the Minneapolis Police Department upon people of color,” said Nekima Levy-Pounds, president of the Minneapolis NAACP.

“We reject the implication by Chief Harteau that our community is violent. The community's character is not in question, but rather the Minneapolis police, who