Chicago, IL – 500 people gathered in Chicago’s Washington Park June 18 to protest the acquittal of the cop that killed Philando Castile in Minnesota. The marchers began with a rally at the location where Ronald “Ronnieman” Johnson was shot in the back by Chicago police in October 2014.

Called by Black Lives Matter (BLM), the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the Resist Reimagine Rebuild (R3) Coalition, the action included a number of victims of police crimes, including Ronnieman’s mother, Dorothy Holmes. BLM and Ronnieman’s family has renamed the park Ronald Johnson Park in his memory.

Kofi Ademola Xola of BLM told the crowd that they had originally planned an event for this Sunday because it is Father’s Day. They wanted to uplift the memory of Ronald Johnson, the father of five children; Philando Castile, the father of one child; and all the other murder victims of police crimes whose children have to grow up without their fathers.

Barbara Ransby of the R3 coalition, expressed solidarity with the family of Philando. She said, “We demand justice for the family, but we know that justice isn’t simply convicting one bad cop. There will be another killer cop after this one.”

Frank Chapman of the Alliance said, “Some people say they are tired of marching. We can’t get tired of marching, because we’re not going to get justice from this system until we, the people, bring about justice.”

Both speakers made mention that they had just come from the memorial service of Josephine Wyatt, a founder and leader in the Chicago Alliance.

People along the street joined in the march. The chants raised included, “Black lives matter” and “What do we want? CPAC! When do we want it? Now!” CPAC stands for the Civilian Police Accountability Council, legislation for community control of the police that the movement has introduced into the Chicago city council.

#ChicagoIL #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #PhilandoCastile

St. Paul, MN – A massive protest is underway at the Minnesota State Capitol building, tonight, June 16, in response to the not guilty verdict in the case of Philando Castile. Castile was killed by Saint Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez.

The #Justice4Philando Emergency Unity Response was initiated by Black Lives Matter Twin Cities Metro, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Justice Occupation for Philando, and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar. Endorsers include Black Saint Paul, Blue LIES Matter, Cop Watch Minneapolis, MN Neighbors for Justice, Movement Support Network, Native Lives Matter, New North and Philando's Peace Garden.

#StPaulMN #PoliceBrutality #ShutItDown #PhilandoCastile

St. Paul, MN – A massive protest is underway at the Minnesota State Capitol building, tonight, June 16, in response to the not guilty verdict in the case of Philando Castile. Castile was killed by Saint Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez.

The #Justice4Philando Emergency Unity Response was initiated by Black Lives Matter Twin Cities Metro, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Justice Occupation for Philando, and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar. Endorsers include Black Saint Paul, Blue LIES Matter, Cop Watch Minneapolis, MN Neighbors for Justice, Movement Support Network, Native Lives Matter, New North and Philando's Peace Garden.

#StPaulMN #PoliceBrutality #ShutItDown #PhilandoCastile

“While we hope for a guilty verdict, we also know that justice has been denied to countless families in this same position. If Yanez is found guilty, the verdict will be celebrated as a victory for justice, that was won only because the world demanded it,” organizers said in a statement. It continued, “If the jury fails to return a guilty verdict, this case will serve as the latest proof that the so-called justice system refuses to deliver justice to victims of police terror.”

Just hours after the event was posted, hundreds had committed to attend. The #Justice4Philando Emergency Unity Response was initiated by Black Lives Matter Twin Cities Metro, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Justice Occupation for Philando, and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar. Endorsers include Black Saint Paul, Blue LIES Matter, Cop Watch Minneapolis, MN Neighbors for Justice, Movement Support Network, Native Lives Matter, New North and Philando's Peace Garden.

#SaintPaulMN #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile #JeronimoYanez

Falcon Heights, MN – On Sept. 3, as the family was in Saint Louis to lay Philando Castile to rest, community members gathered at the site where Officer Jeronimo Yanez violently ended Castile’s life. More than 50 people marched to the front gates of the State Fair here, to call attention to the police killings that they say target especially, but not solely, Black people and other people of color. For several hours, thousands of fairgoers had to navigate miles of blocked roads, while protesters demanded justice, carrying 14 coffins, distributing informational flyers and chanting about the police murder of Castile and countless others.

Reflecting the epidemic of police killings across the U.S., Minnesota law enforcement officers have killed 238 people since 2000. Not one officer, in the history of the state of Minnesota, has ever been convicted of a work-related homicide.

“That #AintFair,” organizers say. “We want justice for all stolen lives. We want justice for Philando Castile and Jamar Clark, whose names made international news, as well as those who stories were never told. Their lives matter. Their families matter. We will not forget the recent police homicides of Geno Smith, Map Kong, and Jaffort Smith. We continue to demand justice for Marcus Golden and Fong Lee, both unarmed, Guillermo Canas, Philip Quinn, Michael Kirvelay, Terrance Franklin, Quincy Smith as well as other local and out-of-state police homicide victims such as Alton Sterling, Paul Castaway and Oscar Grant, Yes, we will #SayHerName: Korryn Gaines, Aiyana Jones, Sarah Lee Circle Bear, Sandra Bland and Rekia Boyd to name a few. If we didn’t, that would be not be fair.”

The event was organized by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justices 4 Jamar, Justice for Marcus Golden, the Black Coalition and AR-14 for Justice, and more than a dozen other groups endorsed the action.

#FalconHeightsMn #FalconHeightsMN #PoliceBrutality #JamarClark #PhilandoCastile #StateFair #JusticeForMarcusGolden #BlackCoalition #AR14ForJustice

Por la Comisión Conjunta de Nacionalidades, Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad

El gran escritor Afroamericano Langston Hughes escribió en el famoso poema Harlem:

¿Qué pasa de un sueño diferido? ¿Se marchita como una pasa en el sol? ¿O se encona como una llaga - y entonces corre? ¿Apesta como carne pútrida? ¿O endurece y se vuelve dulce - como un postre con jarabe? Tal vez solo se hunda como una carga pesada. ¿O explota?

El jueves 7 de julio, ese sueño aplazado de Langston explotó en Dallas, Texas, cuando un francotirador realizó una emboscada contra la policía de Dallas, matando a 12 personas y a 5 oficiales.

La ira que dio paso a este tiroteo se estuvo acumulando por años, o más bien por generaciones, mientras los Afroamericanos eran linchados por racista del KKK y policías asesinos. Apenas unos días antes, dos Afroamericanos más fueron tiroteados y asesinados por oficiales de la policía. EL primero de ellos fue Alton Sterling, de Baton Rouge, Louisiana, asesinado mientras dos policías blancos lo pisoteaban, y el segundo, Philando Castile de Minnesota, a quien le dispararon sentado en su carro acompañado por su novia e hija.

La policía continúa la práctica de encubrir los hechos confiscando videos privados de seguridad. Incluso los pocos oficiales que son sometidos a la justicia son exonerados, como ocurrió con los oficiales de Baltimore involucrados en la muerte de Freddie Gray. El encubrimiento se extiende e incluye a fiscales y alcaldes, como en el caso del asesinato de Laquan McDonald en Chicago.

Sin embargo, entender de donde proviene esa ira no significa estar de acuerdo con la acción.

El asesinato continuo de Afroamericanos, el encubrimiento y la injustica del sistema judicial demuestra que el mismo sistema tiene la culpa. Solo una revolución puede acabar con la opresión que sufren los Afroamericanos y otras nacionalidades oprimidas, incluyendo Chicanos, Latinos, Asiáticos, Árabes-americanos, e Indígenas.

No nos referimos a la “revolución política” electoral de Bernie Sanders, sino más bien estamos hablando de la organización masiva del pueblo en la calle exigiendo un cambio. El Movimiento de Derechos Civiles y el Movimiento de Liberación Negra de las décadas de 1950 y 1960, no fueron el resultado de algunos individuos. La derrota de las leyes de segregación conocidas en el Sur de los EE.UU. como Jim Crow, y de la segregación legal que perduraba en el norte del país, fue el resultado de la lucha de millones de Afroamericanos y sus simpatizantes por una sociedad más justa. Desde las protestas en los comedores de Woolworth, hasta los bloqueos de calle, el Movimiento de Derechos Civiles combinó la protesta de masas con una desobediencia civil sumamente militante.

Hoy en día, el movimiento Black Lives Matter continúa el legado del Movimiento de Derechos Civiles y del Movimiento de Liberación Negra. Las protestas de masas junto a nuevas formas de desobediencia civil, con consignas como “Shut it Down”, han sacudido al sistema a tal punto que representantes electos se han visto obligados a admitir el factor de la motivación racial, teniendo incluso que enjuiciar algunos de los oficiales asesinos. Pero todavía falta mucho más por hacer. Los oficiales asesinos deben ser condenados y encarcelados, y no pueden permanecer libres después de haber cometido un crimen. La policía debe estar bajo control comunitario, no ser supervisadas por los llamados “comités de revisión policial”, establecidos por los mismos políticos, ya que estos carecen de autoridad competente y solo sirven para encubrir los crímenes policiales.

Las redes sociales son una muy buena manera para hacer llamados a la acción. Pero una protesta exitosa necesita oradores y un programa para educar, inspirar e unificar a las personas en la acción. Las protestas exitosas necesitan un plan de acción, seguridad para lidiar con aquellos quieran interrumpir la protesta, asistencia legal si se planea desobediencia civil, entre otras cosas, las cuales solo se pueden proveer si existen coordinadores activos en el área. Un exitoso movimiento de masas necesita estar organizado por organizaciones combativas y de base, con raíces en la clase trabajadora y basándose en el papel protagónico de la comunidad.

Nuestras raíces como organización provienen de los movimientos de masas de las décadas de 1960 y 1970. Activistas jóvenes universitarios y de comunidades de nacionalidades oprimidas (Afroamericanos, Asiáticos, Chicanos y Latinos) se comprometieron con la lucha. Nuestro recorrido ha sido largo y arduo, lleno de lecciones acumuladas en el camino. No obstante, continuamos comprometidos orgullosamente con la lucha, e invitamos a todos los indignados por la opresión racista del gobierno a que conviertan la ira en acción: comprometiéndose con la organización política, incorporarse a la clase trabajadora, estudiar el marxismo-leninismo como ciencia revolucionaria, y unirse a la construcción de un partido revolucionario que luche por el socialismo.

Comisión Conjunta de Nacionalidades, Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad.

(Joint Nationality Commission, Freedom Road Organization)

#UnitedStates #OppressedNationalities #PoliceBrutality #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #Socialism #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Statement by the Joint Nationalities Commission, Freedom Road Socialist Organization

The great African American writer Langston Hughes penned the famous poem Harlem:

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

On Thursday, July 7 the dream deferred exploded in Dallas, Texas when a sniper ambushed Dallas police, shooting 12 people and killing five police.

The anger that led to this shooting was building for years if not generations, as African Americans have been lynched by KKK and murdered by police. Just days before, two more African Americans were shot and killed by police. Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with two white police officers pinning him down and Philando Castile in Minnesota, who was shot and killed in his car in front of his girlfriend and her daughter.

The police continued their practice of cover-up by seizing private security camera video. Even the few police who do get charged are getting off, as in the case of the Baltimore police who were involved in the death of Freddie Gray. The cover-up extends to district attorneys and mayors, as in the case of Chicago’s Laquan McDonald.

But understanding the anger does not mean agreeing with the action.

The continued killing of Black people, the cover-ups and the injustice of the courts shows that the whole system is at fault. Nothing less than a revolution can end the oppression of African Americans and other oppressed nationalities including Chicanos, Mexicanos, and Latinos, Asian and Arab Americans and indigenous peoples.

We are not talking about Bernie Sanders’ political revolution through the ballot box. We are talking about organizing the masses of people into the streets to demand change. The Civil Rights/Black Liberation movement of the 1950s and 1960s was not a result of a few individuals, or even small groups of people. The overthrow of Jim Crow segregation in the South and of legal segregation throughout the country was a result of the struggle of millions upon millions of African Americans and their supporters who fought for equality. From the Woolworth lunch counter sit-in to blocking the streets, the Civil Rights movement combined mass protests with militant civil disobedience.

Today’s movement for Black lives is standing on the shoulders of the Civil Rights and Black Liberation movement. Mass protests along with new forms of civil disobedience with the slogan of “Shut it down!” have shaken the system to the point where elected officials are forced to admit that race is a factor and even put killer cops on trial. But more, much more, remains to be done. Killer cops need to be convicted and jailed, not set free. Police need to be under community control, not overseen by ‘police review boards’ chosen by the politicians and without enforcement authority are but another way to cover up police crimes.

Social media is one good way to put out a call for action. But successful protests need speakers and a program to educate, inspire, and unite people for action. Successful protests need a plan of action, security to deal with those who would disrupt the protest, legal aid, especially if civil disobedience is planned, and much more, which can only be provided with organizers with ‘boots on the ground.’ A successful mass movement needs to be organized, with militant, grassroots organizations based in the working class and rooted in the community playing an important role.

Our roots as an organization go back to the mass movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Young activists from campuses and oppressed nationality (African American, Asian American and Chicano/Latino) communities committed themselves to the struggle. Our path has been long and tortuous, with many lessons learned along the way. But we are still standing proud, and invite all those whose anger has been fanned by the racist oppression of the government to turn their anger into action: to commit themselves to political organizing, to take working class jobs, to study the science of revolution, Marxism-Leninism, and to join us in building a revolutionary party to fight for socialism.

Joint Nationality Commission, Freedom Road Socialist Organization

#UnitedStates #OppressedNationalities #PoliceBrutality #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #Socialism #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

St. Paul, MN – At noon, July 15, The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar and Asian Pacific Islanders for Black Lives protested at the office of Ramsey County Attorney John Choi here. He is the county attorney who will make the charging decision in the homicide of Philando Castile.

A coalition statement said, “For 22 consecutive Fridays, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar has protested at the Hennepin County Government Center, where Mike Freeman has his office. The Coalition continues to demand prosecution of the police that killed Jamar Clark last November. This week, the protest will move to Saint Paul, to call for justice for Philando Castile.”

“While the fight for justice for Jamar continues, the recent killing of another African American man in our community calls us to bring our voices to the doorstep of Ramsey County prosecutor John Choi. We don't want his murder covered up with a secret grand jury process, and we won't sit by and let Choi try to justify the actions of Jeronimo Yanez, who fired four times into a car with a young child and two adults, killing Philando,” the statement continued.

Choi refused to come out to meet with the 40 angry people crowded into his office. Protestors confronted his staff with their demands. Speakers included Coalition organizers Michaela Day and Loretta VanPelt, MK Nguyen of API4BlackLives and Darleen Hynes, whose fiancée, Phil Quinn, was murdered by Saint Paul police in September 2015. Choi took that case to a grand jury, which failed to indict the killer cop. The protesters promised to return.

#SaintPaulMN #PoliceBrutality #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJustice4JamarClark #PhilandoCastile #AsianPacificIslandersForBlackLives

Milwaukee, WI – Over 400 people showed up to Milwaukee’s Red Arrow Park at 4 p.m., July 11 in response to the recent murders of Black men by police. Organized and led by the Coalition for Justice, protesters marched through the streets of downtown Milwaukee. They paused at various locations to send a clear message to Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) and the city: “Black lives matter!”

Many of the chants were led by Nate Hamilton, brother of Dontre Hamilton who was shot 14 times by police while resting in a park in April 2014. The first stop on the march was the federal courthouse. Protesters linked arms and formed a circle as Hamilton spoke. Protesters then marched to the District 1 police station and paused there.

Maria Hamilton spoke at the rally demanding justice for her son. They called out District Attorney John Chisholm for not indicting the officer who killed Dontre Hamilton. Craig Stingley, the father of Corey Stingley, also demanded justice for his son who was killed by three white vigilantes in December 2012. Also present were family members of Jay Anderson who was recently killed in his car by Wauwatosa police on June 23 of this year.

Demonstrators took to the streets once again and passed the Milwaukee County Jail, the county courthouse, and the federal building, returning finally to Red Arrow Park.

#MilwaukeeWI #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Jacksonville, FL – Over 500 people marched through downtown Jacksonville on July 10 demanding an end to racist police crimes. Local organizers affiliated with the #BlackLivesMatter movement called the protest in response to the recent murders of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

The march drew a diverse crowd from across the city, including high school students, residents from Cleveland Arms and Eureka Gardens housing projects, families of victims killed by police, and union workers. Community organizers from the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC), the Kemetic Empire and Black Educators for Justice also attended with bullhorns and signs.

At about 1 p.m., people assembled on the steps the Duval County Courthouse. Speakers denounced the murder of African Americans by racist police in Jacksonville and across the country. Demonstrators chanted “No justice, no peace, no racist police,” and carried signs demanding “Community control of the police” as they prepared to march.

As the rally swelled in size, the crowd set out marching through downtown Jacksonville. Defying police orders, protesters spilled into the streets and shut down traffic. Passing cars honked in support and onlookers in Hemming Park joined the march. The crowd chanted “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail, the whole damn system is guilty as hell!” as they passed the federal courthouse and City Hall.

When they returned to the Duval County Courthouse an hour later, the people made it clear they weren’t finished marching. The crowd embarked on a second march along Bay Street to shut down major roads and bridges around downtown.

Panicked police from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) attempted to blockade the highway with patrol cars and officers. However, the protesters linked arms and overran the police lines, pressing on towards Riverside – a major neighborhood in the city’s urban core and a major site of gentrification in Jacksonville.

Back in downtown, the protest paused at a statue of the city’s namesake: Andrew Jackson, the slave-owning seventh president of the U.S. and mass murderer of American Indians. Several protesters climbed onto the statue, waving the pan-African flag and the socialist red flag from it.

Connell Crooms, organizer with the JPC, spoke about the legacy of white supremacy in Jacksonville and Duval County. “Andrew Jackson was a slave owner! Duval [the namesake of Duval County] was a slave owner. This city was so racist even Martin Luther King couldn’t march here in the 1960s, but today we did. Today we took over this city!”

The march continued on towards the Main Street bridge. Police from the JSO were forced to shut down the bridge in both directions for over an hour as demonstrators walked towards San Marco, the neighborhood across the Saint Johns River.

JSO officers arrested three demonstrators who crossed onto the other side of the bridge. The protesters were arrested for obstructing traffic despite the fact the police were the ones who shut down traffic. Protesters followed the police back to the Pre-Trial Detention Facility and demanded the release of the three people in custody.

Chanting “Black lives matter” and “Fists up, fight back,” the protest drew knocks of support and cheers from inmates inside the facility. Shortly thereafter, JSO placed the jailhouse on lockdown and denied entry to anyone, including family members of inmates and bail bondsmen. Protesters angrily denounced this move and chanted “Open up the jail.”

Another protest is planned for July 15, at 6 p.m. at Hemming Park in downtown.

#JacksonvilleFL #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Salt Lake City, UT – Outraged at police violence across the nation, about 500 people took to the streets in the state’s capitol city to protest July 9. They stood together to raise their voices in mourning for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and against the brutality that police have used to tear apart communities from Ferguson to Baton Rouge, Baltimore and Salt Lake City.

The group marched through downtown demanding justice for Sterling and Castile, two Black men were murdered by police just days apart in Louisiana and Minnesota, sparking widespread protest throughout the U.S. They are among the more than 500 people killed by police in the first seven months of 2016 alone.

Chants of “It’s right to rebel!” rang out as people walked with signs like “Am I next?” and “No justice, no peace!” It sent a strong signal to authorities in Utah that the people will not tolerate police violence any longer.

Carly Haldeman, an organizer with Utah Against Police Brutality, called for a Community Police Accountability Council to hold police and other officials accountable for their crimes. She also called for the resignation of Salt Lake County Attorney Sim Gill, who has repeatedly found police killings justified, and has refused to file charges in the few cases where officers were found to have killed wrongly.

Gill is currently withholding body camera video of the shooting of Abdullahi Omar Mohamed, an unarmed Black man who was shot six times in the back by a Salt Lake cop. Mohamed survived the incident, but was paralyzed. Many feel a cover-up is being engineered – not only has the video been kept secret, but the name of the officer involved still hasn’t been released.

“We must see the footage,” Haldeman said. “We cannot be complicit with the murder of Black people in our community.”

Her speech was greeted with shouts of “Community control now!”

#SaltLakeCityUT #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Chicago, IL – 2000 to 3000 protesters, mostly high school students, marched through the streets of Chicago, July 11, to protest the recent police murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. What started as a sit-in of youth joined together with a rally held by Black Lives Matter Chicago, the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and Trinity United Church of Christ.

The call for the rally at Federal Plaza demanded that President Obama order the arrest and federal prosecution of the police criminals. During the rally, news radio announced that thousands were protesting in downtown Chicago against police shootings and to demand an elected, civilian police accountability council.

Frank Chapman of the Alliance, said, “Today the Department of Justice is the Department of Injustice. The Governors of Louisiana and Minnesota have asked the DOJ to step in and they've done nothing. We demand Justice! We demand that they arrest and prosecute these killer cops. We demand community control of the police.”

#ChicagoIL #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #FrankChapman #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Washington, D.C. – Protests continued here, July 10, as well over 600 protestors, mostly Black youth, took to the streets. Marching and shutting down H street, protesters marched into Union Station, demanding justice, shouting “Black lives matter!” Protesters eventually ended up on the front steps of the capitol building.

This has been the fourth straight day of protests in the Washington, D.C. area.

#WashingtonDC #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Tampa, FL- Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized a rally and march, July 9, demanding justice for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. In preparation for the event, students went to the African American neighborhoods of Tampa passing out hundreds of flyers and speaking to the community about police crimes.

The campaign of police terror targeted at Black Americans has sparked national outrage with the deaths of its most recent victims, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old Black man and father was tased by the police while he was selling CDs outside of a convenience store. The police then pinned him on the ground and brutally murdered him as he lay defenseless. The next day, Philando Castile was shot four times in front of his girlfriend and her daughter after being pulled over for a broken taillight. Castile had told the police he was legally carrying a weapon, and was reaching for his drivers license when the police opened fire. Castle became at least the 569th person killed by police this year.

Meeting at Lykes Gaslight Park, around 50 activists, students and community members came together to fight back against the racist police system.

Protesters began chanting “Black Power!” and “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail!” voicing their anger at a corrupt and racist system which allows cops to murder without legal punishment. Activists from SDS, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke in solidarity with the victims of police terror and denounced the continuing murder of African Americans.

Speaking to the crowd, Jessica Schwartz of Freedom Road Socialist Organization connected racist discrimination to capitalism, “For Black people, the police are not here to serve and protect them, but rather to serve and protect the interests of the ruling class.”

Protesters marched to the police station with chants of “Send the killer cops to jail,” “Our community our control,” defiantly occupying the entrance to the station to give more speeches exposing the police as racist and unaccountable to the people. Kimya Jones came forward from the crowd to speak on her experiences of abuse at the hands of police, calling for the community to continue to organize to win justice.

Sam Beutler of Tampa SDS summarized the importance of the rally stating, “The fight against police brutality and for justice for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile is not confined to Baton Rouge and Minneapolis. We must continue to join organizations to collectively fight against the oppression of African Americans. The current political system offers no hope for liberation and justice for African Americans. This is a nationwide fight – not at the ballot box, but in the streets – to secure a future of African Americans free of racism and exploitation.”

#TampaFL #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

Minneapolis, MN – On a sunny Saturday afternoon July 9, hundreds of people gathered in Loring Park, marched through downtown Minneapolis then sat in outside two entrances to the Basilica Block Party demanding justice for Philando Castile. Castile was murdered by St. Anthony police officers Thursday night on Larpenteur Avenue, as his girlfriend and her daughter sat in the car with him during a traffic stop and his girlfriend recorded live video of the incident to Facebook. The video went viral provoking outrage and protests nationwide.

At the rally in Loring Park there was an open mic emceed by Minneapolis NAACP President Nekima Levy Pounds. Several people spoke at the rally including Susana De Leon who talked about the five Latinos who have been killed by police in the past week around the country, and the need to build Black-Brown unity to win justice.

When the rally in the park ended, the marchers, wearing red to symbolize the blood shed by Philando Castile, marched north through downtown Minneapolis, blocking intersections up and down Hennepin Avenue and marching through all lanes in both directions as traffic was brought to a standstill. As the march moved through downtown, many bystanders applauded the march and even many drivers who were in blocked traffic held up peace signs and fists to show their support, making clear the depth of outrage over the police murder of Philando Castile.

As marchers looped back southward on Hennepin Avenue they marched up to one of the entrances of the Basilica Block Party, a popular summer music festival held at the downtown Basilica church. Police quickly scrambled into formation to block marchers from entering the block party, in the process jostling and shoving back the people in the march. Marchers then sat in for about 20 minutes outside the entrance. Marchers then came around the Basilica to another entrance that was not blocked, as some protesters got through but then police quickly blocked the way of the rest of the marchers. Protesters again sat in outside that entrance. As people inside the block party saw what was going on, many stopped to listen and a few came out and joined the protesters. The march then returned to Loring Park.

A separate march for justice for Philando Castile was called for Saturday evening at the governor’s mansion in Saint Paul. Protesters have occupied the street in front of the governor’s mansion around the clock since Thursday night.

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile

Washington, DC – Around 250 protesters gathered in front of the Department of Justice July 8 to demand the DOJ prosecute the killer cops responsible for the murder of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

Organized under the name #DMVProtest, protesters chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police,” and “Black lives matter!”

#WashingtonDC #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling #DMVProtest

Jacksonville, FL – Over 100 community members and activists held a vigil for the victims of police crimes on the corner of N. Liberty Street and E. 9th Street on July 8. The evening vigil was planned in response to the cold-blooded murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by the police earlier that same week. Local victims of police crimes, including Vernelle Bing Jr. and D'Angelo Stallworth, were also commemorated.

Across the nation, people are outraged at the recent murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of the police. In Jacksonville, community members have been organizing around the killings of D'Angelo Stallworth since May 2015 and Vernell Bing Jr. since May 2016. Several organizations from around the city including the Kemetic Empire and the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) were present at the vigil, along with activists from the LGBTQ, student, labor, anti-war and Palestinian movements. No one was deterred from attending the vigil despite over 15 Jacksonville Sheriff Office cars parked just two blocks up the street. A full lineup of speakers slammed racism and national oppression, speaking about the need to join organizations dedicated to fighting for social and economic justice.

Standing on the very intersection where the unarmed Vernelle Bing Jr. was gunned down by an officer of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office this past May, speakers urged the crowd to take action and organize their communities to stand against the racist killings of Black people. A leader of Black Educators for Justice, Master James X Muhammad, introduced the speakers and moderated the event.

The family and friends of both Vernell Bing Jr. and D'Angelo Stallworth were welcome participants at the vigil, which lasted for several hours. One of the speakers described an important contingent of Jacksonville organizers from the Kemetic Empire who were in Baton Rogue, Louisiana for the weekend to support the fight for justice after the murder of Alton Sterling.

The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition's own Denise Hunt was one of the speakers at the vigil. “We have to take down institutionalized racism, and I don't give a damn if that makes some of you uncomfortable. We have to do it and fight all forms of oppression and injustice,” she urged the crowd.

After the speakers, candles were lit and people offered them at the shrine dedicated to the memory of Vernell Bing Jr., for his family and the families of all victims of police crimes.

#JacksonvilleFL #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #DangeloStallworth #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling #VernelleBing

New York, NY – Hundreds of New Yorkers gathered at Union Square at 5 p.m., July 7, to demand justice for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. The call to action was made by the Stop Mass Incarceration Network.

The murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile occurred a day apart, both at the hands of cops.

Sterling, a 37-year-old father from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was at a convenience store on the night of Tuesday, July 5, when two cops approached him. Sterling was selling CDs on the sidewalk and had permission from the store owner to be there. The two cops began questioning him and consequently tackled him to the ground, pinned him down and shot him six times – killing him.

In Minnesota, Philando Castile was in the car with his girlfriend and her daughter when he was pulled over by cops on Wednesday evening, July 6. The officer proceeded to shoot Castile at close range, and then started to curse and yell as Castile bled out. The whole time his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, live-streamed the whole incident to Facebook. Castile was taken to the hospital where he died later that night. Officers put Reynolds in holding until 5 a.m., where she didn’t have the ability to contact anyone.

Both of these murders were filmed, and yet there hasn’t been an immediate arrest, dismissal or repercussions for the cops involved. The officers are on paid administrative leave.

In Staten Island, New York a similar situation occurred two years ago when a cop put Eric Garner into a chokehold and suffocated him. Garner’s crime was selling loosies – single cigarettes from a pack without a tax stamp. The incident was also filmed and the murder sparked outrage in New York. Thousands protested for weeks on end. Despite the evidence, the office was not convicted.

As of today, there hasn’t been one cop that’s been indicted and convicted for killing a Black person.

Jewel Miller, an important organizer from Staten Island and the mother of Eric Garner’s daughter, reminded the attendees of these facts and urged people to keep fighting. Even two years later, Staten Island is still demanding justice. She led a series of chants, “Indict! Convict! Send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!”

Other speakers made passionate speeches to shut the system down and to demand revolution as the only change.

The march started at around 6 p.m., and at this point several thousand began taking the street. The protesters blocked Fifth Avenue and marched from 14th Street to 42nd Street. Chants ranged from “Black lives matter” to “How do you spell racist? NYPD!” As the march proceeded, people joined from the sidewalk. Cab drivers proceeded to honk in solidarity to the beat of the chants and the drums.

The march took over and ended in Times Square, where protesters kept their spirits up and vowed to shut it down if they didn’t get the justice that these two men deserved.

#NewYorkNY #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile #AltonSterling

St. Paul, MN – With less than 24 hours notice, 5000 people gathered July 7 for an evening vigil at J.J. Hill Elementary School, then marched to the governor’s mansion demanding justice for Philando Castile. Late the night before, video spread of a Saint Anthony police officer shooting and killing Castile during a traffic stop on Larpenteur Avenue near the state fairgrounds. The video was recorded and posted live by Castile’s girlfriend who was in the car with him, along with her 4-year-old daughter.

The vigil at J.J. Hill was called by the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) there. It was initially intended as a small gathering of people who knew Castile, but quickly grew into a massive outpouring as people chose it as the place to express their grief and outrage at the police murder of Castile. Philando Castile was a cafeteria worker at J.J. Hill since 2002. He was also a member of Teamster Local 320. Several members of Castile’s family gave powerful and emotional speeches at the vigil, including his girlfriend, mother, sister and cousin. Coworkers and some parents of students at J.J. Hill also spoke emotionally at the vigil.

The family then led the massive crowd on a march to the governor’s mansion through the residential Saint Paul streets. The night of the killing, July 6, protesters occupied the street in front of the governor’s mansion and have held it since then, making it the flashpoint for those demanding justice for Philando Castile.

At the governor’s mansion people continued chanting “No justice, no peace! Prosecute the police!” among other chants. The front gate of the governor’s mansion was taped off with ‘police line’ tape and has been taken over as a makeshift stage from which speakers addressed the crowd.

The ongoing vigil blocking Summit Avenue in front of the governor’s mansion continued into the night after the July 7 vigil.

#SaintPaulMN #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #PhilandoCastile

Minneapolis, MN – Today at Noon NAACP head Nekima Levy-Pounds and hundreds of people held a press conference in front of the Minnesota Governors mansion to protest the police murder of Philando Castile on July 6, 2016. The aftermath of the shooting and death of Philando Castile was livestreamed by his partner Diamond Reynolds. Philando Castile had been driving while black when he was pulled over for a broken tail light. When asked by the officer for his license and registration he informed the man that he was a concealed carry permit holder and had a gun on his person. This is in compliance with Minnesota law and the procedures permit holders are instructed to use. The officer opened fire upon hearing that he had a gun, shooting him 3-5 times in the arm. Officers held Ms. Reynolds and her daughter in the car at gunpoint while Philando Castile bled to death in front of them. The livestream broadcast brought people to the scene who protested the murder throughout the night, eventually occupying the street in front of the MN Governors mansion. Philando Castile is remembered as a kind man who gave out extra graham crackers to the kids at J.J Hill school in St. Paul where he was a lunchroom supervisor. He was a 15 year member of Teamsters Local 320. This is at least the second police murder of an African American man this week

#MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #MN #BlackLivesMatter #PhilandoCastile