Chicago, IL – 200 activistas contra la brutalidad policial llevaron su mensaje a la vecindad de Dick Devine el Sábado 2 de Junio del 2001. El Sr. Devine es el Abogado del Estado del condado de Cook. Este es el funcionario responsable de procesar a oficiales de la policía corruptos o involucrados en brutalidad policial. Los protestantes marcharon a través de la vecindad de Devine, empujando más allá la policía en los caballos que intentaron evitar que la marcha pasara por la calle donde este vive. “Devine ha rechazado constantemente satisfacernos con respecto de abrir a una investigación en la área 5 de la policía,” dijo Blanca González del Comité Exigimos Justicia (CEJ).“Ahora nos tiene que escuchar, ya que estamos en frente de su puerta!”

Hace ocho años comenzó una celebración en Chicago que sigue creciendo y mejorando. Se llama La Cena de Dar Gracias del Pueblo. Durante esta celebración damos gracias y reconocemos a la gente quien lucha para justicia y tambien conmemoramos la lucha que continue contra la opresión. Esta cena anual comenzó en 1992, el año del 500 anniversario de la colonización de las Americas. La cena es nuestra respuesta a la 'celebración' equivocada de la destrucción que trajó Cristobal Colon a las Americas.

Chicago, IL – 10 de Septiembre Ricardo Jimenez fue el primer Independista que habló al publico atendiendo. Hubo mas de 300 personas. La bienvenida de los patriotas, quien lucharon valientmente contra la colonazación Estadounidense de Puerto Rico, duró desde las 6 hasta las 11:30 de la noche. Organizada primeramente por palabra de boca, fue impresionante que mas gente vinó durante la tarde para participar en este momento historico y alegre da la comunidad Puertoriqueña. La gente escuchó unas palabras conmovientes de Ricardo Jimenez, “La lucha para independencia sigue.” Despues durante la tarde tres otros Independistas liberados hablaron: Alejandrina Torres, Alberto Rodriguez, y Luis Rosa.

New York, NY – On October 27, former student activists from the City College of New York (CCNY) will seek justice in a lawsuit dating back to a series of incidents in 1998. A jury in the courtroom of Federal Judge Thomas Griesa will decide if former CCNY President Yolanda Moses acted illegally in nullifying the results of a student government election that a slate of student activists had won.

Selma, AL – Over 100 activists, youth and community organizers met at the 21st Century Youth Leadership Center outside Selma, Alabama, July 14 to witness the aftermath of a recent attack on the center. The 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement is an organization that helps train African-American youth for future leadership roles in their communities.

Newark, NJ – The Aug. 4 killings of three college students in the Vailsburg section of Newark, New Jersey has become national news. Terrance Aeriel, 18, Dashon Harvey, 20, and Iofemi Hightower, 20, were forced to kneel and were shot in the head. A fourth victim, Natasha Hightower, 19, was also shot but survives.

Jena, LA – Momentum continues to build in the campaign for the Jena 6, a group of high school students that were arrested on trumped-up charges for a schoolyard fight. Though the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed charges against one defendant, Michael Bell, ruling that the 17-year old should not have been tried in adult court, thousands still plan on traveling to Jena on Thursday to protest what is being called, “a modern day lynching.”

Fired Up, Won’t Take It No More!

Outraged people are raising their voices, marching in the streets and rallying on campuses across the country to support the Jena Six. Jena is a small town, four hours northwest of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Jena Six are African-American high school students who refuse to be second-class citizens. The Jena Six are standing up for their rights and fighting back against racism in their community. These young men refuse to be insulted, pushed around and harassed. They simply want equality with the whites in their school and community. The Jena Six are now symbolic of the righteousness of rebellion against racist national oppression.

Durham, NC – Speaking to a packed audience of mostly African American students at North Carolina Central University on Oct. 18, Louis Scott, lead attorney for Mychal Bell of the Jena 6, said that the struggle to free the Six was far from over. Reverend William Barber, civil rights leader and president of the North Carolina NAACP, also spoke at the forum. The discussion was focused on the injustices of the Jena 6 case, but speakers at the event also highlighted the ongoing abuses of the criminal justice system used to oppress African Americans here in North Carolina.

Chicago, IL – Over 200 anti-police brutality activists took their message to the neighborhood of Cook County State's Attorney, Dick Devine, June 2. Devine's responsibilities include prosecuting brutal police officers and investigating police frame-ups. Protesters marched through Devine's neighborhood, pushing past police on horses that tried to prevent them from walking down Devine's street.

Chicago, IL – Juan y Henry Johnson han pasado casi toda su vida de adultos en prisión y también luchando contra las acusaciones de un asesinato que no cometieron.

Chicago, IL – In 1997 Angel Rodriguez was framed for murder by Chicago Area 5 Detectives Jon Woodall and Ernest Halvorsen. He was convicted and sentenced to over 60 years in prison. After almost four years in prison for a crime that he did not commit, Rodriguez’s conviction was reversed on appeal in March of 2000 because of lack of reliable evidence.

Interview with Parents of Police Murder Victims

Fight Back! talked on May 8 with Elizabeth (Bonnie) Moore, whose son Rasheed, 26, was killed in January by Newark, NJ police officer Thomas Ruane (see Fight Back! March/April 2005.) Fight Back! also talked with Earl Williams, whose son Earl Faison was killed by Orange, NJ policemen in April of 1999. After a struggle of five years, led by the Faison’s family and by the People’s Organization for Progress, four cops were sentenced to terms of 33 months each for violations of the victim’s civil rights. One officer was sentenced to nine years.

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera goes on trial here Oct. 10, in one of the most bizarre cases ever. Palmera is a negotiator for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC. The FARC controls 40% of Colombia and has 27,000 armed fighters. The trial of Palmera is an attempt by the Bush administration to criminalize a national liberation movement.

Newark, NJ – Rasheed Fuquan Moore, 26, was killed Jan. 24 by Newark police officer Thomas Ruane in a 12:30 a.m. shooting incident. In the same incident, Ruane’s partner, officer Nicholas Popolizio, shot Richard Guy, 26, in the leg.

Chicago, IL – Philip Cline, Acting Superintendent of the Chicago Police, was asked about Mayor Daley’s policing plan in the African-American Harrison District. “It makes our job easier,” he said, “like shooting fish in a barrel.”

”'They say 'Jim Crow,' we say 'hell no!'”

Tuscaloosa, AL – Across the country, students held rallies in solidarity with the Jena 6. At the University of Alabama, over 100 students, faculty and staff gathered on the library steps, Sept. 20, the day after the massive rally Jena, Louisiana, demanding justice. The protest, organized by the Social Work Association for Cultural Awareness, the University of Alabama chapter of Students for a Democratic Society and the NAACP. The NAACP chartered a bus of students to attended the rally in Jena, which is being reported as the largest civil rights march in years, with crowd estimates around 20,000.

Tells Colombian Revolutionaries: “Come to D.C.”

Washington, D.C. – A U.S. judge placed ads in Colombia’s newspapers the last week of August “ordering” the FARC – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to appear in his Washington D.C. courtroom. This adds to a list of bizarre procedures involving the extradition, imprisonment and trial of Ricardo Palmera, an important FARC leader. U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan ridiculously asserts that the FARC members should leave their homeland and come to the U.S. to appear on charges of, “taking hostages in violation of U.S. laws.”