Salt Lake City, UT – The University of Utah chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), along with local organizations, held a rally of over 70 people, Oct. 4, as part of a national day of action against Kavanaugh.

Speakers from SDS, Rose Park Brown Berets, Freedom Road Socialist Organizations, Party for Socialism and Liberation, and Utah Against Police Brutality rallied the crowd to fight against Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Attendees also committed to “flooding the streets” if Kavanaugh is confirmed. A coalition of organizations have already committed to this mobilization.

#SaltLakeCity #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #DonaldTrump #Kavanaugh

The Freedom Road Socialist organization is calling for all strands of the Black liberation movement and broader movement against police crimes to hit the streets on Sept. 5 to demand community control of the police and an end to police killings of African Americans, Chicanos, other oppressed nationalities, and working-class people. The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (the Alliance), in coordination with the National Committee Against Police Crimes, is leading the call to stand up to demand justice for Laquan McDonald, who was brutally shot 16 times execution-style by white Chicago Police Department officer Jason Van Dyke on the night of October 20, 2014. The Alliance and the NCAPC are calling for solidarity actions nationwide in support of the people’s efforts in Chicago to hold killer cop Jason Van Dyke accountable for the murder of Laquan McDonald.The eyes of people around the country are on Chicago for the movement against police crimes. This is the first time in the city’s history, and possibly the history of the nation, that a white police officer has been indicted for first-degree murder for killing an unarmed Black person. From the beginning of Laquan’s murder, starting with the cover-up of the video recording of the murder by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the entire system seemed determined to not allow justice to prevail in this case. Without a movement, there is no guarantee of justice. As of the end of August 2018, at least 679 people in the country have been shot and killed by police, with African American, native peoples, Chicano and other oppressed nationalities over proportionately bearing the brunt of these police killings. The demand for accountability and community control of the police has been put forth by the Alliance and other organizations nationwide. However, this demand for justice and broader democracy has been met by racist politicians and cop unions with a movement of their own which seeks to strengthen the right of cops to escape accountability, and murder with impunity, under the guise of ‘Blue Lives Matter.’Sept. 5 is a pivotal day for the Black liberation movement nationally and the movement against police crimes. It is our chance to make sure a killer cop is held accountable for his crimes and to build the movement to win more victories like this. On Sept. 5, the Chicago Alliance calls for a mass protest outside the courthouse at 26th Street and California Avenue to begin at 8:00 a.m. We urge all organizations in Chicago and in the Midwest to unite with the call and join them.For those outside of Chicago and surrounding area, we are calling on you to organize a solidarity demonstration in your own city and town, to protest police crimes and call for real police accountability and community control of the police.

All out on September 5th!

Justice for Laquan McDonald and all victims of police terror!Community Control of the Police now!

#Chicago #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #Jacksonville #SaltLakeCity #NYC #PoliceCrimes

West Valley City, UT – Elijah Smith was desperately trying to put his right arm in the air in order to comply with police orders when a still-unnamed officer fired the shots that took his life. His left was already raised, and he posed absolutely no threat, according to body camera footage released after police caved to activist demands and recently made the video public.

Utah Against Police Brutality (UAPB) responded with a rally on April 21, where more than 50 supporters came out to demand that the cop be fired, charged and jailed for his crime. They shouted “No justice, no peace!” and “Community control now!” as they gathered on the steps of West Valley’s city hall.

A moment of silence was held for the 20-year-old Black man taken by police violence; his funeral was held the same day, attended by family and close friends.

“We need to feel the loss of those souls and come together to demand better,” said UAPB organizer Jade Arter. “For them, for us, for their children and for our children, for our future.”

Smith was murdered while seeking refuge from police who chased him as they searched for a suspect in an alleged robbery. Officials from the department say Smith matched the description of the suspect, though they have not specified exactly what that description was. His family believes that he ‘matched the description’ only because of the color of his skin.

As he fled in fear from a department known for its corruption, Smith entered two houses in the area of 3400 South and Redwood Road. Three WVC officers followed Smith into the second home, where an officer shot and killed him while he tried to comply with their orders to raise his hands. Officials say he ‘rapidly’ raised his right hand. Three unattended young children were present inside the home. Smith died at the scene.

Gabriella Killpack, a UPS co-worker of Smith, vowed to keep up the pressure on WVCPD until the killer cop is fired and charged.

Carly Halderman, an organizer with UAPB, called for real, comprehensive community control of police, including an elected body with the power to investigate shootings, subpoena testimony, fire killer cops, and oversee police policy.

“Why are police policing the police? It makes no sense,” Halderman said. “It is completely absurd that we would have them investigate themselves.”

Brown Berets activist Shirley Reyes spoke about how the continued killings of people of color is a reflection of continued racism. She called for all killer cops to be held accountable.

“Shame on that killer cop, and all those who shoot first and ask questions later,” she said. “We will be here to make sure every single trigger happy cop is held accountable for their actions!”

Black Lives Matter leader Lex Scott spoke about how authorities use police power to keep black and brown people oppressed, pointing out that a huge proportion of Ferguson, Missouri residents had active warrants at the time of Michael Brown’s murder in 2014. She said this is one way police keep people under control.

“When we hold this protest in front of West Valley City PD, it’s because we want them to hear this message and really see the power of the people,” she said.

Her speech was interrupted by a white supremacist shouting “White power!” from a nearby car. Protesters reacted with overwhelming shouts of “Fuck white supremacy!”

UAPB activist Francesca Ball ended the rally with a deeply emotional appeal to end police violence. She carried signs bearing the names of close to a dozen people killed by Utah police in recent years, people like Darrien Hunt, Patrick Harmon, Corey Kanosh, Dillon Taylor – and now Elijah Smith.

“How many more signs like this do we need to make?” she pleaded. “How many names? How many different names?”

#WestValleyCityUT #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Utah #Antiracism #SaltLakeCity #ElijahSmith

Salt Lake City, UT – About 2500 people have joined the protest against presidential hopeful Donald Trump this evening, Mach 18, in Salt Lake City. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) is participating in the demonstration.

Trump, an open advocate of racism and reaction, has been met by a growing tide of protests while on the campaign trail.

#SaltLakeCity #SaltLakeCityUT #DumpTrump #Trump