Tallahassee, FL – A group of students gathered on the Florida State University (FSU) campus, Jan. 12 to demand justice for victims of police murder, Tamir Rice and Sandra Bland. The students also demanded “No more grand juries – jail killer cops.”
Minneapolis, MN – On Dec. 26, Mall of America (MOA) security approached a 14-year-old black girl about being present at the mall without an adult. After being told to leave MOA, the child walked around on the transportation platform and began trying to get change for $20 for bus fare. It was at that point that she was violently tackled to the ground by MOA security. The brutal encounter was caught on video by a passerby who happened to witness the incident.
Minneapolis, MN – In an unprecedented attempt at halting the upcoming Black Live Matters Minneapolis gathering, the Mall of America has sued eight activists to compel them to immediately” post messages on social media and send out a mass text message announcing their Dec. 23 event is cancelled.
Minneapolis, MN – Chanting, “If Jamar don’t get it, shut it down!” hundreds of people marched Dec. 19 in frigid weather from the Fourth Police Precinct in north Minneapolis to city hall demanding justice for Jamar Clark. Clark, a 24-year-old African American man, was shot in the head and killed by the Minneapolis police on Nov. 15 on Plymouth Avenue in north Minneapolis, sparking an 18-day encampment at the Fourth Precinct to protest his killing. Today’s march was the largest protest since police dislodged the occupation in front of the Fourth Precinct on Dec. 3.
Minneapolis, MN – Black Lives Matters Minneapolis announced Dec. 17, that a #Justice4Jamar protest will move forward at the Mall of American in Bloomington, unless authorities release the tapes of Clark’s killing, prosecute the police by a special prosecutor without a grand jury, and bring federal terrorism charges against the white supremacists who shot protesters at the Fourth Precinct police station.
Tampa, FL – On Dec. 3, a dozen University of South Florida students gave out hundreds of flyers and dropped a banner in support of affirmative action for African American and Latino students. As part of the National Day to Demand Affirmative Action called by the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), chapters held events calling for increased African American enrollment, a defense of affirmative action and an end to racist admissions policies.
Minneapolis, MN – On Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, the round-the-clock occupation outside the Fourth Police Precinct in North Minneapolis continued demanding justice for Jamar Clark, the Black man killed by Minneapolis police on November 15.
The following editorial was distributed at the Nov. 24 protests in Minneapolis demanding justice for Jamar Clark.“The whole damn system is guilty as hell!” has been chanted at anti-police brutality protests around the country, and at the occupation of the Fourth Precinct in North Minneapolis this past week. It was proven true in the streets of North Minneapolis last night when white supremacists shot five anti-racist protesters in cold blood.
Minneapolis, MN – Some 3000 people marched two-and-a-half miles from the Minneapolis Police Fourth Precinct to City Hall to protest the police murder of Jamar Clark, and demand the prosecution of the police officers that were involved. The march from the Fourth Precinct started in the afternoon of Nov. 24. Protesters have been occupying the precinct around the clock since the killing on November 16.
Minneapolis, MN – 400 students at the University of Minnesota rallied Nov. 24 on Northrop Plaza in response to the prior night’s white supremacist shooting of five Black Lives Matter protesters in North Minneapolis. After the U of MN rally, they went together to the city-wide march for Justice for Jamar Clark, the Black man who was executed by the Minneapolis police a week ago, sparking an around-the-clock occupation of the front of the Fourth Police Precinct in North Minneapolis.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 500 protesters have gathered at the 4th Precinct Police station, shortly before 2:00 p.m., this afternoon, Nov. 24, to demand justice for Jamar Clark, an unarmed African American man killed by Minneapolis police. The number of demonstrators is growing rapidly.
Minneapolis, MN – On Nov. 21, more than 200 labor union leaders, members and supporters rallied to demand justice for Jamar Clark at the Minneapolis Police Fourth Precinct, where Black Lives Matter Minneapolis has held a constant presence all week.
November 16: Protesters take over Interstate 94 in Minneapolis demanding justice for Jamar Clark, who was murdered by the Minneapolis police. Photos by Chris Getowicz.
Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of protesters are standing strong at the Fourth Precinct Minneapolis police station on the night of Nov. 18, pressing the demand for justice for Jamar Clark. Police have fired a rubber bullet, known as a marking round, into the crowd and have been spraying people with pepper spray.
Minneapolis, MN – Protesters gathered between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. at the Minneapolis Police Department’s 4th Precinct, Nov. 16, where an occupation is underway to demand justice for Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man shot while in police custody over the weekend. Led by Minneapolis Black Lives Matter, the occupation has been disciplined and well organized with water, food and shelter surrounding the front of the building. Protesters gathered around the fire as people began to arrive. Tensions began to rise early, as the rally began with the expelling of the “white media” demanding that oppressed nationalities be allowed to tell their side of the story.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 250 people gathered at 3:00 p.m. Nov. 15, to protest the previous night’s shooting of Jamar Clark by Minneapolis cops. Witness to Clarks’ shooting say that he was shot in the head while handcuffed. His family says he is brain dead. Neighborhood people confronted police at the Fourth Precinct for much of the evening. Minneapolis Black Lives Matter began an occupation of the Fourth Precinct building demanding that the officer who shot Clark be arrested.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 students gathered at the University of Minnesota (UMN), Nov. 12, to show solidarity with student protesters at the University of Missouri. The rally, organized by the UMN Black Student Union, consisted of speakers representing a number of different student and community groups, including Whose Diversity?, Students for Justice in Palestine, and APIs for Equity and Diversity.
Tampa, FL – Over 100 University of South Florida (USF) students and faculty members gathered on the steps of the Martin Luther King Plaza, Nov. 12, linking arms and holding a banner that declared “USF stands with Mizzou.”
On Nov. 9, University of Missouri President Timothy Wolfe resigned, under intense pressure from Black student protesters and activists at the University of Missouri, Columbia campus. Black students formed the organization, Concerned Students 1950, demanding University President Wolfe step down over his mishandling of racist incidents on campus as well as calling for an increase in Black student enrollment and Black faculty representation at the predominantly white university. Jonathan Butler, an African American graduate student even went on hunger strike, demanding President Wolfe resign. The student uprising and struggled tipped to a boiling point and got national attention when the Black Missouri football players threatened to strike, not playing another game until President Wolfe stepped down. Such a strike would have cost the university at least $1 million dollars in fines as well as a loss in other revenue, negatively affecting their bottom line.