Tears of joy and cries of justice spread from the family of George Floyd in the Minneapolis courtroom to people across the country and around world upon hearing the news that Floyd’s killer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted on all counts of murder.
Kenosha, WI – On the morning of April 23, despite the aggressive posturing of an entire building of public officials, community members gathered in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse in support of Clyde McLemore on his first court date. McLemore is a Black liberation activist from Lake County, Illinois who played a significant role in the uprising in Kenosha after the attempted murder of Jacob Blake by racist cop Rusten Sheskey. McLemore’s impact on the community was made clear by the comments made about him by those who attended the rally.
Minneapolis, MN – On April 18, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), Los Brown Berets, Asamblea de Derechos Civiles and other groups organized a protest and car caravan to demand justice for Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old Mexican-American who was murdered by the Chicago Police Department. The video footage of the murder was recently released, sparking a wave of protests in Chicago and around the country.
Tallahassee, FL – On April 20, in less than two hours after the Derek Chauvin verdict was announced, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee gathered at Cascades Park to celebrate this win but also to reiterate the fight for Black liberation is not over. They chanted, “Indict convict, send that killer cop to jail, the whole damn system is guilty as hell.”
Salt Lake City, UT – On April 20, about three hours after killer cop Derek Chauvin’s triple guilty verdict, hundreds of people gathered, relieved to hear the verdict and motivated to demand further action in combating police crimes. Marching in solidarity with Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, and many other cities around the country, the people of Salt Lake City demanded further action and accountability for the entire policing system that terrorizes our communities.
New York, NY – At approximately, 5 p.m. Eastern time, April 20, Derek Chauvin, the cop who fatally jammed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for over to nine minutes, was found guilty on all three charges. The murder of George Floyd caused millions of people to take to take to the streets demanding justice.
Chicago, IL – 300 protesters showed up for the first in-person city council meeting in a year, April 21, to demand passage of an ordinance called Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS). Coming out of nine years of efforts by over 100 community organizations, labor unions, churches and other faith-based groups, the ordinance is a merger of two bills: CPAC (Civilian Police Accountability Council, proposed by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression), and one proposed by GAPA (the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability). ECPS combines elements of the CPAC and GAPA bills to create the most democratic police accountability system in the country.
Dallas, TX – On April 18, about 90 people rallied at Dallas city hall to protest recent police killings such as the murder of Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo. The rally was called by the Dallas Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression. Speeches were first held with DAARPR co-chair Jennifer Miller giving a passionate speech about her fears as a Black mother of an autistic child, “What happens when my son stops being a cute black boy and becomes a Black male threat. My son is Tamir Rice, my son is Trayvon Martin, and so many more.”
Minneapolis, MN – On April 15, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J) hosted a press conference to denounce police violence against protesters. Sam Martinez of Twin Cities 4 Justice for Jamar emceed the rally.
Buena Park, CA – A march and protest took place in Buena Park, Orange County, April 17, to demand justice for David Sullivan, a 19-year old Chicano who was shot and killed August 19, 2019 in the city of Fullerton, by Buena Park Police Department. The protest's demands included the firing and prosecution of Buena Park police officers Jennifer Tran and Bobby Colon. Sullivan was shot and killed in broad daylight, posed no threat, and was unarmed.