Minneapolis, MN – More than 20 people gathered in a light rain at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis to celebrate the verdict in the Laquan McDonald case, October 5. The action was organized by members of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J).

Participants in the action also called for justice for those in the Twin Cities who were murdered by the police, including William “Billy” Hughes, a Native American man. Saint Paul police murdered Hughes on August 5, and on October 5 – the same day as the Van Dyke verdict in Chicago – the county attorney said he would not file charges in the Hughes case. Rally emcee Angel Buechner of TCC4J said, “This may be a victory, but we need to continue the fight for other families.”

#MinneapolisMN #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJustice4Jamar

Chicago, IL – About 1000 people are marching in downtown Chicago, late this afternoon, Oct. 5, in the wake of the Van Dyke verdict. Jason Van Dyke, a white cop who shot Laquan McDonald, an African American youth, 16 times, was found guilty of second-degree murder. Protesters are demanding a Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), to establish community control over the police department.

#ChicagoIL #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #CPAC #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

Chicago, IL – Erica Nanton calls for a Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), to establish community control over the police, as hundreds of people gather at City Hall here, Oct. 5 in the wake of the Van Dyke verdict. Jason Van Dyke, a white cop who shot Laquan McDonald, an African American youth, 16 times in October 2014, was found guilty of second-degree murder.

#ChicagoIL #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

Here, Chapman assesses the strategy of Van Dyke’s attorney, Daniel Herbert, the house lawyer for the Fraternal Order of the Police. The trial is in its second week. On Tuesday, Sept. 25, the defense presented an animated video that claimed to present the perspective of Van Dyke when he exited his vehicle and began firing at Laquan within six seconds.

On the defense in the Van Dyke trial

“The defense's strategy has been to put Laquan McDonald (the victim) here on trial. And the judge has allowed it to happen. The video created by the defense was just that – a ‘creation’ ignoring the controls of reality. Compared to the actual dash cam video taken from a police car, the video created by the defense was a complete distortion of what really happened, and the prosecution proved this by simply replaying the dash cam video of Laquan McDonald's murder.

Let's just walk through this for a minute.

First, the defense brings in a forensic pathologist to argue that Laquan was shot 15 times before he hit the ground and therefore was shot only once while on the ground. Whereas the dash cam video shows that after the first two shots Laquan was down on the ground and Jason Van Dyke continued to carefully aim and shoot Laquan 14 time while he lay on the ground helpless.

Second, the defense has been allowed by the judge and prosecution to call up as witnesses police officers who were at the scene of the crime, yet all of these officers originally wrote false reports as to what happened. None of them were impeached by the prosecution for having lied on their police reports.

Third, the defense has been allowed to use Laquan's juvenile record as evidence of Laquan being a violent criminal. Yet when Jason Van Dyke arrived on the scene and shot Laquan 16 time he had no knowledge of his juvenile record or anything except he was a Black suspect.

Our assessment is that there is nothing about this trial that is fair and impartial. From the time of the murder in 2014 there has been repeated efforts to not bring Jason Van Dyke to justice. For 400 days while Mayor Emanuel suppressed the dash cam video, Van Dyke continued to work as a CPD police officer and it’s taken nearly three years since he was indicted in 2015 to finally come to trial. The dilatory tactics of the defense and the judge to drag out this case has succeeded in delaying, and justice delayed is justice denied. Then the jury selection where there is only one Black person on the jury.

And now that this heinous crime has finally come before the bar to be tried it is with a presiding tyrannical judge who has held in contempt spectators – movement people, and held them incommunicado for days and set outrageous bails. A judge who restricts public participation by setting up a process that requires everyone to register to attend this trial.

Still and all, were it not for mass protests and public outrage over the murder of Laquan McDonald we would not have gotten this far, where, for the first time in the history of Chicago, a white, on-duty cop has been indicted and tried for first degree murder. If we stay focused and continue, no matter what, to protest, I believe we can make this the first time for a cop to be convicted of first degree murder of a Black person.

We are obligated to fight back and our conviction is we know that we will win. Keep coming to the trial, keep protesting – for Laquan McDonald gave us the cause that we need to sacrifice what we must to win.”

Justice for Laquan, CPAC Now, All Power to the People!

#ChicagoIL #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #FrankChapman #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

Tampa, FL – Tampa activists protested at a Tampa area funeral home, Sept. 21, the location of the remains of torturer Jon Burge. The protesters demanded that the torture victims of Jon Burge be freed. They also called for the conviction of killer-cop Jason Van Dyke.

Jon Burge oversaw the torture of over 100 African-Americans from 1972 to 1991. By tying the victims to chairs, using electric shocks, putting bags over their heads, mock executions and attacks to their genitals, Jon Burge and his Chicago Police Department torture ring were able to obtain forced confessions.

Although he was charged with lying about the torture, he was never charged for the actual acts of torture he committed. Burge spent the last years of his life in a Tampa area halfway home, still receiving his $54,000 a year pension. His victims, however, oftentimes received the death penalty or life in prison based on the false confessions gathered from torture. Some 20 of his victims are still in prison today.

“We are here to protest legacy of Jon Burge,” said Gage LaCharite, an organizer of the protest. “We are also standing with the ongoing struggle in Chicago to convict Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke is the most notoriously racist Chicago cop since Jon Burge. There is a broader pattern of violence against African Americans and other nationalities by CPD and police across the country. This is why we need Civilian Police Accountability Councils now!”

#TampaFL #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #ChicagoPoliceDepartment #JasonVanDyke #JonBurge

Chicago, IL – More than 100 people rallied at South Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway, Sept. 15, to demand justice for Laquan McDonald.

According to a statement from protest organizers, “[in] this past week of jury selection in the case of Jason Van Dyke for the murder of a 17-year-old Black youth, Laquan McDonald, we have witnessed only one Black juror being selected, and this is happening in a large city where one third of its population is African American.”

The demonstration was backed by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Black Lives Matter-Chicago, Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CTU), Take On Hate, Arab American Action Network, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

Frank Chapman, Field Organizer, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, stated, “The criminal justice system in this city and nation has taken a dive into a deep, dark racist pit where there is no shame. Selecting only one Black juror out of 12 is indicative of how low they can go. Our people don't have to send out distress signals to themselves, for we are living under the scourge of racism every day. But there comes a time when we must let the world know that we are tired, fired-up and can't take it no more. That time is now.”

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

Chicago, IL – 300 people came out to rally for justice for Laquan McDonald, Sept. 5, at the courthouse at 26th and California to mark the opening of the first-degree murder trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke.

Speakers at the rally included Alderman Carlos Rosa; Rev. Otis Moss III of Trinity United Church of Christ; Esther Hernandez of Innocent Demand Justice and mother of Juan and Rosendo, wrongfully imprisoned by disgraced Detective Reynoldo Guevara; and Armanda Shackleford, mother of torture victim Gerald Reed.

The mother of Antonio Porter, another torture victim, held her cell phone to the microphone so Porter could address the crowd from inside Stateville prison. Maria Hernandez of Black Lives Matter; Muhammad Sankari of the Arab American Action Network; and Frank Chapman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression spoke. Jazmine Salas of the Alliance emceed the opening rally. The uncle of Steven Rosenthal, killed two weeks ago in North Lawndale, also spoke.

Many speakers celebrated the Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s previous day’s announcement that he is not running for reelection. Everyone agreed that the movement against police crimes, and especially the protests after the release of the video of the murder of Laquan McDonald were the main reason for Rahm’s decision. Joe Iosbaker of Freedom Road Socialist Organization asked, “Who defeated Rahm?” Shouts of “The people!” and “We did!” came roaring back.

The celebratory mood resulted in a note of confidence for justice for Laquan, and for community control of the police. Alderman Rosa said, “We know we could get a new mayor, but still have a racist police system.” “So when we win that civilian police accountability council, we will have the mechanism to ensure that the community has control over the police,” he added, “We will have the power to hold killer cops accountable for their crimes!”

There were solidarity rallies in New York City, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis and Jacksonville, Florida, as well as campuses in Arlington, Texas; Tallahassee and Tampa, Florida; a banner drop in San Francisco and a statement sent from the Dallas NAACP.

Trial judge breaks agreement, disrespects community and McDonald Family

Brian Ragsdale, a Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression leader, was one of the few community members who were allowed into the courtroom. When he emerged, he spoke to the rally. “Only about 13 of us found seats in the court room. And we had to give up some seats so the McDonald family could sit. They had to sit in the back of the courtroom, instead of in the front row as normally happens for a victim’s family.”

Several of the organizations will return to the court on Thursday morning, Sept. 6. Van Dyke has a hearing then where the judge is considering revoking his bail because he violated the court’s gag order not to speak about the case, giving interviews to two TV and media outlets.

Then the movement will come out again when the court reconvenes on Monday, Sept. 10 at 9 a.m.

#Chicago #AfricanAmerican #RahmEmanuel #Antiracism #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

Minneapolis, MN – A rally coinciding with the opening day of the Chicago murder trial of Jason Van Dyke, the white cop who killed Laquan McDonald, took place in north Minneapolis, Sept 5. The protest was one of many taking place across the U.S. to demand justice for Laquan McDonald and community control of the police. The rally was organized by the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar.

#MinneapolisMN #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJustice4Jamar

Minneapolis, MN – A solidarity rally demanding justice for Laquan McDonald has been called for Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. on Broadway and Fremont Avenues in north Minneapolis.

According to the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar, which is organizing the event, “The Chicago trial for killer-cop Jason Van Dyke starts Sept. 5. He shot young Laquan 16 times in 2014. Mayor Rahm Emanuel led the cover-up of this crime, but the protests and demands of the people exposed the murder. This trial is one of the few times that a white cop is facing first-degree murder charges for killing a Black child. While we can’t expect it from the racist U.S. and Chicago systems, we can keep demanding justice.”

#MinneapolisMN #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJustice4Jamar

Call for Justice for Laquan McDonald

The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression calls upon all its allies, friends and all the various strands of the peoples’ movements to stand up to demand justice for Laquan McDonald, who was brutally shot 16 times execution style by CPD officer Jason Van Dyke on the night of Oct. 20, 2014.

The eyes of people around the country are on Chicago. This is the first time in the city’s history that a white police officer has been indicted for first degree murder for killing an unarmed Black person. But from the beginning, starting with the cover-up of the video recording of the murder by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the entire system seems determined to not allow justice to prevail in this case. Without a movement, there is no guarantee of justice.

On the first day of the Van Dyke trial, 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 that want Justice for Laquan to endorse the call, and to join the Alliance in planning the rally.

In addition to mobilizing locally for the first day of the trial, we ask people in other cities in the Midwest to travel here to join the protest and attend the first day of trial.

We ask our supporters nationally to hold solidarity rallies in their cities on the starting date as well.

After the mass mobilization on the starting day of the trial, we also ask for continued solidarity from our allies throughout the trial.

The Alliance will help to coordinate housing for those that travel here for the start of the trial and need to stay overnight.

It is up to the people to make this the first time a white police officer has been indicted, tried and convicted for murdering a Black person. We must do this to end the cowardly, racist past practices where the police murder and brutalize us with impunity and bring about a new day of justice where police are held accountable for the crimes they commit against the people.

JUSTICE FOR LAQUAN! ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

If your organization wishes to be listed as an endorser, if you will be traveling to Chicago from another city, or holding a solidarity rally in your city, contact Frank Chapman or Jazmine Salas, co-chairs of the Stop Police Crimes committee of the Alliance at 312-939-2750.

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

Chicago, IL — At 8 a.m. on August 11, the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) will lead a rally outside the Cook County Courthouse before the court hearing for Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke.

Van Dyke has been charged with first degree murder, official misconduct and aggravated battery after fatally shooting 17-year-old African American Laquan McDonald 16 times in October 2014. This is the first time a Chicago police officer has ever been charged with first degree murder of a civilian. The conviction of Van Dyke could mark a watershed moment in the movement to stop police crimes against Black and Latino communities.

Police dashcam video of Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times, within seconds of exiting his squad car, was released in November 2015. Mayor Rahm Emanuel fought against releasing the video for over a year, as it exposed the lies written in official police reports attempting to cover up their crimes. This included falsely stating that the victim had assaulted the officers, when it is clear in the video that McDonald had his back turned when Van Dyke mercilessly emptied his entire clip into McDonald’s body.

The video release sparked massive protests to demand justice for Laquan, provoking the greatest crisis of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's tenure.

The Chicago Alliance is demanding that Judge Vincent Gaughan proceed with the trial, stop the delays that have been going on for months, and jail the racist killer cop Jason Van Dyke.

Frank Chapman, a leader of the Chicago Alliance, told Fight Back!, “We have been so battered by this corrupt to the core, racist criminal justice system until we really have no expectations of getting justice at all. We didn't get justice in the murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd, Philando Castile, Bettie Jones, Flint Farmer, Ronnieman Johnson, Tamir Rice and the list goes on and on until the days turn into decades. So why would it be different with the murder of Laquan? Well it won’t be if we don't make the difference.

“We must be more than outraged. We must show up for justice on August 11. Every victim of a police crime, everyone who lost a loved one or neighbor, everyone who is sick and tired of cops getting away with murder – must show up August 11, 8 a.m. at 2650 S. California. All power to the people!”

The Chicago Alliance will bus people to the courthouse from their office on 1325 S. Wabash, Room 105 at 7 a.m. Anyone wanting to reserve a seat on the bus can call 312-939-2750.

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #LaquanMcDonald #JasonVanDyke

However, the murder didn’t happen recently. It took place more than a year ago.

The protest is happening now because a video of killer cop Jason Van Dyke shooting 17-year-old McDonald was finally released. Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times in what is being called an execu-tion. The video was only released after a court order forced Mayor Rahm Emanuel to do it.

The video, released shortly after 6:00 p.m. Nov. 24, has been apparently tampered with by the police before releasing it, because it has no audio of shots being fired. Just before the city released it, an ABC news reporter described a version of the video they received including the sound of the 16 shots.

Even without the audio, it is clear that the young man was no threat to the cop who shot him, and then riddled his body with bullets as he lay on the ground. The film shows the body jerking and smoke rising as each shot strikes his body.

https://youtu.be/ZU2noz7ZaSk

The mayor and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy have hyped the danger of ‘violence’ by people in response to the release of the video. The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression released a statement responding to this attempt to blame the people. The statement read in part, “We reject the attempt to characterize the people's righteousness as violent. The police are the source of the violence.”

The statement also said, “Righteous angry reactions are not the enemy. The subject must be what the administration is going to do about systemic violence that causes these reactions. Let us take the right-eous anger of the people and channel it into building the most powerful, militant grass roots movement Chicago and this nation have ever seen for an all elected all Civilian Police Accountability Council.”

Protesters demand firing of McCarthy

The court case, along with the powerful protest Black Lives Matter movement, forced Mayor Emanuel to release the video. In addition, only hours before the release of the video, State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez finally brought first-degree murder charges against Van Dyke.

LaCreshia Birts, of the Black Youth Project 100 and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Re-pression, called for further action. “The institutions that are in place to hold police accountable do just the opposite. The police have impunity,” she declared. “As a step toward police accountability, we de-mand that Mayor Emanuel fire Superintendent McCarthy.”

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #RahmEmmanuel #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #LaquanMcDonald #BlackYouthProject100 #JasonVanDyke