Minneapolis, MN – The week for #JusticeThruJamar kicked off with a news conference on November 12. Dozens of people gathered outside Minneapolis City Hall, in one of the first cold spells of winter, to announce a week of actions centered around the memory of Jamar Clark, who was murdered by Minneapolis police officers on November 15, 2015.

The week of actions, organized the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar Clark (TCC4J) is focused on the demands: Reopen the case surrounding the murder of Jamar and prosecute Minneapolis Police Department officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg. Stop police terror in our communities – justice for all victims of police violence. Community Control of the Police – actual, community control, not the current rubber-stamp systems that exist.

Emcee Minister Toya Woodland read the statement from the TCC4J, “We demand that Mike Freeman go back and prosecute [officers] Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze for the death of Jamar Clark. But that’s not enough, we want justice for all victims of police violence. On Friday, we had two more local men die at the hands of police, which brings a grim sense of urgency to our work.”

Woodland was referring to the recent murders of Travis Jordan and James Hanchett. TCC4J and the other organizations are demanding that the officers who killed the men be prosecuted for murder.

Speakers included Tiffany Burns, sister of Jamar Clark; Trahern Crews, Black Lives Matter-MN; Gabriel Black Elk, Native Lives Matter; Katherine Hamberg, Justice for Justine Damond; Hani Ali, Black Visions Collective; Jan Nye, Communities United Against Police Brutality; and Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network.

On November 15, 2015, 24-year-old Jamar Clark was shot in the head within 61 seconds of the beginning of an encounter with Minneapolis Police Department officers Schwarze and Ringgenberg. In the 18 days that followed, community members occupied the Fourth Precinct police station in North Minneapolis.

James Clark said of his son, “There can never be justice for Jamar, but maybe we can win justice through Jamar.” A statement from TCC4J declares, “Our hearts go out to both sides of Jamar’s family, and all those who loved him. Thousands of people in Minneapolis and beyond have been forever changed.”

Some of the actions planned for the week include: a public speak out and banner hanging at the Hennepin County Government Center on Tuesday, Nov. 13, to get the message to County Attorney Freeman that he must re-open the case; a “61-seconds for Justice” a call-in day Nov. 14 to the county attorney (Jamar’s murderers killed him 61 seconds after they arrived on the scene); on Nov. 15, the three-year anniversary of Jamar Clark’s killing there will be an evening vigil at the site (Plymouth and James); and a community meeting on Saturday, Nov. 17 to talk about community control of the police.

#Minneapolis #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #NativeLivesMatter #JusticeThruJamar #MinneapolisCityHall #TravisJordan

100 people marched through North Minneapolis, Nov. 13, to remember Jamar Clark, and continue the fight for justice and against police crimes. The event kicked off a week of actions to mark one year since Clark was killed by Minneapolis police. Organized by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), the action opened with a rally at Broadway and Lyndale Avenues, then took to the streets for about three miles, marching past the Fourth police precinct and to the site of Clark’s murder at James and Plymouth Avenues.

On Nov. 15, 2015, 24-year-old Jamar Clark was shot in the head during a 61-second encounter with Minneapolis police officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg. In the 18 days that followed, community members occupied the nearby Fourth Precinct police station, demanding justice and calling for the prosecution of the two officers that killed Jamar Clark. Courtney Donelson, who took part in that occupation, opened the rally for the Coalition, with a moment of silence by noting, “It’s almost a year since Jamar Clark was killed by the MPD.” Describing what has become an epidemic of police killings, especially African American communities, she said, “Just remember that this happens way too often.”

Also speaking at the rally was Jamar’s father, James Clark. James shared positive memories of his son, and decried the injustice of his death at the hands of police, who claimed to fear for their lives when they shot him. James said, “Jamar didn’t have no weapon, he didn’t have anything but himself. To me the only person that was in danger was Jamar.” He thanked community members for their support, and urged everyone to keep fighting.

Shvonne Johnson, speaking of how the past year has been difficult, offered comfort with her beautiful rendition of the song Something Inside So Strong.

With that, the group took to the streets behind a banners that read “Justice4Jamar” and “No justice no peace, no racist police!” chanting, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail!” From busy Broadway Avenue, to the quieter streets, on every block, community members cheered for the marchers and joined the chants, as everyone remembered Jamar Clark.

Marchers rallied again outside the Fourth Precinct police station. Austin Jackson of AR-14 for Justice spoke emotionally about beginning his activism there, in the protests for Jamar Clark. 16 shots by Vic Mensa, about the murder of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police, was played before protesters moved to the nearby site of Jamar’s murder. There was another moment of silence, and two of Jamar’s cousins spoke.

In his last days, Jamar wrote on social media that believed his life had a “higher purpose.” Those who took to the streets of Minneapolis to demand justice for him agree, and honor his memory by fighting to win #JusticeThruJamar, which will be the theme for actions all week.

Monday, supporters will call Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman, who failed to charge the cops that killed Jamar. He justified his decision with a series of lies. He told the public that Jamar had been involved in a domestic violence matter the police were responding to. This is a proven lie. He claimed that Jamar was acting aggressively, resisting arrest and trying to take an officer’s gun. But these lies weren’t backed up by video evidence, or the accounts of two dozen Black eyewitnesses. Freeman has also brought lenient charges against the white supremacists that shot five people at the protests for Jamar Clark. Call Mike Freeman at 612-348-5550. Demand that he look at Jamar Clark’s case again, and bring charges against Schwarze and Ringgenberg, and urge him to throw the book at the violent racists who terrorized protesters last year.

Tuesday, Nov. 15, the community will gather at Plymouth and James Avenues at 5 p.m., for a candlelight vigil at the site of Jamar’s murder. More information about this and other #JusticeThruJamar events can be found at facebook.com/tcc4j

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #JamarClark #Justice4Jamar