Los Angeles, CA – On June 27, exactly one year after an East Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed 18-year-old Paul Rea, his family and friends gathered in East Los Angeles to hold a vigil in his honor. Taking place at the site on South Gerhart Avenue where Rea was murdered, the vigil included speeches from families of other Chicano and Black victims of police brutality in Los Angeles, a sermon from a pastor, and a balloon release.

Los Angeles, CA – On June 27, exactly one year after an East Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed 18-year-old Paul Rea, his family and friends gathered in East Los Angeles to hold a vigil in his honor. Taking place at the site on South Gerhart Avenue where Rea was murdered, the vigil included speeches from families of other Chicano and Black victims of police brutality in Los Angeles, a sermon from a pastor, and a balloon release.

Tampa, FL – On the evening of July 3, 50 members of the community marched through downtown Tampa to demand that local State Attorney Andrew Warren drop charges on protesters arrested during the Justice for George Floyd movement. Many protesters from events over the past several weeks in Tampa face charges like unlawful assembly and inciting a riot, both of which have been commonly used by police across the country to repress activists. The organizers of the march and protest Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), Intersections of Tampa Advocates (ITA), and Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). The groups had previously held a similar event after which 67 protesters had their cases dismissed. They say Warren should drop many more of the charges against protesters.

Tallahassee, FL – On July 4, over 70 students protested in front of the Westcott administration building at Florida State University to demand the removal of the statue of Francis Eppes, a large Leon County slave-owner who had funded the Confederacy. The protest was called by Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), who also issued demands for the removal of Eppes from the criminology building and segregationist Doak Campbell from the stadium.

New York, NY – The New York City Council voted Tuesday, June 30 in favor of a new budget proposal that will supposedly cut NYPD funding by $1 billion from the police department’s current annual budget of $6 billion. This comes in response to recent protests demanding that the city defund the NYPD. While Mayor Bill DeBlasio claims that the budget plan answers protesters’ calls, the proposed ‘cuts’ in funding are in truth no more than an illusion.

Chicago, IL -The National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) will be joining the massive demonstration that is set for August 27 at the Republican National Convention (RNC), in Jacksonville, Florida. The “We Can’t Breathe” protest, organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC, will focus on stopping police crimes and advancing the demand for community control of the police.

Tallahassee, FL – Tallahassee residents assembled at 12:30 p.m. at Cascades Park, June 28 to launch a march to the capitol. Organizers and volunteers with the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) pre-decorated the capitol steps and breezeway with rainbow flags, banners, signs and hand-painted portraits to honor the Black and brown working-class trans women who led the Stonewall Riots in New York City 51 years ago. Organizers distributed masks, water, snacks, bumper stickers and printed copies of Fight Back! to the 150-plus people in attendance. Attendees spread out across the entire capitol lawn to abide by COVID-19 safe-distancing guidelines.

Minneapolis, MN – A proposal to amend faculty senate bylaws and create a new Campus Safety Committee failed to garner enough votes to pass during a June 29 University Senate meeting, open only to voting members. The proposed committee would “advise and consult with the President, the responsible senior administrators, and the Vice President for University Services on policies and major decisions relating to campus and public safety at the University,” and would be made up of faculty, academic professional members, students, civil service members, and ex officio representatives.

Los Angeles, CA – On June 17, Roosevelt High School Alumni for Black Lives Matter (RHS Alumni for BLM) held a rally in Boyle Heights. Chanting “Prosecute killer cops!” and “Defund the police,” participants marched almost two miles, from Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights to downtown Los Angeles.

Jacksonville, FL – Wrapping up an entire month of action, on June 27, over 400 people gathered in front of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Duval County Jail. Over a month ago, in the wake of COVID-19, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee led a car caravan around the Duval County Jail demanding the mass release of inmates, especially those over 65 years of age and those who are immunocompromised. Those demands were ignored and now 178 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. This rally and march occurred under a backdrop of rising COVID infection rates in the city of Jacksonville as well as recording-setting heat.

New York, NY – Over 10,000 people gathered in New York City for the second annual Queer Liberation March on June 28. The Queer Liberation March was first organized in 2019 as an anti-corporate alternative to the main Pride March. This year, the theme of the march was standing in solidarity with Black lives and against police brutality, demanding a 50% reduction of the NYPD’s budget and police force. Black trans people were especially honored, due to the increased targeting they face by police and for hate crimes. The march was organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition.

Aurora, CO – Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) joined thousands in Aurora on June 27 to demand justice for Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man murdered by police in August of 2019. In the wake of weeks of protests for George Floyd, as well as numerous call-ins, intense social media pressure, and petitions involving millions of signatures, McClain’s case was reopened by Colorado Governor Jared Polis and his story has gone viral, garnering national attention.

Minneapolis MN – The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) has come out against the city council’s proposed Community Safety and Violence Prevention charter amendment (2020-00668), that would rename the Minneapolis police department and would give the city council and mayor the power to anoint the head of the newly-named “Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.” The measure was heard in the online city council meeting June 26.

Green Bay, WI – On June 25, over 50 people gathered on the premises of the Austin Straubel International Airport to protest President Donald Trump, who was recording a town hall inside one of the facilities there. The effort was led by the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention, but also included Wisconsin Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, Justice for Jonathon Tubby, and Black Lives United – Green Bay (BLU).

Los Angeles, CA – After the murder of George Floyd, the Los Angeles Times published an article that looks at the connection between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Force Science Institute, a police training academy from Minnesota that creates fear among police toward civilians. The article spotlights the relationship between FSI and Cory Brente, the LA city attorney in charge of defending LAPD killer cops. The head of the Police Litigation Unit, Brente enjoys justifying LAPD killings of Chicano and Black victims.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following June 23 statement of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), General Executive Board.

Heard on video saying ‘I can’t breathe’ before death

Tucson, AZ – On April 21, Tucson police officers responded to a call from the grandmother of Carlos Adrian Ingram-Lopez saying he was out of control. Within ten minutes upon arrival, Ingram-Lopez lay lifeless on their garage floor, naked, handcuffed and covered in layers of plastic police blankets. The autopsy report has ruled the manner of death as “undetermined” but that the cause of death as “sudden cardiac arrest in the setting of acute cocaine intoxication and physical restraint.” The autopsy also shared that it was reported that officers applied a spit hood.

Chicago, IL – When it comes to police reform, the powers that be in Chicago have been negligent in their response to the demands of the people of this city and this nation. People across the country are calling for systemic police reforms now. The resounding voice of the people in the streets is, “We will not accept this anymore!” In Chicago, we’re not new to this plaintive cry, unfortunately. We have the longest standing movement for community control of the police in the country, stretching back to the 1969 police murder of Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party. Yet our city is lagging behind every other major city with respect to announcing much needed reform, including New York City and Minneapolis.

Tampa, FL – On Tuesday June 23, the Tampa community gathered in the hundreds at the Tampa Convention Center for the monthly Tampa Citizens Review Board meeting. This was the first Citizens Review Board meeting since the outbreak of the justice for George Floyd uprising at the end of May. At the convention center, the city used pandemic social distancing guidelines to prevent many from getting into the building. While 50 people were allowed in the chamber where the meeting was proceeding, 30 were allowed to sit in a lobby outside and watch on a tv screen. Many dozens more were left to congregate at the entrance to the building, holding signs and watching livestreams of the event on their phones.

Green Bay, WI – Last week, it was announced that President Donald Trump would be visiting Marinette in the northern part of the state on June 25, and will hold a “town hall meeting” at a Green Bay airport at 7 p.m. The Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention – a collection of over 50 organizations that’s planning a demonstration on the first day of the DNC in Milwaukee – has called for a protest of Trump’s visit.