Chicago, IL- 50 survivors of wrongful convictions and police torture, family members and community packed into a small South Side church for a town hall meeting on police torture and wrongful conviction on the evening of March 21.

The town hall was organized by the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture (CFIST), a campaign of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) and featured a panel of survivors of police torture and wrongful conviction and their family members.

Chicago has a unique history of police torture dating back to the 1970s, when disgraced police commander Jon Burge and his “midnight crew” of racist detectives began a decades-long pattern of torture, targeting mostly Black men on Chicago’s South Side. Today, corrupt detectives in CPD and their allies in the Cook County states attorney’s office continue to tear families apart and draw them into conflict with the system.

“I’m in this fight because I was victimized,” said Robert Johnson, who was released from prison last month after serving nearly 29 years for a 1996 murder he had nothing to do with.

“I’m a survivor,” Johnson said in his remarks on the panel. “I think about these brothers that are still locked up every day. It’s hell in there.”

Jasmine Smith, a co-chair of both CFIST and CAARPR, set the tone for the event by asking the panel, “What needs to change in order to stop this pattern of police torture and abuse?”

Clayborn Smith, a wrongful conviction survivor and litigator, said change will not come from the current political parties. “Neither Democrat nor Republican actually want to do anything about [police torture and wrongful convictions],” Smith said. “They never talk about all the wrongfully convicted people locked up while the real criminal is on the streets.”

Adolfo Davis, who was sentenced to life without parole at age 14 and spent 27 years in prison, agreed with Smith about the need for mass action beyond mainstream political parties. “We know who politicians are,” Davis said. “We need us to change anything.”

Davis continued, calling out the racist tactics used by the ruling class to divide oppressed peoples. “They made us believe immigrants are our enemy,” he said. “It was all a plan to control us. Stop being tricked.”

“Change starts from you, the people, “ said Mark Clements, who spent 28 years in prison after being tortured into giving a false confession by Burge and his “midnight crew.” Today, he is an organizer with the Chicago Torture Justice Center and sits on the board of The Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission (TIRC).

Clements called out the economic basis for mass incarceration and racist policing, and called for mass action to fight back. “From the days of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, we saw that when you affect their economics, they are open to change,” he said. “This system operates around money.”

Annette Gomez, wife of Elias Gomez, not only uplifted her husband’s case of 30 years of wrongful conviction, but she also reminded the room that this struggle is larger than just one case. “We have to continue to fight not just for my husband, but for your brother, and your cousin, and your nephew,” she said. “It doesn’t stop here.”

#ChicagoIL #IL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #CAARPR #CFIST #TIRC

This angelversary event marked the third anniversary of US Park Police and Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) murder of Martin’s beloved son, Dalaneo “Debo” Martin.

Dalaneo Martin was only 17 years old at the time of his death and was asleep in his car while police deliberated for over 30 minutes plotting on how to apprehend him, before breaking into the car and firing six shots into his back, killing him. His mother and the community have been fighting non-stop for justice and accountability since his death.

Friends, family, and community members took over the streets of DC, including a central bridge, to demand justice for Dalaneo Martin and other victims of federal and local police crimes, such as Phillip Brown and Julian Bailey.

Phillip Brown is a Black man who was shot at by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during a traffic stop in October 2025. The bullets passed through his shirt collar, nearly killing him. After the incident, MPD covered up for HSI by omitting the shooting in the police report. Julian Bailey was another Black man who was murdered by US Marshals in early February in Northeast DC. These three cases all occurred within a mile of each other in a predominantly Black neighborhood.

The protest march route stopped at points connected to each shooting. The protesters marched over the Lorraine H. Whitlock Bridge and blocked major roads while commemorating the life of Dalaneo Martin and so many others whose lives were cut short due to police violence.

An organizer with DCAARPR spoke on their upcoming campaign for implementing CPAC, a Civilian Police Accountability Council, in DC, stating, “Dalaneo Martin and Julian Bailey should be alive today. Phillip Brown should never have had to deal with corrupt police officers and a near death experience. In a world where we, the people, have actual power over the police, all police officers involved in these cases would face the people’s justice. The only people who stand to lose from CPAC are the racist, crooked, and killer cops that terrorize our city.”

Terra Martin spoke to the crowd and connected the cases of Phillip Brown and Julian Bailey to her son’s case. Residents of the neighborhood left their homes to join the march and shouted alongside the demonstrators. Many cars that were both blocked off and drove by the march honked in solidarity with the chants of “Indict, convict, send this killer cops to jail!”

Once the protesters reached the point where Dalaneo Martin was asleep in his car before being attacked, Terra Martin played the audio recording of MPD and Park Police plotting to murder her son. She stated, “[The police] were right here, making all types of jokes. Not talking about how to safely take my son out the car or wake him up. They were making jokes like he did not exist, or like he was an animal.”

The final stop of the march was the home Dalaneo Martin had crashed into after the still anonymous Park Police agent shot him in the back and killed him. It was an emotional scene as Dalaneo Martin’s friends and family spoke about missing him and how important he was to the River Terrace community.

The march came to an end and protesters started to disperse, ensuring that people were leaving in groups and were accounted for, as the police were out in droves monitoring them. Not long after, DCAARPR organizers alongside Terra Martin were packing away supplies in a nearby parking lot, when she received a call from her daughter stating federal and local police had jumped out on her, her children, and her partner as they were parked at a nearby 7-Eleven.

Organizers quickly reacted and formulated a plan. They arrived at the scene and found a horde of MPD, FBI, and U.S. Secret Service surrounding Martin’s daughter’s car. The police had demanded she and her boyfriend get out of their car, and even searched the babies for weapons. The organizers started recording from multiple angles while yelling at the police to “get a real job!” One officer brutally shoved one of the organizers, while another officer snatched a phone out of an organizer’s hands.

The police quickly became overwhelmed by the pressure of people power, and ended up backing down, issuing no charges or even a ticket, and leaving within minutes. In victory, protesters shouted, “Long live Debo Martin!” and “Fuck the police!” It became clear to everyone that the police had singled out the car leaving from the protest and followed them to the 7-Eleven in order to charge them with anything, in an act of targeted political repression. In the end, the people drove out the reactionary police, defended their community, and exemplified the power of unity and organization.

#WashingtonDC #DC #InjusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #OppressedNationalities

Colorado Springs, CO – On February 23, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at Colorado Springs Police Department headquarters to demand justice for Michael Foster, a 35-year old Black man who was shot by CSPD officers Daniel Mork and Steven Mibert on February 2.

Joined by Foster’s family, a crowd of about two dozen protesters gathered chanting “Justice for Michael” and “Cut the pork and fire Mork.”

On February 2, the Colorado Springs Police Department executed a warrant for a suspect who was already in custody. During this operation, they identified 35-year old Black male Michael Foster as a “suspicious person” but confirmed he was not the person they were looking for. Foster was approached and chased by CSPD officer Daniel Mork, who Foster had previously sued for excessive use of force in 2023.

Michael Foster allegedly fired one round before being shot. After Foster was initially shot, he got up and tried to walk away from the threat. A second officer, Steven Mibert, began a physical altercation with Foster, pressing his pistol into Michael’s back multiple times. Foster, trying to remove the threat posed by the firearm, swatted at Mibert’s hand and was subsequently shot again – five more times while lying on the ground. Foster has luckily survived but is being held on a $1 million cash bond for defending himself against Daniel Mork, who previously cracked Michael’s skull open.

This has outraged the family, who spoke out at the rally on February 23. Loretta Foster, Michael Fosters’s mother, called for public officials, “Mayor Mobalade, take off your sheet and take off your mask, and represent your people.” She followed with “The attorney general of Colorado, you need to reach out to me! That’s my son, no one has reached out to me.”

The Colorado Springs Alliance states that they stand in solidarity with Michael Foster and his family and demand his immediate release from police custody.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #PoliceCrimes #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #MichaelFoster #COSAARPR

Atlanta, GA – On February 28, community members stood alongside the family of Linton Blackwell to demand accountability from the Atlanta Police Department – that killer cop Gerald Walker be fired and jailed.

On October 11, near a bar in Buckhead, 44-year-old Linton Blackwell was murdered by APD officer Gerald Walker. Linton Blackwell was facing away when he was shot 17 times in the back by off-duty cop Gerald Walker. Walker was reportedly working as security for a bar nearby. Since then, the officer has continued to be on the force and has faced no disciplinary action.

Linton Blackwell was a musical artist and the father of two teenage girls. He was also the cousin of Jimmy Hill, a long-time fighter against police violence in the community. Jimmy Hill’s son, Jimmy Atchison, was chased down and murdered by APD officer Sung Kim in 2019. Hill is still demanding justice for his son.

At the protest in front of the APD headquarters, members of the family shared their grief and anger at the lack of accountability. Don Evans, Linton Blackwell’s brother, spoke to the crowd saying “Linton was not only my brother, he was my friend. I’m going to stand for him. I'm going to keep on fighting, making noise, whatever it takes for me to get my peace. When this man [Gerald Walker] is off the streets, I’ll be at peace.” Evans ended the speech leading the crowd in a chant “No justice, no peace!”

The family of Deacon Johnny Hollman, a 62-year-old man killed by APD officer Kiran Kimborough in 2023, was also there to support the family of Linton Blackwell. Arnitra Hollman, Deacon Hollman’s daughter, addressed the crowd and gave her condolences to the family of Linton Blackwell. She added, “We cannot give up this fight for justice. We have to continue to knock on those doors, get into these rooms, and lift up our loved ones’ names until we get justice. You don’t have to do exactly what I've done, but you have to do something. Say his name!” with the crowd responding “Linton Blackwell!”

Supporters from the Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke in support of the family, vowing to continue the fight for Linton Blackwell and all victims of police terror.

#AtlantaGA #GA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes #AAARPR #NAARPR

Tampa, FL – This past weekend, the Andrew Joseph foundation held a benefit gala on the 12th year angelversary of Andrew Joseph III.

Lovingly known by family and friends as “Peewee,” Andrew Joseph, III was a 14-year-old student who was attending a school district-supported fair day with friends when he was struck and killed by a motorist as he tried to cross Interstate 4 on foot after being wrongfully detained, ejected, transported and then abandoned outside of the fair by local law enforcement officials, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, with no call to parents.

The gala’s theme was “Coming to America” which was in part inspired by an 1980s movie of the same name, but also in part by the African Diaspora all across the world over the last several centuries. Deanna Joseph, co-founder of AJF and mother to Andrew Joseph III stated, “What began as a sacred gathering through the Coming to America Gala has grown into a worldwide diaspora collective rooted in remembrance, culture and connection across oceans and generations.”

The gala was hosted by community leader Dr. Michelle N. Williams and had a number of cultural performances, sermons and featured keynote speaker Norman Harris. The speakers recounted the monumental struggles that the Joseph Family has waged and won, from civil lawsuits to statewide policy reform. As the event came to a close, the Josephs emphasized the continued and ongoing work that must be done to address systemic racism and police terror all across the United States and beyond.

“From Florida to Africa. From grieving families to global community. The work is moving onward,” said Deanna Joseph.

#TampaFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes

New Orleans, LA – On Monday, February 9, a crowd of supporters gathered for a teach-in at the Gwangi & Hollywood Community Center in Algiers to learn about the Jace Lee Scott case and the campaign for justice.

The teach-in was geared towards educating supporters on exactly how the NOPD mishandled Scott’s murder, so they would be empowered to submit public comments at the upcoming Criminal Justice Committee meeting on February 19, and to rally for justice beforehand at 9 a.m. at City Hall.

Sister Shanta Scott, mother of Jace Lee Scott, recounted the details of the case, beginning with how deeply she loved her son.

“I only had 19 years with Jace. He was a sweet, loving child. A beautiful smile, just an amazing kid,” said Scott. She recalled his passion for music, sports and clothing design.

Scott continued, “They kept Jace’s case quiet because they didn’t want to talk about how it was an NOPD officer’s son who murdered my son. They didn’t want the city to know the corruption in my son’s case.”

Jace Lee Scott was killed on November 24, 2019. The last time Shanta Scott saw her son alive, she said goodbye to him as he went to a recording studio on Southern University’s campus with his so-called friend and soon-to-be killer, Andrew Gant. Hours later, Shanta received a call that Jace had been shot.

“Jace was shot in the neck by Andrew Gant. The police reports say my son and Andrew Gant were ‘horse playing with guns’ but Jace never had a gun. That was the narrative Rob Barrere spun,” said Scott.

Public records requests show that after Jace’s murder, Andrew Gant called his father, NOPD officer Victor Gant. His father instructed Andrew to take off his clothes and put them in a bag, and go home and shower, effectively washing off any evidence. NOPD officer Victor Gant then drove from Covington, Louisiana to meet his son. On the way, he called his longtime friends and fellow detectives in the NOPD.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes #NOAARPR #NAARPR #Featured

Santa Ana, CA – On Monday, January 26, over a dozen Santa Ana residents and activists spoke at the city council meeting to defend the Police Oversight Commission (POC). They demand that the city stop attacking the POC and preserve its ability to hold police accountable. Despite being established in 2022, the commission has not reviewed a single complaint due to delays in hiring staff and open attacks on the commission’s legal authority.

David Pulido, member of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) stated, “We cannot take a single step backward on police oversight under the Trump administration. Last year Trump signed an executive order to train police to be more aggressive, to expand police protections and to weaken oversight.”

Pulido continued, saying, “Last year police-backed Councilmembers Valerie Amezcua, Phil Bacerra and David Penaloza tried to remove pro-accountability Commissioner Amalia Mejia. Then, city staff claimed that they needed to change the commission, so it complied with state law. The changes would strip the power of the commission and its ability to investigate police violence. They claimed it was to avoid lawsuits, but the city was facing at least four lawsuits from families whose loved ones were killed by police: two from the family of Noe Rodriguez, one from the family of Luis Amezcua, and one from the family of Miguel Chavez.”

Pulido concluded, “The approach of Santa Ana to police killings is clear: cover them up, settle lawsuits with the victims, and let killer cops roam our streets. Shame!”

CSO OC members, including Erika Armenta, wife of Noe Rodriguez, held signs that said, “Independent investigations now!” and “The police can’t police themselves!” These referred to the city proposal to have the commission “audit” or review investigations by Santa Ana PD’s own Department of Internal Affairs.

Bulmaro Vicente of the non-profit organization CHISPA said, “Staff’s recommendation to move towards an audit-only model is a step backwards. Instead, the city must preserve the following core powers: retain independent investigative authority, including the ability to investigate serious and deadly use of force, maintain the commission’s ability to make disciplinary recommendations based on the findings of those investigations,” among other powers.

CSO OC member Matthew Compton said, “This commission was established due to community concerns about SAPD misconduct. Those concerns and the misconduct still remain.”

Compton went on to describe the in-custody death of Freddie Washington on January 16, 2025. “SAPD officers beat Freddie and treated him like he was less than human.” Despite Public Records Act requests for the full body camera videos of all officers involved, Santa Ana PD has delayed the release for months.

Compton said, “In the era of Trump, where federal and local police violence is being uplifted, we must protect police oversight, since SAPD refuses to protect residents of Santa Ana.”

Abraham Quintana, member of CSO OC, said, “We cannot gut the oversight powers before they’ve even had a chance to be tested!” He added, “Over the last year we have seen Santa Ana PD violate reporting standards for military equipment usage, we’ve seen them sign agreements with FLOCK for automatic license plate readers that lead to ICE detainments, and all while the city paid out millions in lawsuits for police misconduct. Let’s also not forget that they withheld 42 ICE notifications over the summer and are likely still not sharing that kind of information with the public. We need community control of the police!”

#SantaAnaCA #CA #injusticesystem #policecrimes #csooc

Santa Ana, CA – En la brumosa mañana de jueves, 12 activistas y residentes del condado de Orange se reunieron frente al Tribunal Superior del Condado de Orange para exigir justicia para Imanol González, un joven residente de Santa Ana quien fue atropellado y asesinado por el sargento Carlos Coronel, agente de policía de Los Ángeles fuera de servicio, el 1 de febrero de 2025.

El primero en hablar fue David Pulido, miembro de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC), quien declaró: “Carlos Coronel atropelló a Imanol con su camioneta y huyó. Ese día, Coronel no llamó a una ambulancia. No llamó a la policía de Tustin ni a la policía de Los Ángeles para reportar un accidente. En cambio, huyó y dejó a Imanol morir solo en la calle”.

Pulido continuó: “Al día siguiente, Carlos le dijó a su novia que evitará la calle donde atropelló a Imanol. Buscó en Internet accidentes mortales con fuga en Tustin, la ciudad donde atropelló a Imanol. ¡Estas no son las acciones de un hombre inocente!”.

En medio del discurso, una patrulla de la policía de Santa Ana se acercó a los manifestantes y bajó la ventanilla. La gente empezó a corear: “¡A la cárcel los policías asesinos! ¡A la cárcel los policías asesinos!”, hasta que la patrulla se alejó.

Jocelyn Pacheco, otra miembro del Comité de Responsabilidad Policial de CSO OC, declaró: “Hoy se suponía que íbamos a estar dentro de esta sala de justicia. Hoy se suponía que íbamos a dar un paso más hacia la justicia para Imanol. Pero, en cambio, la audiencia de hoy se ha cancelado. Una vez más, se retrasa la justicia. Una vez más, se le dice a esta familia que espere: que espere a que se rindan cuentas y espere respuestas mientras el dolor se prolonga.”

Pacheco continuó, “¡Justicia retrasada es justicia negada! Estamos aquí para decir que la vida de Imanol importaba. Su familia merece respuestas, y no nos quedaremos callados mientras se aleja cada vez más la rendición de cuentas. ¡Exigimos que el juez Michael Murray, del Tribunal Superior del Condado de Orange, avance este caso para que este policía asesino rinda cuentas!”

La gente coreó: “¡Justicia para Imanol González!” y “¡Sin justicia no hay paz!”. Asistentes incluyeron miembros de CSO OC, miembros de Guerrero Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle (FFPS) y Christine López Ediss, tía de Albert Arzola, quien fue asesinado por un agente de policía de Anaheim el 6 de diciembre de 2025.

Antes de concluir la manifestación, la gente recogió firmas para una petición creada por la querida amiga de Imanol, Ashley Avellaneda, para exigir que Carlos Coronel enfrente las consecuencias de sus crímenes.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #CSOOC

Jacksonville, FL – On January 24 families who have lost loved ones at the hands of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office rallied at James Weldon Johnson Park, outside of Jax City Hall. The event, organized by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, centered on shared frustrations over delayed investigations, a lack of communication from authorities, and narratives that misrepresent their loved ones.

The families detailed a common experience of seeking basic facts, such as autopsy reports and investigative findings – only to face procedural delays and silence. This collective frustration has sparked a new effort to organize directly among the affected families to address what they describe as a systemic failure of accountability.

The families of Charles Faggart, Rashaud Martin, Devon Gregory, Reginald Boston Jr, and Alquan Suydam, along with other families negatively impacted by police violence in Jacksonville all rallied to remember their loved ones.

Chants of “Justice for Charles” or “Justice for Rashaud” could be heard all through the area. Someone from each family addressed the crowd, demanding answers.

The newly formed Families Coalition is forming with clear demands – Jax cops stay out of mental health crises, timely release of all information to families, and civilian oversight over the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office through a Public Safety Committee. They gathered to push back against characterizations of their loved ones, insisting the public deserves a full and honest accounting of each incident.

Organizers from the Jacksonville Community Action Committee stated the rally highlights a shift from the often depicted “isolated” cases to showing this is a systemic issue across the city. The growing coalition plans to bring its demands directly to city, leveraging collective power to challenge the current process and continue the demand for community control of the police.

Yvonno Kemp, mother of Reginald Boston Jr. who was killed by JSO in 2020, ended the program reading a letter on behalf of the mothers to Mayor Donna Deegan, pushing that she meet with the families.

The rally ended with a candlelight vigil where emcees yelled the names of the lost loved ones, with the crowd chanting “Say their name!”

The families and the JCAC vowed to keep up the fight.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #JCAC #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican

Boyle Heights, CA – On Tuesday, January 20, Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) marched alongside the family of Jeremy Anthony Flores to LAPD’s Hollenbeck Division station to deliver a petition and demand justice for Flores, a 26-year-old Chicano who was tragically shot and killed by police officers Michael Ruiz, Livier Jimenez and Fernando R Godinez.

Flores was unarmed when he was murdered on July 14, 2025. Flores’s family have been fierce and determined in their fight for justice. Together with Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, they have organized multiple protests, disrupted police events like National Night Out, and even travelled to Chicago for the National Alliance Against Racist And Political Repression conference this past November.

“From day one to present day, Centro CSO is by my side helping me to get justice for my son, nothing and nobody is going to give me my son back but we have to continue until they heard his name and what happened to him in the police’s hands,” said Isabella Rivera, Flores’ mother.

Centro CSO and Flores’s family have gone door to door across the historic Estrada Courts area of Boyle Heights, gathering signatures to demand transparency, accountability and justice. Together, they marched to LAPD’s doors to present the Hollenbeck Division with a petition with over 200 signatures, highlighting the community’s desire for police accountability. Seeing the large group of working-class Chicanos approach the public station, officers locked the front door in fear. Flores’s family pounded on the door as LAPD cops scrambled to hide in the empty lobby. Protesters chanted “Jail killer cops!” and “La policia, la migra, la misma porqueria” in the front of the station. The spirited protesters also waved hand painted banners that read “Killer cops inside” and “Justice for Jeremy Flores.”

“It started a bit bumpy but we got our message across, and that's what matters, bringing justice to my brother's name and we will not stop till we reach what's wanted and needed!” said Sergio Flores, Jeremy’s older brother.

Gabriel Quiroz Jr, co-chair of Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, spoke in support of the family, saying, “One year into Trump's recent term and we are continuing the fight against police crimes, Trump has attacked our Raza but we have taken the fight to him as well! If it’s Mmgra or LAPD it doesn’t matter, we will stand up and fight back!”

Derek Mejia, also co-chair of Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, said, “I think it's shameful that officers at Hollenbeck Station quickly responded by locking the doors to the building. We arrived there peacefully to deliver the petition to demand transparency towards the murder of Jeremy Flores. LAPD and the Board of Police Commissioners have shown time and time again that they are not interested in doing right by the communities they swore to ‘protect.’ Instead, they duck accountability whenever and wherever they can, such as cancelling a Board of Police Commissioners meeting or closing the door to a public space. We will continue to show up and demand Justice for Jeremy Flores, whether they cancel their meetings or lock the doors to their stations.”

Allies like Stop LAPD Spying and About Face Los Angeles and others supported and spoke in solidarity with the family of Jeremy Anthony Flores

The protest ended with a promise to continue to organize and fight back. At one point LAPD officers came out and accepted the petition. The family and Centro CSO said they will confront the chief, captain or even the killer cops in public until their demands are met.

If you would like to become involved with Centro CSO, you can send a message on their social media platforms @CentroCSO or email them at CentroCSO@gmail.com.

#BoyleHeightsCA #LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #CentroCSO

Orlando, FL – On Saturday, January 17, dozens of organizations joined a parade in downtown Orlando to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

While the parade included local police, one of the organizations that marched in the parade wanted to send a clear message to the police, the city and county governments to hold police accountable, jail killer cops, and reinstitute a civilian police review board.

Orlando Against Police Crimes (OAPC) is a local, grassroots organization in central Florida that fights for justice for victims of police crimes and political repression. Activists in the group have worked to support the families of those killed by police and demand State Attorney Monique Worrell press charges against cops who kill community members.

“The police were not friends of Martin Luther King, of Black people on general, or of the Civil Rights movement! Why not babe the parade led by the Klan?” said OAPC organizer David Porter. “The police have not changed. And it's an insult to have them leading this parade!”

For the parade, members of OAPC marched with large posters that served as memorials for those recently killed by Orange County Sheriff's Office and OPD. The names and faces on posters and moving billboard were of Luis Lopez, Tyrone Bartley, Kaleb Williams, Juan Silva, Ronald Greene, Salaythis Melvin, Clarence Lake and Karvas Gamble, Jr., all of whom were killed by police.

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #OAPC #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #MLKDay

Anaheim, CA – The front rows of Anaheim City Council chamber were filled with Albert Arzola’s family on Tuesday, January 13. They held signs demanding, “Justice for Albert Arzola,” who was only 19 years old when he was ambushed by two Anaheim PD officers, shot in the back and killed on December 6, 2025.

Christine Lopez Ediss said, “Albert is my nephew and was loved by so many. He graduated from Katella High School and was working in the city he loved: Anaheim. He had a bright future ahead. That was stolen from Albert, his family, and the Anaheim community. We will not remain silent about the senseless act by a gang unit officer!”

Sergio Pelayo, Albert Arzola’s cousin, said “I’m here to advocate for the unedited version of what happened that day on December 6. It’s been over a month now. We only have a 30 second clip from what happened. Just release the autopsy as people in the family would like to know where and how Albert died. We would also like to know the name of the officer. I mean, no need to hide!”

Albert’s family shouted, “You guys are hiding things!”

Grace Arzola, another of Albert Arzola’s aunts, said this about Public Information Officer Matt Sutter: “He said that the police acted in the public’s best interest. That’s something that the public has to determine! Not the Public Information Officer. They can only do this when you guys release the full, unedited video. Let them decide if the police acted in their best interest!”

Vern Nelson, Anaheim resident and writer of the Orange Juice Blog, also spoke on the police killing. Nelson stated that when gang unit officers kill someone, “for weeks or months they’ll go around harassing the family. That’s familiar to me because my wife Donna had a son who was killed in 2012 – Joel Acevedo. The same exact thing happened to her! They harass the family. They shine lights into their place every day to intimidate them, so they don’t speak out.” Joel Acevedo was killed by Anaheim PD officer Kelly Phillips on July 22, 2012. That year Anaheim PD killed seven Chicanos, including Manuel Diaz the night before Joel was killed.

Grace Arzola also described similar harassment, saying “My mom is 77 years old. The police stopped my brother for a ‘broken taillight’. We asked a family friend to come and fix the taillight. Five Anaheim PD officers pulled up on a family friend that was helping my elderly mom fix a broken taillight and accused him of stealing the car! Five. Officers. This is unacceptable and it needs to stop.”

The family was joined by three members of Community Service Organization, Orange County (CSO OC), including Erika Armenta, whose husband Noe Rodriguez was killed by Santa Ana PD on December 1, 2024.

CSO OC member Carina Munoz said that “Anaheim PD has been ranked ninth out of the 60 largest U.S. cities on the rate of officer-involved deaths during arrests, and yet nothing has been done. Because of the lack of action, these Anaheim PD officers are allowed to make women widows, parents lose their children before themselves, which is not the natural order of things, siblings lose each other way before their time, and best friends lose their only shoulder to lay on. I am ashamed of Anaheim for once again letting a young person die, and for making it seem like Albert deserved it!”

Graze Arzola stated, “We are not going away! We will show up to every meeting until we get justice for him! We are not going away!”

#AnaheimCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes #CSOOC #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino

The African-American Commission of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization unequivocally condemns the brutal shooting and killing of unarmed community observer Renee Good on January 7 in Minneapolis by Trump‘s ICE terror agents. This murder happened only a few blocks from where George Floyd was killed in 2020.

Police and the broader racist police state are the cutting edge of national oppression here in the United States today. The same police terror that has historically been used on African-American communities is currently being deployed towards immigrant communities to carry out Donald Trump’s white supremacist agenda of mass deportations. Under Trump, we have seen an expansion of both the police state and the prison system. For almost a full year, Trump's federal police have inflicted daily crimes in Black, immigrant, Chicano, and other oppressed nationality communities, from Chicago and Memphis to DC and New Orleans.

“Law and Order” to Trump and his racist flock means police terror and rampant criminalization for everyone else. Unless the national liberation movements unite and fight back, the Trump administration will become more bold with enforcing police terror, killing and targeting protesters and organizers, and destroying any semblance of the “rule of law” in this country.

Our unity with other oppressed nationalities is based on common oppressors: monopoly capitalists like Trump. The increased criminalization of Black folks in cities where Trump’s ICE terror agents roam and have been deployed show us this fact.

The whole system Trump represents is guilty of murder in Minneapolis, Chicago, Gaza, Caracas, and too many other places to name. It must be overthrown and socialism—a system made by and for working and oppressed people—must be built in its place. Unity between movements of oppressed nationalities, the African American nation, the Chicano nation, and the multinational working class is a necessity for a successful struggle for self determination for oppressed nations and for socialism.

#FRSO #AfricanAmericanCommission #ImmigrantRights #PoliceCrimes #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican

New Orleans, LA – On Sunday evening, January 11, members of the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression held a demonstration in front of the Saint Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter to demand justice for Jace Lee Scott who was murdered by the son of NOPD officer Victor Gant in 2019.

The protest targeted the inauguration of New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno. The event was well secured with barriers. Victor Gant now serves on the mayor’s security team, even though he aided in his son Andrew Gant’s murder case.

Phone records show that after Andrew Gant murdered Jace Scott, he called his father for help. Victor Gant drove to his son instead of calling 911, and was present during his son’s interrogation – a clear conflict of interest. Andrew Gant got off on a negligent homicide charge and never saw a day in jail. The judge overseeing his case, Judge Nandi Campbell, also allowed him to be late on his restitution 14 times and never put him in jail.

“Helena Moreno, do what’s right! Stand with the families, help us fight!” chanted the crowd. In front of numerous NOPD officers and heavily armed National Guard, they chanted “Victor Gant is a crooked cop, we want justice, lock him up!” Some of the officers laughed and bobbed along with the rhythm of the chant.

“All of you officers who are laughing, I want you to think about what it would be like if your family, if your son or your daughter was shot in cold blood and their killer got to walk the streets not seeing a single day in jail,” said Toni Mar, directly confronting NOPD officers over the loudspeaker. “I bet you wouldn’t have a fucking smirk on your face like you do right now!”

People on the street walking by stopped to listen to Sister Shanta Scott, the mother of Jace and founder of the Jace Lee Scott Foundation. “When cops lie, they steal. And when they steal, they murder,” she said. “My son was stolen from me. Murdered in cold blood. And the police covered it up.”

Sister Shanta Scott made her demands known. Addressing Mayor Moreno, she called for the immediate firing of all police officers involved in the cover-up of her case, federal charges against Victor Gant and his son Andrew Gant, a civil lawsuit against the city of New Orleans for protecting the officers involved, and community control of the police.

“No one should have to go through what I have to seek justice for their child,” Shanta Scott said. “This is not just about my son. This is about accountability, transparency and ensuring that no one is above the law. Families deserve truth, and justice must be applied equally.”

As the inauguration crowd exited the ceremony in their Sunday best, they had to walk in front of the protest demanding “Justice for Jace!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #PoliceCrimes #NAARPR #NOAARPR

North Charleston, SC – Monday, December 29, marked the three-year anniversary of the death of D’Angelo Brown, and organizers with the Lowcountry Action Committee (LAC) honored the day by gathering in remembrance of him and the more than 20 other lives stolen by Al Cannon Detention Center.

Brown, who suffered from schizoaffective disorder, was murdered by medical neglect at the jail in 2022. His death was ruled a homicide and, according to LAC members, is part of a larger pattern of abuse and neglect at the facility.

“Over 20 people have died at Al Cannon since 2015 and most of them have been Black and struggling with mental health issues like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or addiction,” said Erica Veal, co-founding member of LAC. “Mental health is not a crime, but for people detained at Al Cannon it’s a potential death sentence. That’s not right and we want to see the jail shut down immediately.”

At the vigil, organizers poured libations and read the names of 24 people who died at Al Cannon. One of the names was that of Jamal Sutherland who was tasered to death by corrections officers on January 5, 2021 after being transferred to the jail from a mental health facility. In the aftermath of his murder, which was also ruled a homicide, LAC members formed part of the Justice for All Coalition to demand accountability.

Brown and Sutherland were both Black, but the jail’s most recent victim was white. Mary Brucato was murdered at the detention center on August 11, 2025 and it took nearly six months for her death to be ruled a homicide due to medical neglect and complications from withdrawal. Brucato had been struggling with substance use disorder.

“Mary Brucato, D’Angelo Brown and Jamal Sutherland should still be with us today,” said Shaquille Fontenot, a co-founding member of LAC. “We are here to honor lives taken by police violence and to speak the names the system tries to erase. This vigil is not an ending, but a checkpoint in a longer struggle for justice and community control.”

Alfred Peeler, LAC Solidarity Network member explained to the crowd that community control means the community determining how they are policed and by whom. “The community decides if it wants to shut down a jail that is under DOJ investigation for medical neglect while there are still people literally right to this day dying from medical neglect in it.”

He went on to say that the community “should have a say if it wants a portion of the police budget to instead go to attacking real material concerns like food deserts and afterschool care,” all of which are known to reduce violent crime, according to Peeler.

On the same day as the vigil, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office announced they would no longer publicly release information on inmates who die in the county jail from natural causes. “It just screams coverup,” said LAC Solidarity Network member Matt Colburn. “Hopefully this will push more families to open up and trust in us to support them in their demands for justice for their loved ones. Accountability is not symbolic,” Colburn said. “True community safety requires honesty, transparency and consequences. We will continue to fight until these families find justice.”

#NorthCharlestonSC #SC #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #Jail #LAC #Incarceration

Anaheim, CA – On December 22, the Anaheim Police Department (APD) released body-worn camera footage from the police killing of Albert Arzola. Rather than providing clarity, the footage has intensified community outrage and reinforced long-standing concerns about APD’s narrative, use of force, and lack of transparency.

The video does not clearly show Arzola pointing or firing a weapon. At no point in the footage is a gun seen in Arzola’s hands prior to officers opening fire. This directly contradicts APD’s repeated claims that Arzola “produced a gun,” a phrase officials have relied on to justify the killing since the incident.

In the footage, APD officers approached Arzola in an unmarked vehicle with no sirens and were not immediately identifiable as police. The officers charged out of the car and chased Arzola as he ran toward his home. Within seconds, the shooting officer grabbed Arzola by the hoodie, pulled him down, and opened fire.

The video shows no sign that officers tried to de-escalate the situation before using lethal force. The lack of audio caused by the camera’s buffering period makes it impossible to tell what commands – if any – were given, and whether Arzola had time or ability to comply.

The body camera footage also corroborates community accounts regarding 18-year-old Emmanuel Cordova, who was also present near the scene. Video shows Cordova exiting the house with his hands raised and his back partially turned when he is struck by a less-lethal round. This directly challenges APD’s claim that Cordova was behaving threateningly. Cordova was later hospitalized for injuries from the encounter.

CSO OC and community members are calling for the immediate release of the full, body camera footage, the names of the officers involved, and an independent investigation into the killing. They argue that APD’s limited release of information has only raised further questions and deepened public mistrust.

As anger continues to grow in Anaheim, community members remain firm in their demands. The release of the body-camera footage has not brought closure. Instead, it has highlighted inconsistencies in APD’s account and strengthened calls for accountability, transparency, and an end to what residents describe as a pattern of violent policing in their neighborhoods, especially on young Chicanos.

#AnaheimCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #PoliceBrutality #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #CSOOC #Feature

Brooklyn, NY — Dozens of community members gathered at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct in Brooklyn on December 20. Four years before, Officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez from the 71st Precinct shot and killed 26-year-old Haitian American Eudes Pierre while he was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Pierre’s family, alongside members of the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR), organized a protest and vigil to mark four years since Pierre’s death at the hands of the NYPD.

Because Pierre died at 4:10 a.m. on December 20, 2021, organizers began the protest at 4:10 p.m. Sheina Banatte, Pierre’s cousin and the managing director of advocacy for the Justice for Eudes Pierre Coalition, described Pierre’s family’s ongoing grief and frustration, stating, “Erd should be here celebrating the holidays, and it’s a shame we have to be here. We need justice. We need accountability!”

Pierre himself called the police while experiencing the mental health crisis. Lan and Abreu-Gerez followed him in and out of the train station to his own home before shooting him ten times. Since then, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) ruled that Pierre’s killers were acting “within NYPD guidelines.” Attorney General Letitia James declined to pursue charges against Lan and Abreu-Gerez, who continue to work for the NYPD. Peter Lan transferred to the NYPD’s notorious Intelligence Division while Abreu-Gerez continues to work at the 71st Precinct.

Ebtesham Ahmed of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) told the crowd, “This is only part of a frustrating pattern of the NYPD, who kill, brutalize, and imprison Black, Latino and other oppressed peoples all across the city, only to never face any kind of accountability.”

Also present were members of NYU Students for a Democratic Society and the best friend of eighteen-year-old Saniyah Cheatham, who died in NYPD custody on July 5, 2025. She described parallels between Cheatham’s and Pierre’s cases stating, “Saniyah was going through shit; I hear Erd was going through something too.” The NYPD criminalizes mental health crises, and disproportionately targets the Black, brown, and unhoused New Yorkers experiencing them.

Banatte and organizers from the New York Alliance ended the rally by delivering over 100 postcards written by members of Pierre’s family and the community to the 71st Precinct. They then marched to where Pierre was killed, now called Eudes Pierre Way. Protesters took the street along Eastern Parkway, demanding the city fire and prosecute Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops

Anaheim, CA – On December 15, angry community members confronted the Anaheim Police Department (APD) at a community meeting after the department’s killing of Albert Arzola. A community member asked, “What do you mean by ‘produced a gun?’”

Public Information Officer Matt Sutter, answered “What exactly he did with the gun, the only two who know that are the officers who were at the scene.” APD has given conflicting, vague reports as to how a gun was found at the scene – but they have used this to justify the killing.

Neighborhood residents, friends and family of Albert Arzola, and members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) were in attendance. The original meeting was scheduled for December 10, four days after Arzola’s killing. However, due to outcry from the community, APD rescheduled the meeting to evade responsibility. More than a week later, there are still many questions unanswered.

Arzola was killed by APD on December 6. Two APD officers, whose names have yet to be released, were conducting gang unit patrols when they encountered Arzola. According to APD, he was seen doing graffiti then he ran back towards his house. According to APD, a verbal confrontation then ensued when one officer opened fire on Albert, killing him. This account is based on APD's word, and the community is demanding the release of the full unedited body camera footage.

18-year-old Emmanuel Cordova then came out of the house and had his hands up with his back turned toward the officers. He was shot with a less lethal round to the back of the head and was later treated at the hospital for injuries. APD claims that Cordova was ignoring commands given by the officers despite the video taken by a neighbor showing otherwise.

At least 12 people were detained throughout APD’s assault on the home. This includes family, neighbors and children who were inside the building. During the Q & A section of the meeting, one community member asked, “Were the majority of people detained children?” which was answered by Sutter, “I can’t answer that at this time.” This response was often used at the meeting. Sutter often deferred to the district attorney’s report which will be released after investigations are complete, which can take years.

Arzola’s aunt addressed the three city council members who were present, stating, “I want the city council to know that there is a community here that is uprising to say we disagree with Anaheim PD’s tactics.” The city council members never responded with more than a slight head nod.

Sutter revealed that the two officers involved were placed on paid leave after being asked what actions have been taken against the officers involved. This was followed by the question “If it was a cop that was murdered, would you allow the suspect to continue working?” to which everyone yelled with a resounding “no.” One family member said “You guys get to go home on Christmas and be cozy, we’re gonna be at my mom’s house and in the street praying for my nephew. Courtesy of your Christmas gift to my family.”

Jocelyn Pacheco, a member of CSO OC asked “Did you find any evidence that Albert was doing graffiti, and anything to prove this killing was justified?” Sutter responded with “You're asking me what the officers knew, I wasn't in his mind. I don’t know what he saw.” This followed with community members screaming “Graffiti isn’t a death sentence!” Despite it being more than a week, Sutter still has yet to speak with the officers involved. His answer was followed by cries for him to do his job.

One attendee asked, “The vehicle that the officers were using during their patrol, was it a marked vehicle or an unmarked vehicle?” Sutter responded that the vehicle was unmarked. The same attendee added “Don’t you think humanly they would run, especially with all the ICE raids going on?” ICE has been using unmarked vehicles, especially in areas with a lot of Chicanos like the neighborhood Arzola lived in.

The frustration and anger in the room were palpable as Sutter often deflected and gave vague answers to community members' questions. The family left with no real answers and are left to grieve, thanks to APD’s actions.

#AnaheimCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #CSOOC

City of Industry, CA – On Saturday, December 13, the family of Joseph Perez, Centro CSO, and other allies rallied outside the Industry Sheriff’s Station to demand justice for Perez, who narrowly survived a beating by at least five sheriff’s deputies on July 27, 2020. Perez required 17 staples and 19 sutures to close cuts across his face and scalp, served two years in prison for resisting arrest, and is still recovering from the trauma.

Vanessa Perez, mother of Joseph Perez, opened her speech by highlighting how sheriffs, through their “union” ALADS, have obstructed transparency, oversight and accountability. Perez said, “I am urging the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department alongside the Board of Supervisors to take proactive steps. AB 847 must be implemented without delay. Our community has waited long enough for meaningful change.” AB 847 allows oversight commissions and inspector general offices access to misconduct files.

Perez also connected her son’s beating to a 2023 Montclair bowling incident, in which members of the Industry Indians, a confirmed deputy gang, picked a fight with teenagers. While four officers were fired for the incident, Perez pointed out that her son’s trauma as well as this brawl would have been prevented if LASD allowed transparency and oversight.

Gabriel Quiroz Jr, a co-chair of CSO’s Police Accountability Committee and the rally’s emcee, brought to the crowd’s attention that this protest was likely the first ever at the Industry Sheriff’s station. He led the crowd with chants of “Justice for Joseph!” “Ban Deputy Gangs” and “La policía, la migra, la misma porquería!”

In his speech, Quiroz Jr. said, “I want to uplift the demand of community control of police to be able to once and for give power to the people when it comes to who polices their neighborhoods. We’re here to demand justice for Joseph Perez, a young Chicano who was brutally beaten by City of Industry Sheriffs; some of those same pigs even self-admitted to being tattooed deputy gang members. They should be the only ones facing ‘gang enhancement charges’ and be prosecuted and put in jail!”

Helen Jones, mother of John Horton (killed by LASD at Men’s Central Jail in 2009); Stephanie Vargas, aunt of Anthony Daniel Vargas (killed by ELASD in 2018); Minerva Garcia, friend of Vanessa Marquez (killed by South Pasadena PD in 2018); family of Elisa Serna (who died in police custody in San Diego in 2019, and Sergio Flores, brother of Jeremy Flores (killed by LAPD in 2025) also spoke out against deputy gangs and in solidarity with the family of Joseph Perez.

Carlos Montes, a leader within Centro CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization as well as a founder of the Brown Berets, said, “We believe that it is a systemic problem, the police killings of Black and Chicano young men. It’s not a question of bad police or just deputy gangs. For Chicanos after the Mexican-American War, we continued to have mass murders and lynchings at the Placita Olvera. This is a systemic problem that will not go away until we have a new government in the United States.” Montes attended the first protest at the East LA Sheriff’s Station in the late 1960s.

Protesters marched from the sheriff’s station to Hacienda Boulevard where they rallied once again. Many community members honked in solidarity. Motor police who had stopped to engage with protesters left after being drowned out by chants.

At the corner rally, protesters heard from Gilbert Bao, a formerly incarcerated Brown Beret whose brother was murdered by sheriffs. He spoke about how the state uses gang enhancements to lock up African American and Chicano youth while deputy gangs are the true threat.

Verita Topete, speaking on behalf of Centro CSO’s Immigration Committee, tied Perez’s beating to the recent ICE raids that are terrorizing Chicano neighborhoods, stating, “The struggle for legalization for all is inseparable from the struggle for community control of the police. These are not two fights, they are one.”

Centro CSO’s plans to continue fighting for Joseph Perez and other victims of police crimes in Los Angeles. If you would like to become involved with Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee (PAC), you can send a message on their social media platforms @CentroCSO or email them at CentroCSO@gmail.com

#CityOfIndustryCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #CentroCSO #KillerCops #PoliceBrutality #Feature

Colorado Springs, CO – On December 11, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered outside of the 4th Judicial District attorney’s office to demand justice for Alex-Martinez Sarmiento.

The main demand was that District Attorney Michael Allen indict Officer Connor Jacob Wallick. Over a dozen COSAARPR and community members arrived outside the DA’s office in solidarity for Martinez-Sarmiento, picketing outside the main door. The indictment demand, and the demand for more transparency for Martinez-Sarmiento’s family, were spoken loud and clear by participating community members.

Justin Barraza, a COSAARPR member, called to question the lack of community trust in Colorado Springs PD. In his speech, Barraza quoted Officer Wallick, “‘I didn't want to reach for my taser because my gun was already out, and tasers don't work.’ Is that the level of community trust we should expect from our police force?”

The loss of Martinez-Sarmiento is felt by his family, friends and members of the community. As members shared with passersby flyers calling for justice for Martinez-Sarmiento, the crowd expressed that running away should not be a death sentence, chanting, “Running away! Don't shoot!” and “Indict Wallick now!”

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #COSAARPR #PoliceCrimes #PoliceBrutality #KillerCops