On the night of November 4, over 30 organizations and over 1000 people came together to march against Trump’s attempts to steal the election. As the community marched on to Interstate 94, the authorities moved in, without any warning, and refused to let the crowd leave the freeway. All participants were arrested, including children.

This is the first time in five years – since the murder of Jamar Clark – that the cops have harassed families and community members on such a mass scale. But, despite the intimidation by police, protesters stayed calm and organized, holding the space with speeches, chants and a marathon dance party.

Many livestreamed the incident and made calls to local politicians to question the glaring First Amendment violations.

The original demands for the march were a call for a People’s Mandate to address the triple pandemic of racism, COVID-19 and recession. Primarily, the march focused on protesting Trump’s unconstitutional theft of the election, but also recognized that much work needed to be done to secure our rights even if Biden took the presidency.

Many participants in the protest were from the labor movement and had worked hard to defeat Trump and all he stands for. They are teachers, office workers, library staff, health care workers, cleaners and cooks.

In addition to stopping Trump from stealing the elections and the NAARPR demands, protest organizers now demand that all charges against demonstrators are dropped and that the cars impounded be released without fees.

According to a statement from the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar, “We continue to fight for and demand community control of police so that police can no longer infringe on our First Amendment rights as they did today.”

#MinneapolisMN #NAARPR #TwinCitiesCoalition4Justice4Jamar #DontLetTrumpStealTheElection #PeoplesMandate

This is the first time in five years – since the murder of Jamar Clark – that the cops have harassed families and community members on such a mass scale. But, despite the intimidation by police, protesters stayed calm and organized, holding the space with speeches, chants and a marathon dance party.

Many livestreamed the incident and made calls to local politicians to question the glaring First Amendment violations.

The original demands for the march were a call for a People’s Mandate to address the triple pandemic of racism, COVID-19 and recession. Primarily, the march focused on protesting Trump’s unconstitutional theft of the election, but also recognized that much work needed to be done to secure our rights even if Biden took the presidency.

Many participants in the protest were from the labor movement and had worked hard to defeat Trump and all he stands for. They are teachers, office workers, library staff, health care workers, cleaners and cooks.

In addition to stopping Trump from stealing the elections and the NAARPR demands, protest organizers now demand that all charges against demonstrators are dropped and that the cars impounded be released without fees.

According to a statement from the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar, “We continue to fight for and demand community control of police so that police can no longer infringe on our First Amendment rights as they did today.”

#MinneapolisMN #NAARPR #TwinCitiesCoalition4Justice4Jamar #DontLetTrumpStealTheElection #PeoplesMandate

Minneapolis, MN – Nearly 200 people gathered at Plymouth and James Avenues, the memorial site where Jamar Clark was killed in 2015, answering the call of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – of which Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J) is a member – for a September 19 national day of action against police crimes.

The protest was organized under the demands for community control of the police, withdrawal of federal troops, and an end to white supremacist violence.

Protesters, led by TCC4J emcees Jae Yates and DeShaun McDonald, marched to the North Minneapolis home of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, demanding that he use his power to do something against the state terror against Black, brown and indigenous communities in Minnesota.

Attorney General Ellison has a history of inaction on police murders, repeatedly ignoring demands for intervention and lying to family members of police victims. Last year, Ellison convened a commission on police violence that was protested for excluding family members of victims, activists and experts on police accountability. The group was over half cops and included police lobbyists but no one working against police killings.

Other protest demands included:

-- Free the unjustly imprisoned, such as Myon Burrell, by commuting his sentence. Burrell, railroaded as a teen for a murder he did not commit, has spent 17 years in prison. He was prosecuted by then-County Attorney and now U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

-- That the governor, attorney general, mayor and Minneapolis city council not obstruct the movements for community control of police.

-- Reopen the cases of those lost to police crimes and charge the killer cops for hundreds of murders across Minnesota. Many family members spoke at the march, including relatives of Justin Teigen, Isak Aden and Jamar Clark.

-- Increase charges in the case of white supremacist killer Anthony Trifiletti for murder of Doug Lewis. Doug Lewis’ sister gave an impassioned speech at the opening rally before the march.

Ali Fuhrman, president of ASCME Local 2822, one of the groups that endorsed CPAC, declared, “The labor movement needs the Black liberation movement,” adding, “We have to bring our movements together.”

As the crowd moved into the cul-de-sac in the development where Attorney General Ellison has a home, a person named “Paul”, one of Ellison’s neighbors, called the Minneapolis Police Department. This occurred after other neighbors invited protesters to share refreshments and speeches in front of the attorney general’s home. Protesters left Ellison’s resident with chants of “Fuck Paul” and vowed to return.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #NationalAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #TwinCitiesCoalition4Justice4Jamar

Minneapolis, MN – Nearly 200 people gathered at Plymouth and James Avenues, the memorial site where Jamar Clark was killed in 2015, answering the call of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – of which Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J) is a member – for a September 19 national day of action against police crimes.

The protest was organized under the demands for community control of the police, withdrawal of federal troops, and an end to white supremacist violence.

Protesters, led by TCC4J emcees Jae Yates and DeShaun McDonald, marched to the North Minneapolis home of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, demanding that he use his power to do something against the state terror against Black, brown and indigenous communities in Minnesota.

Attorney General Ellison has a history of inaction on police murders, repeatedly ignoring demands for intervention and lying to family members of police victims. Last year, Ellison convened a commission on police violence that was protested for excluding family members of victims, activists and experts on police accountability. The group was over half cops and included police lobbyists but no one working against police killings.

Other protest demands included:

-- Free the unjustly imprisoned, such as Myon Burrell, by commuting his sentence. Burrell, railroaded as a teen for a murder he did not commit, has spent 17 years in prison. He was prosecuted by then-County Attorney and now U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

-- That the governor, attorney general, mayor and Minneapolis city council not obstruct the movements for community control of police.

-- Reopen the cases of those lost to police crimes and charge the killer cops for hundreds of murders across Minnesota. Many family members spoke at the march, including relatives of Justin Teigen, Isak Aden and Jamar Clark.

-- Increase charges in the case of white supremacist killer Anthony Trifiletti for murder of Doug Lewis. Doug Lewis’ sister gave an impassioned speech at the opening rally before the march.

Ali Fuhrman, president of ASCME Local 2822, one of the groups that endorsed CPAC, declared, “The labor movement needs the Black liberation movement,” adding, “We have to bring our movements together.”

As the crowd moved into the cul-de-sac in the development where Attorney General Ellison has a home, a person named “Paul”, one of Ellison’s neighbors, called the Minneapolis Police Department. This occurred after other neighbors invited protesters to share refreshments and speeches in front of the attorney general’s home. Protesters left Ellison’s resident with chants of “Fuck Paul” and vowed to return.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #NationalAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #TwinCitiesCoalition4Justice4Jamar

TCC4J statement on court hearing for George Floyd’s murderers

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar.

We are here today, outside this barricaded courthouse, because the four murderers who choked the life out of George Floyd are trying to escape justice, even after the world witnessed their crimes. Unfortunately, we have to be here protesting and bearing witness at these hearings, because the whole damn system IS guilty as hell, and we cannot expect justice unless we are pushing every step of the way.

The Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar would like to express our love and respect for George Floyd’s family. We salute the brave family members who have spoken out. We also send healing strength to those who are still deep in the shadows of grief. We love you. We support you. We got your back!

As for the proceedings today, we are not lawyers and can’t get into the lawyers’ heads — but we must ensure that these four killers are convicted and imprisoned for murder, by any means necessary!

Our opinions on some of the motions today:

-- All four defendants have filed motions to dismiss their charges. Some, in a sickening twist, are trying to blame Mr. Floyd for his own death. We, the city, the state, country and the WORLD will not stand for that. NO to dismissing the charges of these killer cops!

-- All four defendants have filed for change of venue – out of the county where they perpetrated these murderous acts and where some of them have inflicted brutality for years. They say they got “negative publicity” here in the Twin Cities. This is nothing but a racist dog-whistle that hopes a whiter, more conservative community will be more sympathetic to these murderous cops. But the whole world saw what they did to Mr. Floyd, and the whole world is outraged. We demand that these trials stay here, where they have to face the wrath of the communities they have terrorized!

—As for the upward sentencing guidelines called for by the prosecution – bring it on. Black, brown and indigenous people have endured systematic attempts to destroy our families and communities by the imposition of ridiculous sentences, forfeitures, high bails, and long stays in jail for small infractions. Actual murdering cops should be actually prosecuted.

-- The prosecution has a motion to try all these cases as one. The cops’ lawyers are against it. We are not legal experts, but we know what the world saw. All four conspired to choke the life out of George Floyd. Together, they crushed not just his neck, but his back, his legs. They pushed back and threatened people who were trying to save Mr. Floyd’s life. They should ALL go to prison – together or separately – whatever it takes.

There are a lot of things our communities need – beyond this courtroom – to get justice. TCC4J is fighting for CPAC – a CIVILIAN Police Accountability Council, to get community control of the police. If we had that, these killer cops would not even be on the force. New recruits would NOT be trained to kill, maim and brutalize as a first resort. Bystanders would have been empowered to step in and save Mr. Floyd’s life, without fear of being killed themselves.

TCC4J, along with the rest of the nation and the world, will be watching these court proceedings. George Floyd’s murderers and all other violent officers should not escape justice like the many other officers before them. Minneapolis must set a new precedent for our state and country where police are no longer above the law. Justice must be served in this case if we’re to have a future where we can exist in our neighborhoods without fear of police brutality. This is not a future we’re requesting; it’s a future we demand. We know that true justice will not be delivered by this “injustice” system. It can only be given to us via the power of the people and community control of the police.

Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!

#MinneapolisSaintPaul #AfricanAmerican #CivilianPoliceAccountabilityCouncil #GeorgeFloyd #TwinCitiesCoalition4Justice4Jamar