Tallahassee, FL – On October 22, a lively group rallied in the streets of the historic Florida capital city, chanting “Say her name,” “Black lives matter” and “Justice for Atatiana.” The action was a part of the National Day Against Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation.

The protest brought attention to a recent case of police brutality: that of 28-year-old African American Atatiana Jefferson, who was shot in her own home by Fort Worth, Texas police officer Aaron Dean.

Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) and Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the protest event.

When asked about the importance of the protest, vice president of Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society Isa Lenova responded, “It’s important to have events like these, because without them there is no justice for victims of police crimes. We need to bring attention to state violence and prevent it from being swept under the rug as it usually is.”

Speakers at the event stressed the importance of community control of the police. One speaker, Denzel Pierre, will be attending the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression conference in Chicago, which will focus on community control of the police and justice for political prisoners.

Pierre stressed the conference “is a place where young activists can develop and learn about old traditions, and older activists can educate a new generation.”

Speakers for the Chicago conference include Angela Davis and Frank Chapman.

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