Chicago, IL – Over 150 survivors of wrongful convictions, their family members and community members gathered on a cloudy Saturday afternoon, March 22, for an action-focused town hall meeting. The event was organized by the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture (CFIST) and aimed to strengthen the movement to free all survivors of wrongful conviction and end the system of police torture that has made Chicago the torture capitol of the United States.

The two-and-a-half-hour program took place at Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church in the Douglas neighborhood of Chicago’s South Side. 4th Ward Alderman Lamont Robinson, who represents the Douglas neighborhood, was also in attendance, in addition to 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez.

A panel of six survivors of wrongful conviction and police torture opened the event: Frank Chapman, Kevin Jackson, Adolfo Davis, Clayborn Smith, Reginald Henderson and Sean Tyler.

These survivors, whose cases highlight the gross injustice of Chicago’s criminal “justice” system, shared moving testimonies detailing not only the trauma associated with their incarceration, but the strength of the movement that helped them win their freedom and need to keep fighting to free those still inside.

The mental and physical toll of being kidnapped and tortured by CPD detectives, locked up in the worst prison conditions imaginable, and separated from their families for decades, cannot be overstated.

“The only time we saw a sunrise was when we were up at 4 a.m. to be taken in to court” said Clayborn Smith, a survivor of torture and wrongful conviction. Smith was kidnapped in 1992 and tortured for 39 hours by CPD detectives John Halloran, Kenneth Boudreu and James O’Brien, and served 29 years for a murder he had nothing to do with.

But despite the trauma, the panel emphasized the need for further action to fight back against the system of frame-ups and coercion, dubbed the “torture machine” by civil rights lawyer Flint Taylor.

Frank Chapman, executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, was the elder on the panel. After 15 years of wrongful incarceration and 50 years in the movement since, Chapman’s perspective captured the essence of the whole evening.

“Don’t just talk to me about your pain and misery, cuz I done had that too. So have millions of others,” Chapman said. “But if you don’t ever get to the revolutionary side of misery, you don’t ever get to the solution.”

Kevin Jackson, who recently won his freedom after over 23 years of wrongful conviction at the hands of CPD detectives Brian Forberg and John Foster, described the movement’s role in winning his freedom.

“The movement is the reason I’m standing here right now,” Jackson said. “My lawyers were sitting there basically scratching their heads until public attention came to my case.”

During the years-long battle in court to win Jackson’s freedom, the CFIST campaign mobilized family members and movement supporters to attend his court dates and held dozens of press conferences and rallies drawing public attention to the case.

“They moved the needle,” Jackson said.

After the panel of survivors, a panel of legal experts took the stage, including Jorge Soto, a jailhouse lawyer and survivor of wrongful conviction; Michelle Mbekeani, former senior advisor to previous Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, and Sheila Bedi, a civil rights lawyer and clinical professor with the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Mbekeani, who worked for the most progressive State’s Attorney in Cook County in history, Kim Foxx, shared firsthand inside information on the racism and corruption of the office, describing the way that CPD detectives and prosecuting state’s attorneys work in the same building and often have close relationships that help them achieve and uphold wrongful convictions to advance their careers.

Soto, who served the joint-longest wrongful conviction sentence in Illinois history, has seen the corruption of the justice system from all angles.

There’s a pervasiveness of this white, patriarchal racism in the state’s attorney's office, like in CPD,” Soto said. “It’s a culture.”

The final panel of the evening featured the family members of survivors who are still inside. The panel, which included Anette Torres, girlfriend of Elias Gomez; Norma Jean Scales, aunt of Douglas Livingston; Johnnie Hayes, wife of Devon Showers, and Alicia Gill, sister of Michael Minniefield, inspired attendees with their dedication to the struggle to free their loved ones.

“We need to fight and not give up,” Torres said. “Elias is not alone. Your husband, your brother, your son, your nephew, they’re not alone.”

Merawi Gerima, co-chair of the CFIST campaign, also spoke briefly on the connection between the movement to end wrongful conviction and the broader fight for community control of police in Chicago.

Gerima described CFIST’s strategy of organizing around cases of wrongful conviction at the police district level by mobilizing community members to Police District Council meetings, a localized accountability body created by an ordinance fought for and won by CAARPR in 2021.

Decades of struggle to free the wrongfully convicted and end police torture provide more evidence that only a mass movement by and for working and oppressed people can win the power we need to hold the architects and enforcers of this racist system accountable, and replace it with a system that works for the people.

“There’s strength in the community and these organizations,” said Kevin Jackson. “So if you ain’t a part of one, join one!”

#ChicagoIL #InJusticeSystem #CFIST #NAARPR

Santa Ana, CA – On March 18, over 45 people gathered at El Centro Cultural de Mexico and marched half a mile to the Santa Ana Police Department with the family of Noe Rodriguez to protest his unjust killing.

On December 1, 2024, Rodriguez, who was unarmed, was shot over 30 times. The protesters held signs reading “Justice for Noe Rodriguez” and “24/48. Release the names, release the tapes” as they chanted “SAPD you can’t hide! We charge you with homicide!” while they made their way to the front of the police station.

The protest was kicked off by Abraham Quintana from Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC), who stated, “ We are here today to raise the demands of families impacted by police violence, as well as raise demands for our 24/48 campaign, to make a change in police policy regarding officer-involved shootings.”

Quintana went on to explain how Santa Ana PD has not released any sort of police report or officer names to the family of Noe Rodriguez; instead, the information they have released are attempts to slander Rodriguez by discussing his old criminal cases out of context.

CSO OC member Rain Mendoza read and translated Erika Armenta’s speech on the impact this killing has had on their daughters, “Since Noe’s life was taken by Santa Ana PD, our daughters are deprived of the joy of growing up next to their father, of living moments with him. They are deprived of the possibility of their father seeing them as accomplished women and seeing their triumphs. My daughters cry for the loss of their father because he will never return, nothing can bring him back, but we can take comfort in the fact that justice can be served in his memory.”

Armenta ended with some of her demands, saying, “We need to demand that these police killings stop and that they really try to de-escalate. Families like mine are left to pick up the pieces and we have to balance the fight for justice with the fight to stay alive. The police need to take responsibility for their actions, and we need to demand transparency.”

CSO OC speaker Manaal Subhani shed light on other crimes committed by the Santa Ana PD, stating, “In 2017 SAPD falsely claimed that 18-year-old Steve Salgado was armed when Detective David Prewett shot and killed him. They tried to justify that killing by saying Salgado was a gang member at a complex where families and children were present, even though it was the police who did the shooting!”

Subhani also spoke on sexual assault crimes and cover-up committed by Santa Ana PD, recounting the Culichi Town incident.

“In August of 2020, a family including two 15-year-old girls went out to dinner at the Culichi Town restaurant. Off duty police officers including Oscar Lizardi, Jonathan Perez, Dorin Buchanan, Jonathan McKee and Mark Campi sat a few tables away. We know from 911 calls that the family made that each time the girls got up to use the bathroom, one of these officers would sexually harass the girls. When the family called police to respond to the incident, investigators covered for their friends on the force. They muted their body cameras when speaking to each other, and when the family tried to show police cell phone footage of the off-duty officers, the investigators stood in ways that did not allow their cameras to pick up the footage,” said Subhani. The crowd present shouted “Shame!” in response to the crimes committed by SAPD.

Gabriel Quiroz Jr. of Centro CSO's Boyle Heights chapter said, “We aren’t asking for radical things. We want transparency when a police officer kills one of our community members. These are basic things!”

The protesters marched back to El Centro Cultural de Mexico chanting along the way, “When SAPD shoots to kill, families pick up the bill!” and “What do we want? Community control of the police! When do we want it? Now!”

The protest was organized by CSO OC and the wife of Noe Rodriguez. Community members, activists, and Noe’s family were in attendance.

CSO OC, along with working with families impacted by police violence, are working towards fighting for justice, raising the demands of impacted family members, and fighting for community control of the police.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops

Milwaukee, WI – On March 20, the jury in the federal civil trial of the Cole family against killer cop Joseph Mensah could not reach consensus. Mensah was a Wauwatosa, Wisconsin cop when he killed Alvin Cole and is now a detective for Waukesha County. The suit asserts that Mensah used excessive force with Cole, after shooting Cole multiple times at the Mayfair Mall’s parking lot while the latter was on his hands and knees on February 2, 2020.

The trial began on Monday, March 17 with current and former law enforcement officers, witnesses and Cole’s family members testifying. After hearing contradictory statements from Mensah and reviewing the footage, the jury spent many hours deliberating.

Before the jury walked back into the courtroom to communicate with the judge, two armed U.S. Marshals entered the courtroom and stood by the door. Once the jury declared that they could not reach a decision and Judge Adelman ruled for a new trial for September, Cole family attorney Nate Cade raised the issue of the marshals walking in, and Judge Adelman stated he did not know why they entered the courtroom. Many members of the audience also communicated issues with the U.S. Marshals walking in after the court was dismissed.

When asked about the hung jury, Cade said “We are more than ready to try it again.” Tracey Cole, the mother of Alvin Cole stated, “This makes us fight more.” If it wasn’t for the fighting families in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression wouldn’t be the organization it is today. The family of Alvin Cole was the first family the Milwaukee Alliance worked with after its refounding in April of 2020. Long time member and original founder Brian Verdin declared “Milwaukee Alliance is all in for the families.”

The re-trial for this case will take place on September 8 at 9 a.m.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #NAARPR

Washington, DC – On Wednesday, March 19, the Parkchester community came out to an impromptu event in support of Ronald Butler, Donte Butler, Donte Butler Jr., Frederick Simms and Jermaine Irving Jr. These five men were brutally attacked by the Metropolitan Police Department on March 11 after defending their family and are facing multiple charges, including assaulting a police officer.

The Butler family decades before lost a loved one to police murder, and this instance brought up the trauma they faced at that time. However, this time, they are committed to fighting back and ensuring justice.

They are working with the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR) and demanding all charges are dropped against their family. They are also insisting the officers involved are fired and convicted, specifically Officer Evan Zelesnick, who was the prime instigator of the brawl, as well as the lieutenant who escalated the incident by arriving on scene and immediately starting to mace the handcuffed family members. The lieutenant’s name was conveniently left off any legal paperwork.

On Wednesday, Daniel Butler, son of Donte Butler Sr. and nephew of Ronald Butler, spoke on the incident and how police consistently terrorize his community, stating, “We been dealing with this pain for decades, generations. Drop all the charges, get all them police outta there. [MPD] looks at us as enemies, been that way for years. We need justice, real justice. You want me to be honest? The police department is the very first organized gang.”

Donna Butler, matriarch of the family, spoke as well, “This right here, this is my family. And this is how we come together when it’s needed. Release my son, he did no wrong. He protected his family, and as I always told my kids, stand ten toes. And right now, [MPD] got him in handcuffs, because he chose to protect his kids, his family, his cousins.”

#WashingtonDC #InJusticeSystem #Police Crimes #KillerCops #NAARPR #DCAARPR

Orlando, FL – On March 16, over 50 people gathered at Lake Ellenor Park to celebrate the life of Luis Lopez and to demand justice for his murder. Attendees watched Lopez’s team win their soccer match before gathering for a vigil and press conference.

Luis Lopez was murdered by the Orange County officers in his own home on February 8. The police were called by a neighbor and friend Loida Zunun during a reported home invasion. Officers Alex Duran and Paul Ortiz arrived on the scene and shot Luis through a window while yelling “drop the knife.”

“We have come here to this exact place today, to remember the life of Luis Lopez because this is where he spent so much of his time, and by all accounts he should be here today,” said Cassia Laham. The local community gathered wearing shirts that read “Justice for Luis Lopez.” A number of speeches were given by various members of the community, including Luis’ friends and teammates.

Edmund Anglero, a member of Orlando Against Police Crimes, stated, “Now that the names of the officers and the bodycam footage have been released, we call on State Attorney Monique Worrell to press charges against the officers who killed Luis: Alex Duran and Paul Ortiz.”

In a letter to State Attorney Worrell, Orlando Against Police Crimes demands justice, stating, “While steps towards transparency have been made with the releasing of the names and bodycam videos of the officers responsible for Luis’ killing, there is yet to be any form of accountability. Orlando Against Police Crimes, in unison with friends and loved ones close to Luis, and the broader community call on you to charge officers Alex Duran and Paul Ortiz with murder. We demand that you stand with the community in our calls for justice and accountability!”

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem

Tampa, FL – On March 12, Tampa Bay’s Students for a Democratic Society led a protest to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, who is under the threat of deportation as the U.S. pushes to revoke his green card.

Khalil is a Columbia University graduate who had participated in the nationwide pro-Palestinian encampments on his campus. He was arrested when ICE agents entered his home, taking him into custody in front of his wife, without his having been charged with any crime.

Khalil’s case is a clear threat to students and community who choose to participate in pro-Palestine protests, something the students of the University of South Florida are familiar with.

At the Tampa protest on Fowler Avenue, SDS member Joseph Charry spoke about his experience with USF. Charry was hit with a suspension from the university while out of the country, with FSU claiming he was responsible for the violence that occurred after police tear-gassed and arrested students during the nationwide solidarity encampments.

Charry stated, “At no point during my suspension process did any USF administration officials help me figure out what I should do, or what would happen to my student visa, or if I was effectively being deported from the country”

Charry was eventually forced to leave the country in September of 2024 to avoid any future complications. Charry was eventually able to return. He states, “Neither me nor Mahmoud or any other international student should be deported for standing up for Palestine”

A crowd of about 50 community members, including members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Tampa Bay Activist United, Party for Socialism and Liberation and others, joined students in a march in front of the University of South Florida with speeches demanding for the release of Khalil and the stop to the repression of pro-Palestinian solidarity actions under Trump.

As both the Trump administration and Universities crack down on what they deem “antisemitism” and “Hamas sympathizers,” these students remain steadfast in their support for the Palestinian community.

Tampa Bay SDS remains an expelled organization at USF; however the students say, “SDS will continue to fight on the right side of history.”

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #MahmoudKhalil #SDS

On Saturday, March 8, Department of Homeland Security and ICE agents seized and detained a prominent Palestinian student leader at Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil, despite his immigration status as a legal permanent resident. There are no grounds for the arrest, except that Khalil stood up for Palestine during the spring 2024 Columbia encampment for Gaza. Khalil is being illegally detained in the 2nd District in Louisiana.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the detention of Khalil and demands his release immediately. We will be joining protests across the U.S and call on everyone to join us!

We see this as a gross attack on free speech and the campus movement for Palestine. This comes hot on the heels of Trump cutting $400 million of federal funding to Columbia University after an investigation of so-called anti-Semitism – or what is in reality a hunt for the students who have organized major protests for Palestine.

Using the Office of Civil Rights and a new Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, Trump has his goons visiting schools around the country (ten so far)  to carry out similar investigations. School administrators have already carried out mass suspensions, expulsions and even forced deportations of pro-Palestine students in the past year. Trump wants to double down on this attitude and defund higher education at the same time, killing two birds with one stone.

Khalil's arrest has outraged people all around the country. 14 members of Congress signed a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding his release, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation process. Even if people disagree about events in the Middle East, it is clear that the right to discuss Palestine is being criminalized. But, it is only right and just for students to talk about the 45,000 deaths, the millions displaced, and the countless atrocities committed by Israel. These crimes are bankrolled by the U.S.

We will oppose Trump's agents and all complicit university administrators. We demand freedom for Khalil. We will raise hell until he is out. And we will not tolerate the arrest of any more Palestinians, pro-Palestine youth, or campus activists. Israel has no right to exist, and it exists on stolen land and borrowed time. More and more people realize this every day. And in the end, no Trump task force or ICE agent will be able to defeat the determination of the people to see a free Palestine.

#AntiWarMovement #Palestine #StudentMovement #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #ImmigrantRights #MahmoudKhalil #Featured

On Thursday, March 6, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office released the bodycam footage detailing the events that took place on the evening of February 8, 2025 resulting in murder of 26-year old Luis Lopez by Orange County deputies.

 Around 11:30 pm, officers arrived at the scene in the Pine Castle neighborhood upon reports of a burglary in progress. The bodycam footage shows that both dispatch and the officers on scene had knowledge that a Spanish interpreter was being used to communicate. One officer found signs of forced entry at the front entrance of the home. At least two officers then entered the backyard and found a ladder propped underneath an open window that the intruder, a disgruntled coworker, had used to enter the home.

 In the video, Luis can be clearly heard shouting “No, no, no!” and “¡Ayuda!” or “Help!” in Spanish. A few moments later, Luis was seen from the window holding the intruder in a headlock. The officers ordered him to “drop the knife,” multiple times in English, a language which Luis did not speak. They each fired a round from their handguns, striking Luis in the head and killing him. No knife was found at the scene.

 Orlando Against Police Crimes strongly condemns the unjust murder of Luis Lopez. We demand that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office release the names of the officers responsible for Luis’ murder. Additionally, we demand State Attorney Monique H. Worrell to press criminal charges against the offending officers.

 Orlando Against Police Crimes is working alongside the friends and family of Luis Lopez to organize a memorial vigil at Lake Ellenor Park on Sunday, March 16 at 2 pm. The vigil will be an opportunity to honor his memory, demand accountability, and call for justice. For more information, visit https://orlandoapc.org

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #OAPC #NAARPR

¡Lucha y Resiste! servicio noticial esta circulando la siguiente comunicado de Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales

El jueves 6 de marzo, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange publicó las imágenes de la cámara corporal que detallan los eventos que tuvieron lugar la noche del 8 de febrero de 2025 y que resultaron en el asesinato de Luis López, de 26 años, a manos de agentes del Condado de Orange.

Alrededor de las 11:30 p.m., los agentes llegaron al lugar en el vecindario de Pine Castle ante informes de un robo en progreso. Las imágenes de la cámara corporal muestran que tanto el despacho como los oficiales en la escena sabían que se estaba utilizando un intérprete de español para comunicarse. Un oficial encontró señales de entrada forzada en la entrada principal de la casa. Luego, al menos dos agentes entraron al patio trasero y encontraron una escalera apoyada debajo de una ventana abierta que el intruso, un compañero de trabajo descontento, había usado para entrar a la casa.

En el video se puede escuchar claramente a Luis gritar “¡No, no, no!” y “¡Ayuda!” o “¡Ayuda!” en español. Unos momentos después, se vio a Luis desde la ventana sujetando al intruso con una llave de cabeza. Los agentes le ordenaron “soltar el cuchillo” varias veces en inglés, un idioma que Luis no hablaba. Cada uno de ellos disparó una bala con sus pistolas, alcanzando a Luis en la cabeza y matándolo. En el lugar no se encontró ningún cuchillo.

Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales condena enérgicamente el injusto asesinato de Luis López. Exigimos que la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange dé a conocer los nombres de los oficiales responsables del asesinato de Luis. Además, exigimos a la fiscal estatal Monique H. Worrell que presenta cargos penales contra los agentes infractores.

Orlando Against Police Crimes está trabajando junto con los amigos y familiares de Luis López para organizar una vigilia conmemorativa en Lake Ellenor Park el domingo 16 de marzo a las 2 pm. La vigilia será una oportunidad para honrar su memoria, exigir rendición de cuentas y pedir justicia. Para más información, visite https://orlandoapc.org/es

#OrlandoFL #InJusticeSystem #LuisLopez #OAPC

El Noticiero ¡Lucha y Resiste! está circulando el siguiente comunicado de Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales sobre el asesinato de Luis López, publicado originalmente en inglés el 13 de febrero de 2025.

Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales condena enérgicamente el asesinato de Luis López, de 24 años, a manos de agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange la noche del sábado 8 de febrero en el vecindario de Pine Castle.

Los agentes llegaron tras recibir reportes de un robo en una casa. En una declaración para WFTV, una amiga cercana de López, Loida Zunun, dijo: “Un tipo estaba tratando de entrar a su casa y llamó a mi mamá”, dijo Zunun. “Él tenía miedo y nos dijo, oye, hay alguien tratando de meterse a mi casa”.

Al llegar, los agentes encontraron a López defendiéndose con un cuchillo. Los oficiales le dispararon y López fue declarado muerto después de ser transportado a un hospital local.

Los dos agentes que se presentaron a la escena, incluido el policía asesino, permanecen en licencia administrativa con goce de sueldo. El Departamento de Aplicación de la Ley de Florida (FDLE) está investigando actualmente el caso, y la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange llevará a cabo su propia investigación una vez que concluya. Sin embargo, debido al debilitamiento y eliminación de juntas de revisión sin poder real, como resultado de legislación respaldadas por los republicanos, como el Proyecto de Ley 601 de la Cámara de Representantes (House Bill 601), falta un vehículo para una revisión civil independiente y una rendición de cuentas genuina.

“Él simplemente se estaba protegiendo. No veo otra manera. Pidió ayuda y nosotros estábamos tratando de ayudarlo. No merecía esto”, afirmó Zunun.

La familia está recaudando fondos para los gastos del funeral y para llevar a Luis de regreso a su país de origen, México, puedes donar haciendo clic aquí. https://www.gofundme.com/f/ffeanm-luis-lopez?attribution_id=sl:f554e4a6-fc4c-4eb4-ba67-f224016957a8&lang=es_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

¡Justicia para Luis López!

¡Encarcelen a los policías asesinos!

¡Control comunitario de la policía ya!

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem

Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, February 27, at 6 p.m., Chicanos packed an East Los Angeles town hall meeting that was put on by the Civilian Oversight Commission of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and LA County. Over 60 Chicanos from East Los Angeles and the immediate surrounding area joined the meeting, both in person and virtually, to denounce the attacks on Raza by the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

The town hall meeting was held at the East Los Angeles Service Center, with every seat filled and a large queue online. LA County officials held the event in response to consistent organizing by Centro CSO. In October 2024, the Dodgers won first the pennant and then the World Series. On both days, Chicanos took to the streets of East Los Angeles to peacefully assemble, wave flags, dance and celebrate. This joy was met with brutal repression by sheriff's deputies, who attacked Raza with tear gas and other munitions. On the night of October 20, the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department indiscriminately fired tear gas into the crowd of families, including children. Two Centro CSO members were teargassed alongside them.

Since that day, Centro CSO and other East LA community organizers, like Lorraine Quinones, have fought nonstop to get justice. The East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (ELASD) were also seen wearing Fort Apache pins that night, which is a racist logo tracing its origins back to the 1970 Chicano Moratorium when East LA deputies beat and killed Chicanos.

Centro CSO has spent months organizing to get justice for the Chicano Dodger fans and to ban the Fort Apache Logo. Carlos Montes, a longtime Chicano revolutionary, was on the panel at the town hall, where he provided context on the history of repression by the Los Angeles and East LA Sheriff’s Department of Chicanos. He also talked about how even in the face of brutal oppression by the state, Chicanos have always risen up and fought back.

After the panel, community members from East LA and Boyle Heights gave public comments. Arcelia Covarrubias, whose 28-year-old son Adrian Rios was killed by ELASD, said, “I am here to support Centro CSO because they have always been there with me throughout my process. You guys showed a picture of the East Los Angeles Sheriff's station. Well, that was my son Adrian Rios’s last stop.”

Rios had been picked off the street by ELASD and taken to their station in East Los Angeles. He was later “found” unconscious in a cell with bruises all over his body,

“I used to believe in the system honestly – no, he was at the worst place, he was in the hands of murderers, my son's blood is at that station from the Bandidos,” said Covarrubias. The Banditos are a gang embedded in the sheriff’s department.

Antonieta Garcia, the co-chair of Centro CSO’s education committee said, “We need the Fort Apache logo banned and to be removed from the community and to never to appear again.”

Garcia was out there with her daughters celebrating the Dodgers and said during the public comment, “When I saw the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department in riot gear and shooting teargas, I literally had to remove my daughters and run home.”

Dozens of Chicanos spoke against the actions of the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and painted a broad picture of harassment and oppression. Impacted families spoke of the harassment they received from the sheriff's department after their loved ones, like Anthony Vargas and Fransico Nunez, were killed by LASD. Members of the Civilian Oversight Commission, and even journalists like Cerise Castle, who have long documented the deputy gangs within LASD, have faced threats and harassment.

Centro CSO is also part of Check the Sheriff Coalition, which supported and showed up to the event.

Overall, the town hall meeting was a big success for Centro CSO, which organized for months, tabling, flyering and using social media to get Raza out to the town hall. It was a big deal to even get LA County to come to East Los Angeles to hear firsthand from Raza. The fight to ban Fort Apache continues, as will the greater battle to win community control of ELASD, as the Chicanos neighborhood of East LA has been demanding that the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department be cleaned up.

Centro CSO is an affiliate of NAARPR and upholds the demand of community control of police. If you would like to join Centro CSO, you can find them on all platforms under the username of “Centro CSO.”

#LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #CentroCSO

Milwaukee, WI – When Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball was asked why she chose to hold a town hall meeting for community members during first shift work hours, she chose to hammer home the point that community members were lucky there was a town hall happening at all. “Know that I am not obligated to have a town hall,” stated Sheriff Ball.

Ball has been responsible for the Milwaukee County Jail since fall 2022, and the sheriff assumed her position during the midst of a 14-month period in which six people died in the Jail. After years of organizing, the Milwaukee community successfully won a third party audit of the County Jail and a town hall with Sheriff Ball, but many left feeling that the Sheriff remains unresponsive to community demands.

After the deaths of Brieon Green and Cilivea Thyrion in the jail, many community members began demanding increased transparency about the conditions that led to their deaths and the circumstances of their deaths.

In February, the Milwaukee County supervisors passed a resolution requesting that footage of deaths related to the Sheriff’s Department be released to families within 48 hours and the public in 15 days. The sheriff has refused to comply because she says it would compromise the integrity of investigations. When Brian Verdin, a veteran organizer with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, brought up that the previous Sheriff Clarke had released footage without a problem, she dismissed this outright. Despite the success of a similar policy at the city level, the sheriff remained adamant that she would not be open to providing more transparency to the people of Milwaukee.

Milwaukeeans also posed questions to the sheriff about measures to increase accountability. Many were concerned about the sheriff’s office practice of hiring officers on the Brady list. These are officers with known credibility and conduct issues. Sheriff Ball responded that her office does not investigate why officers were placed on the list. The sheriff also dodged questions about who is monitoring the overcrowding of the jail and plans to reduce overcrowding in the jail.

The jail has been under a years-long consent decree from the Department of Justice to address health services and overcrowding, but overcrowding remains a significant problem. The only response that the sheriff had to questions about accountability and oversight was to announce a new Sheriff Community Advisory Board. However, Ball could not provide any specific powers this board would have to make policy, budget, or personnel changes. Without these powers, the advisory board would struggle to provide the kind of accountability the community has been demanding.

While the March town hall may have been disappointing, the community members in attendance did not seem beaten down. Community organizations like Prison Action Milwaukee, Milwaukee Turners, and the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression were present for the town hall, and remain committed to winning transparency and accountability for Milwaukeeans.

The sheriff did commit to holding another town hall after work hours for first shift workers but cautioned that it would not be anytime soon. Combined with the announcement of the advisory board, it does appear Sheriff Ball feels the pressure and the need to offer more accountability and transparency to her constituents. No doubt, community organizations will continue to fight to make these a reality.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #InJusticeSystem

Portland, OR – On Monday, March 3, organizations involved in the February 23 anti-deportation protest held a press conference outside the Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) central precinct headquarters to speak out against police harassment of protest organizers, harassment that endangered people participating in the march.

Speaking at the press conference were organizers from Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), Portland for Palestine (P4P), and Extinction Rebellion. News organizations attending the conference included The Oregonian, KOIN, KATU and KGW.

Beatriz Ibarra, a member of PDXCD, explained to the gathered press, “To ensure the safety of the demonstrators in the march, cars and a decommissioned fire truck driven by supporters led and followed the crowd.”

Ibarra went on to say, “Before the march started, we had come to an agreement with a police officer that the march was cleared to go by the First Amendment. Despite this understanding, the police officers intimidated organizers in a process of aggressive but cowardly bullying that culminated in physical harassment of the protesters, and citations were given to two vehicles.” The fines from the citations totaled over $2000.

Bella Smith, who was harassed by a police officer at the march stated, “As a marshal with a high visibility vest, my job is to protect protesters from things like motor vehicles as they move through the streets. While the protest was at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Madison, a police officer hit me with his motorcycle, then immediately started threatening me with a citation, not asking if I was okay. Hitting me with a motorcycle for protecting the protesters from motor vehicles proves exactly why my role was necessary. We cannot allow there to be a precedent that keeping people safe comes with the penalty of being harassed, cited and assaulted with a deadly weapon.”

Michele Darr of P4P, one of the drivers for the protest, stated, “I have provided vehicular crowd support countless times before, ensuring the safety of people exercising their First Amendment rights. I have never experienced any problems – until now.” Darr then detailed the underhanded way in which PPB handed out the citations, “The citations were not issued at the time when the violations allegedly occurred, but an hour later and several blocks away. This blatant attempt to fracture the infrastructure of support and thereby silence our calls for justice is not only illegal, it’s an unacceptable incursion on our first amendment rights.”

Closing out the press conference was Omar Gil of PDXCD, who announced the plans of the coalition going forward, “We plan to fight the fines in traffic court and also launch a civil lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau for their attacks on our First Amendment rights and for directly interfering with the safety of our protest.”

Gil then reiterated the demands of the coalition, urging the mayor and police chief to end the harassment and drop the fines, stating, “Mayor Keith Wilson claims he stands with immigrants and has stated his intent to uphold Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state. And yet, under his watch, Portland Police are repressing pro-immigrant protests. We want more than just words, we want action. We demand Keith Wilson and Bob Day drop the fines and end the harassment of protesters.”

After a question and answer section at the end, P4P and PDXCD rallied outside the police precinct, with chants of “Bob Day, drop the fines! We will not pay a dime!” and “We will not be silent! PPB end the violence!”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #PDXCD

Aurora CO – On March 1, during an unseasonably warm Saturday, family members of Kory Dillard and 15 of their supporters gathered outside of the Aurora Municipal Center, for a rally against police crimes.

Dillard, described by attendees as a beloved community member and veteran, was murdered by the Aurora Police Department (APD) on October 3, 2024.

Dillard is survived by his partner Anna Harris, who has been spending the last five months fighting for accountability and justice for Kory. She spoke to the crowd about the false narratives being spread about Dillard by APD Chief Todd Chamberlain, who characterizes Kory as a rock-wielding carjacker. Video evidence of Dillard’s death directly contradicts this false narrative, but Chamberlain evidently seeks to sweep Dillard’s murder under the rug.

“What are these wrongful deaths of Black men,” Harris asked, “but police being the judge, the jury, and the executioner, when the death penalty has been long gone in Colorado?”

The rally was a site of shared grief by another family who has lost loved ones at the hands of APD – the Lewis family.

Kiawa Lewis, the brother of Kilyn Lewis, stood amongst the attendees alongside his daughter. Kilyn was a 37-year-old unarmed Black man who was gunned down by Officer Michael Dieck while working on his car’s sound system just outside his Aurora apartment.

Standing alongside Harris, Lewis spoke, saying, “It's been a tiring road, but the thing is they want to tire us out. But we stand together; we fight together.”

Ryan Stitzel, the chair of Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC) took to the megaphone to address District Attorney Amy Padden, saying, “These police historically have not been held accountable when they've done this. When they killed Kilyn Lewis they were not held accountable. When they killed 14-year-old Jor‘Dell Richardson when they pinned him down in an alley and shot him behind a dumpster they were not held accountable, and right now the District Attorney for Arapahoe County is deciding whether or not she's going to hold these killer cops accountable and we're here to say: you must!“

The participants of the rally chanted “Black lives matter!” and “When killer cops are on patrol, how do we stop them? Community control.”

Nels Pine, another member of DACAC, addressed the rally, stating “They write all these horrific lies in the newspaper about Kory Dillard, about Jor’Dell Richardson, where they accuse them of all sorts of crimes. Well, the people accused of those crimes aren't alive to defend themselves against this slander, and so we'll speak the truth. That's the very least we could do, is speak the truth and say that they were never found guilty of anything!”

Pine continued, “They were murdered in the street by police officers who robbed them of their Sixth Amendment right to a trial by a jury of their peers. These crimes by the APD have got to stop.”

The Denver Aurora Community Action Committee ended the rally by reiterating their demands on District Attorney Amy Padden, and reaffirming their commitment to the fight against racist police violence and for community control of the police.

#AuroraCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #NAARPR #DACAC

Brooklyn, NY – Eudes Pierre’s family, friends, and supporters filled the room at the Eastern Parkway library, March 1, for the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s (NYAARPR) event, kicking off their new campaign to demand justice for Eudes Pierre.

Eudes Pierre, a 26-year-old Haitian American man was murdered by the NYPD on December 20, 2021, while experiencing a mental health crisis. Pierre had called the police, in clear distress, and when the police arrived, they followed him into and out of the subway station, and then shot him ten times. Despite the fact that police officers were aware that Pierre was experiencing a mental health crisis, they engaged him with extreme force and had tased him multiple times before shooting him.

Pierre’s family has remained steadfast in their demand for justice and accountability, and in their determination to never let this happen again. The family successfully fought to have the street where Pierre grew up named after him and are fighting to implement the Eudes Pierre Law, which would replace police offers with trained peers when it comes to mental health crisis intervention.

The NYPD, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), and the New York attorney general’s office, however, have all played a part in denying justice for Eudes Pierre. When the NYPD murdered Pierre, the attorney general’s office, which had initially promised to investigate and hold the officers accountable, declined to press charges against the shooters, and the CCRB shamefully found the killing to be “within NYPD guidelines.”

The New York Alliance is demanding “Fire and prosecute the cops who killed Eudes Pierre! Police out of mental health responses! Community control of the police now!

Pierre’s cousin, Sheina Banatte, spoke at Saturday’s campaign launch event on behalf of the Justice for Eudes Coalition, alongside Reverend Kevin McCall of the Crisis Action Center, and Sharif Hall, Treasurer for NYAARPR.

When asked what justice for Eudes Pierre looks like, Banatte explained, “true justice would be for Eudes to be here with us now. Second to that, the next highest form would be accountability.” Banatte also said that the campaign for the Eudes Pierre Law is another way to achieve some measure of justice.

“We want to transform how this city does mental health crisis response, so that nobody else gets killed like this. That is another kind of justice,” stated Banatte.

Sharif Hall added, “Eric Adams is also to blame, for continually increasing the police budget, and for working with the police commissioner to prevent any and all accountability.” Sharif also mentioned the case of Caesar Robinson, another Brooklyn-resident who was murdered in his own home by the police, after calling them himself because he thought he was being burglarized. Cases like these clearly show the need for community control over the NYPD.

Rev. McCall discussed a prior, five-day community patrol pilot program that his organization implemented in Brownsville, New York, in which community members responded to calls for assistance, rather than police. This example shows that “community control can happen, if we are organized enough to make it happen.” Rev. McCall also emphasized the importance of staying engaged in community activism, and the need to keep the pressure on elected officials.

Sheina closed out the event with a demand for more investment in community resources, for police to be removed from mental health crisis response, for more police accountability, and for justice for Eudes Pierre.

There will be an event to demand #PeersNotPolice on March 24, and a protest against New York State Attorney General Letitia James on March 31, to mark the two-year anniversary of her decision not to press charges against the officers who murdered Eudes.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #NAARPR

Jacksonville, FL – Around three dozen community members gathered in front of Jacksonville City Hall on Tuesday late afternoon to say no to a projected billion-dollar proposal to build a new jail and incarcerate more Jacksonville residents.

Organized by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee and attended by other organizations such as the newly formed Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance, the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, Take Em Down Jacksonville, Jax Queer Coalition, Red Alliance for Justice, Metro Gardens Neighborhood Association, Jacksonville DSA, along with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Attendees heard chants of “No new jail” along with chants of “Money for jobs and education, not for mass incarceration.”

“We are here to say no to shady backroom deals with developers,” said Monica Gold, an organizer with the JCAC. “Conditions in the jail should be fixed now, not spending a potential billion dollars on a new jail to lock more people up while schools are being shut down!”

The current Duval County Jail is designed to host 2189 inmates but currently holds at least 2600 inmates, according to reports. Its horrible conditions are well known, with many inmates dying due to negligence and poor healthcare services.

The talk about moving the jail has been a major topic pushed by the city council and the mayor’s office the past year. The current jail is located in downtown near the Saint John’s River, a spot developer have been eyeing to build unaffordable high rise appartments.

Many have spoken out against attempts to build the jail on Jacksonville’s Northside of town, the home of a large Black community.

“Our communities are constantly told there is no resources for after-school programs, infrastructure and other social services yet the city can find a billion for a new jail? Just tells you what they think of us and our communities,” said JCAC organizer Xavier Green. “We demand a real People’s Budget, people over profit, community over cages.”

After the rally, many went inside to city council where they spoke out against a new jail proposal.

The JCAC and coalition partners have vowed to keep organizing around this issue until the proposal is stopped.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #JCAC

Minneapolis – More than 100 people gathered at the New City Center for “We Keep Us Safe: A Teach-in on the Black History of Community Control of the Police,” hosted by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The program featured panelists from National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression branches in different cities – all in various stages of the fight for local community control of the police.

Jae Yates, a leader in TCC4J, opened with a presentation on the Black history of community control. TCC4J is leading the campaign for an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC) to establish community control over Minneapolis police.

“At its core, community control of police is about giving power to the communities most-affected by police violence, often composed of the Black working class,” explained Yates. “TCC4J organizes for community control because we believe that’s the first step to dismantling the violent systems of policing and incarceration that are currently brutalizing and tearing apart our communities.”

Yates outlined the history of policing in the U.S., which started with slave patrols and so-called Black Codes to criminalize and repress Black people. They also described the period of Reconstruction, when Black people in the South had democratic community control over how the law was enforced and who enforced it. The end of Reconstruction also symbolized the end of Black political power, including control of law enforcement. Decades later, the Black Power movement revived the demand for community control of police. Yates also described historical connections between the Black liberation movement, and movements in support of gay liberation and Palestinian liberation.

Syd Loving, a national leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), from its founding in 1973. “The 80s and 90s were tough on the Black Liberation Movement. They killed our leaders, put our leaders in jail and repressed our movement.” During those years, most Alliance branches stopped operating. “The good news is the Alliance was refounded in 2019, and as of today we have 30 branches across the country. The beautiful message there is that the struggle for community control of police is alive across the country!”

Loving also described how the struggles for community control and for Black Liberation are part of “the broader struggle to pull up all forms of oppression and exploitation from the root. In FRSO we talk about our strategy for revolution, and it’s the united front against monopoly capitalism. At the core of that united front is the strategic alliance between the national liberation movements and the entire working class.”

She described how the coalition of the Alliance and other Black-led organizations with working with progressive labor unions was the key to victories in Chicago. “When we come together and recognize that we have a common enemy, that we have something to win, that takes us so much further on the road to pulling up monopoly capitalism from the root and building a world where everyone can be free.”

Toni Jones of New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP) described how she got involved in organizing: “The movement that had been spurred on by what happened in Minneapolis in 2020 was dying down. The nonprofits were saying things, but they weren’t fighting for anything. They weren’t standing up for our community. So I realized that I would have to be the fight that I wanted to see. We formed NOCOP to stand up for the community.” Jones added, “The end goal of this struggle was never about fighting the police. It’s fighting for power.”

Jones continued, “When we support community control it’s so we can get those police and move them out of our way, so we can directly take the fight to those in city hall, take the fight to those in the Pentagon, take the fight to those in White House, without worrying about our heads getting beaten in for supporting those that we love.”

Merawi Gerima, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) also got involved in the movement in 2020. “The George Floyd rebellion kicked off while I was up here, and I remember seeing a flyer for a National Day of Action with some organization with too many letters in the name. I ended up going. I had never seen anything like that in my life in downtown Chicago.” That organization was CAARPR, which Gerima joined. “The following year, the year that we were able to pass the ECPS [Empowering Communities for Public Safety] ordinance establishing these two bodies in our city which are the beginnings of community control of police in Chicago. It’s the most-advanced, democratic police accountability system in the country and it’s only just beginning.”

Panelists discussed how to respond to community fears that CPAC may stop cops from protecting them, or other concerns about community control of police. They explained that police departments aren’t showing data to prove that massive budgets (hundreds of millions of dollars in large cities) are reducing crime or solving cases.

Gerima said, “We’re fighting to hold the police accountable, for the things that they do, and the things that they don’t do in our communities. Black people are overpoliced and under protected and we want power to be able to change that.”

Gerima also warned listeners against putting a call for police abolition at the forefront, stating, “The fastest way to lose Black people on the Southside is to say we want to get rid of the police. And that’s not to say that it’s not a reasonable goal in the future. It’s to say that conditions right now don’t support that. Black people want to hold the police accountable, they want justice for the things that police do to them, they want them to be punished for the crimes that they commit against us and they want to be able to call them when they need them. The people that we need to win this fight understand the equation perfectly.”

When asked what motivates their commitment to keep working, Jones said, “I know that what’s at stake is the personal stories of the people that we meet in this work. They don’t get to hang up their struggles and the tears when they go home at night. They go to sleep thinking about whether they’ll ever get justice for their sons. If I keep them in mind, I know it’s way too soon to start calling it quits.”

In that spirit, Tiffany Jackson, sister of Allison Lussier, was invited to the stage after the panel discussion. Lussier, a native woman, was murdered by her boyfriend after the Minneapolis police failed to act on numerous 911 calls and orders for protection. Instead of investigating the case as a murder, MPD Chief O’Hara began a public smear campaign against Lussier. He claims her death was caused by a drug overdose, despite the medical examiner’s office saying they were unable to determine how Lussier died. Pressure from family and community supporters recently pushed the city council to order a formal audit of MPD’s handling of Lussier’s case.

Several activists stood beside Jackson, including Alissa Washington, of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-sentenced Families Council-MN. Washington urged the crowd to keep an eye on this case, “We do need all nations to get together on this, you guys. We are Black, white, native up here. We need everybody to mobilize, because we don’t know what will happen.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #BlackHistoryMonth #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #TCC4J #NAARPR

Los Angeles, CA – In East Los Angeles, the grassroots organization Centro CSO has been fighting to ban the Fort Apache logo that East Los Angeles Sheriff's deputies proudly wear on the front right pocket of their uniform. The logo is disrespectful to Chicanos, as it was created by deputy gang members from the Little Red Devils gang out of the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (ELASD) station to glorify their attacks on Raza.

The logo depicts a riot helmet on top of a combat boot with the words “Low Profile” and “Siempre Una Patada En Los Pantalones (Always A Kick In The Pants).” The East Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputies created this logo after beating and killing Chicanos during the Chicano Moratorium on August 29, 1970, in East Los Angeles. The Chicano Moratorium was a large Chicano march, and protest against police brutality as well as the Vietnam War, where countless Chicanos were being sent to the front lines to die in the name of U.S. imperialism. Chicanos demanded an end to the draft and the presence of military recruiters in schools.

The East Los Angeles sheriff's deputies were given orders by then acting Sheriff Peter J. Pitchess to keep a “low profile.” The deputies, who were mostly white and members of one of the first deputy gangs in Los Angeles, the “Little Red Devils,” ignored those orders and decided to attack. When it was all said and done, three Chicanos were dead, including Rubèn Salazar, an award winning journalist with the LA Times.

After the brutal attacks, the East Los Angeles Sheriff deputies created the Fort Apache logo as an unofficial logo for the station. The emblem also takes inspiration from the movie Fort Apache by John Ford as the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies see themselves as an occupying force surrounded by “savages.” In this case, the savages are the working-class Chicanos of East LA.

After the 1970 Chicano Moratorium, the Fort Apache logo was used at the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Station. In 2016, then sheriff Jim McDonnell, who himself collaborated with ICE and turned over thousands of Chicanos to ICE during his time as sheriff, banned it. Even McDonnell acknowledged in his own words that the station logo was “disrespectful to the East Los Angeles community”

Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who served from 2018 until 2022, brought the logo back. It’s important to note that under the “leadership” of Sheriff Villanueva the deputy gang problem grew larger all over LA County, as Alex Villanueva is a rumored leader of the Banditos deputy gang.

The fight to eliminate the Fort Apache logo reignited in October 2024, after East LA Sheriff’s deputies teargassed Centro CSO members and Raza from East Los Angeles, including women and children, who were celebrating in their barrio the Dodgers' NLCS pennant victory.

During the attack, the East LA Sheriff’s deputies were wearing Fort Apache pins on their shirts.

In the days after the incident, Centro CSO organized and mobilized. They put out a statement condemning the attack. They also publicized eyewitness videos of the attack on social media. They organized a press conference right outside the ELASD station along with local organizers like Lorraine Quinones, who has been actively fighting for the right to cruise without being harassed by ELASD deputies. Other Chicanos who were hurt during the ELASD attack on Raza were also in attendance demanding justice.

After the press conference, Centro CSO continued the fight against ELASD by holding regular police accountability committee meetings, doing outreach in the barrio of East Los Angeles, and talking about the need to ban the Fort Apache logo.

Centro CSO held an educational event going over the history of deputy gangs in ELASD with the main focus of educating Chicanos on the Fort Apache logo and how Centro CSO is fighting to ban it.

In late December, Centro CSO found out that their hard work was paying off. The Civilian Oversight Commission, which is appointed by the LA County Board of Supervisors to oversee the Los Angeles Sheriff's department, was going to hold a town hall in East Los Angeles to discuss the brutal repression of Chicanos by Sheriff’s deputies during the Dodger celebration and the use of the Fort Apache logo.

Centro CSO mobilized to get the world out and has been seen tabling and flyering all over East Los Angeles for months in order to talk to Raza, who in many instances are well aware of the deputy gangs in East Los Angeles as they themselves have experienced oppression first hand.

“It’s clear that the Fort Apache logo must be banned. Raza from East Los has been demanding it but LASD Is dragging its feet. This makes the argument for community control of ELASD clear! Our barrio should have power over the deputies that patrol our neighborhood,” says Gabriel Quiroz Jr, one of the co-chairs of the Police Accountability Committee of Centro CSO.

The Fort Apache logo is more than just a logo to Chicanos in East Los Angeles, as they see it as a symbol of the oppression Chicanos go through at the hands of police. For 55 years the logo has been active.

If you would like to attend the town hall on the brutal repression of Chicanos by ELASD and the use of the Fort Apache logo, it will take place on February 27, at 6 p.m. at the East Los Angeles Service Center, which is located at 133 N Sunol Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90063.

Centro CSO is a grassroots organization in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles that fights for public education, Legalization for All and Community Control of Police. Centro CSO is also an affiliate of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). You can reach them at CentroCSO@gmail.com and/ or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Tik Tok under the username CENTROCSO.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #CentroCSO #Feature

San Jose, CA – 30 community members gathered at the San Jose Peace and Justice center, February 22, to celebrate the release of Leonard Peltier from prison and his return home.

Peltier, a leader of the American Indian Movement, had been the longest-held political prisoner in the U.S. After five decades of constant advocacy from activists worldwide calling for his release, Peltier finally returned home on February 18 after former President Biden commuted his sentence just before leaving office.

Members of the community gathered to watch a video of Peltier's welcome home celebration, hosted by the NDN Collective on the Turtle Mountain reservation, in North Dakota. After the video, the crowd assembled outside to watch a series of spoken word, dance and musical performances to celebrate the occasion.

Donna Wallach, a leading organizer with Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley, said, “I’m so happy. I won’t say I never gave up but I always had it in my mind that he was going to get free. If he could struggle from inside for all that he’s been through then who am I to give up on his freedom? He sacrificed 50 years for unity and for freedom for indigenous people and their sovereignty.”

Wallach continued, “I think he will be a force to unite all the tribes together to lead the land back movement. Even with this horrendous administration we have right now – this is the struggle for sovereignty, land back and indigenous recognition.”

Bob Jung of Vigil for Gaza said, “This is great, people fight for social justice and it seems like there’s very few times we win and it’s time to really savor this.” Jung continued, “I’d like to see all the allies coming to support each other – whether it’s the American Indian Movement, immigration, or what’s going on in Palestine.”

Drusie Kazanova of San Jose Against War, which is a member organization of the International League of People’s Struggle, read the ILPS statement on Peltier's release. “While Biden was the one who signed the act to commute Leonard’s sentence, it is not due to any goodwill from the former president who poured endless amounts of money into the genocidal war on Palestine, sold off indigenous lands to fossil fuel corporations and led a campaign of massive state repression against peoples’ movements in the U.S. and abroad,”

Kazanova continued, “It was the mass movement that held high the demand to free Leonard while exposing the imperialist system for keeping him imprisoned unjustly for a crime that was widely known to have been charged under falsified evidence.”

After the performances the event included a open mic segment for community members to speak their mind in honor of Peltier’s freedom.

Wallach expressed the desire to continue organizing to shine a light on other political prisoners such as Mumia Abu Jamal, The Holy Land 5 and many others.

#SanJoseCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalPrisoners #LeonardPeltier

The New York City subway system serves as the primary avenue in which diverse groups of people come into contact. Recently, it’s become the center of many national issues coming up against each other. Economic issues stemming from not being able to afford basic cost of living, the attacks on immigrants, over-policing affecting Black and brown communities, and the rise of vigilantes, are all broad issues that share the NYC subway system as a common thread.

2025 kicked off with an economic attack on working-class New Yorkers: Subway fares are slated to go up from $2.90 to $3.00 this summer, and Congestion Pricing has begun. Congestion Pricing is a $9 tax on all cars driving in the “Congestion Relief Zone” in Manhattan south of 60th Street This was enacted simultaneously with the raising of all tolls in the area. Add to this skyrocketing rent costs, and continuing inflation, and you have a situation where working people are becoming more and more desperate. Due to this, we have seen increased turnstile jumping and people covering up their license plates to avoid the fees. All of this has come with increased policing and surveillance.

Kathy Hochul and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair Janno Lieber are telling us these attacks are being done to raise the funds to repair the broken subway system, to decrease pollution from cars, and even to make the MTA more accessible to people with disabilities. But these politicians and their wealthy backers are not known for policies that battle the climate crisis, or that make our cities more accessible, and they have not proven themselves to care about the poor state of the subway system.

The fact is, they don't care. The MTA is $45 billion in debt to the big Wall Street banks, which is why they continue to raise fares and tolls every year and are implementing Congestion Pricing – to pay off the interest on these loans. When the MTA began to take on debt in the '70s, this kicked off a vicious cycle which has continued ever since. Instead of coming up with the money from elsewhere (like from the $11 billion police budget), they get the money from people commuting to work instead. They make car owners out to be “rich suburbanites who don't care about the environment” and subway riders to be “low income and environmentally conscious,” and pit these two groups against each other. The fact of the matter is, Congestion Pricing is incredibly unpopular, with 60% opposing the measure (75% in the suburbs) in 2024 before it was put into place.

Aside from creating a fog around the real issue, New York politicians are leaning on the oppression of Black New Yorkers to make sure MTA debts get paid. The increase of NYPD presence on the subways is a trend that goes back to Mayor DeBlasio, but it has experienced a huge spike under cop-Mayor Eric Adams. Adams, a former cop, has declared a “crackdown” on fare evasion and added thousands of officers to the subways, whose overtime costs more than the fares lost. In 2023, 82% of those ticketed for fare evasion and 92% of those arrested were Black and brown, and Black New Yorkers have a 10% higher chance of being ticketed for fare evasion than they did six years ago. In September of 2024, Derrell Mickles, a Black man, was shot by NYPD for jumping the turnstile, and another Black man, Gregory Delpeche, a bystander, was shot in the head by a rogue NYPD bullet from the same officer.

This is in addition to other increases in police presence in order to battle so-called “violent crime”. A few high-profile incidents on the subways involving deadly weapons have been jumped on by politicians to justify over-policing and increased surveillance. Stop and Frisk Policing has increased under Adams, Governor Hochul has sent in the National Guard, they’ve installed gun detectors that don’t work, and there is supposed to be a camera on every subway car by this year. Instead of actually investing in people's lives, New York politicians are using cops to shake down Black and brown people to pay off government debts.

This same unwillingness to invest in our communities has created an immigrant housing crisis in NYC. U.S. imperialist policies that have destabilized much of Latin America, coupled with Texas Governor's Abbott's “Operation Lone Star,” have caused an influx of immigrants to New York City. The housing shortage in the city, caused by greedy landlords and politicians, is exacerbated as immigrants and New Yorkers have trouble finding housing. Rather than forcing landlords to rent out their empty units at a decent rent, NYC politicians are pitting immigrants and New Yorkers against each other.

How are NYC politicians handling this? Eric Adams will be destroying 13 migrant shelters in all five boroughs, a reduction of about 10,000 beds. He justifies this by building one new shelter in the Bronx, which will only have the capacity for about 2200 people. He is also cracking down on vendors, mainly Latino, both within the subway and without. Most notably, he wants to reverse NYC's Sanctuary City Laws, by making it easier for the NYPD to collaborate with ICE. In August of 2024, Adams said, “Laws do not allow us to coordinate with ICE. That's the law. And, you know I'm not happy about that.”

NY politicians like Adams, the NYPD, and the mainstream media have teamed up to harp on stories of so-called “migrant crime.” Stories about supposed immigrant involvement in a rape in Coney Island, attacks on police officers, and robberies serve to create a sense of fear in the NYC community. As politicians drum up this fear of taking public transportation, right-wing vigilantes have taken up the cause. We first saw it in 2023 with Daniel Penny, a white, off-duty marine who killed Jordan Neeley, an unhoused Black man who was experiencing a mental health crisis on the subway.

In 2025, the “Alliance of Guardian Angels,” a vigilante group started in the 80s by right-winger Curtis Sliwa, decided to make its comeback. Curtis Sliwa and his crew, who are now focused on patrolling the subways, have been known to target immigrants and other oppressed nationalities. In 2024, they tackled a Bronx man on live TV because he was “speaking Spanish” and had mistaken the man for “a migrant.”

The function of vigilante groups like the Guardian Angels appears similar to other white supremacist groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, which remain active in NYC. These groups have felt validated by the racist policies of Trump during his first term, and we can expect to see this again under his second. They are fueled by a particular narrative pushed by corporate-funded media and our politicians: that immigrants and Black people are the cause of crime in our society, and the powers that be aren't doing enough about it.

The diverse political and social environment of New York City, as well as its size and dominant position in the national economic and social structure, make it an important factor in how things will play out nationwide. Currently, in NYC, we're seeing these conflicts play out on the subway and in our public transportation. We can expect these trends to be reflected all over the country: heightened contradictions between the people, the intensified oppression of Black people and immigrants, and vigilantism.

Trump will try to heighten these conflicts between the people, distracting them from their real enemy, the U.S. ruling class. We must see through the messaging of various politicians, representatives of our ruling class, pushed through their lackeys in the establishment media. We must dig deep to determine the real causes of our suffering and establish the correct target of our anger. We must build the broadest front possible between all those who will be affected by these reactionary policies, which will reach a fever pitch under the Trump presidency.

#InJusticeSystem #NewYorkNY #NY #Subway #PublicTransit