Images from today in ATL

OCTOBER 22nd -- A Day to call attention to police brutality and the incarceration of a generation.

Today was beautiful. Very positive energy and wonderful people out in the street to support an end to the policing of our communities and the incarceration of our friends and families. People shared stories of being abused by the criminal justice system. We remembered those that we have lost at the hands of the system. We marched from Woodruff in downtown Atlanta to the the Atlanta Detention Center. People joined us along the way.

My sign said, "DEAR MAYORAL CANDIDATES, WE DON'T NEED MORE POLICE! WE NEED RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS! WE NEED JOBS!"

We stood outside of the jail and yelled "no justice! no peace! no racist po-lice!" and heard responses from the people inside the Jail yelling back to us. They heard us. We heard them.

OCTOBER 22nd COALITION TO STOP POLICE BRUTALITY

heard about this on the radio this morning (WBAI, which broadcasts my beloved Democracy Now)...haven't yet discerned much about its origens, history, context (beyond the obvious), but worth posting, because it's always important to speak out about police brutality.

"October 22nd is the day when people all over
the country demand a STOP to police
violence, repression, and the criminalization of
a generation. In different cities and through
different means of expression, we raise a
resounding "NO" to these police raids, attacks
on the youth and immigrants, and destroying
of lives."

List of Assembly Points for Oct. 22, 2009
(information is posted as it is received, so check later if your area is not listed yet.)

Atlanta, Ga. oct22atl@gmail.com
1 p.m. rally at Woodruff Park
Peachtree Street & Edgewood Ave (downtown Atlanta)
and then march to Atlanta City Jail

at Georgia State University in Atlanta:
12:15 p.m. rally in the courtyard
speakout and march to Woodruff Park for the citywide event

Chicago, IL. 312 217 2202
12 Noon
Federal Plaza, Adams and Dearborn

Cleveland, OH
3:30 Public Square
(in front of Tower City) in downtown Cleveland

Fresno, CA IWAPGH@aol.com 559-268- 2261
6 p.m. at the park
corner of "N" street and Mariposa St.
Vigil

High Point, N.C.

Humboldt-Eureka-Arcata, CA.
copwatchrwc@riseup.net
707 633 4493
Behind the " redwood curtain", we recognize the 22nd and the 23rd because
16 year old Christopher Burgess, a native youth, was fatally shot by a Eureka cop on
October 23, 2006. We are mobilizing for two continous days of action remembering those who
lost their lives to police, fighting against an international politics of cruelty, and building community
that recognizes everyone's dignity. October 22 and 23rd: guerilla theater, marches,
memorial bike ride, vigil, speak-outs, film screenings, and as always, sharing food, rage,
tears and strength together.

Kansas City, MO.

Los Angeles, CA
contact: aidge@aestheticscrew.com
12 p.m. Gather Crenshaw and Florence in South Central
2 p.m. Marchnorth on Crenshaw to Leimart Park (43rd and Crenshaw)
4 p.m. Rally at Leimart Park
6 p.m. Vigil, and march from Crenshaw to Slauson

Minneapolis, MN
5 p.m. Loring Park
March to Homeless Shelters and other areas strongly impacted by police brutality


New Haven, CT
gather on the steps of New Haven Courthouse
(corner of Elm and Church)
3:30 PM
There will be a speak out
Contact: newhavenrbnyc@aol.com


Newark, NJ.
lvick06@yahoo.com
732 600 2694
Rutgers School of Law, Newark
123 Washington Street, Newark, NJ
Brown bag lunch --
what can law students do about police brutality?
New York, NY
347 586 1773
4:30 p.m. Washington Square Park -- Rally and March (assemble west of fountain)
6:30 p.m. Voices Against Police Brutality -- music and art protesting police brutality
at Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 208 West 13th Street
(7th Avenue and 13th St.)


Olympia, WA
Contact: mailto:ersatzcats@gmail.com

Pensacola, Florida
october22pensacola@gmail.com
5 p.m. corner of Hayne and Cervantes
(near the Pensacola Police Department), then
Marching to Pensacola City Hall meeting that
begins at 7 p.m. at 180 Governmental Center/ 222 West Main Street

Phoenix, Arizona
contact: 602 232 5884

Pittsburgh, PA
Contact: taylorceleste@hotmail.com, kennethalanmiller@yahoo.com
Freedom Corner


San Antonio, TX
Contact: jgemgaiton@aim.com

San Diego, CA
Contact: Jjordan@janicejordan.org

San Francisco/Bay Area oct22BayArea@gmail.com
12 noon
Oakland City Hall Plaza, 14th and Broadway
Rally and March
and then to the neighborhoods


Seattle, WA
Contact: oct22seattle@hotmail.com/ 206-264-5527
Occidental Park (between S. Washington St. and S. Main St.,
and between 1st Ave. S. and 2nd Ave. S. in Seattle's Pioneer Square District)
5 p.m. gather
5:30 Rally
6:15 March
Disperse at Westlake Park (4th Ave and Pine St.)


Sonoma County, CA

St. Louis, MO
contact: 314 454 9005
capcr_cob@hotmail.com


Bahamas:
Sharaht@gmail.com Thebrentonfoundation.org
March for Justice October 12
9 a.m. Arawak Cay
Justice for Brenton Smith

CANADA:

Guelph, ON:
Contact: guelphunionoftenants@yahoo.com

Montreal, QC
Contact: cobp@hotmail.com

here's a little more on who this is coming from:

National Coordinating Committee (NCC)
The core of the NCC is the six representatives of groups who participated in the finalizing of the date, call and slogan. These are Pam Africa (International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal), Akil Al-Jundi (Community Self-Defense Program), Angel Cervantes (Four Winds Student Movement), Omowale Clay (December 12th Movement), Carl Dix (Revolutionary Communist Party) and Keith McHenry (Food not Bombs).

in response to Oscar Grant protests

Stacie, a dear friend of "the radical kids club" sends us this statement released by Critical Resistance. I need to think about pacifism and I need to figure out for myself what forms of resistance I think work in bringing attention to injustice. Regardless of our personal opinions on the matter WE MUST GET THESE CHARGES DROPPED NOW.


Stand against further criminalization of members of our community!
Drop the charges against all people arrested during the Oscar Grant demonstrations!

Oscar Grant’s execution is not an isolated event. Executions of people of color, particularly young people of color, are a brutal reality in our communities, and we are right to be angry.

More than 120 people, mostly young people of color were arrested on January 7th and January 14th; more than 120 people were not allowed to sleep in their homes those nights. Are we any safer without them?

Everyday the police terrorize our communities, and everyday we resist. January 7th and January 14th were a part of this resistance.

We need to rethink real safety in Oakland and in our communities, just as we need to rethink what we call violence. We know the police value private property over human life. And though we might not agree totally with all the targets of people’s understandable rage, we cannot allow sensationalist media images to divide our communities and divert our attention. This is not about broken glass. This is about the police execution of an irreplaceable member of our community.

We need to build leadership as we stand face to face with cops in riot gear. We must collectively share our knowledge and experience so that we can make strong, more informed decisions. We need to stand together as we fight together for community self-determination.

We stand with our youth on the streets and we ask you to stand with us. Our youth cannot be left alone; we cannot leave them hanging or ostracize them for standing up. The police, the city, the state, want us to be divided, and they aim to separate us; that’s why they arrest us, shoot us, and beat us in the streets.

Given what happens in this city, in our communities and neighborhoods everyday, we must stand in the street, express our anger and organize for just, healthy, and sustainable communities. This is not an issue of one “bad” cop. This is about the violence of policing. The trial of this killer cop does not mark the end of our struggle. We must struggle together for collective liberation, to be free from policing, surveillance and incarceration, and to decide for ourselves what being safe really means.

What is happening in Oakland is happening all over the world. On New Year’s day, New Orleans police shot Adolph Grimes III, a 22-year old Black father, 14 times, including 12 times in the back. On this same day, police in Bellaire, Texas shot Robbie Tolan, another unarmed, young Black man, in the chest while in his driveway at home. Robbie Tolan is still in the hospital. While the police continue to terrorize our communities here, the Palestinian people fight for their lives in Gaza against genocide perpetrated by the US-backed state of Israel. We are united with our brothers and sisters in Gaza, with our indigenous relatives in North and South America, with a worldwide struggle for self-determination. We are strong because we know we are not alone.

if you haven't already, please call the following people and ask them to drop the charges.
Alameda County District Attorney Thomas Orloff (510) 272-6222
Mayor Ron Dellums (510) 238-3141



*This statement was written by active members of Critical Resistance Oakland, who are committed to abolishing the prison-industrial complex. (January 14th, 2008).

For more information about Critical Resistance visit: www.criticalresistance.org or call 510-444-0484.

Rally and Rage Over BART Police Murder of Oscar Grant

from San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center:
updated 01/13/09

Fruitvale BART Station Rally Followed by Riots in the Streets of Oakland On January 7th at 11am, a memorial service was held for Oscar Grant at Palma Ceia Baptist Church in Oakland.

In the early afternoon of January 7th, it was announced that officer Johannes Mehserle had resigned from the BART police force so he would not be forced to testify at an internal hearing.

Later in the day, a rally was held at the Fruitvale BART station. Protesters gathered at 3pm and by 5pm the crowd had swelled to over one thousand people. Organizers noted that they intend to build a movement against police brutality and plan to hold several other demonstrations in the coming weeks. After dozens of speakers addressed the crowd for about 2 hours, a march began. Hundreds of protesters marched up International Blvd towards downtown Oakland. As the crowd passed the Lake Merritt BART area, there was a brief confrontation where a police car was attacked and a dumpster lit on fire. Within minutes, riot police arrived and shot tear gas into the crowd. The protest continued into the night as dozens of protesters took over and blocked the intersection of 14th and Broadway for over an hour, with chants of "We are Oscar Grant." A line of riot police then moved in to push the crowd out of the intersection and down 14th Street toward Lake Merritt. The protesters ran down 14th where dozens of car windows were broken and an SUV was set on fire. Police forces charged toward the group a few blocks later, and as protesters dispersed, windows were broken at a McDonald's.

About 9pm, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums appeared near the Lake Merritt end of 14th Street and began walking back towards Broadway passing the damage along the way. People confronted him regarding the BART officer still not having been detained or even questioned one week later. Once Dellums, and the growing crowd following him, arrived at City Hall in Frank Ogawa Plaza, he addressed about 200 protesters from the steps of City Hall. He told the crowd to be respectful. He said the killing was a homicide and that he had ordered the City of Oakland to investigate the BART killing. The crowd interrupted much of his speech, expressing their displeasure with the situation.

As Dellums finished talking to the crowd and headed into City Hall, the crowd starting booing and then many people chanted "Round 2" and rushed toward San Pablo Ave. breaking more car windows. Tear gas was again fired by police. Protesters moved towards Lake Merritt down 17th Street. More windows were smashed and more dumpsters were set on fire. Another car was burned. At about 10pm, police in gas masks in police cars swooped in on protesters at 17th and Jackson. At that point, the crowd of protesters split up again and headed in several different directions. After a sizable crowd began to reconvene at 15th and Broadway, many headed up Telegraph, pulling objects into the road and breaking more windows. Just before 11pm, around 50 people were surrounded by police across from the Paramount Theater on Broadway. Many protesters lay down on the ground as police moved in to arrest them.

Oakland police are reporting that they arrested 105 people for a variety of offenses. Many have been released but some are still being held at Santa Rita jail or the Glenn Dyer County Jail..

Support for arrestees still being detained was called for at two hearings Friday, January 9th. Also on January 9th, students from Oakland High marched to the court house. On Monday, January 12th, there was a demonstation in SF: Photos. CAPE, the Coalition Against Police Execution, has called for a Rally for Justice for Oscar Grant at Oakland City Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 14th starting at 4pm. There will be a benefit for legal defense Saturday, January 17th.

The National Lawyer's Guild has been taking reports of arrests and instances of police brutality at (415) 285-1011.