march

SAT Nov 10th: Bay Area Families March Against Police Brutality & Racial Profiling

Posted by copwatch | Fri, 11/09/2012 - 11:42pm event

http://justice4alanblueford.org/

Alan Blueford, an 18-year-old African American student from Skyline High School, was  shot and  killed by Oakland Police Officer Miguel Masso on May 6, 2012. The Blueford family and JAB coalition strongly condemn the DA’s report and reject all attempts to cover up their son's murder.  We demand Masso be fired and prosecuted, and all racial profiling practices, including stop and frisk, be stopped immediately!

END RACIAL PROFILING! 

Justice 4 Alan Blueford Coalition       www.justice4alanblueford.org

The Blueford Family and the Justice 4 Alan Blueford Coalition wish to extend a special invitation to all families who have been victimized or lost a loved one to police brutality.  Please march together with the Bluefords and our communities to show our resistance and to say NO to this illegal and reprehensible violence from law enforcement. 

This march will occur on Saturday, November 10, at Noon, starting at 14th & Broadway, Oscar Grant Plaza,  in downtown Oakland (12th/14th St BART).   We will rally and march including a brief stop at the Oakland Police Department Headquarters, returning back to  Oscar Grant Plaza for a gathering (~ 1.5 mi).

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS & HOW TO EXERCISE THEM (pg4 Days of Action 2012 booklet)

Posted by copwatch | Sun, 10/28/2012 - 3:30pm story

 

Stand up for your rights.      We are all leaders.    Stay present.

We are here as community to be aware of each other and take care of one another.

The system that criminalizes one of us has the potential to criminalize us all.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS & HOW TO EXERCISE THEM

Each of us has the right to free speech, to travel and to assemble (1st Amendment to the Constitution). Nevertheless, the police or Sheriff may give people a hard time. Do not ask cops for legal advice. Officers are allowed to LIE, and they do. Even if you are on parole or probation, you never have to speak to a cop.

You never have to speak to or answer an officer, so don't!
It is always a better idea to continue chanting with everyone else.

►If a cop approaches, ask “Am I free to go?” If they don't tell you that you must stay or that you're detained, calmly walk away. Even if you are being detained, do not answer questions.

►If an officer questions, threatens, detains, or arrests you at any time, you can say the magic words: “I choose to remain silent. I want to see a lawyer.” Then remain silent. These words and the refusal to talk to any law officer is protected by the 5th Amendment. Officers are not supposed to ask you questions once you have said you want to see a lawyer.* They will often try to intimidate you into talking. The safest words are the magic words.

►Remaining silent. If you do speak to the officers, follow it up with the magic words and nothing else. *After you have said you want to see a lawyer, officers are only permitted to ask your name and address. You can continue to remain silent. If an officer tries to search you or your property, clearly say “I do not consent to a search.” Stay calm, even if the cop searches anyway. Say the magic words.

►The magic words protect you from police questions & conversation. Police are trained to get you to talk and give up your rights.

►You are not required to “keep moving”; only to make sure people can get by (that you’re not blocking their passage)


If ARRESTED, say the Magic Words:

 
“I choose to remain silent. I want to see a lawyer.”

Vallejo Police Murdered Mario Romero; They Opened Fire On Him In His Car Sunday Morning

Posted by copwatch | Mon, 09/03/2012 - 9:52pm story
Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr National President of The National Network In Action, a civil and human rights organization, will be holding a Press Conference and a March in front of the Vallejo Police Department. In regards to the recent brutal murder of Mr. Mario Romero by the Vallejo Police Department early Sunday morning [Sept 2, 2012].
There were two young men whom police confronted. Witnesses reported that Mr. Romero never got out of his car when officers opened fire, shooting 30 times into the car reported by witness.  There were no reports of Mr. Romero shooting at the Vallejo Police. The minority community is taking a stand for justice against the ROGUE COPS of the Vallejo Police. There has been 7 officer-involved shootings and 5 of the shootings have been fatal. The Vallejo Police don’t have the right to be the JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTIONER.

Support Prisoners on Hunger Strike at Three North Carolina Prisons!

Posted by copwatch | Fri, 07/20/2012 - 1:32pm story

Prisoners Begin Hunger Strike at Three Facilities In NC

On Monday July 16th 2012, prisoners at Central Prison in Raleigh, Bertie CI in Windsor, and Scotland CI in Laurinburg all began a coordinated hunger strike. The men have issued a series of demands revolving around food, healthcare, abuse by guards, and in particular for a return of prison law libraries, and are encouraging other prisoners to join in with their own actions and demands. They are also calling for the release of those on I-Con status and the abolition of separate control statuses. The prisoners have vowed not to eat until their demands are met. [see prisoners' demands below]

Correspondence with the prisoners has confirmed the strike at several facilities, and that at least at Central Prison over 100 prisoners began the strike on Monday. Prisoners have encouraged supporters to call or fax the administrations of these different facilities as well as Director Robert Lewis (see information below), to “march or protest in front of Central Prison and others,” “boycott all products being sold in these prisons,” and to “contact media outlets and let them know what we are doing.” 

2011 in Photos: From the Front Lines of the Bay

Posted by copwatch | Wed, 01/04/2012 - 8:41pm story
by Bay of Rage  Saturday Dec 31st, 2011 2:15 AM

Over the past few years, a skeptical optimism began to emerge among those in this country who had defined themselves in open antagonism towards capital and the state. It seemed possible that maybe, just maybe, the terrain of struggle was finally shifting and the balance of forces would slowly tip in our favor.

640_2011_1.jpg original image ( 791x439)
640_2011_1.jpg
original image ( 791x439)

It's Not Over: Abolish Long-Term Solitary Confinement!

Posted by copwatch | Sun, 07/24/2011 - 3:10am story

Support Still Needed!

Posted on July 22, 2011 by  

The message from Hunger Striking prisoners across California this week is clear:  Support from people on the outside is more important than ever.

  excerpt of letter from prisoner at CCI Tehachapi; July 21, 2011

...As far as we last heard it’s been like 12 prisons that are involved. Here there are a lot of people on strike - all races, Pelican Bay and Corcoran for sure...
... All they do is weigh us and take our vitals (blood pressure, temp., and heart rate), but of course they weigh us in chains to weigh us down and they allow the c/o's to operate the scale. I am at 171 on my last weigh-in, down from 185. They attempt to take my blood, which I refuse; I'm weak as it is, if I do that I’ll fall out.

 

They truly don't care and they are perfectly content in watching us pass rather than admit fault and make changes to a policy that is brutal and baseless. I can’t take my medication anymore because I have to take it with food… I asked for help and they just ignored me.

"Prisoners Are Human Beings! Meet the Five Demands Now!" Rally Cries of People in Solidarity With Hunger Striking SHU Prisoners [VIDEOS, Words from Hugo Pinell included]

Posted by copwatch | Thu, 07/21/2011 - 10:10am story

Three weeks with No Food, Solidarity Strengthens

Posted on July 19, 2011 by   

Yesterday, 200 family members, community members and lawyers across CA mobilized outside the headquarters of California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) in Sacramento to demonstrate their support of the people on hunger strike at Pelican Bay, Corcoran and other prisons, and to call on the CDCR and Governor Brown to intervene in this urgent, life-death matter.

Marching and chanting strong, a small delegation entered the CDCR lobby to deliver the over 7500 petitions and allow family members to ask questions about their striking loved ones. Oscar Hidalgo, CDCR Communications Director, came out after over 40 minutes of waiting and police threatening to arrest supporters for “trespassing” if they didn’t leave the lobby. No arrests were made.

After a useless conversation with Mr. Hidalgo, the crowd decided to march to the state capitol building to confront Governor Brown’s office, continuing to chant and play drums. A smaller delegation of family members, someone who had been in the SHU, and another former prisoner, went into the Governor’s office and met with his corrections staff person Aaron Macguire and Director of External Affairs, Nick Velasquez. The delegation demanded more answers.

Family members shared their intimate, painful stories of how their loved ones are being tortured, including a mother who had two sons in the Pelican Bay Security Housing Unit (SHU).  The person who had served in the SHU 13 years ago vividly described how toilet paper and mail were used to terrorize him.

According to Manuel La Fontaine, a former prisoner and organizer with All of Us or None and Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity, “The multi-racial, multi-generational, and multi-geographical representation of people power shown outside prison in solidarity with the hunger strikers reflects the solidarity happening inside the Security Housing Unit amongst prisoners across racial, generational, and geographic lines.”  Members from the Yurok Nation closed the action in front of the capitol with a warrior song to honor the courageous hunger strikers in their 18 days without food.

For news coverage of this action, click here (TV) and here (print) or visit the Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity  “Press” page.

What Part of ‘Killed_Unarmed_Black_Man = Murder’ Doesn’t OPD Understand? (2 articles, video)

Posted by copwatch | Thu, 12/16/2010 - 12:00am story

...If we win any justice for Derrick Jones it will only come through the same protests and mobilizations. This will have to start with people getting the word out and mobilizing--in churches, in streets and in schools. It will come through not being afraid to stand up and speak out, even if we have to yell over carols at City Council meetings.

Demanding Justice for Derrick Jones    By Francois Hughes   December 15, 2010

OAKLAND, Calif.--Some 75 protesters gathered at a City Council meeting on December 14 to protest the killing of Derrick Jones and the inaction of the city government in the face of racist police murder. videophotoVideo and Photo

Derrick Jones Didn't Have To Die! [photos, then article]

Posted by copwatch | Fri, 12/24/2010 - 1:04pm story
December 11, 2010  by readers of Revolution, revcom.us

In the face of brutality and repression, there is a mood of resistance in Oakland that is building. 

During the rally at the Fruitvale BART Station, where Oscar Grant was murdered, this youngster had the courage to wave a flier for Derrick Jones in the faces of the Oakland police “protecting” the station from the protesters. – Photo: Felix Barrett

Sept 12th- Poor People's March for Human Rights!

Posted by copwatch | Thu, 09/03/2009 - 5:10pm event

from People for a Human Rights Sanctuary:

POOR PEOPLE'S MARCH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS!   Saturday, September 12th in Eureka

Poor People's March for Human Rights
followed by a speak-out Celebration with food and music!
March together for HUMAN RIGHTS:  safe shelter, healthy food, healthcare, and dignity FOR ALL.

Days of Action Details

Posted by copwatch | Mon, 10/19/2009 - 12:51am story

On Thursday, October 22nd, people all over the U.S. will be gathering in strength on what will be the 14th recognized National Day of Action Against Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation!