from the National Office of the October 22nd Coalition to build a National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation
Hours: 1 p.m. to 8 Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Phone at office: 212-664-7793 Voice mail: 212-822-8596 1-888-NO BRUTALITY
Fax: 212 664 7794 website: http://www.october22.org
Address: Oct 22 c/o KHL Inc. (Box 124), l60 First Ave., New York, New York l0009 Checks should be made out to: Oct.22/IFCO (tax deductible)
(Answers to commonly asked questions: KHL Inc. is the store where we have a mailbox (Box 124). IFCO stands for Interreligious Foundation for Community Organizing. IFCO is our financial sponsor, which enables us to have non-profit status and accept checks and money orders. IFCO is an endorser/sponsor of October 22nd National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality.)
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Abner Louima's statement to the New York demo was: "I am a victim of police brutality. I am not here with you in the flesh, but I am with you in the spirit. I am calling to tell you that I support the October 22nd Coalition and the efforts to get rid of police brutality in this nation. What happened to me could have been avoided, if there were more organizations like the October 22nd Coalition. I know the road to justice is long, but don't be discouraged. I want you to keep on fighting until we win this war. We are in a war for our lives. We have to keep on fighting against anyone who abuses their power whether they wear a blue uniform or any other uniform. We have to say no to brutality. I want to thank all of you who have prayed for my recovery. I hope that one day I will be able to see all of you in person the next time we hold a rally. Thank you and God Bless you."
This newsletter only covers the initial reports we had received by Friday, October 24. We know that there were many more activities in a variety of places and forms, but we were not able to collect all stories in time. There will be another newsletter by mid-November, which will contain much more detailed reports. PLEASE DON'T KEEP OCT. 22 EVENTS SECRET! The people need to know how much resistance there is to police brutality. Call the National Office at 212-664-7793 to report places where large numbers of people wore black, or events in more places than are listed here.
The Mission Statement of the October 22nd Coalition says: "The National Day of Protest aims to bring forward a powerful, visible, national protest against police brutality and the criminalization of a generation. It aims to expose the state's repressive program. It aims to bring forward those most directly under the gun of police brutality AND to also reach into all parts of society bringing forward others to stand in the fight against this official brutality. And the National Day of Protest aims to strengthen the peoples' organized capacity for resistance in a variety of ways".
These initial reports indicate that we did just that. Many thousands of people across the country participated this year, in more than 55 geographical areas, and with different methods of protest. October 22nd actions have succeeded in building the bridge for people to walk across -- clergy, lawyers, artists, prominent people stand together with youth from the neighborhoods and families of victims and shout: NO MORE POLICE BRUTALITY! The October 22nd actions also stated loud and clear that this is a NATIONAL epidemic of police violence, and that people want to get organized to deal with it. The strong response to the names in the Stolen Lives booklet, in whatever form they are displayed, shows that people do not want these murders to be covered up any longer. Many people from small towns and isolated areas called in on the 1-888- number, and asked how could they start an October 22nd committee in their area. We still have a lot work to do to bring more people across the bridge, but we should be very proud of what we have done, and what our actions have accomplished.
Major contributions of time and effort were made by many different artists in the making of the video public service announcements which had a substantial impact on making October 22nd a success. Several of them ran on MTV and VH1 for many weeks before October 22nd, resulting in over 300 calls to the National Office from people wanting to get involved in their areas. Video PSA's made with Wyclef Jean of the Fugees, Reg E. Gaines, Joie Lee and Rashidah Grinage (whose husband and son were killed by Oakland police) were shown on BET in paid spots on October 21 and the morning of October 22nd. Video PSA's for October 22nd and the Stolen Lives Project have been made with: Wyclef Jean of the Fugees, Reg E. Gaines, Joie Lee, Danny Hoch, Goodie Mob, Rashidah Grinage, Margarita Rosario (whose son and nephew were killed by New York police), Iris Baez (whose son was killed by NYC police), Nicholas Heyward (whose son was killed by NYC police), and Rev. Lawrence Lucas who has been a strong fighter against police brutality in the NYC area. There is also a PSA using home video footage of Jerrold Hall, a black man who was killed in the Bay Area at the age of l9. He was unarmed. Video PSAs have been made with hip-hop artist Lord Jamal of Brand Nubian, and the hip hop group Dead Prez. There are also several powerful conceptual PSAs made by video artists in San Francisco-- such as one which compares the police brutality in the US in the 90s with the situation that existed in Germany under Hitler. These tapes are available through the National Office, and efforts should continue to get them shown broadly.
Another major contribution in getting the word out broadly was made by Jerry Quickley (poet), Melvin Van Peebles (filmmaker & actor), Ossie Davis (actor), and Michael Moore (filmmaker), who participated in reading the names from the Stolen Lives Project for the radio. Errol Maitland, whose son was killed by security guards in Spartanburg, South Carolina, produced the segment, which aired nationally on October 22nd on "Democracy Now", a Pacifica show. Cassette tapes of this segment are available through the National Office.
Press breakthroughs. The August meeting of the National Coordinating Committee set a goal of breaking out into the press in a big way around the Day. Press before the day clearly helps build attendance and support, but press on or after the day is very important in getting the word out to millions of people that there is an organized resistance to police brutality. This year the press coverage on a national level was outstanding. In New York, 40 media people attended the rally and a major color photo spread appeared in the Daily News (widely distributed in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut). In Chicago, press people hounded the speakers for interviews. Many areas received excellent coverage from TV, radio and print media. Most coverage did pick up on the point that this was a NATIONAL day, protesting a national epidemic of police brutality. This is a significant advance from last year, when even the best coverage treated the demos as a local phenomenon. National press coverage that we know of now includes: "Equal Time" on CNBC featuring Jim Lafferty; Abner Louima's quote featured on Geraldo's night time show; AP story on the wire nationally; "Democracy Now" on Pacifica; and "Debates, Debates" on national PBS. We know of shows and articles that are planned for later. Many areas reported strong local coverage (with the exception of Honolulu, where organizers reported that there appeared to have been a decision made not to cover them).
Areas should continue to send in any press clippings, video footage, or details of press coverage, so that the full picture of the press coverage can be assessed. Press work can be done now to follow up on the day, with columnists or op-ed writers who are writing about police brutality, or local, alternative and college papers who would write about it after the day, especially if they get photographs.
What else did we accomplish this year? Our Mission Statement says:
"The National Day of Protest will heighten the people's ability to resist in several ways:
A) Groups already involved in the fight against police brutality can grow stronger and more organized through participating in this powerful day of national protest.
B) Through working together and jointly planning and evaluating our efforts, the many groups involved can develop more effective ways of working together and a more effective unity.
C) The success of the day can inspire new groups in new places to take up the fight against police brutality.
D) New forms of struggle and new forms of organization can develop through the course of this effort.
This year we saw many of those goals achieved. Our National Coordinating Committee, composed of different organizations and individuals with much variance in political beliefs, reached new levels of cooperation and working together via the National meeting and the conference calls. The Speakers Bureau, which was widely used with the press, and the lists of people who spoke at the press conferences and the demonstrations, are an expression of our increased ability to work together, while still maintaining our differences. The List of Endorsers, with over 250 names of people of many different political perspectives, is another strong example of that. This year, many new groups in new places were formed, as people called in from the 1-888-No Brutality number, or the Web site, and started organizing. In some places, people got inspiration from other areas to form organization. For example in Detroit, they are thinking of forming a Families against Brutality from the example of New York's Parents Against Brutality. The development of new forms of struggle took a leap this year with all the creative and participative work that was done to build the Stolen Lives Project, allowing the people to fight and express their voice in a new way.
The artistic visual expressions that were created, such as the obelisk monument in Chicago or the Stolen Lives Wall in San Francisco, the many art shows against brutality, and the new Stolen Lives booklet, are expressions of that. And the use of extremely powerful organizing tools such as the public service announcement videos, the reading of the names on the radio, the 1-888-No Brutality number, or the Web site, heightened the people's ability to resist.
We have learned a lot and grown a lot through the fight to build this year's National Day of Protest against Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation. We know already that we will need to apply our knowledge next year to taking out the Stolen Lives Project even more broadly in society. Because we are a coalition, made up of very different organizations and individuals, the next steps are not always clear and the process is not always fast. But we do know that we need to heed Abner Louima's statement: "I know the road to justice is long, but don't be discouraged. I want you to keep on fighting until we win this war. We are in a war for our lives".
We have done a lot, but there is still work to be done. Local areas need to stay together and remain active. Nationally, we all need to sum up what we liked about this year's efforts, and what needs to be done differently. We have to get back to people that we met in building for October 22nd, let them know what happened, get their ideas on what needs to happen. We have to continue to assess the impact of October 22nd, through collecting various press articles, but also by talking to people, old friends and new. We must seek out the ways to get Stolen Lives Project out broadly in society, through the continued use of the PSAs, the book, the tapes, and so on.
The next newsletter, which will come out in mid-November, will include deeper coverage of the October 22nd events nationally, along with photographs from some of the events. It will be something that can be used very broadly as an organizing and fundraising tool. Suggestions and submissions welcomed.
The National Coordinating Committee is having a conference call next week. One of the items on the agenda is a possible national meeting before the end of the year to sum up and make new plans. Notes on the conference call will be made available to you as quickly as possible.
Good work -- good luck -- keep up the fight -- and stay in touch!
Albany, New York: Busload of students came down from SUNY Albany to join the New York demo.
Albuquerque: Thirty to 40 people organized by New Mexico Vecinos United held a march at 4 p.m. in front of the District Attorney's Office, calling for the resignation of the DA, but they established dialogue and backed off that demand. They proceded to the Police Department and then finally to City Hall. A candlelight vigil for victims of police brutality followed. New Mexico Vecinos United has been organizing against police brutality for a long time. The recently elected mayor supports independent citizen police review boards, which was one of their demands. The police chief was recently fired, which was also one of their demands. They expressed that they are really glad to be part of the October 22nd Coalition.
Atlanta: On October 21st, a regularly scheduled poetry reading at "Mecca" turned into an October 22nd event, as the poets and performers focused their art around stopping police brutality. About 75 people came. On the 22nd, about 85 mainly young people gathered at Woodruff Park at 3 p.m., marched through downtown, stopping at key places, carrying tombstones and pictures of people killed. Speakers were: Task Force for the Homeless, Immigrant Rights Task Force, and Brenda Jackson, mother of Jerry Jackson who was murdered by police in l995. Another woman spoke who is organizing for reform in the Georgia state prison system. Her son is a state prisoner in the Georgia prison system. Local CBS, NBC and ABC stations and one radio station covered the actions. In the evening of October 22nd, they held a cultural event at "Outta Control", a downtown club, with about l5 poets and 4 to 5 different musical people. About 75 people came.
Anaheim, California: About 70 people gathered at Little People's Park , 5 blocks from the police department. Little People's Park was the site of a major riot twenty years ago, which had erupted from a case of police abuse. Parents of victims of police murder spoke at the rally. The TV station coverage showed that the marchers were a mix of people-- Anglos, African-Americans, Latinos, old and young. UNITED NEIGHBORHOODS organized the march. Ann Arbor, Michigan: A rally was held at City Hall, 5th and Huron.
Austin, Texas: Around l0 people went out to a main intersection and passed out l00's of flyers building for an action against police brutality on Saturday, October 25th. They then went up to University of Texas at Austin to organize for the Saturday event.
Boston, Massachusetts: On October 20th, about 50 people attended a symposium on police brutality held at Northeastern Law School at Cargill Hill. Speakers were Prof. John Flym, Robert Meeropol, Carl Dix, Rev. Eugene F. Rivers III, and Rev. Talbert Swan II.
Chicago: "Against the Nightstick: Art against Police Brutality", an exhibit of painting, sculpture, photography and video opened October l7th at Roberto Lopez Gallery with a poetry performance featuring Tara Belts, Reggie Gibson, Mario, Dred Sista Ren and other poets. The exhibit built for October 22nd, and runs through October 31st.
On the 22nd, buses came from the southside neighborhood, a black alternative high school on the northside, a latino alternative high school, and several housing projects, to join the rally of 550 people. Churches and community organizations participated. The rally had music from a reggae band, and some guerrilla theater which featured a huge papier mache policeman enacting the beating of a citizen. 500 black balloons commemorating the stolen lives murdered by police were released into the sky next to the Stolen Lives Memorial monument. The high point of the rally were the mothers who all came up to the stage with placards of their sons who'd been murdered or beaten by police. The mother of Jeremiah Mearday, gave a very moving speech. He was an l8 year old black youth who'd recently gotten brutally beaten up, and whose beating has caused a crisis in the City of Chicago, forcing the Superintendant of Police to suspend the two cops who committed the atrocity. The March of Injustice went on to the federal building, the INS and ended up at the main police station.
At LP High School, at least 4 teachers wore black, and about 30% of the students wore black. At 11:40 a.m. someone pulled a fire bell and people left. A dozen left before that. Generally everyone said it was great fun and not a normal school day, because everyone was discussing and debating police brutality all day long.
Cincinnati: Excerpts were read from the Stolen Lives booklets. About 5 people passed out leaflets to passers-by. Plans were made to organize for next year.
Cleveland: Students at a private school run by a conservative religious group wanted to do l0/22 in as big a way as possible. At first they were working with a teacher that they thought was cool, but then he was sent to the Promise Keepers rally in D.C. and came back saying that he had heard that NDP- l0/22 was a bad thing. He then turned in all the students who had been working on it, about 45! They continued to do organizing, producing thousands of flyers and stickers. They gave up their gym period on l0/21 in order to have a rally for l0/22. After school they passed out 4,000 flyers and put up posters. A lot of barriers around cliques and nationalities were broken down within the school.
At 4 p.m., on l0/22, the main rally at Public Square drew 120 people of different nationalities, old and young. Anna Maria Cora, cousin of James Rhodes, who was beaten and murdered by the police, read the local names from the Stolen Lives Project. Then 5 people read the entire book of 500 names from across the country. Vernon Bellecourt from American Indian Movement spoke against police brutality and how it is related to the violence against native people from the time the white man landed. Youth from Athens, Ohio, the NAACP from Cleveland State University, legal observers from Case Western University law school NLG, and homeless people from Cleveland joined the march. Food Not Bombs handed out hot soup in the cold weather. Some youth initiated a march to a demonstration of Native American people against the "Chief Wahoo" mascot for the Cleveland baseball team. The October 22nd people joined the protest of the 500 Years Committee, who were one of the first endorsers of l0/22 in Cleveland. The march went to the Justice Center where prisoners looked out of windows, happy to see a group opposing the imprisonment of a whole generation. Press coverage was one local TV station, one radio station, and one campus newspaper from Cleveland State.
Columbus, Ohio: As part of ARA (Anti-Racist Action) Network's annual conference, held October 17-19 in Columbus Ohio, 200 youth from all over the country marched through downtown Columbus and then held a rally on campus.
Detroit: Had on their flyer: 4 p.m. until the truth comes out! In spite of a snowfall, 80-100 people showed up for a speakout, including people from Ann Arbor, Michigan and all over. Speakers were Malik Shabazz from the Marcus Garvey Movement, the family of Gary Glen, and poets and organizations. Pictures from the Stolen Lives book were carried on a 36 x l8" billboard, getting response from the crowd driving by. One of the families is planning on starting a Families against Police Brutality. Detroit is having a follow-up meeting next week, to plan for next year.
Denver, Colorado: A rally was held at 6:30 p.m. on the West Steps of the State Capitol.
El Paso, Texas: Sixty people attended the Art Vs. Brutality show, with music and poets, that was held from l-3 p.m. at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Eugene, Oregon: A march and speakout was held at Scoburn Park. 2 TV stations and 3 radio stations interviewed the organizers. Eugene has recently been the center of an investigation around deaths from the use of pepper spray.
Fayetteville, Arkansas: A group of people distributed leaflets and set up a literature table at a "punk rock" show on October 22nd.
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Over 200 people marched from the Monroe Mall Amphitheater through downtown Grand Rapids. They went through the busiest intersection, took up the whole street, and ended up at the Hall of Justice. No police presence was visible. 2 major TV stations showed up to cover it, along with a radio station. They plan on starting a COPWATCH in their area.
Houston, Texas: The night before October 22nd, we held a Poets Against Police Brutality night at a popular bar. A group of poets mainly from the Black community reached out to some other poets and musicians, to have a very multi-national event of about 30 people.
On October 22, about l00 people marched to the construction site of a new federal detention center, reading off names from the Stolen Lives booklet on the route, interspersed with "Presente!" People chanted, "Your badge is not a license to kill! No justice! No peace! No murdering police!" Speakers were Travis Morales, supporter of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Deloyd Parker from the S.H.A.P.E Community Center, Minister Quannell X of Mental Freedom Obtains Independence, Ned Parker from Food Not Bombs,someone from the Guatemala Support Network, and the Wobblies. A poet, Traumatiz'D, read a poem. A woman passerby looked in the SLP booklet for the name of a friend of hers who had been killed by police. She found it and wrote a tribute to him on the spot.
At the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center in Houston's black community, most of the 20 youth in their alternative school wore black. At a suburban high school in Stafford, Texas, 50 students wore black. In several offices of social workers and attorneys, people wore black.
Honolulu, Hawaii: A rally started off with 50 people, but by the end of the day had involved 170 people, was held at the University of Hawaii for 2 hours. 200 black armbands were passed out, lots of stickers, and lots of people wearing black. One student said half of her class was wearing black. Speakers spoke about how police brutality was covered up in Hawaii. The Abner Louima statement of l0/20 endorsing the National Day of Protest was read, the Stolen Lives project was announced and people encouraged to write in. No press came at all, which was very unusual. Normally they get good press coverage on events. This time reporters who had told them the night before that they would be there didn't show up. Organizers felt there was a clear attempt to keep it out of the news. Afterwards, there was a march of 70 which started at the "Big Wall" across from the Zoo and continued through Waikiki to the police station down there.
Ithaca, New York: Sixty Cornell University students held a march from North Campus and West Campus to meet on Central campus. Afterwards, there was a two hour rally with bands and speakers. At the rally, a dozen people spoke, including a lesbian professor and local people, who spoke about brutality. It made the front page of the Cornell newspaper. Some campus officials tried to deny them a bullhorn, and tried to make them move inside. The clocktower bells rang at 7:30 p.m., disrupting the rally, when they usually ring at 8 p.m. The organizer, President of campus ARA, said that he thought a lot of people knew about it already, because when bands come through to play on campus, in any set that has been played, at least one of the bands has been telling people about l0/22.Ithaca, New York: Sixty Cornell University students held a march from North Campus and West Campus to meet on Central campus. Afterwards, there was a two hour rally with bands and speakers. At the rally, a dozen people spoke, including a lesbian professor and local people, who spoke about brutality. It made the front page of the Cornell newspaper. Some campus officials tried to deny them a bullhorn, and tried to make them move inside. The clocktower bells rang at 7:30 p.m., disrupting the rally, when they usually ring at 8 p.m. The organizer, President of campus ARA, said that he thought a lot of people knew about it already, because when bands come through to play on campus, in any set that has been played, at least one of the bands has been telling people about l0/22.
Kansas City, Missouri: Seven people held an hour long rally at a busy intersection. They held signs saying, "Stop Police Brutality!" and "Free Mumia!". They got a great response. Cars were honking in support, and a whole school bus of kids hollered, "that's right!" A woman stopped at the intersection in the middle of traffic to take a picture of a 4 year old with a "Free Mumia!" sign. Response was outstanding!
Kent State, Ohio: Two hundred people filled the auditorium at Oscar Ritchie Hall at an event organized by the Anti-Racist Action (ARA) group there. Anna Maria Cora from Cleveland, who is on the National Speakers Bureau, spoke. Videos of police brutality done by Copwatch in Columbus. A homeless man from Cleveland spoke about the brutal beating of a friend who is now in a wheelchair permanently. A white woman with four children, tears in her eyes told about police brutality against young children.
Lansing, Michigan: 50 people marched through downtown Lansing
Lawrence, Kansas: Sixty people attended a rally at Kansas University Law School sponsored by National Lawyers Guild, A.C.L.U., CLASS, Native American Law Student Association, and Food Not Bombs. People read statements about victims of police brutality. Local bands "Free Verse" and "Derailer" entertained the group after the statements.
Los Angeles: A dozen families of victims spoke, and 15-20 schools were represented in the march. Contingents from the schools were 30 people, on average. The crowd of 700 was a great mix of different types of people: religious forces, students, families of victims, attorneys, and more. People gained a sense of strength from this outpouring.
Starting in the garment district, the marchers created a sea of black along Broadway, one of L.A.'s busiest streets. Led by members of l5 families of victims of police murder and brutality, there were also students from over 30 high schools and college campuses, including from a number of Mecha and BSU chapters, alongside Latino and Philipino contingents, as well as members of the religious community, artists, Black nationalists, lawyers, teachers, gays and others. A drum core of proletarian youth and the hot L.A. band Ozomatli set a lively tone. At the rally in front of the notorious "Glass House", LAPD headquarters, a diverse array of speakers and poets denounced police brutality, repression and the criminalization of a generation.
Several chapters of Food Not Bombs served food to the crowd. People liked that the march was very disciplined. The LAPD had tried to put obstacles in the way, demanding one hour before the march that they had to provide their own orange traffic cones and that they had to leave exactly at 2:30. So march organizers got there early, and the "sea of black" marched off exactly at 2:30 on the dot. People in the march were congratulating the organizers for doing such a powerful job. 6 TV stations (3 English, 3 Spanish), wire services, several radio stations, and an Internet station gave coverage. Three different authorized people videotaped the march, along with someone with a film camera. An LAPD photographer tried to take pictures, but they shooed him off.
Mexico: The National Office of the October 22nd Coalition received a message via e-mail from Mexico on l0/18. It read: "This 22 look to Mexico you will see that we will wearing black also, because what you do will help the immigrants who go to the U.S. Thanks".
Miami: A rally and speakout of about 25 people, black and white, old and young, was held at the main courthouse. A male nurse spoke about his experiences in the Emergency Room of a hospital, the "White Wall of Silence".
Minneapolis/St. Paul: People marched from South Minneapolis to the 3rd precinct station, notorious for its brutality. 200-250 took to the streets over police objections. Rallying outside the precinct, they demanded that the police come out and answer for their actions. The police refused to come out. Speakers were Keith McHenry from Food Not Bombs, and Errol Maitland, from the Douglas Fischer Project. Five victims of police brutality gave testimony. After the rally, people marched up Lake St., the main thoroughfare, to the Bomb Shelter (a club where police had attacked some kids at a punk show), then down Lake Street again to Uhuru Books, an African bookstore near the site where l5 year old Lawrence Miles Jr. was shot in the back and wounded by Minneapolis police. Food Not Bombs served food at the bookstore. On October 24, 25 and 26, they are showing a special Twin Cities movie debut of the Joe Brewster film, The Keeper. This film calls into question all aspects of the criminal "justice" system.
Montreal, Canada: The collective of COBP (French acronym for Citizens against Police Brutality), decided to support the USA National Day of Protest against Police Brutality. Many other groups either helped organize the demo or supported it. These were: Food Not Bombs, Montreal; Demanarchie, Frontiers Abolishment, Comite des sans-emploi, ARA-Montreal, L'Assault.
Earlier in the day, at 12:00 noon, Montreal Sex Workers held a masked demo of 20-25 people in front of City Hall, demanding an end to police harrassment and brutality. Some of them joined in the later demonstration. The demo started with a rally at Berri Square at 4 p.m. The march had 200 people at the start. It was long and took 2 hours, and stopped at various "community" police stations. Some youth were very angry, because in the last 3 to 4 weeks there has been brutalizing repression by the police on street youth and punks. There have been some massive arrests, such as the one on October 1st, where students were arrested when they exited the University. The police just target anyone on the block! So during the early part of the demo one patrol car was slightly vandalized-- a mirror and rear red turning signal light smashed. Also the youth chased after the patrol cars at the front of the demo-- soon they kept their distance, if only for a while. Halfway through the demo, there was a speakout in front of Station 33, a notorious police station where many people go directly to the hospital after being questioned. A few blocks further, they were joined by 50 students from the MDE (le Mouvement pour le droit de l'education), who had had a demonstration earlier that day protesting cutbacks in education. Finally, at 6:30 p.m., everyone arrived at a large intersection of Ste-Catherine and Berri streets.
About 2:00 anti-riot police started to cut off the streets, closing in quickly. At this time an effigy of the Montreal Police, which was carried throughout the march, was set on fire. While it was still burning, some youth kicked at it. The police just started advancing, pushing on everyone. About 50 people were able to get out of the encirclement; the cops by this time had completely circled off one square block. Then someone threw a piece of wood, and others started throwing bottles. One woman was arrested. Some demonstrators found refuge in the University, however the University security quickly closed all doors. At the same time, there was an armed cop on the roof of the University. Close to the University, there is access to the Metro. When numbers of people took refuge there, Metro station Berri/UQAM was totally closed off. Another 6 people were arrested in the street. Later 5 people were arrested in the Metro. The total number of people arrested is unknown. Even after the demo finished, the police were everywhere that night. While standing at one of the Metro station's exits, 6 punks approached chanting, "La police, au service, des riches et des fascistes" (the police at the service for the rich and the fascists). Then suddenly two cop vans stopped and six anti-riot police jumped out. The punks quickly walked away. Scenes like this were repeated all night long.
Mount Vernon, Washington: About an hour from Seattle. Several high school students organized a walkout.
University of New Hampshire: Many students wore black. They learned of October 22nd through the Web site, and put up flyers on campus.
New Jersey: Black Cops against Police Brutality and the People's Organization for Progress held numerous rallies and community meetings throughout the state (as reported in the Daily Challenge, a black newspaper in New York City.) The two groups support the agenda of the National Emergency Conference on Police Brutality and Misconduct which was sponsored by the Center for Constitutional Rights.
New York: At a 7 a.m. prayer vigil at the U.N., 20 seminary students and clergy held prayers, songs, and placed pictures and cards with names, ages, and dates of victims of police brutality on a Prayer Tree. At noon, a rally, speakout and march at City Hall Park drew a spirited and diverse crowd of 500-600. Different schools and colleges participated, with a busload coming down from SUNY Albany. Newspapers and TV press swarmed the event, with about 40 representatives of various media present. The highlight of the rally was Abner Louima addressing the rally via cel phone. Other events in New York City area: Brooklyn College had a 2 hour rally against police brutality; students at Queens College Law School played the PSA videos and had a literature table selling T shirts and buttons; New York University had a rally the night before; University Heights high school held a rally Tuesday morning at which Iris Baez spoke; Hunter College newspaper The Envoy had a full two page announcement of the October 22nd Call, Hunter College endorsers, and New York events; Borough of Manhattan Community College Student Government bought 30 T-shirts for student government officers.
At a large Bronx high school where the students were recently sent home for threat of "gang violence", and told they couldn't wear black because it was a gang color, many students and staff members wore black that day. The PSA video was played in a classroom, and many T-shirts and buttons were sold. At Parker Collegiate, a private high school in Brooklyn, most of the students wore black.
Oxford, Mississippi: Local rock musicians organized a benefit concert for the evening of October 22nd.
Panama City, Florida: The music fest and protest rally of 400 people in McKenzie Park was on the front page of the News Herald and it was the headlining story on the Channel 7 ten o'clock news. This was the biggest thing to hit Panama City in years. Everyone that went was extremely impressed and had nothing but good things to say about it. They plan on organizing another one for next year.
Petaluma, California: The car caravan that went down to the San Francisco demo was decorated with photos of police victims. The driver of the stretch limo which led the car caravan was so moved by the stories of the families who came down that she bought a bouquet for them, and the next day called to volunteer to work on Stolen Lives.
Phoenix, Arizona: The morning started off with a 7 a.m. prayer vigil in front of the African American Museum. Approximately 25 people marched to the Federal Courthouse, then rallied in front of the police station. Since people were coming and going all day, the estimate was that altogether 50 people participated. Three news channels and the #l Talk show covered it.
Philadelphia: There were 15-20 people at an ll a.m. demonstration in front of District Attorney Lynn Abraham's office. Speakers included Rev. Paul Washington, Terry Rumsey from PA Abolitionists Against the Death Penalty, Ramona and Pam Africa, and someone from the Uhuru group. Later, at 4:30 p.m., there was a rally at Love Park where 200 youth dressed in black gathered. They marched in the streets to Center City, and did a die-in by a major subway entrance. The banner in the lead said, "No More Stolen Lives!". People were carrying tombstones and coffins. They stopped and blocked traffic three or four times along the way and read the l0/22 mission statement. At one point they grabbed barricades and dumpsters and blocked the street with them. No arrests were made at any point, although there was no permit for the rally at Love Park. One of the main local news stations and a Temple radio station covered the march.
Redford, Texas: l0 members of the Redford Citizens Committee for Justice wore black, in a town with a population of about l00. Redford, Texas is where four U.S. Marines stalked, shot and killed Esequiel Hernandez, Jr., as he was herding his family's goats last May 20th. The Marines were secretly deployed in the area as part of so-called anti-drug smuggling patrols. Redford is located in the rugged and sparsely populated desert and mountainous area of far west Texas. Students at the school that Esequiel attended also wore black. An interview conducted by Travis Morales of La Resistencia with Father Melvin La Follette of the Redford Citizens Committee for Justice on the eve of October 22nd is available through the National Office.
Rockhill, South Carolina: 150 people attended a forum held the evening of October 21 at Winthrop University at Kinard Auditorium. Errol Maitland spoke at a forum about the Douglas Fischer Project and Mumia Abu Jamal.
San Antonio, Texas: Twenty-five people attended a press conference and demo held in front of the police department. The speakers included: Jaime Martinez, labor coordinator of Coordinadora '96/2000 and Secretary-Treasurer, IEU-AFL-CIO, District Eleven; Antonio Diaz of Mestizos en Marcha; a representative of Concilio en Solidaridad con Mexico; a Mexican activist on a tour speaking out against the U.S.; and poet and artist Nephtali de Leon. One TV station covered it. At St. Mary's College in San Antonio, all the people from MEChA wore black. In 3 classes at UT San Antonio, there were presentations by students and discussions of police and Migra brutality. At noon, 20 students gathered, dressed in black in the school quad. They talked about what was happening, how they felt about it and drew others in to the gathering as they got out leaflets and exposure.
San Diego, California: A group of people from San Diego went to the demonstration in Los Angeles. About l00 young people stayed in San Diego to hold a protest there. They marched along Broadway from Horton Plaza Park to the Federal Building at Front Street, then to the police station at l4th Street. When they reached the police station, they surrounded the entrance to the building. In front of the entrance, police blocked and pushed some of the more vocal youth, both sisters and brothers, to the ground. Fellow marchers helped them up. The people decided to try the side entrance of the station, so everyone marched around the corner. Some energetic and high spirited youth bolted out in front and decided to take the door! The police were taken aback at first, trying to close the door. Then they decided to attack -- knocking down three and macing people with pepper spray. Four people were arrested. Thirty demonstrators then sat outside police headquarters, demanding the release of those arrested. The names from the Stolen Lives Project were read, and a rally was held, until the police released all those who had been arrested.
San Francisco: A very full day! Two rallies and a march! Crowd estimates for the main rally are over l000. Car caravans came in from Santa Rosa and Petaluma to join the main march. The cars were decorated with flowers and pictures of the dead. At 24th Street and Mission in SF, a community mostly comprised of immigrants, the corner plaza overflowed with a sea of black into the streets. The plaza was decorated with flowers and tombstones marking some of the victims of police brutality. Twenty dozen bunches of flowers were donated by Hawaiian flower vendors from a flower mart, when they were told what the flowers would be used for. A short rally was held with speakers. At one point during the rally, people rolled out a roll of newspaper print, and set up paints and markers for people to write with. People wrote out statements of support on the spot. The march proceded down Mission Street. A large contingent of Anarchists against Police Brutality brought coffins and tombstones.
As the march wound into the Western Addition, a predominantly Black low income area with many projects, a tribal drum carried by a drum circle of Native American activists led the way. One high point was when the march reached a convergent point at the Bethel AME Church in the Western Addition neighborhood. This location had been chosen by people of the neighborhood as a gathering and welcoming point for elderly residents of Chinatown who could not walk the entire march. The recent police murder of Kuanchung Kao, a Chinese American engineer, in his own driveway, had brought forward a powerful new force in the movement. Over l00 Asian Americans, from all over the Bay Area, were part of the march. Both groups were very excited about this mix, breaking down barriers in the fight against police brutality.
People started clapping and cheering when their contingent joined the march. Food Not Bombs fed the marchers. There was a lot of media coverage of the march: Bay TV, San Francisco Chronicle, Channel 5, Telemundo, the Chinese newspaper, a Palo Alto TV crew, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, alternative media, and legal newspapers.
There was also a rally at San Francisco State of about l00 Pan African Students.
At a rally at Laney College of l00 people, a professor from the college and Cornelius Hall spoke. About 50 people came from that rally to the march and rally in San Francisco by BART (public transportation) tickets paid by the Student Government.
San Luis Obispo: Held a forum on police brutality on Saturday October 18th, then went to the demonstation in Los Angeles on the 22nd.
Santa Rosa, California: participated in a car caravan to the San Francisco demonstration
Seattle: Had great chants! "Hip, hip, Hop Hop, Police Brutality's got to stop"; "Get your hands on Reality -- stop Police Brutality"; "More Justice, Less Police". The crowd of 200-250 marched from l2 noon till 4 p.m., with 3 rallying points, one at a jail, and one at Pike Place Market, a very busy intersection. Black, Latino youth,and families of victims came. Poor and homeless people from the street joined in. Two TV shows, AP wire, 2 college papers, one high school paper, and radio KIRO-AM covered them. At 4 p.m., they held an open mike with spoken word and music at Mecca International Cafe at the Midtown Center. Not yet completely exhausted from their very full day of protesting, they made it into a fundraising benefit with jazz and blues artists. Demonstrate all day, then dance till 2 a.m. in the morning.
Skidmore College, New York: Students in a Diversity and Inequality class wore black. Video PSAs were shown in an area by the student mailboxes.
Spartanburg, South Carolina: Errol Maitland, producer at WBAI radio in New York, held a press conference and laid a wreath at the grave of his 25-year-old son, Douglas Fischer, who was killed by security guards at Best Buy stores.
Springfield, Massachusetts: The march was 25-30 people, ending in a rally of about l50 people at City Hall. Organizations that spoke: NAACP, Urban League, Million Woman March Committee, the commissioner for the Mass. Commission against Discrimination, the mayor of Springfield, a city councilor from a neighboring town, and a lot of families of victims giving testimony.
Tustin, California: Forty people and one ex-cop marched and rallied.
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