Chicago: Statement of Solidarity
As 70 residents of the Cabrini-Green housing project assembled to wait for two buses and several cars to take them to Daley Plaza, at least eight squad cars pulled up and police got out with their guns drawn, illegally searched, and verbally abused them. The Cabrini residents were on their way to the National Day of Protest (NDP) to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation, which takes place in 55 cities across the US. Three youth were taken into custody and one youth was charged with "disorderly conduct" and "trespassing." He said, "That's what they always charge somebody with when they have no case. I've been out to Oct. 22nd every year, and I'll be out next year, too. This won't stop me. I look at it like, if I keep doing this, maybe it will stop." Lt. Drury of the 18th District said the youth were being taken in for "questioning." They were doing nothing illegal or even "suspicious," but the police knew precisely where these brave resisters were headed!
We say this was a blatant act of repression and an attempt to silence the voices of CHA (Chicago Housing Authority) residents who face police brutality every day. The CPD's act of intimidation prevented a number of youth from participating, but over thirty of the people they jacked up got on the bus anyway. Coming down to the loop right after the attack took courage and spirit. We commend the people who stood up to state repression and made their voices heard. But we will come and stand shoulder to shoulder with ALL the people from Cabrini-Green on Thursday!
Not only must we put a stop to this national epidemic of police brutality in the USA, but we must stop the police from attempting to silence the outrage of the people. Attacks on the people's freedom to organize and express themselves are coming down all over the USA. Just last week in New York City, the NYPD attacked a peaceful vigil to remember Matt Shepard, a victim of gay bashing. They arrested and beat over 100 people and verbally abused them. Mayor Giuliani denied permits to Oct.22's New York march, but 3,000 angry people came out and marched anyway! A fund-raising concert for the Washington, D.C. committee of the Oct.22 Coalition was broken up by DC police, who flogged the crowd with their nightsticks and seemed bent on delivering extra blows to the young women in the crowd. Several organizers in San Diego were arrested for their involvement in the NDP. We must fight all these attempts by the police to intimidate our movement.
CHA residents are under siege by the epidemic of police brutality and the intolerable horror of urban cleansing as the city attempts to reclaim Cabrini-Green for the wealthy. Police brutality is part of the attempt to drive CHA residents out by constantly intimidating and criminalizing them.
Rally and march on Thursday, October 29, 1998 at 4:00pm @ Division and Larrabee (2 blocks east of Halsted).
Co-sponsored by: Ad-hoc Committee to Stop Police Brutality and the Displacement of Public Housing Residents, Neighbors Against Police Brutality, October 22 Coalition, Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, and surely others we were unable to confirm on short notice.
Contact: 773-528-1701
web: http://www.october22.org
email: 1022Chicago@unstoppable.com
[Organizations wishing to sign on to this statement, please email us. We can add your name this statement when it is posted on our web site --NF]
[posted October 29, 1998]
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