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Ferguson Police Report For Michael Brown Death Is Blank

August 24, 2014 Saki Knafo, www.huffingtonpost.com , , , ,
It’s been nearly two weeks since a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, shot and killed an unarmed teenager, but the police department has yet to offer a full account of the hazy circumstances surrounding Michael Brown’s death. An official incident report, which the American Civil Liberties Union obtained from police and released on Friday, answers none of the pressing questions that hang over the killing. If anything, it raises new ones. The two-page document is almost entirely blank. It includes the address, time of day and a handful of other bare-bones details, but does not include a description of the scene, quotes from eyewitnesses, names of the officers involved, or any other pieces of information normally found on such documents.

Darren Wilson Came From Police Force Disbanded For Racism

August 24, 2014 Carol D. Leonnig, Kimberly Kindy and Joel Achenbach, www.washingtonpost.com , , ,
The small city of Jennings, Mo., had a police department so troubled, and with so much tension between white officers and black residents, that the city council finally decided to disband it. Everyone in the Jennings police department was fired. New officers were brought in to create a credible department from scratch. That was three years ago. One of the officers who worked in that department, and lost his job along with everyone else, was a young man named Darren Wilson. Some of the Jennings officers reapplied for their jobs, but Wilson got a job in the police department in the nearby city of Ferguson. On Aug. 9, Wilson, who is white, killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown after Brown and a friend had been walking down the middle of a street.

Mentally Ill Woman Killed By Police Brought To City Hall

August 24, 2014 Matthew Hendley, www.phoenixnewtimes.com , ,
The body of a mentally ill black woman who was shot and killed by police was brought to Phoenix City Hall today by community activists and the slain woman's family, who demanded an external investigation into her death. Michelle Cusseaux, 50, was fatally shot by Phoenix Police Officer Percy Dupra on August 14, after police say she threatened officers with a hammer when they went to serve a court order to deliver Cusseaux to a mental-health facility. Community members have joined Cusseaux's mother in calling for an independent agency to investigate the killing, in addition to the Phoenix Police Department's own investigation, although Phoenix police haven't agreed to seeking an external investigation. "We've had to take drastic measures," Cusseaux's mother Frances Garrett said, standing beside her daughter's casket outside City Hall.

Major Free Speech Victory In Mass Arrest

August 24, 2014 Staff, www.justiceonline.org ,
In a major victory for free speech rights, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a ruling today denying the City of New York’s effort to dismiss the lawsuit challenging the NYPD’s mass false arrest of 700 Occupy Wall Street demonstrators on the Brooklyn Bridge in October 2011. The class action lawsuit was filed by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, a non-profit public interest legal organization, within days of the mass false arrest. The case Garcia, et al. v. Bloomberg, et al., 11 Civ. 6957 (JSR), was argued before the Second Circuit in April 2013. Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, Executive Director for the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund and attorney for the protestors, said: “The decision by the NYPD high command to illegally trap and arrest 700 peaceful protestors was a disgrace. It is one of the largest mass arrests and mass violations of civil liberties in U.S. history. This is a critical victory for justice and the right to dissent in America.”

Rally at the Justice Department: Against Police Brutality & Militarization

August 24, 2014 Staff, www.PopularResistance.org , , , ,
Petition To Eric Holder Against Racist, Militarized Policing To Be Delivered, Sign here now. When: Wednesday, August 27th at 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Where: In front of the Department of Justice, Constitution Ave between 9th & 10th St NW, Washington DC Washington, DC – On Wednesday, August 27 at 4pm, activists will rally outside the Justice Department to call on the Attorney General to help secure justice for Michael Brown and the people of Ferguson, Missouri, as well as an overhaul of US law enforcement tactics in order to stop police brutality and the militarization of our police forces. “Michael's murder is symptomatic of a systemic, racist culture that condones the murder and incarceration of black boys and men at rates highly disproportionate to the general population. U.S. police or vigilantes kill a black man every 28 hours,” says Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo of No FEAR Coalition and Black Agenda Report. “We need the full support of the Attorney General’s office to make sure that Michael Brown is not simply another name added to the anonymous statistics and meaningless deaths of African-Americans at the mercy of a merciless system.”

New ‘Hands Up United’ Issues Call To Action And Demands

August 24, 2014 Staff, www.popularresistance.org , ,
A new coalition called Hands Up United has formed around the events in Ferguson, MO that is working for accountability in the case of the police murder of Michael Brown and for new policies at the national level to reduce police brutality. According to their website, HandsUpUnited.org, the coalition includes "local organizations leading on the ground in Ferguson, such as Organization for Black Struggle, Missourians Organizing for Reform, Empowerment, and others. The National Demands reflect demands developed by organizations such as Freedom Side and Dream Defenders." They are calling for a nationwide student walk out on Monday, August 25, the day of Michael Brown's funeral which would have been his first day of college if he were alive. The website states: "Youth in Ferguson are calling for a student walkout to honor Mike Brown and protest police violence and racial profiling. On Monday, August 25th, stage a walkout on your campus. Commit to walking out for Mike Brown and create an event to invite others to join you."

D.C. Residents Call For Transparency In Ferguson

August 24, 2014 Robert Brune, www.dcmediagroup.us , , , ,
More than 1,000 people marched through Washington, DC on August 23rd calling for justice, transparency and an end to police brutality. After several weeks of protests in response to the brutal murder of Michael Brown, individuals continue to question the system of policing and media reporting in the United States. Many have said that there is a “lack of justice” throughout the nation and have expressed outrage in how the media depicts victims of police brutality.

Study: Police Often Provoke Protest Violence

August 24, 2014 Kurtis Alexander, www.sfgate.com , ,
The violence that turns a small-town protest into a fiery national spectacle like the one that has played out this month in Missouri is often unwittingly provoked by police, according to researchers at UC Berkeley. The research team, which studied clashes between police and activists during the Occupy movement three years ago, found that protests tend to turn violent when officers use aggressive tactics, such as approaching demonstrators in riot gear or lining up in military-like formations. Recent events in Ferguson, Mo., are a good example, the study's lead researcher said. For nearly two weeks, activists angered by a white police officer's fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager have ratcheted up their protests when confronted by heavily armed police forces. "Everything starts to turn bad when you see a police officer come out of an SUV and he's carrying an AR-15," said Nick Adams, a sociologist and fellow at UC Berkeley'sInstitute for Data Science who leads the Deciding Force Project. "It just upsets the crowd."

Thousands March In Staten Island Against Police Brutality

August 24, 2014 Matthew Weinstein, www.bicyclist.smugmug.com , , , , ,
Thousands marched in Staten Island On August 23rd. They were protesting police brutality and abuse. They were demanding justice for the victims of that abuse. Eric Garner was placed in an illegal choke hold by a NYPD office several weeks ago. His crime? Selling illegal cigarettes. Despite his protestations and his repeated plea of "I can't breathe," despite the fact that he was already subdued, despite the fact that he was surround by cops, the officer continued to choke Mr. Garner. The result? Eric Garner died on the sidewalk, a victim, like so many others, of out-of-control police brutality. These police crimes are then followed by a disturbing lack of transparency and a failure of the justice system to indict, try and convict. Victims are invariably people of color. The time has come for civilian control of the police forces and an end to the militarization of police departments around the country.

Popular Resistance Newsletter – Ferguson And Global Struggle For Justice

August 23, 2014 Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, www.popularresistance.org , , , , , , , , ,
Since the killing of Michael Brown, Ferguson, MO has been the epicenter of struggle and resistance. The same city where Dred Scott challenged slavery has become the place of awakening for current racial oppression. Ferguson exposed the reality of militarized and racist policing and created a teachable moment for the nation. The sad reality for many who have studied or lived US history is the killing of African Americans is not new. For decades it has led to both protests and more police violence. The failure to confront this reality is a critical example of a what Thomas Adams describes as a dysfunctional nation in political decay. But, Ferguson is an epicenter for a global struggle as we see in Israel, Gaza, over climate justice and over weapons and war. There is a lot happening on all fronts as we report here.

Ferguson: 210 Arrests, Father Visits Memorial, Two Officers Suspended

August 23, 2014 Kevin Zeese, www.PopularResistance.org , , , ,
Michael Brown's father, visited the street memorial people have created for his son at the site of his 18 year old son's death. Th St. Louis Post Dispatch reports: "Michael Brown Sr. hugged well-wishers who recognized him and came to share words of encouragement or brief prayers. Anthony Shahid, an activist who was accompanying Brown Sr., said he didn't want to speak to the media. He was exhausted, Shahid said, and just wanted to see the memorial to his son." The visit marked Brown Sr.'s first visit to the site since a candlelight vigil not long after the shooting.

Brown Family Should Seek Justice, Not Wait For More Injustice

August 22, 2014 Kevin Zeese, www.PopularResistance.org , , ,
The family of Michael Brown should not rely on the grand jury system or Attorney General Holder The grand jury process in the United States is rigged for the prosecutor. There is an old saying among lawyers “A prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich.” Of course, the reverse is also true; the prosecutor can also prevent an indictment. The prosecutor controls the grand jury process which is conducted in secret without even a judge present. The prosecutor decides what witnesses to call and there is no opportunity for a defense lawyer or attorney for the family to participate. Attorney General Holder's record on dealing with police violence against citizens is mixed. The family should not wait until the grand jury decision or rely completely on the US Department of Justice. The family of Michael Brown should take their own steps to ensure justice for their son as quickly as possible. The avenue the family can pursue is to file a civil suit in federal court. Such litigation will allow the family to seek all relevant documents, including the unreleased police report, as well as videotapes related to the killing of Michael Brown. It will also allow them to question witnesses under oath, including police officers who arrived at the scene. The court hearings in a civil suit will be public so everyone can see all the evidence.

Roses Line Ferguson Street In Memory Of Michael Brown

August 22, 2014 Kevin Zeese, www.PopularResistance.org , ,
The second relatively calm night in Ferguson as the Governor Nixon withdraws the national guard and Attorney General shows the people of Ferguson that Washington, DC is paying attention. The grand jury process began with protesters outside, Nixon saying he will not remove the prosecutor from the case and the prosecutor, who many see as biased in favor of the police, saying he is staying. A new report from Arch City Defenders, a non-profit legal defense organization, that showed the depth of police harassment the people of Ferguson have faced for years. They reported that police hand out 3 warrants per household every year and $321 in fines. long-stem roses along Canfield Drive, where Brown was shot. A memorial to Brown was put in place at the Canfield Green Apartments at the intersection of Canfield Drive and Caddiefield Road where Michael Brown was shot.

Aug. 23: DC March And Rally To Demand Justice For Michael Brown

August 21, 2014 National Black United Front, www.PopularResistance.org , , ,
On Saturday, August 23 beginning at 7:00 p.m. demonstrators will gather in Mt. Vernon Square for a brief rally before marching to Chinatown to demand "Justice for Mike Brown" and stand in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Missouri. As daily protests continue in Ferguson, people around the country are likewise continuing to show their solidarity, and join the call for justice and in opposition to police brutality that is rampant nationwide. The District is no exception. Rallies and marches have been taking place across D.C. over the past 10 days, from Howard University's campus to Malcolm X Park to the White House. Saturday's rally in Mt. Vernon Square and march to Chinatown will build on all of these events, bringing together many organizations and individuals: "Residents of the District of Columbia, just like millions around the country recognize that at the root of Ferguson are the social, racial and economic injustices that exist nationwide. They know that Ferguson could really be anywhere and Michael Brown could be any young Black male."

12 Things White People Can Do After Ferguson

August 20, 2014 Janee Woods, www.janeewoods.com , ,
Let’s talk about an active role for white people in the fight against racism because racism burdens all of us and is destroying our communities. And, quite frankly, because white people have a role in undoing racism because white people created and, for the most part, currently maintain (whether they want to or not) the racist system that benefits white people to the detriment of people of color. My white friends who’ve spoken out harshly against the murder of Michael Brown end with a similar refrain: What can I do that will matter in the fight against racism? White people who are sick and tired of racism should work hard to become white allies. In the aftermath of the murder of Michael Brown, may he rest in power, here are some ways for white people to become white allies who are engaged thoughtfully and critically in examining the situation in Ferguson and standing on the side of justice and equity.
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