Police the Police

Undercover Cops Busted At Anti-Police Brutality Protest

December 6, 2014 Moreh B. D. K., www.countercurrentnews.com Educate! Ferguson, police brutality, Police the Police, Surveillance

Have you ever been to a protest and wondered who the new, overly-zealous guy is? In activist circles, it’s pretty common for people to travel to neighboring cities, or even states for important rallies. But the circles are small, and someone usually knowns a person or two in common, even with people they just met. Sometimes, your gut is steering you right, and it’s not your imagination, nor being overly-suspicious: the new guy might just be an undercover cop. Now on the surface, the joke seems to be on the undercover officers. There is nothing illegal about protesting police brutality, or anything else really. So why would they waste their time going undercover as protesters?

Obama Appoints Corrupt Police Chief To Panel To Improve Policing

December 5, 2014 Carey Wedler, www.theantimedia.org Educate! Ferguson, police brutality, Police the Police

When a politician claims to improve an oppressive condition, there is usually an unspoken catch. This week, President Barack Obama unveiled his plan to deal with police brutality and militarization (which he helped to enable over the course of his presidency). He has ordered $263 million for 50,000 body cameras and called for restrictions and oversight on military equipment. Though on its face the plan has good intentions, it has already been criticized by activists and the media. One of the most disingenuous elements of Obama’s master plan is his appointment of Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Charles Ramsey, to chair the “Task Force on 21st Cenutry Policing.”Ramsey is co-chairing the task force with Laurie Robinson, a former assistant attorney general and professor at George Mason University.

Thousands Take Part in National Die-Ins For Michael Brown

December 3, 2014 Lauren McCauley, www.commondreams.org Resist! Ferguson, police brutality, Police the Police, Student Activism

At 1:01 PM on Monday afternoon thousands of individuals—a large portion of whom are college and high school students—stopped what they were doing. In acts of remembranceof slain black teenager Michael Brown, people across the country staged die-ins, demonstrations, and fell quiet for four and a half minutes—a protest which they say is "only the beginning." In New York City, an estimated 400 protesters stood in Union Square and beat their chests with their hands, mimicking Michael Brown's heart beating. More than 500 Harvard University and local high school students gathered in Harvard Square where students laid in the streets in a "die-in" in solidarity with Brown and other innocent people killed by police.

Real Police Reform Takes Root In One City

December 2, 2014 Steve Early, www.popularresistance.org Educate! California, Ferguson, police brutality, Police the Police

In the wake of a Missouri grand jury decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown on August 9, it can be difficult to imagine a city in the United States where a police department and a largely black and Latino population work together productively. But it’s happening in Richmond, California, a gritty town in the San Francisco Bay Area best known for its massive Chevron refinery and, in past years, for its high crime rate. Thanks to a decade-long experiment with “community policing,” violent crime in Richmond is down. Last year, this city of 100,000 had only 16 killings—the lowest number in 33 years—and far fewer unsolved homicide cases.

Disrupting ‘Daily Order,’ Ferguson Walk-Outs to Hit Over 30 Cities

December 2, 2014 Lauren McCauley, www.commondreams.org Resist! Ferguson, police brutality, Police the Police, Protests

On Monday afternoon, at the exact time of day that unarmed Missouri teen Michael Brown was shot by St. Louis police officer Darren Wilson, thousands of people in over 30 cities nationwide are expected to walk out of their classrooms and off their jobs in a mass demonstration to say: "This is not over." "The message is clear: No more business as usual," said Ferguson Action on their site. "We can no longer do what we have always done and cooperate with a system that does not respect Black Lives. We will only get the change we want if we disrupt the daily order and insists that Black Lives Matter. If that means shutting down the entire country, that’s what we’ll do." Organizers are hoping that the meetings will galvanize local communities and spur future actions calling for a change to policing practices.

A Short History Of Killer Cops Not Indicted

December 1, 2014 Flint Taylor, www.inthesetimes.com Educate! Ferguson, History, police brutality, Police the Police

The Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson for the killing of African-American teenager Michael Brown is heartless but unsurprising. But it is important to place the case in context with the history of police violence investigations and prosecutions in high profile cases—and the systemic and racist police brutality that continues to plague the nation. In doing so, there are lessons for the movement for justice in the Michael Brown case, as well as for those who are engaged in the broader struggle against law enforcement violence. What follows, then, is a brief history of similar high profile cases where public outrage compelled the justice system to confront acts of racially motivated police violence—with, to say the least, less than satisfactory results.

Shaking The Heavens In Ferguson, Missouri

November 29, 2014 Amy Goodman, www.truthdig.com Resist! Ferguson, police brutality, Police the Police, Protests

“As long as justice is postponed we always stand on the verge of these darker nights of social disruption.” So said Martin Luther King Jr. in a speech on March 14, 1968, just three weeks before he was assassinated. Michael Brown’s killing in August continues to send shockwaves through Ferguson, Missouri, and beyond. Last Monday night, Saint Louis County prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch unleashed a night of social disruption when he announced that no criminal charges would be filed against Darren Wilson, the police officer who killed Brown. McCulloch inexplicably delayed release of the grand jury findings until nightfall. The prosecutor’s press conference deeply insulted many, as he laboriously defended the actions of Darren Wilson, while attacking the character of the victim, Michael Brown.

A Nation Built On The Rule Of Lawlessness

November 29, 2014 Rick Salutin, www.thestar.com Educate! Ferguson, Law, police brutality, Police the Police, Protests

Barack Obama looked at his most clueless, responding to the riots and rage in Ferguson, Missouri. He hasn’t seemed so callow since the BP oil spill. Like he just wished it was over and could get on to the delights of his post-presidency. Or back to immigration reform and stalling that damn pipeline. Using his slow voice, as if he’s explaining something so basic that it’s hard to understand, he declared that the U.S. is a “nation built on the rule of law” and added next day, he has “no sympathy” for those who go violent. The problem with this, at least for those in the streets, is the U.S. is not a nation of laws and resorts to official violence and/or illegality routinely. In U.S. inner cities, this means surviving your dealings with cops.

Documentary “Burn” About Uprisings In UK Over Police Brutality

November 28, 2014 Migrant Media, www.vimeo.com Educate! Media, police brutality, Police the Police

In August 2011 Britain was on fire - what was the spark that led to the crisis? When Mark Duggan was shot by the police the scene was set for a confrontation but it was not the first time. In this grass-roots documentary we hear why Tottenham burned, show how the flames spread and look at the deep-rooted reasons that have set fires blazing in the last three decades. Four people in this small community, all black and working class, have died at the hands of the police and this film retraces their story. Powerful witness testimonies are balanced against police reaction to the violence that exploded and the film offers a fresh political analysis of the cause of the uprising. Exploring ideas of collective memory ‘Burn’ is poetry for the people. This radical film bears witness that only justice for those that have died at the hands of the police can put out the fires.

Why It’s Almost Impossible To Indict A Cop

November 26, 2014 Chase Madar, www.billmoyers.com Educate! Ferguson, Gun Control, police brutality, Police the Police, Social Change

Wanton overpolicing had poisoned relations between the people and their government well before Darren Wilson shot dead Michael Brown. Less mediagenic than police militarization and far more insidious is law enforcement’s daily harassment of citizens for petty offenses. The local government in Ferguson has been treating its residents and neighbors less like free people with rights than like revenue milk-cows to be exploited to the max. Citations and fines for petty offenses are profligately inflicted on residents, particularly black residents. According to a blockbuster report issued by St. Louis’s ArchCity Defenders advocacy group, over 20 percent of city revenue comes from municipal courts (making them the city’s second-largest source of revenue), which issued enough warrants last year to slap three warrants, $312 worth, on every household in the town.

Six Vital Conversations Jumpstarted On The Streets Of Ferguson

November 26, 2014 John Light, www.billmoyers.com Educate! Fergusons, police brutality, Police the Police, Racial Justice, Social Change

After nearly two weeks, the outrage in Ferguson appears to be taking new forms, and becoming less openly confrontational. But the shooting of Michael Brown — along with a number of similar, troubling, fatal incidents in which a police officer’s overreaction ended in a black man’s death — have started a nationwide conversation about race, class and the nature of American law enforcement. Here are a few discussions that are emerging as America takes a step back: 1. Ferguson is part of a long history of racial discrimination 2. A militarized police force is a scary thing 3. Do we talk about race or do we talk about class? 4. Ferguson shows that “small,” close-to-home government isn’t necessarily best 5. Is the press under attack? 6. Is it time for the next civil rights movement?

Camera Training Is Revolutionizing Protests Against Police Brutality In Ferguson

November 13, 2014 Moreh B.D.K. and Jackson Marciana, www.countercurrentnews.com Strategize! Ferguson, Journalism, Media, police brutality, Police the Police

With the Ferguson Police Department, Missouri State Police, Federal law enforcement and military planning a heavy-handed response to upcoming protests, we decided there was no better time to get in touch with the activists on the ground who are revolutionizing the way police are held accountable. We contacted Jacob from the Canfield Watchmen to ask about the camera training that his group is engaged in, which is changing the game in Ferguson and surrounding areas. With newly leaked information tipping off protesters to police plans to use third party hackers to block cell phone video live streaming, this camera training might prove more important than ever with the reading of the verdict in the Officer Darren Wilson case.

Police Chief: Police Accountability Activists Terrorists

November 13, 2014 Moreh B.D.K. and Robert Medley, www.countercurrentnews.com Educate! Law, police brutality, Police the Police

It almost sounds too ridiculous to be true, but a recent tip given to Counter Current News by activists in Sandusky, Ohio has checked out. Police accountability activists in Sandusky have been hard at work shedding light on Erie County police officers who have a generally totalitarian approach to protesters. While Sandusky and Greater Cleveland Cop Block chapters have been hard at work exposing police injustices, brutality and abuses of power, a glimpse behind the scenes has revealed that Erie County Police Officers have been privately comparing “Cop Block” activists to ISIS terrorists. See one example we were able to verify and screen capture on the Police Facebook page in question…

Police Behaving Like Thieves: Take The TV, Car & Computers

November 12, 2014 Nicole Flatow, www.thinkprogress.org Educate! Law, Police the Police

Cops have the authority to seize items they suspect are linked to a crime, most individuals can’t afford a lawyer to fight the forfeiture. And once the property is taken, it’s extremely rare that they ever get it back. While some asset forfeitures actually seize property for the purpose of, for example, depriving a drunk driver of a vehicle, that’s not always the case. And Oliver is the latest to recount the horror stories. A guy is driving cross-country with a lot of cash. Cops suspect he’s dealing drugs and don’t find any, but they keep the cash anyway. A man is busted for selling $20 of pot to an informant, and Philadelphia cops move to seize the home where his elderly parents live. In one case the defendant actually won after a years-long legal battle, federal officials moved to seize Russ Caswell’s family motel because they alleged some guests were dealing drugs from its rooms.

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