As the numbers of racist
police killings, deportations and child detentions at the border
continue to climb, people have been swift and determined in demanding
justice and accountability. Many actions continue across the U.S.,
including student walk-outs, protests both sides of the border,
opposing racist attacks against Asians, hunger strikes, information
actions with safety training, efforts to change policing laws and
defund and demilitarize policing, petitions, online events, social
media posts, independent news posts and more. There is broad discussion
on what security means for the people, including not only defunding the
military and police but providing rights to housing, healthcare,
education, jobs and accountability for government crimes. There is also
broad recognition that the solution to the widespread state organized
racist violence and impunity is resistance by the people, relying on
their own efforts.
President
Biden has made numerous efforts to divert the movement from this
direction, with his repeated claims that the federal government will
act to ensure "racial justice," and that the "dream of justice for all
will be deferred no longer." He used the conviction of Derek Chauvin
for the murder of George Floyd as yet another opportunity to secure
reliance on him and the federal government. He referred to systemic
racism and admitted that "such a verdict is also much too rare." But
far from endorsing, even in words, the demands widely made, such as
cutting funding for policing and increasing funding for social
services, greater control by the people themselves over policing and
budgets and eliminating police impunity, Biden repeats the "bad apple"
story: "Most men and women who wear the badge serve their communities
honourably. But those few who fail to meet that standard must be held
accountable." He then calls for reliance on the federal government and
his Justice Department -- already rightly branded the
“Injustice
Department.”
Actions by federal police
over the summer, the numerous Justice Department "investigations" that
lead to nothing, the long experience with the FBI, Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and others,
all make clear that the federal government exists to serve and protect
private property and the existing constitutional order. It is an order
that is unequal, racist and violent by its very nature, as history from
day one, with enslavement of Africans and genocide against Native
peoples, shows.
The
movements for justice and rights are standing firm in relying on their
own efforts and continuing to fight for change that favours the people.
Students are demanding removal of police from their schools and funding
for books, counselors and teachers. Everywhere there are calls to
greatly cut the Pentagon and policing budgets, fund social programs and
empower communities to control and decide issues of security. Ending
racist mass incarceration, today's genocide, and ending all
deportations and detention camps for children and families, along with
immediate legalization for all immigrants and refugees are also being
consistently fought for. These demands are not separate from those that
address the violence and insecurity of poverty and continued government
failures concerning COVID-19 -- such as the right to health care and
safe working conditions for all, to housing, jobs and education.
Hundreds of demonstrations took place in March and April in
many cities involving the majority of states, including those in
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida,
Miami, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and
Washington, D.C. Far from waiting on the government and falling into
their traps meant to divert and divide the people, united actions are
taking place with people from all walks of life organizing together for
change that favours the people.
May Day
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
Coachella, CA
San Francisco, CA
Pennsylvania
Chicago, IL
Virginia
Connecticut
New York City
New Jersey
Washington, DC
Excluded Workers
On
the 100th day of the Biden administration, April 30, 2021, over 40
undocumented immigrants along with allies shut down traffic outside the
White House, risking arrest and their own deportation to demand PAPERS,
NOT CRUMBS!
April 28
marked the 22nd day of Fast 4 Relief. Immigrant essential workers have
been calling for recovery for all outside the War Memorial in New York
Excluded workers in New York held daily actions and a hunger
strike throughout the month of March and into April to demand support
for undocumented workers who are refused unemployment benefits and
excluded from the COVID stimulus payments. There are an estimated 11
million such workers, many of them providing essential services. On
March 31 they joined their action with those demanding Housing For All.
New York excluded
workers' actions, March 31, 2021 (top) and April 2, 2021
After
gathering at Grand Army Plaza in New York City, March 13, 2021
pro-migrant activists headed across the street to Senator Schumer's
Park Slope home to return his & Democrats' "empty promises."
Brooklyn
and Manhattan bridges are shut down simultaneously by protestors March
5, 2021, demanding funding for undocumented and often essential workers
presently excluded
George Floyd
People
gather in George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, April 20, 2021 when
verdict in Chauvin trial is announced
On April
20, Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree
murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd on
May 25, 2020. The conviction follows massive protests demanding
justice, equality and accountability in dozens of cities last summer,
with some persisting for more than 100 days. Milwaukee has now
persisted for more than 340 consecutive days, demanding justice and
rights for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright and many others, as
well for immigrant rights.
People across the
country celebrated the Chauvin conviction while also recognizing that
it does not solve the problem of racist police violence and killings
and the repeated injustice and lack of government accountability.
Indeed, many more police killings, with no accountability to date,
occurred during the trial. As has been reported, only seven officers
have been convicted in fatal police shootings since 2005.
New York City, April 20,
2021
Protests were held throughout the
trial demanding justice, equality, an end to police brutality and to
stop the militarization of the city. In the days leading up to the
conviction Minneapolis had been militarized by National Guard, state
and local police, fencing around the court house and more. A federal
judge had to issue a restraining order against police to stop them from
brutalizing protesters, including press covering the trial. Plans are
going forward for continued organizing against racist police killings
and for rights.
On April 20
Students in over 100 high schools in Minneapolis walk out demanding:
National Guard Go Home!
A Black
and Asian Solidarity rally is held in George Floyd Square, April 19,
2021, to mark the trial of George Floyd's killer and in mourning for
Daunte Wright and the Asian-Americans killed recently in the U.S.
Black-Asian
solidarity rally, Minneapolis, April 18, 2021
University of Minnesota doctors
join a protest April 17, 2021 and release the following numbers: 89
people injured by #LessLethal weapons during #GeorgeFloyd protests, 32
people sent to ER due to tear gas, 10 hit in the eye by rubber bullets,
16 suffered traumatic brain injuries and seven required emergency
surgery.
On April 4,
2021 a Community Healing action was held in George Floyd Square.
March 8,
2021 thousands gather to speak and march on first day of Derek
Chauvin's trial. Actions were held in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York,
and other cities.
March
7, 2021, the day before the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of
George Floyd, one thousand marched through downtown Minneapolis with a
scroll with more than 470 names of people killed by Minneapolis
police.
Daunte Wright
Minneapolis, Minnesota,
April 11, 2021, hundreds gather after police killing of black youth.
Hundreds of people immediately gathered calling for justice
after police killed 20-year-old African American Daunte Wright during a
traffic stop in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center on April 11.
Demonstrators defied the 7:00 pm curfew announced by the Governor on
April 12, demanding accountability. Demonstrators were the ones
arrested, not the police killers. Despite yet another mobilization of
National Guard forces, many people have continued to gather at the
vigil site in Brooklyn Center where there is a memorial to Wright. A
large wooden fist originally made for George Floyd Square in
Minneapolis is now present at Daunte's memorial site.
A large wooden fist now
stands at Daunte Wright's memorial site in Brooklyn Center.
Protest against killing
of Daunte Wright, April 12, 2021, in New York.
Protest against killing
of Daunte Wright, April 12, 2021, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Justice for Daunte
Wright protest in Tampa, Florida, April 18, 2021.
Adam
Toledo
Chicago, Illinois, April
16, 2021 protest demands end to racist police killings.
People
of Chicago again took to the streets April 16 demanding an end to
racist police killings and accountability after police body cam footage
was released of the police killing of 13-year old Adam Toledo March 29.
It shows him with his hands in the air and without a weapon at the time
of the shooting. Even so, police have attempted to justify the
unjustifiable, saying that Toledo posed a threat as he "had just
dropped a handgun." People responded as they have been: Hands Up, Don't
Shoot! Charge All Those Responsible!
La Villita, Illinois
protest April 18, 2021 against police killing of Adam Toledo
Andrew Brown
Protests erupted in
Elizabeth City, North Carolina and elsewhere April 21, after police
shot and killed unarmed African American Andrew Brown. Brown was seated
in his car, hands on the steering wheel, posing no threat when police
riddled his car with bullets, shooting him in his arm and the back of
the head. Police came to serve a warrant and instead, as the family's
attorney said, carried out an execution. There were no weapons, no
threat of any kind.
Despite a major deployment of
riot police and a state of emergency being called by the Governor prior
to the release of a small portion of police body camera footage, people
in Elizabeth continued to demand justice for Andrew Brown and his
family. As has occurred with other racist police killings, they were
joined by solidarity actions in other cities.
Anniversary
of Breonna Taylor's Death
Louisville, Kentucky
March 13, 2021 marks the first anniversary of the police killing
of Breonna Taylor
March 13 Actions across the U.S.
renewed calls for Justice for Breonna Taylor. Demonstrators gathered in
Louisville, where Taylor lived, in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta,
Maryland and elsewhere. Louisville is one of the cities where
demonstrations persisted for more than 100 days last summer and demands
for accountability continue today. Three officers fired a total of 32
bullets, killing Breonna in her home, but none have been charged for
her death.
Louisville, Kentucky,
March 13, 2021
Actions in Washington DC (left) and New York City, March 13, 2021 marks
anniversary of the police killing of Breonna Taylor.
Ma'Khia
Bryant Killing
Students occupy the Ohio
Union building April 21, 2021, the day after the shooting of
Ma'Khia
Bryant
As the guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin was
made known, police in Columbus, Ohio shot and killed young African
American woman, 16-year old Ma'Khia Bryant. She was shot four times in
the chest in front of her home. Protests were held that very evening.
The Ohio Union building was occupied on April 21, the day after her
killing, by students filling the atrium and main floors in protest.
Colombus,
Ohio, April 20, 2021, protest against the police killing of Ma'Khai
Bryant.
Voice of Revolution is a publication of the U.S.
Marxist-Leninist Organization.
This article was published in
Volume 51 Number 11 - May 13, 2021
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2021/Articles/MS51112.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
