Every Black August we honor freedom fighters. Demanding justice is key to Black liberation. We rise up in defense of all Black lives because protests and organizing are the only way we’ve ever secured any rights in this country.
The legacy and effectiveness of our movements means our right to protest has always been under attack, from the 10,000+ protestors arrested during the current uprising to Black political prisoners Assata Shakur, Mumia Abu Jamal, and the Move 9 to Josh Williams and other protestors arrested during the Ferguson and Baltimore uprisings.
The current uprising has been met with police rioting, tear gas, physical abuse, violence, and bogus arrests. By June, we saw over 10,000 arrests with over 90 people facing federal charges.
The Trump administration then scaled its efforts to militarize the police, launching Operation Legend to expand the administration’s violent and fascist tactics in Portland to additional cities. Along with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and CBP (Customs and Border Protection), they’re wielding federal law enforcement to silence and criminalize protests led by Black communities.
The Movement for Black Lives demands:
All charges be dropped against protestors and political prisoners;
A full investigation into all allegations of police and federal agent violence;
The calling off of Operation Legend and militarization of police;
All law enforcement agencies including ICE and CBP must stop arresting protestors; and
Passage of the BREATHE Act to divest from and end militarized policing
Our partners at United We Dream have documented protestors being targeted with bogus charges by local and federal police, while ICE and CBP target immigrant protesters, threatening them with detention and deportation, including people with DACA.
We demand justice for all protestors including Black disabled people and Black queer, trans, and gender nonconforming people who are more likely to be targeted for arrest and violence.
From the Black Panthers to Ferguson organizers to the thousands being charged today by local and federal law enforcement, we are calling to free ‘em all!
We will not back down or give up in the face of the government’s ruthless scare tactics. Instead, we will fight for our right to protest. We will keep up our efforts to #DefundPolice and invest in Black futures—creating real peace and safety for all.
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