Outrage: Three Freedom Fighters Sentenced in LA
December 7, 2015 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
On the morning of December 3, the three revolutionaries recently convicted for taking part in the April 14 nationwide protests demanding an end to murder by police were sentenced in Los Angeles Superior Court. They were given two years “summary probation,” large fines, and community service and labor.
This is an outrage! These three heroes were charged, tried, and convicted for protesting murder by police, at a time when the horrific incidences of murder continue and the killer cops are rarely charged or tried—and even more rarely convicted. And when they are, this is only through a tremendous fight from the people.
These sentences, just like the arrests and convictions that led up to them, are completely unjust. This is what “justice” looks like under this system. The murders of hundreds and hundreds of unarmed, mainly Black, Latino, and Native American people by the police are declared “justified” and the killers almost always exonerated, while the people who are in the forefront of fighting to put an end to these wanton murders are being singled out for political repression. As if to underline this point, in the courtroom right next to where the sentencing of the April 14 fighters took place, lawyers for seven defendants, many involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, were preparing to go on trial for their part in the protests that shook the country last November.
On December 11, another seven defendants from the April 14 protests are due to go to court and face trials. Everyone in and around LA should fill the courthouse, and everyone should add their names to the statement “It’s Right to Protest Murder by Police! Oppose the Convictions of April 14 Protesters and Drop the Charges Against All Those Arrested for Protesting Police Terror” (the statement is available online here).
The judge in the case of the three April 14 protesters had the audacity to tell all those listening that “Everyone should stand up for causes they believe in!”—but that these defendants “went too far.” So, courageous protesters putting themselves on the line to actually prevent new murders by police and insist this system indict, convict, and jail the killers who are on the loose is “going too far”—but a bloody epidemic of police murders, which is part of a genocide being carried out against Black people in this country, as well as wanton murder of Brown people, are not. This is the real crime this system cannot cover up.
The political persecution, conviction and harsh sentences of these three freedom fighters is meant to deliver the message that the escalating police terror will continue and opposition will be punished. The April 14 resisters, including these courageous defendants, are an inspiration and call to others to reject this message and continue the struggle to STOP police terror. They are challenging others to act to stop it with needed mass and massive resistance.
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