Urgent News Flash
Two People in Chicago Arrested on Felony Charges Building for Rise Up October
September 27, 2015 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
Chicago: Saturday September 26th a crew, many in BA Speaks: REVOLUTION—NOTHING LESS t-shirts, was out in the South Shore neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, organizing people to become organizers for Rise Up October and to get on the bus and get others on the bus to the massive march to stop police terror in New York City on October 24th.
We were also getting out whistles. The crew included some members of the Chicago Revolution Club, some new people running with club and others from the neighborhood. This is the same neighborhood where earlier in the summer there were a series of angry protests against the police murder of NuNu and JJ (also see video from JJ's funeral). Gang conflicts have been and remain very sharp in this area. We hung the large stolen lives banner and set up a table with organizing materials at a major intersection. We repeatedly played the 11 minute video from the NYC program over the loud speaker along with doing speaking over a loud speaker. We were calling on the youth to stop killing each other and start fighting the system. There was a constant crowd at the table. We were distributing Revolution newspaper and urging people to get with the revolution throughout.
When the police began to harass a young man for allegedly selling loose cigarettes nearby, much of our crew called this out – blowing whistles, chanting and videoing what was happening on cell phones. Many more people from the neighborhood joined in as more police cars arrived. One man who had been active in the protests around NuNu was loudly denouncing the police “the police just gun us down.” Others were telling the police to get out of here, we don’t need you, leave this young man alone. In the midst of this wild scene, people were signing people up to become organizers for Rise Up October. At one point there were 11 police cars on the scene including officers with billy clubs at the ready. But seeing the anger of the crowd, which had grown considerably, the police backed off and let the young man they accused of selling loose cigarettes go. The crowd was jubilant to see him set free. Most of the police cars left the scene.
As we returned to our table, new people came up to learn more about RUO saying they wanted to get involved. The young man came up to thank us and learn more. Others in the crowd that had gathered drifted away.
Five to ten minutes later the police returned to retaliate. Police jumped out of their cars and started attacking the crew that was out there. They grabbed two people. They slammed both to the ground. The young man had to be taken to the hospital due to possible head injury. The young woman was also treated very roughly. At the hospital where she was taken for an asthma attack, the police tried to claim that she was suicidal. Other protesters rallied the hospital staff who knew about Sandra Bland to prevent the police from creating a scenario where they could lock her in a psychiatric ward or worse hurt her and claim she did it to herself.
In the neighborhood, people from the neighborhood who saw the attack on people out building for O24 in New York City to protest police terror were outraged about the arrests. People came up to give their names as witness and others were propelled to get more involved in building for RUO. One guy getting off the bus was stunned to learn that all the police (about a dozen cars) were there for protesters. He said he thought someone had been killed or something. One man from the neighborhood, wearing his RNL shirt, told us as he left loaded with materials to get out, that he definitely wants to be on the bus and thought he could raise and save enough money to buy the ticket. He lives by selling loose squares (loose cigarettes).
The two people arrested were charged with felony battery on a police officer and are scheduled to appear in bond court Sunday, September 27th at 1:30pm at 26th and California. People are being mobilized to come to the court and demand the charges be dropped and that they be freed.
PLEASE BE ALERT TO CALLS FOR FUNDS TO BAIL THESE TWO PEOPLE OUT.
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