Statement by: Mark Clements, Chicago Police Torture Survivor

As a victim of injustice, someone taken to a Chicago police station and tortured at the age of 16 years old, spending 28 years in prison for a crime I never committed, and a Senior Organizer with the Chicago Torture Justice Center, located in the Woodlawn community, I respectfully request the Judge in the cases of Noche Diaz and Leo Pargo to drop the charges against both. Here in America we have literally watched police become overseers against the constitutional rights pursuant to “free speech” and to go unpunished for their attacks on U.S. Citizens. 

In neither Diaz’s nor Pargo’s, does their conduct or behavior provide police with any constitutional right to arrest. Police acted upon their own free will to draw the conclusion that both men had committed a crime absent what is fundamentally important and that is evidence. Neither are seen doing anything that is considered to be criminal in nature on February 1, 2025, other than speaking and yelling their beliefs against the Donald Trump administration. Free Speech here in America is not criminal. 

Arresting people who have not committed a crime does nothing to fight crime nor to catch individuals that are responsible for terrorizing the communities. This is a country that literally allowed Jon Burge to terrorize human beings inside police stations, calling them liars, and imprisoning them for decades. Police said they committed crimes, and judges believed it without having any credible evidence against most that were tortured by Burge and his midnight crew. We are a nation of people that cannot and will not return back to the days of silence in which it has done nothing but to allow those in power to commit murder, torture, assaults, and robberies against innocent law abiding citizens.

Free Speech is not a crime, when people are arrested, it should reflect a crime. In this case there is no crime, it's overzealous police officers looking to make a name for themselves by attacking well known activists for exercising their constitutional rights which are established by our U.S. constitution. Here in this country police and most in Government would desire that when activists gather, they be held accountable. Well that is not the law and our constitution allows for peaceful demonstrations. The demonstration held on February 1, 2025 was peaceful, those that made it uncomfortable were police officers looking to arrest people without a cause, and that is exactly what they did when it comes to both men.

Due process is not empty spoken words, they should matter to the judge and especially police officers, but in many cases we have grown to learn that due process does not matter unless it involves the judge that is seen on a Cook county courthouse surveillance camera with a gun,  dropping the gun, and picking it up. The charges were dismissed against this Judge, however thousands were sent to prison for the same conduct. Or should I not fail to mention over 34 different police officers torturing confessions out of criminal suspects with the city of Chicago paying nearly a billion dollars to settle the cases without any of the officers ever being criminally held accountable.

I respectfully request that all charges be dismissed against Noche Diaz and Leo Pargo and that they be rightfully restored back to useful citizenship immediately.

Sincerely:

Mark Clements, SR. Organizer
Chicago Torture Justice Center
773-587-1996

Statement by Paul Street

Following is the statement made by Paul Street, speaking for Refuse Fascism, at a press conference held yesterday outside a Cook County courthouse where the first hearing of Noche Diaz and Leo Pargo was held. They are facing class A (the most serious) misdemeanor charges (carrying a potential sentence of 364 days in jail and $2,500 fine) for agitating to a crowd during an protest against ICE raids in Chicago. Please read, share, and sign the petition demanding the charges be dropped.

Free Noche and Leo!

My name is Paul Street and I’m on the executive board of the national organization Refuse Fascism. At Refuse Fascism, we lead people to understand and resist Trump/MAGA fascism. We unite with people from diverse perspectives to stop the second Trump regime and its allies across government and society from consolidating power in the United States.

Fascism is more than just a noxious combination of horrific reactionary policies. It is a qualitative change in how society is governed. Once in power fascism eliminates traditional democratic rights and the rule of law. Dissent is criminalized. Free speech is wiped out. Group after group is demonized and targeted along a path that leads to real horrors

We have two key slogans at Refuse Fascism: “In the name of humanity, we refuse to accept a fascist America!” and “The Trump Fascist regime must go!”

Noche Diaz and Leo Pargo were arrested right after Noche led a crowd of protesters in taking up Refuse Fascism’s slogans atop a CTA bus stop across from Trump Tower. I was right there; I saw the whole thing. I was roughly pushed back by the police as they rushed in to shut down Noche’s eloquent and dramatic speech and recklessly pull him off of the bus stop.

I have seen people climb on top of CTA bus stops forever. I’ve seen it during Chicago sports championship celebrations. I’ve seen it during St. Patricks’ Day and Mexican Independence Day parades. But before February 1 of this year I’ve never seen or heard of anyone being arrested for “reckless endangerment” for climbing up on a CTA bus stop.

I have no doubt that Noche and Leo were targeted for political reasons. I am certain they were arrested because of what Noche was saying, because of how dramatically and courageously and eloquently he was saying it – and because of the remarkable response he was getting from the young Latino and Latina people to whom he was speaking.

The arrest of Noche and Leo is similar to the fascist Trump regime’s recent fascist arrest and detention of the pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil in that both events are repressive attacks on the basic democratic rights of free speech and public assembly.

The pro-Trump sentiment of many white Chicago police officers is well known. The head of the Chicago police association is an open Trumpist-fascist

Both to spare Cook County the expense and moral stain of an unjust prosecution and to support the basic democratic right of free speech, Refuse Fascism calls for the suspension of the prosecution of Noche Diaz and Leo Pargo.

Drop the charges on Noche and Leo!

In the name of humanity, we refuse to accept a fascist America.

Paul Street, journalist, writer, and member of the national board of Refuse Fascism