Pasco, Washington:
4 Arrested at Protest Marking 2 Months Since Police Murder of Antonio Zambrano-Montes
April 12, 2015 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
Pasco, Washington, April 11—Several people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct at a demonstration marking the two-month anniversary of the police killing of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, an immigrant worker originally from Mexico.
People in Pasco, Washington took over a major four-lane bridge, protesting the police murder of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, February 21.
Photo: Special to revcom.us
On February 10, Antonio was reportedly throwing rocks at passing cars. He clearly was not acting rationally and needed help. He had nothing more than rocks or dirt clods. But the police aggressively confronted him and, in the words of his family, killed him “execution style.” When the cops shot Antonio Zambrano-Montes, he was trying to flee and was not a threat. This horrific murder is caught on video, which reveals him being cut down by a storm of bullets from three deadly cops. There have been determined protests in Pasco since then demanding justice for Antonio.
On Saturday, April 11, people rallied and then marched through the streets heading to the intersection where Antonio was shot and killed. Cops followed protesters, threatening them over a loudspeaker that people would be arrested if they kept blocking traffic. The protesters responded by chanting, “Whose streets? Our streets.” Police used barricades at one intersection and then came in and arrested four people. People then marched to the jail at the Franklin County Justice Center and linked arms in front of the building, chanting, “Indict, convict, send the killer cop to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell.”
According to the Tri-City Herald, the demonstration was organized by the Eastern Washington University chapter of MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán). Students from Eastern Washington, Pasco High School, Everett Community College, Yakima Valley Community College and Heritage University made up a majority of the protesters. Martin Negrete, the MEChA chapter president, told the Herald, “A lot of these students have fear. They know they are being targeted. We are united because we know we can bring that (unity), that empowerment, to the youth here in Pasco.”
Actions are planned for April 14 in Pasco as part of the nationwide Shut Down against police murder and brutality—3 p.m. at Volunteer Park. (See this page for info on "Where to Be, What to Do" on April 14 around the country.)
See TV news coverage of the Pasco arrests here.
Volunteers Needed... for revcom.us and Revolution
If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.