[Onthebarricades] Fw: On the Barricades - repression USA

Mon Nov 21 21:19:45 PST 2005

REPRESSION:  US

Subway hell gets even hotter - unconstitutional "random" and racist searches of the innocent on New York subways

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0727-02.htm

Pigs exploit London bombings to sneak in long-plotted measure

http://www.themilitant.com/2005/6930/693052.html

Refuse to be searched!

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0722-29.htm

Oppose Homeland Security crackdowns

http://www.themilitant.com/2005/6930/693020.html

The greatest outrage is the lack of outrage

http://www.counterpunch.org/anderson07262005.html

Statist racists are child abusers: children abandoned because of shock raid on immigrant workplace

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/aug2005/raid-a05.shtml

Persecution of homeless people continues across America

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/atla-j04.shtml

Mayor tries to ban art party - court stops him

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/aug2005/graf-a24.shtml

DEA goons steal plastic surgery money

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo/message/6606

Tasers unsafe, confirm police - individual cops sue manufacturers for injuries sustained in training

http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news509.htm

Los Angeles Police have turned into artistic censors and decided to close down an art show, deeming it to be "aggressive and offensive". The art show was entitled 'Mark of the Beast' and featured subverted corporate logos; the Levis logo was changed to read Evils, Pepsi was changed to Piss and Nike's catchphrase Just Do It became Just Don't. The aggressive material can be seen at: www.transportgallery.com/transport/photosApr05.cfm

Feds persecute peace activists because state court acquitted them

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo/message/6570

Pig-fucking judge's decision deals blow to First Amendment, says paper (a solid article except for the qualifier about senseless etc etc at the end)

http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050829/NEWS/508290319/1018/OPINION

Jury allows police impunity for wanton firing at bystanders

http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/dailystar/91619.php

Courts persecute Toledo insurgents - once more, fighting against violent police attacks is labelled "assault", and vindictive police denounce pro-cop courts for alleged leniency

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051029/NEWS02/51029025

US could ban seafarers from 25 nations from US ports!
http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/367

Statist murder by default: prisoners left to die in New Orleans

http://prisonforum.com/index.php?topic=188.0

http://www.countercurrents.org/us-michaels021005.htm

Questions of intent over New Orleans

http://www.aztlan.net/new_orleans_land_grab.htm

Blackwater mercenaries deployed to New Orleans

http://www.countercurrents.org/us-kall1120905.htm

Alabama anti-sex control freaks ban dildos

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo/message/6201

Migrant woman jailed for taking morning-after pill

http://www.socialistworker.org/2005-1/544/544_02_GabrielFlores.shtml

Murders by police continue: black youth shot in the back in Austin

http://www.socialistworker.org/2005-2/549/549_02_AustinPolice.shtml

American pigs re-arrest racist stitch-up victim

http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news495.htm

More fascism in America - arrested protester ordered to apply for jobs; protesters at risk of 3-year sentences for minor damage to building

(What has someone not having a job got to do with the alleged illegal action?  Clearly the judge here is imposing a generalised social conformism incompatible with official excuses for statist power)

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050610/NEWS02/506100520

Goons block war veteran's attempts to visit children in Cuba

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/2758

Political persecution of police brutality activist intensifies

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/2743

It's official - cops taser people for free speech, when not attacked

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3166871

School mistakes burrito for gun

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/burrito_lockdown&printer=1

Banned in the USA - tax protest book

http://www.newswithviews.com/NWVexclusive/exclusive1.htm

Ann Coulter and the police state

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/3/234357/7289

Police murder toddler - shoot human shield in showdown with disturbed man

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/LA-police-kill-human-shield-toddler/2005/07/12/1120934208432.html?oneclick=true

Politically-motivated surveillance, entrapment, arrest and jailing of crusading Asian-American lawyer, for criticising the Patriot Act

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=261f4ed6d61243ca90d3145678d15f80

US police abuse and murder with their new torture weapon

http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=770

Latest taser abuse - police electrify child

Victim of police abuse is boy with problems; relatives barred from bus by abusive police

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/lorain/111848257318490.xml&coll=2

Police murder psychologically-different man with taser

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0505-24.htm

Video of police torturing motorist for talking on the phone

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/video/taser_video3a.html

Jordanian jailed for visiting websites

http://www.freep.com/news/locway/obeid29e_20050629.htm

US statists attempt to defend the indefensible - Canadian stopped en route at airport and shipped to Syria for torture

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/nyregion/10civil.html

British Muslim leader barred from US without reason

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4684489.stm

Abuses of unchecked power - Kafka meets Orwell in post-911 America

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0720-27.htm

Racist fervour leads to attacks on voting and entitlements in Arizona

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0605-25.htm

Blatant racism at Timimi trial

http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=7532

American Muslim disappears into solitary confinement

http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=8199

FBI trawls libraries for information

http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=7978

Pro-peace Palestinian tried for sending money to charities

http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=8672

American Gestapo targets peace protester as snitches run rampage

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/2179

The "spy on your family for the war on drugs" bill

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1914

Peace leafleting at heritage day persecuted by pigs

http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1121072710156600.xml&coll=2

Talking to fellow workers is under attack

http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/workersrights/eye7_2005.cfm

Jailed for being transgender - the latest atrocity by a bigot judge in America

Tyrant judge also bans transgender person from studying

http://www.transadvocate.com/archives/000206.php

Black man wrongly jailed for 20 years, denied parole for claiming innocence - freed when DNA evidence proves him innocent

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05211/546262.stm

Lawsuit settled over Bush protest arrests

http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=18601

State attacks on free expression continue - man jailed for wearing Grinch mask; police threaten all who wear masks, hoods to enforce generalised vulnerability to state violence

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050526105449524

Nazi judges legalise censorship of campus publications

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2204/

Radio stations and clubs under attack - police try to censor musical criticisms by closing stations, stitching up performers, pulling permits and harassing venues

http://www.counterpunch.org/daveyd07192005.html

Man labelled sex offender for getting cross with child - despite court's admission that the offence was not sexual

"This is the most stupid ruling the appellate court has rendered in years," said Barnaby's Chicago attorney, Frederick Cohn. "If you see a 15-year-old beating up your 8-year-old and you grab that kid's hand and are found guilty of unlawful restraint, do you now have to register as a sex offender?"

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-molest01.html

Abuse of prisoners in Ohio

http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=8844

Crackdown freakery and institutional injustice in Texas

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0620-26.htm

Hundreds of innocent people rounded up in Fatherland Security "anti-gang" purge

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney08022005.html

Nimbyite anti-"crime" fanatics create zones banning former sex offenders (to displace them to other areas)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/06/08/miami_effectively_bans_molesters_from_area/

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8AHFLU80.html

State land grabs legalised - but not without a backlash

"In Lodi, N.J., hundreds of trailer park residents may soon be squatters if the city decides their homes are hurting land values."

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0706-07.htm

Protester on trial for self-defence from Bushite goons' violence

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0622-05.htm

Fascist school tyrants tear down Bush satire posters

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0527-06.htm

More school fascism: teacher sacked, others walk out over draconian punishment

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0526-06.htm

And a kid kicked off school computers for accessing a political parody website

"We don't condone it. We don't like it and we discipline it," Superintendent Dr. Dan Doerhoff (grw002 at mail.connect.more.net) said.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0526-07.htm

Persecution of the young - police force pedestrians to be breathalysed

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0808-06.htm

Mass roundup of 10,000 - including 9,000 with no serious charges

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney05182005.html

Fatherland Security given go-ahead to waive any and all laws

http://www.counterpunch.org/shull05112005.html

Fatherland Security to wreck natural site, fill in river and destroy habitats to pursue anti-Mexican fence crusade

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/site/pp.asp?c=euLTJbMUKvH&b=486097

Three Strikes atrocity continues

http://www.counterpunch.org/yoshioka05062005.html

Artist persecuted by Homeland Security

http://www.counterpunch.org/mcmillan04152005.html

Vicious attack on legal party in Utah - military-dressed goons attack with helicopters and dogs, beat people up etc

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050823133340924

People who feed the homeless are under state attack in Dallas

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050807155009897

Kaczynski wants to donate his works to a library - but a judge decides to steal them instead

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050721225304898

Chicago pigs beat man for. standing in open public park, and arguing with them

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050806111033170

WalMart goons murder suspected shoplifter

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050819185544407

Screws kill resisting con in Baltimore

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050516132143199

Homelessness activists convicted for reopening shelter

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050429080029347

"Art is biowar" persecution continues - Steve Kurtz on trial for civil offence in criminal court - as case breaks down, prosecutors invent new charges

"Judge Schroeder seemed to agree, asking Federal Assistant District Attorney William Hochul whether an underaged youth who uses the internet to purchase alcohol across state lines, for example, should be subject to federal wire fraud charges. "Yes," Hochul answered after some hedging, and Schroeder chuckled. "Wow, that really opens up a Pandora's Box, wouldn't you say?" he asked Hochul."

"Cambria further argued that the FBI intentionally misled a judge into

issuing the original search warrant. That judge was never told of Kurtz's lengthy, credible and complete explanation of what the seized bacterial substances were being used for, nor of the fact that Kurtz tasted Serratia in front of an officer to prove it was harmless. Also, the judge was told of Kurtz's possession of a photograph of an exploded car with Arabic writing beside it, but not of the photograph's context: an invitation to an important museum art show. The photograph, by artists the Atlas Group, was one of several exhibited pieces pictured on the invitation."

http://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=05/05/19/1246226&mode=nested&tid=8&tid=22

Socialist candidate challenges state ban on "subversive" election candidates

http://www.themilitant.com/2005/6929/692902.html

Political prosecution of three newspapers begins to break down

http://www.themilitant.com/2005/6925/index.shtml

Birdwatchers under attack as "security" hysteria mounts

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1522968,00.html

Statist terror at airports - children manhandled by security goons

http://resist.ca/story/2005/4/24/232444/424

Mall tyrants attack teens, try to insist on parental escorts

http://www.masslive.com/living/republican/index.ssf?/base/living-0/112132713728690.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

Corporate censorship:  council bans residents from mentioning WalMart at meetings

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20050708-1419-speaknowal-mart.html

Fascist anti-porn probation rules lead to jailings for trivialities such as reading non-porn mags

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1966

Abuse of "odd", archaic and forgotten laws in America

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1981

The First Amendment is dead - Muslim preacher given life sentence for exercising free speech

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/timi-j27.shtml

Bushite goons stop man visiting family in Cuba

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/abril/juev28/protesta.html

American man jailed for saving a drowning man's life

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3252707

Soldier punished for criticising Bush

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1779

Canadian lawyer says criticising Israel is anti-Semitism!

http://palestineblogs.com/archives/2005/05/08/lawyer-any-criticism-of-israel-is-a-form-of-anti-semitism/

California National Guard accused of spying on protest groups

http://www.progressive.org/?q=mag_mc063005

New Jersey town uses Patriot Act to attack homeless people

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050630052509990001

Jewish family file lawsuit over police murder, claiming their son was murdered because he was mistaken for a Muslim

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1120876248576

New attack on the right to protest in Pennsylvania

http://govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php?channel=23&id=94301

Police persecute activist for complaining about Minutemen - phony charges filed, house trashed

http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/06/1747943.php

Instead of arresting bigot who drove van at protesters, pigs arrest 5 protesters on trumped-up charges

http://www.pww.org/article/articleprint/7198/

Pot prohibition kills again - medical marijuana user dies because of denial of medicine

http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/showflat.php?Number=1117360

Politically-motivated persecution of Arab academic

http://groups.msn.com/SimeAgain/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=1350

Activists jailed for refusing to collaborate with kangaroo court

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1865

Denver bans pit-bulls and even staffies!

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/4362515/detail.html

ACLU uncovers political surveillance and harassment

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1638

Sexual abuse and rape in American prisons exposed

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/225561_jailguards24.html

Persecution of Sherman Austin continues

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/127422.php

Librarian stands up to Patriot Act

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44445

US jailers torture innocent Afghan to death

http://newsfeed.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/story.asp?j=330443103004&p=33x443yx3473&n=330443103503

"Real ID" - the latest attack on civil rights in America

http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,67471,00.html?tw=wn_story_top5

Elderly teacher is labelled "terrorist" for inadvertent knife

http://www.komotv.com/stories/37150.htm

Road closed in fake penis alert

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91059-13355259,00.html

Fascist court bans parents from teaching Wicca

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050527/NEWS01/505270510

Innocent child arrested in US as "terrorist threat"

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/message/1710

Adding insult to injury: brother of man murdered by police, arrested for standing up to cops

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB7DDWUN8E.html

Attack on freedom of speech leads to arrests of parents at schoolboard meeting

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/042905_NW_durhamschoolboardmtg.html

Newark makes two moves toward redevelopment
Plan for new downtown area opens door for eminent domain
Friday, June 17, 2005
BY JEFFERY C. MAYS Star-Ledger Staff
The Newark City Council approved two pieces of legislation that will have
a major impact on development in the city. One will create an entirely new
downtown neighborhood on 13.5 acres, and the other will make it easier to
transfer city-owned land to developers.  Both met resistance from
residents at Wednesday night's council meeting, but the council said they
felt the changes were in the best interest of the city.  A redevelopment
plan for 13.5 acres of the downtown Mulberry Street neighborhood was
approved by a vote of 5 to 4, clearing the way for the city to officially
designate a developer and begin taking private property using eminent
domain.  In another move, the entire city of Newark has now been deemed an
area in need of rehabilitation, by a 6 to 3 vote, making it easier for the
city to create the type of redevelopment plan being used on Mulberry
Street.  "We are talking about enhancing neighborhoods," said Councilwoman
Bessie Walker.  The Mulberry plan is a 13.5-acre project to build more
than 2,000 market-rate condominiums and create an entirely new
neighborhood.  The redevelopment plans calls for mixed-use buildings with
stores on the bottom, wide plazas, a park and the option of an arcade. 
City officials say it is the first effort to create an entirely new
neighborhood and not just build two- and three-family houses.  "It's an
exciting day, a historical day for the city of Newark," said Emilio
Farina, a principal in the Mulberry Street Urban Renewal Co., the
developer that will probably be chosen for the project.  Supporters of the
project packed the council chambers wearing T-shirts and buttons. The
central planning board unanimously decided to recommend the plan to the
city council on Monday.  George Mytrowitz, a spokesman for the Mulberry
Street Coalition, a group of property owners fighting the use of eminent
domain for the project, urged the city council to postpone voting on the
plan until his group's lawsuit challenging the blight designation is
decided.  "We knew it was a foregone conclusion," said Mytrowitz. "The
city is wasting taxpayer dollars to come up with a plan when they know we
are contesting it in court."  Councilman Augusto Amador, who voted against
the Mulberry Street plan, said the city council should have waited until
the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling on a case it is hearing regarding
when the government can take private property for a public use and exactly
what constitutes a public use.  Mytrowitz said he was also concerned about
the city council declaring all 24 square miles of Newark as an area in
need of redevelopment.  "The city is trying to fast-track development.
Your house or business, your most important possession, may not be safe,"
said Mytrowitz.  Right up until the vote, the city council had questions
about what the designation would mean. Assistant Director of Economic and
Housing Development Johnny Jones and Corporation Counsel JoAnne Watson
explained that the designation does not change the process the city would
have to follow to use eminent domain.  Instead, city officials said the
designation would allow for smaller areas to be targeted for
redevelopment. The city would be able to take city-owned parcels and
combine them with parcels owned by developers to create neighborhood
redevelopment plans.  To meet the standard for rehabilitation, an area
must show a pattern of vacant, substandard or deteriorated housing; have
half of its housing stock or water and sewer infrastructure at least 50
years old; or stand to benefit from rehabilitation to prevent more
deterioration. Newark's sewer system is at least a century old.  City
planning officials currently declare an area in need of redevelopment if
they want to put together neighborhood plans. That designation allows the
city to take private property and devise plans to redevelop the area. It
also allows the municipality to convey city- owned land to private
developers without going through the public bidding process.  In order to
be declared in need of redevelopment, an area has to meet several
criteria, including unsafe and dilapidated buildings, underused land, and
abandoned commercial or industrial areas.  The city council has to ask the
central planning board to investigate whether an area is in need of
redevelopment. Hearings must be held by the planning board, and the
council must approve the planning board's recommendation.  Jones said that
process can take from six to eight months and can cost the chance at
outside funding.  Attorneys from McKirdy and Riskin, one of the leading
firms on eminent domain issues in the state, questioned why the city would
need to be declared in need of rehabilitation when the state's
redevelopment laws already give the city broad powers.  Nancy Zak, a
community activist who works for the Ironbound Community Corp., said the
city should concentrate on finishing its Master Plan and updating its
zoning laws. Proper planning and zoning would eliminate the need to do so
many neighborhood plans, she said.  "I have no problem voting on different
areas in need of redevelopment, but I don't believe all sections of the
city of Newark are in need of rehabilitation," said Councilman Donald
Tucker, who along with Amador and Luis Quintana voted against the
designation.  Jeffery C. Mays covers Newark City Hall. He may be reached
at jmays at starledger.com 

or (973) 392-4149.

The following appeal was initiated by the Women's Fightback Network in Boston, an affiliate of the IAC. 

Please respond immeditately: 

Stop Racial Profiling & Police Brutality! Drop All charges Against the Somerville 5! 

Please take a minute to read the flyer below regarding a very important struggle against police brutality and racial profiling in Somerville, MA. 

We are appealing to you to immediately call or send a fax to Dr. Albert Argenziano, Superintendent of Somerville Schools, demanding that all five students immediately be reinstated at Somerville High School, in good standing, with no repercussions.  The decision to reinstate or expel is currently in the hands of Dr. Argenziano and the deadline is this Thursday, May 12. 

The students have been unjustly suspended for more than 10 days.  No court has found them guilty but Somerville High School officials have decided they are "guilty until proven innocent".  This is a travesty of justice!!  More than 300 of their peers at Somerville High School signed a petition requesting their reinstatement.  Please help save their futures!  Make your voice heard! 

Dr. Albert Argenziano Superintendent, Somerville School Department Phone: 617-625-6600 x6005 or 617-625-6600 x6000 Fax: 617-625-4731 aargenziano at k12.somerville.ma.us 

Come & Pack the Court! Tuesday, May 10, 9:00 AM Somerville District Court (Orange Line to Sullivan Station, Bus #92 or #90) 

Call the Mayor of Medford, Michael McGlynn to demand that all charges be dropped Now! - 781-393-2408 

****************************** STOP RACIAL PROFILING AND POLICE BRUTALITY! 

DROP THE FRAME-UP CHARGES AGAINST CALVIN BELFON, CASSIUS BELFON, EARL GUERRA, ISIAH ANDERSON & MARQUIS ANDERSON! 

Every day, across the country, Black youth and other young people of color are the victims of racial profiling and police brutality.  Skin color and national origin are seen by police as a cause for suspicion and a reason to violate people's rights.  "Driving while Black" or "walking while Black" is the all too common harsh reality for our young people.  Racial profiling can result in beatings, maiming, imprisonment and even death. 

On April 20, 2005, 5 Black youths from Somerville (Calvin Belfon 17, Cassius Belfon 15, Earl Guerra 16, Isiah Anderson 17, and Marquis Anderson 16) were the victims of racial profiling and a brutal, unprovoked attack by Medford Police.  The Somerville youths were walking to catch a bus home and stopped at a Store 24 nearby. Outside they were confronted by a heavily armed Medford police officer.  He grabbed Calvin Belfon by the throat and punched him twice in the face.  Fearing serious bodily harm or worse, Belfon defended himself. His brothers and friends came to his aid.  When Calvin appealed for the cop to stop, he responded by calling him a racist name.  A police riot ensued with at least 10 cops armed with guns, clubs, mace and flashlights, beating the 5 youths.  All 5 young people sustained injuries to the face and head and all were maced.  Calvin and Isiah were clubbed on their heads with a flashlight.  All later went to the hospital for treatment.  Police also gang-profiled the youths as evidenced by asking them what their "street names" were. 

A cover-up of this vicious assault by the Medford Police quickly followed.  In pre-fabricated stories, police told the press and media such things as they were "fighting for their lives" "teens turned on them" , "were overwhelmed", etc. Absurd lies like these are commonly used by police to cover up abuse and pin it on the victims in order to get away with it.    Needing a probable cause for the unprovoked attack, the police claimed the youth were making trouble in the Store 
24 and that the youth had tried to grab cop's weapons. 

All five of these young people are students at Somerville High School who get good grades and have never been in trouble at school or with the law.  They are all excellent athletes and members of the football, track and basketball teams; respected by their peers.  All five attend church on a regular basis.  All dream of going to college.  They currently have been unjustly suspended from school. They have been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, assault and battery, and disorderly conduct.  The future of these promising students and athletes is now in jeopardy. 

Our youths have a right to walk down the street, attend an event, or drive their cars free from police harassment both psychological and physical.  They have a right to walk safely and not be terrorized by racist police.  We need to come together as a community and demand this - parents, guardians, educators, peers, and residents. 

Join us in demanding: Drop all charges now.  Reinstate the students at SHS immediately.  Conduct an independent investigation into police actions on April 20, 2005.  Stop racial profiling and police brutality. 

Come & Pack the Court! Tuesday, May 10, 9:00 AM Somerville District Court (Orange Line to Sullivan Station, Bus #92 or #90) 

Call the Mayor of Medford, Michael McGlynn to demand that all charges be dropped Now! - 781-393-2408 

Issued by: Committee to Defend the Somerville High School 5 Against Police Brutality c/o Women's Fightback Network & International Action Center - 617-522-6626

Suspension reduced over call from mom in Iraq 

Georgia student refused to end call at school from soldier-mother 
The Associated Press 

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Following hundreds of angry phone calls and e-mails, 
school officials in this Army base city have reduced a suspension 
imposed on a student who wouldn't give up his cell phone while 
talking to his mom - a sergeant on duty in Iraq. 
The angry calls about the boy's suspension got so bad at one point 
that secretaries had to take their phones off the hook, assistant 
principal Alfred Parham said. 
Kevin Francois, a 17-year-old junior at Spencer High School, was 
suspended for 10 days for disorderly conduct Wednesday after a 
teacher told him to give up his cell phone outside the school during 
his lunch break and he refused, the teen said. 
The boy said he had not expected the call from his mother, Sgt. 1st 
Class Monique Bates, who left in January for a one-year tour. 
The teacher says the confrontation happened in a hallway, not 
outside, and that Francois never said the call was with his mother. 
The Muscogee County School District Board of Education allows 
students to have cell phones in school but not to use them during 
school hours. 
The punishment for violating that policy is that the phone is 
confiscated until the end of the day. But Francois was suspended for 
cursing and being defiant, said Parham. That was extended to 10 
because "he did not want to accept the three-day suspension and to 
agree that he would not use the cell phone openly or curse." 
"We are empathetic to all students whose parents serve in the armed 
forces ... (but) we do have behavior standards which we uphold," said 
Superintendent John A. Phillips Jr. 
On Friday, the school district reduced the suspension to three days, 
which will allow Francois to return to school Monday, after officials 
met with him, the guardian who cares for him while his mother is out 
of the country, and a representative of her unit. 
"People are fussing at us, calling us names," said assistant 
principal Wendell Turner. 
"We are the school that serves Fort Benning," Turner said. "We're 
well aware of students with parents overseas." 
Parham said, however, that Francois' behavior at school has been "a 
chronic problem." 
And Francois added: "I'm not a golden child and I've been wrong, but 
I was right this time."

Phoenix Man Dies After Shocks From Police Taser Guns

PHOENIX -- Authorities in Phoenix say a man who had been suspected of 
assaulting a police officer has died after being shocked multiple times 
with Taser guns.

Police said the 24-year-old, who was not immediately identified, had 
tried to run from police early Tuesday, but a female officer caught up 
with him and shocked him with a stun gun. The man is said to have then 
resisted arrest and was shocked again by a another officer's Taser gun.

The man went unconscious and later was pronounced dead at the hospital. 
Police will not say exactly how many times the man was shocked. 

The death comes amid increasing debate nationwide over police use of 
Taser guns.

Mom Ticketed After Rushing Burned Baby To Hospital
Baby Had Been Burned By Iron's Steam

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- A Vermont woman won't face criminal charges for 
leading police on a high-speed chase, because she was rushing her 
burned baby to the hospital. 

She will get a traffic ticket, though. 

Vermont State Police said the woman has been issued a civil ticket for 
failing to obey a police officer.

A trooper attempted to pull her over but she ignored his lights and 
sirens. Eventually, the trooper escorted her to the hospital. Police 
received reports she was traveling as fast as 90 to 100 mph.

Her 9-month-old son was burned by steam from a fallen iron. He suffered 
second-degree burns to his hand and foot.

Terrorist Threat

By NINA BERNSTEIN

Published: April 9, 2005 - NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/nyregion/09suicide.html?

At Heritage High School in East Harlem, where the student idiom is hip-hop and salsa, the 16-year-old Guinean girl stood out, but not just because she wore Islamic dress. She was so well liked that when she ran for student body president, she came in second to one of her best friends - the Christian daughter of the president of the parent-teacher association, Deleen P. Carr.

Now Ms. Carr, a speech pathologist who calls herself "a typical American citizen," is as outraged as the girl's teachers and classmates, who have learned that the girl and another 16-year-old are being called would-be suicide bombers and are being held in an immigration detention center in Pennsylvania.

"They have painted this picture of her as this person that is trying to destroy our way of life, and I know in my heart of hearts that this is bogus," said Ms. Carr, who welcomed the Guinean girl to her house daily and knows her family well. "I feel like, how dare they? She's a minor, and even if she's not a citizen, she has rights as a human being."

      Whack'em & Stack'em - 
      Kill the Unarmed; No Questions Asked 

      Report By J.J. Johnson 

      New York City - Maybe it's the heat. Perhaps the Internal Affairs Department of the NYPD needs something to do. Or maybe this cop was just bored. Whatever the reason, another person decided to have himself killed by a man with a badge. A whack & stack indeed. 

      Last Friday, Staten Island Police raided two rooms in a storage facility in Chelsea. According to the Commish - Ray Kelly, the take down was over a compact disc counterfeiting operation. Fair enough.

      At the other end of reality, Ousmane Zango, an African Immigrant who repaired sculptures and drums imported from Africa, decided to visit his cramped improvised studio around the same time.

      Zango's connection to the raid: Zip

      Number of weapons in Zango's possession: Zero

      Zango's criminal record: Nada

      All the more reason he should die. It's "African Season", ya know. And there's a fresh whack & stack in this town that hasn't even left the morgue yet.

      Usually, murder suspects are named immediately, but we can't do that here - him being part of that thin blue line and all. Whoever the shooter was, someone decided to leave the plain clothes officer to guard some bootleg CD' s just down the hall from Zango's pad.

      Apparently, guarding bootleg CD's can get quite boring, and there's nothing better to break such boredom than blowing someone away. So, the plain clothes officer went after his prey.

      Five bullet rounds later, Ousmane Zango lay whacked on the floor. The official reason: Well, we don't have one. He just chased him down and shot him. The shooter in question did state that for some reason, Zango reached for his gun. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

      The Medical Examiner's office reported that Zango had two bullets enter the front of his body and exited the rear. One entered from the back and exited through the front of his body. And one bullet grazed his hand.

      Normally, cases like these wouldn't even make it on the radar screen in the Big Apple, but the reader will recall we mention that Zango was an African Immigrant (read: a black person). This gets the anti-whack & stack machine rolling against New York City's Finest. While not resorting to anarchy at this time, the whole incident reminded many people of a classic whack & stack of an African Immigrant 3 years ago. Amadou Diallo tried to shoot 4 police officers with his wallet (according to police), and that fatal mistake cost him 41 high-speed projectiles, and the privilege of breathing on this planet. Not to worry. After the long investigation, it was deemed a "good shoot". Needless to say, the natives did get a bit restless over the whole thing.

      Class is in session: You have the whack above. But with no criminal record, no weapon found, and no real reason for Zango to get whacked, the 'stack' becomes difficult here. Read this carefully, as there will be a test on this tomorrow: When killing an unarmed black person, always use the threat of upheaval in the community. This usually scares the heck out of the white people - making most folks forget that an innocent person was off'ed. So, send the media out to gauge the reaction. Get a few quotes from the likes of Al Sharpton - guaranteed to piss off any non-black person.

      Wonder if they ever call Sharpton after a white person is killed by police, or for that matter - killed period?

      Of course, we weren't there, and cops never lie. The Commish made mention that there were no video cameras where the shooting took place. The area was immediately cordoned off after the shooting, in case some other unarmed person decided to reach for some other officer's gun - obviously.

      If you are reading this wondering if the shooting officer is in custody, the answer is no. In fact, at the time of this writing, the shooter hasn't even been questioned. But thou shallt not pass judgment on this fine officer. After all, we must put ourselves in their shoes, and understand things from their viewpoint.

      But, any civilian under the same circumstances would have been immediately charged with first degree murder, discharging a weapon within the city limits, and heaven forbid if he didn't have a license for that firearm. And that line about "He was reaching for my gun?" Tell it to your loy-ya. So let 's not put a civilian in this officer's shoes.

      Perhaps the surviving family of Ousmane Zango should sue the gun manufacturer.

      Whack'em & Stack'em: Never Joke With An Armed Cop

      J.J. Johnson

      Okay, so it's been awhile since we're critiqued a state-sponsored slaying, meaning the bodies have been piling up since we've last put finger to keyboard. There are those that were wondering what it would take for a good 'whacking' to warrant an update. 

      Well, this one will do. This lawful offing was conducted by a man that isn't even supposed to be armed. No matter. Proving the fact that having a badge makes one 'licensed to kill', Whack'em & Stack'em class is in session once again. 

      Calumet City, Ill - 36 year-old Arlin McClendon worked at the Cook County Jail. He was out driving last Saturday night when he saw an SUV that he knew belonged to a co-worker. What the heck...he flashed the lights and blew the horn to get his attention. That's what folks usually do on a Saturday night, right? Pretty harmless since you know it's your buddy from work. 

      Ah... here's where things get confusing. Arlin's co-worker was in the OTHER car. The wife and kid were in this car. But Arlin didn't know that. He went over and pounded on the glass. Even one report of him going for the car door handle. 

      Before we continue, and word to those that always take sides with law enforcement in our whack & stack reports. What if at this point, you were to open fire on this person (multiple times), regardless of the fact that he was your FRIEND; how many years would you get in prison? 

      Answer: A whole bunch - if you're a civilian. But being that Arlin's work buddy wears a badge, he gets to think Arlin is a potential carjacker and shoot him dead. After a quick investigation, Arlin's bud was charged with... 

      ...well, nothing. Welcome to the World of Whack'em & Stack'em. 

      See the difference? 

      In fact, this whacker was so good at his tradecraft, he didn't even get his name leaked to the media (Lord knows we wouldn't want anyone to think badly about the shooter, would we?) You see, there have been a number of carjackings in the area, according the police - thus giving the corrections officer justification in killing one of his best friends. "It is a tragic accident, a case of mistaken identity," Calumet City police Sgt. Larry Smith told the AP. "The victim and the shooter were lifelong friends. They worked together." 

      By the way, did you know that corrections officers are allowed not carry firearms while on duty? And as for off-duty, have you seen the strict, draconian gun laws they have in Illinois? 

      Well, not to worry, as none of that crap applies here. You see, since these guys are officers-of-the-law, they know what they're doing when it comes to guns. Our shooters only punishment is to have to live with the mistake that he simply didn't know what his friend looks like after 13 years. 

      Lesson: If you have a badge, it's even okay to kill one of your own for a semi-good reason.

Another RNC protest prosecution falls apart

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/300220p-256865c.html

Distraught Man Shot At Bridge

SEATTLE -- A distraught man shot by police early Friday in Seattle 
has died.

Police had responded to a report the man was jumping off a bridge.

Spokeswoman Debra Brown says officers were trying to calm the man 
when they struggled and shots were fired. 

The man in his 20's was taken to Harborview Medical Center where he 
died.

The incident happened about four this morning at the First Avenue 
South Bridge over the Duwamish River as the man's wife and child were 
in a car. The man's mother had reportedly called police to say he was 
suicidal.

Brown says the man jumped off the bridge twice at a low level. After 
the first jump he went back and tried again before police arrived and 
chased through a brushy area.
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