#shutdowna14

April 13, 2015 Hello folks,

Just went to the third day of court for the X15 and what should have been a routine day as the legal strategy had already been worked out turned into an intense situation. (Let’s see, routine action followed by police escalation, what does that remind me of?)

Just to say, Elliott noted that on the front of the Hamden County Courthouse building it…

With NPR’s New York reporters busy on other deadlines, I contributed the bulk of the reporting for this Morning Edition story on the nationwide #BlackLivesMatter protests on April 14, 2015.

Many #ShutDownA14 protests took place around the country yesterday.  I have recorded the ones I know about in Elephrame’s Black Lives Matter record.  However, I know that I may have missed some.  So, if you look at the record and see that one (or more) is missing, let me know about it here, on Twitter (@elephrame) or by email at [email protected] with a link to a Tweet or news article verifying the protest’s location.

Revolution Books received the following message from Carl Dix:

THE MOVEMENT TO STOP MURDER BY

POLICE TOOK BACK THE STREETS

Police Strike Back with Vicious Arrests -

Drop All the Charges!

April 14: People stood up.  Defiant.  With the joy of fighting for justice and for the humanity of Black and Latino people.

April 14 announced to the whole country that the beautiful movement that began in Ferguson and spread through the fall to stop the killing and the utter disregard for Black and Latino lives is back.

Thousands of people took to the streets in more than 30 cities across the country -- to STOP BUSINESS AS USUAL BECAUSE BUSINESS AS USUAL IN AMERICA MEANS POLICE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDERING BLACK AND LATINO PEOPLE.  The streets were alive with righteous youth saying they won't live this way. #ShutdownA14 was kicked off nationally by Cornel West, myself, and the Stop Mass Incarceration Network.  They were joined in NYC by Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts and the United Clergy Caucus, Eve Ensler, and Arturo O'Farrill -- who brought a moral support to the day.

In NY -- 1500 people took to the streets and stopped traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.  1000 marched in Los Angeles.  City Hall in San Francisco was filled with protesters.  From Springfield, Mass, to Gainesville, Florida people stood up.

The police and the powers that be, struck back.  In NYC with viciousness -- with 2 protesters sent to the hospital after hours delay.  Over 30 arrested.  In LA over 20 arrested with threats of serious charges.

This is unacceptable! The police brutalize and murder people every day -- every day -- with impunity. Then, when people take to the streets to declare to the world this must stop, they lash out to brutalize and arrest people who protest these horrors.  And, in NY the mayor and media spread outrageous lies about the protest.

This cannot and will not be allowed to go down. In New York the Stop Mass Incarceration Network has called for a demonstration at City Hall on Thursday, 4/16/15 at 4:00PM to condemn these vicious attacks. On Wednesday, 4/15, at 6 PM, the Network is calling an Emergency Meeting at West Park Presbyterian Church on Amsterdam Ave and 86th Street.

If you were in the streets on April 14, build for this demonstration and be in the house for the Emergency meeting. And if you didn't make it out into the streets on the 14th, get involved now, join this movement of resistance.

April14 marked a new beginning.  After a winter of murder after murder, video upon video, passivity has been cracked.  A door opened to a new wave of defiant resistance to say that this murder of Black and Latino people must STOP.  NOW.  Join Us.

NEW YORK CITY, THURSDAY, 4/16, CITY HALL AT 4 PM