People speak of the police who tortured, abused and lied about them in court - the consequences for themselves - and their commitment to end a culture that debased them and society at large.
In Chicago there is a call for an elected civilian police accountability council (CPAC) to end impunity and the wall of official silence. Following the FOIA-ed release of video from the police murder of Laquan McDonald, which exposed an attempted coverup by Mayor Emanuel and States Attorney Alverez, people boiled with outrage into the streets to peacefully protest on Black Friday in Chicago's most expensive shopping district, "the Magnificent Mile".
Frank Chapman from the Committee to End Racist and Political Repression speaks about why there is a call to Boycott Black Friday on the "Magnificent Mile" again, a link with Martin Luther King, and why justice and accountability reject anything but community control over the police.
Michael Harrington - Moderator Rev. Marilyn Pagan-Banks, Exec Dir, A Just Harvest
Just Harvest Northside P.O.W.E.R Workers Center for Racial Justice Nerwork 49 Christ Church of Chicago
Chicago's highest elected officials, the Mayor, the Alderman and the States Attorney, have failed to hold the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to account for crimes committed by sworn officers. CPD officials have protected Chicago officers whose racist and criminal behavior have tainted the entire department, placed honest cops at risk and, in just the past ten years alone, resulted in over a half billion dollars in civil judgements against the City. Few of the individuals responsible are fired and almost none are criminally prosecuted. Mark Clemons, tortured into a confession while a juvenile refers to that when he mentions millions of dollars and the budget crisis of the City. Mark Clemons also refers to the States Attorney as evil for covering up police crimes. A partial list of Cook County States Attorneys and major police crimes during their tehiure:
Edward Hanrahan 1968â1972 - assassination of Fred Hampton and murder of Mark Clark by Chicago police
Richard M. Daley 1980â1989 - cover-up of police torture by Detective John Burge and the officers under his command
Anita Alvarez 2008â2016 - cover-up of Richard M. Daley involvement in obstruction of justice in the John Burge torture crimes and cover-up of Laquan McDonell murder by police
Several hundred mostly Black men were convicted and sentenced to die on coerced confessions and perjured testimony of Chicago police with facilitation by the States Attorney's office.
At this community meeting called by civic and religious groups who are organizing around police accountability, inclusiveness, social, and economic justice, we hear the panel and audience testimony of their experience of the CPD and incarceration.
![<?php echo $config['site_title']; ?>](/static/images/rp-navimg.gif)
![Support the <?php echo $config['site_title']; ?>](/static/images/support.png)
