A demonstration in Oakland demanding justice for Oscar Grant who was killed by BART Police in 2009. Grant's killing sparked outrage in Calif. and throughout the country. (Photo: Judy Greenspan), a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Joint rally honors Oscar Grant & the fight against police brutality
By Judy Greenspan
Oakland, Calif.
Published Jan 5, 2012 7:56 PM
Marching from Oscar Grant Plaza to the Fruitvale Bay Area Rapid Transit Plaza, hundreds of people rallied for justice for Oscar Grant and all victims of police brutality and murder on Jan. 1.
Just three years ago, Grant, a 19-year-old Black youth, was shot and killed by BART police as he was waiting with friends for the train at the Fruitvale BART station. Personal video footage showed that Grant was physically restrained by other BART police when officer Johannes Mehserle shot him. While Mehserle was eventually prosecuted and found guilty, he received a very light sentence for the cold-blooded murder.
Grant’s death has fueled a broad movement in Oakland and around the state against the racist police shootings of young people of color. The Jan. 1 rally was organized by the Oscar Grant Committee, Occupy Oakland and Bring the Ruckus and reflected the unity among these groups.
Following a short rally at Oscar Grant Plaza in front of City Hall (originally Frank Ogawa Plaza), more than 300 demonstrators started a several-mile march to the Fruitvale BART station. The march was well received as it passed through several residential neighborhoods. The Oakland police remained in the background as organizers from Occupy Oakland, on foot and on bicycle, directed the crowd through the streets.
Speakers at the final rally included Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, and her brother, Uncle Bobby (Cephus Johnson). The family had held a prayer vigil earlier that day at the BART station, and then came over to the rally. Johnson thanked everyone for attending the protest. “The fight is not over. Stand up for what you believe,” she challenged the demonstrators.
Uncle Bobby reminded everyone that before Occupy Oakland, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union had shut down the Port of Oakland to demand justice for Oscar Grant. “We have to tie together both movements and keep working together,” Johnson said.
Jack Bryson, whose two sons were with Grant when he was killed, thanked Occupy Oakland for its solidarity in the struggle against police brutality and murder. He reminded the crowd that one of Occupy Oakland’s first acts was to rename Frank Ogawa Plaza in honor of Grant.
The rally became a speakout for family members whose children had been killed by local police. Khalid Shakur, an Oakland resident and Occupy organizer, called on everyone to get involved in the fightback against the 1%.
-----------------------------------------------------
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
Subscribe wwnews-subscribe@workersworld.net
Support independent news DONATE
No comments:
Post a Comment