BALTIMORE
Protest shuts down street after cops kill youth
By
Workers World Baltimore bureau
Protesters took to the streets in Baltimore after another
fatal shooting of an unarmed youth by police.
Undercover Baltimore police shot 21-year-old Larry Hubbard
Oct. 7 in what the African American community calls "execution
style."
Cops had pursued Hubbard from a possible stolen car,
cornered him and beat him up in plain sight of community
members. An eyewitnesses said: "They took his boots off to
search for drugs and he fell on top of the first officer. Then
the second officer, Barry Hamilton, came up behind him yelling
`Don't move m...f.. or I'll blow your head off,' as he pointed
his gun at point blank range."
Witnesses say that before Hamilton finished the sentence he
pulled the trigger, shooting Hubbard in the back of the neck.
While police accounts state that Hubbard died at the hospital,
community members say he died at the scene because cops let
Hubbard's body lie for a half-hour on the ground before it was
moved.
Police had already placed handcuffs on one of Hubbard's
wrists when he fell. Witnesses say that as Hamilton yelled at
Hubbard, the young African American pleaded for his life,
saying, "Don't shoot, please don't shoot." And then the gun
went off.
Police claimed Hubbard was reaching for the fallen officer's
gun. Witnesses quickly disputed this lie.
By Oct. 13 over 300 people rallied to protest the killing in
front of the Enoch Pratt Central Library--outside a debate
between the two main candidates in Baltimore's upcoming mayoral
election. It was the biggest protest to date over any police
shooting in Baltimore.
The protesters held an open mike speak-out targeting the
"Zero Tolerance Policy" promoted by Democratic candidate Martin
O'Malley. As he arrived for the debate protesters chanted,
"O'Malley, what's the tally?" They said the policy contributed
to increased police harassment and killings in the poor
communities.
O'Malley told the crowd that this latest killing was not a
result of Zero Tolerance but from the years-old pattern of bad
police practices.
Andre Powell of the All-People's Congress answered O'Malley,
saying, "The real reason for police killings is not from badly
trained police, but from the over 30-year-long war by the
police on Black communities all over this country dating back
to the sixties."
Powell brought up Mumia Abu-Jamal. He said: "Today a second
death warrant was signed for Mumia. They want to silence him
because this is the exact thing that he spent his life fighting
against--police killings and brutality in the Black community.
For being a voice for the poor and oppressed.
"The best way we can honor Larry Hubbard is to demand
justice for him and justice for Mumia."
Angry protesters then took to the streets and shut down
Cathedral Street for two hours. The protest was called by the
All-People's Congress, Unity for Action, Concerned Citizens for
Police Accountability and Review, and a number of other
community groups.
Community organizers urged the people to attend a planned
birthday vigil since Hubbard would have turned 22 on Oct 20.
Community activists are planning a rally for Oct. 25 at 5 p.m.
at City Hall at 100 Holiday Street. They are demanding justice
for Larry Hubbard; no Zero Tolerance; and jobs for youth, not
police abuse and jails. For more information readers can call
(410) 235-7040 or (410) 532-6136.
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