BALTIMORE
Killer cops provoke angry protest
By
Sharon Black
Baltimore
Once again the familiar sight of a makeshift memorial with
flowers, candles, teddy bears, and hand-written poems decorates
the bleakness of a Baltimore alleyway. These items were left to
mark the spot where the life of another young man was
tragically snuffed out by police bullets.
Seventeen-year-old Eli McCoy was shot three times by Housing
Authority Police Officer Kenneth Dean on Nov. 25. Neighborhood
witnesses all testify that McCoy had his hands in the air and
had surrendered when he was shot. They dispute the police
version of events, which claims McCoy was reaching for a gun.
No weapon or gun was recovered from Eli McCoy.
Just one month ago, a similar memorial was erected by East
Baltimore neighbors, friends and relatives of Larry Hubbard,
who was shot in the back of the head by Baltimore police. This
month teddy bears and candles have been placed at North
Dukeland and North Avenue in West Baltimore in remembrance of
Eli McCoy.
Two neighborhood groups, the All People's Congress and Unity
for Action, began an immediate mobilization in the community.
They distributed fliers and spoke to family members, neighbors
and witnesses. The groups called for a rally for justice on
Nov. 27 at the site where Eli McCoy died.
Close to 400 people attended, shutting down traffic on North
Avenue and Dukeland. The Rev. John Wright, a civil-rights
activist and pastor of the First Baptist Church, began the
groups' takeover of the streets with a prayer calling for
justice. In response to what many in the community see as a
cover-up, Wright exclaimed: "The police are going to cover
themselves. Does that mean if I see a police officer I have to
take my hands out of my pockets?"
Bill Goodin, President of Unity for Action, chaired the
rally. Goodin called for immediate justice and the jailing of
the police.
Lee Patterson, representing Workers World Party, said: "This
is a war on the poor and on Black youth. From the boardrooms
and corporate offices where they conspire to pay our youth
pennies to work in their sweatshops; from the CIA and bankers
in suits who bring in illegal drugs; to the KKK in white sheets
and those in blue--all of them seek to commit genocide. We need
to say no!"
Demonstrators force cops
to retreat
During the middle of the street rally, state police
attempted to drive their cruiser through the crowd. Angry
protesters surrounded and banged on the car. The police in the
cruiser called for reinforcements. At this point dozens of city
police arrived with sirens blaring. Police pulled out batons
and waded into the crowd.
The demonstrators refused to move. Sensing the mood of the
crowd, police retreated.
The rally continued. Eli McCoy's family members spoke from
the microphone in tears, expressing their pain and demanding
justice. Elton McCoy, the victim's father, said: "How would you
feel if that was your son? I want justice, so that my son did
not die in vain."
Debra Carr, Larry Hubbard's mother, lent her support to the
McCoy family, saying: "Another Black man is killed on the
street like an animal. That's why I am here."
Family members of James Quarles--whose shooting by police
was recorded on videotape and viewed nationally on the
news--were also present.
Andre Powell, spokesperson for the All People's Congress and
one of the organizers of the event, said: "There is an epidemic
of police killings in Baltimore. You cannot separate this from
the growing epidemic of racism, low wages and deteriorating
health care. We need community control of the police and the
indictment and jailing of killer cops."
The group vowed to continue to rally and organize. The event
ended with a procession in front of the makeshift memorial to
honor Eli McCoy.
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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