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BALTIMORE

Community, families mark police killing anniversary

By Sharon Black-Ceci

Baltimore

On Aug. 9, over 100 people gathered at Baltimore's downtown Lexington Market to commemorate police shooting victims, including James Quarles. Each year the All-Peoples Congress, Unity for Action and the Quarles family protest at the site where the police shot him to death in 1997.

This year many other police brutality victims and family members joined the anti-racist groups. They were also protesting in solidarity with national actions demanding the release of hundreds of youths jailed during the Republican Convention in Philadelphia.

While Unity for Action Vice President Eric Easton introduced the families, the APC's Liz Lowengard made a large placard listing the victims who have been killed by police.

With tears in her eyes, Calvin Hazelton's sister came forward. "No one has ever remembered my brother. This killing has continued to haunt me and my family. I have been fighting a drug addiction problem ever since and have had no peace," she said.

Hazelton's sister was passing by the protest when she saw her brother's name at the top of the list, which included over 20 names.

Andre Powell, spokesperson for the All-Peoples Congress, linked the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the movement against the death penalty and the recent demonstrations at the Republican Convention to the local work against police killings. He called for freedom for the youths jailed in Philadelphia.

Approximately 20 family members attended the protest.

The All-Peoples Congress is preparing a pamphlet telling the stories of those killed and abused by the Baltimore police. Families are asked to submit pictures and stories about their loved ones. For more information, call (410) 235-7040.

This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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