June 2 in Cincinnati
National march to hit racist police killings
By Leslie
Feinberg
A broad call has gone out for everyone outraged by racist
police violence to march in the streets of Cincinnati on June
2. More than 200 people from dozens of groups initiated the
call for a massive, militant national March for Justice.
The shooting of an unarmed teenager by a Cincinnati police
officer on April 7 ignited the biggest rebellion in the city
since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cops
arrested more than 800 people during the uprising.
The youth--Timothy Thomas--was the 15th Black male killed
by Cincinnati police since 1995. And he was the fourth
African American in just five months shot to death by local
cops.
The call for a national March for Justice focuses on three
demands: Stop police killings and the abuse of police power,
end the police department's racist patterns and practices,
and build social and economic justice.
A major rally is also scheduled for June 1. African
American, white and immigrant groups and individuals have met
in Cincinnati in recent weeks to plan the three-day protest.
More than 200 people from dozens of groups have taken
part.
Endorsing organizations as of May 4 include the American
Federation of Government Employees Local 3840 Executive
Committee, Concerned Citizens for Justice, Coalition for a
Humane Economy (CHE) and Stand Up 4 Democracy.
Black activists and the American Civil Liberties Union
joined forces to sue the city in March. They charged that the
police department had failed to halt 30 years of police
harassment of African Americans, who make up 43 percent of
Cincinnati's 331,000 residents.
In the month since the rebellion, the City Council had to
accept federal court-supervised mediation to resolve the
lawsuit. The city's safety director and the city manager were
forced to resign under criticism.
'Slap on the wrist'
The cop who shot Timothy Thomas in cold blood was indicted
by a Hamilton County grand jury on May 7. But the panel
declined to indict officer Stephen Roach on murder
charges.
Instead, he was charged with two misdemeanors: negligent
homicide and obstructing official business. If convicted of
both, Roach could face probation or at most a maximum of nine
months in jail.
Timothy Thomas' mother, Angela Leisure, told the media, "I
feel it was a slap on the wrist.
"I don't feel like justice was served. I feel it was not
severe enough for the severity of what he did. He took a
life. Negligence--that doesn't cut it for me." (The
Cincinnati Enquirer, May 8)
Roach had been on paid leave since the slaying. But after
the grand jury's ruling, the department announced he would be
returned to desk duty.
The city had widely announced that extra police would be
in the streets to prevent any reaction to the grand jury
decision. But this, and a sudden thunderstorm, did not stop
the many protests.
The Coalition for a Humane Economy held a demonstration of
more than 200 on the steps of the courthouse in the early
evening on April 7 against police brutality and to demand
justice for Thomas' family. More than 150 protesters marched
around the police headquarters the same day.
As night fell, Cincinnati police recorded damage to three
Main Street businesses and a police substation in Corryville.
The rear window of a police cruiser was smashed. And someone
attempted to burn the plywood used to board up windows at the
Cincinnati Police Substation at 220 E. University.
Windows were broken at three Main Street businesses in
Over-the-Rhine--where Thomas was killed--and two vacant
buildings.
On April 8, a group of demonstrators chanted "No justice?
No peace!" in Fountain Square, the center of the city's
business district.
The same day Mayor Charles Luken told a CBS news
broadcast, "Suffice it to say that there may be a number of
flash points out there over not only the next few days, but
over the summer."
To contact the March for Justice, call (513) 588-8883.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
Subscribe wwnews-subscribe@workersworld.net
Support independent news http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php)
HOME
:: U.S. NEWS ::
WORLD NEWS ::
EDITORIALS
:: SUBSCRIBE ::
DONATE
Email
this article
Printable
page