Cleveland: ‘Jobs, not jails!’

Photo: Caleb T. Maupin

The Cleveland Bail Out the People Movement chapter held its first March for Jobs on Dec. 12. The multinational march made its way through the Collinwood neighborhood in the city’s predominantly African-American east side, drawing honks and cheers with chants such as “J-O-B — Not the penitentiary!” BOPM marched in Collinwood because its numerous boarded-up houses and abandoned factories symbolize the jobs crisis. Marchers stopped at Collinwood High School, where they emphasized that youth have a right to an education and a job; at the Fifth District police station, where victims of police brutality and harassment spoke out; and outside a post office slated for closing. Speakers, signs and the lead banner also addressed the demand for “Money for jobs, not wars and bank bailouts.”

The march had a great deal of community support. Endorsers included the local chapter of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense; Family Connection Center; Black on Black Crime, Inc.; Oppressed Peoples Nation; Survivors/Victims of Tragedy, Inc.; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Division 3, Local 436; Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition; Fight Imperialism, Stand Together; Lucasville Uprising Freedom Network; Stop Targeting Ohio’s Poor; and the local chapter of the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign.