NEWS & ACTIONS!

Below is our UPDATE on the growing movement around the death of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old African American father who was killed by a BART transit police officer early New Year's Day. He was shot in the back as he lay face-down in surrender on a train platform - which was caught on tape (see the YouTube video below). Please click here to read a blog written by CJNY's Malachi Larrabee-Garza in the week following Grant's death.

CJNY responded to calls from multiple member organizations for assistance in organizing rallies and vigils following the fatal shooting of Grant. Christina Gomez, CJNY Western Region Program Manager, assisted in pulling in other dedicated organizers to add assistance in planning, outreach, media work and other duties. Simultaneously, a coalition of CJNY member groups and allies helped to form a coalition called Coalition Against Police Executions (C.A.P.E.) that called for a mass mobilization beginning January 14.

The following week approached and communities of justice were hard at work. Then, news broke that growing public pressure and clear evidence in the case had resulted in Officer Johannes Mehserle,27, being arrested in Nevada and charged with murder. Mehserle had abruptly resigned, avoiding interviews with BART internal affairs investigators and retaining his right not to be interviewed as part of the criminal probe.

The mass mobilization went on as planned, with a clear understanding that justice has not yet been served in this case, or in the police brutality murders of two other young men of color in New Orleans and Houston. This is a structural epidemic that needs a national overhaul. The mobilization, guided by the wishes articulated by the Grant family for peace and an end to police brutality, was supported by C.A.P.E., clergy and congregations, community organizers, service providers, students and unions. It drew more than 2,000 people from across the Bay Area to downtown Oakland and demonstrated a clear message that justice must prevail.

The movement on behalf of justice for Grant and an end to police brutality is growing stronger every day - united by diversity and a wide range of skills. CJNY will continue to support this movement in an effort to sharpen the system accountability demands and the national solidarity emerging around this case. Please contact Christina Gomez at (415) 321-4100 x 102 or cgomez@burnsinstitute.org to become plugged into this movement.

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HELP CRITICAL RESISTANCE TO PRESSURE DA TOM ORLOFF AND MAYOR RON DELLUMS TO DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST THE THOSE ARRESTED DURING THE OSCAR GRANT PROTESTS!

Earlier this month, over 120 people protesting the execution of Oscar Grant, III, by BART police were arrested and now face a range of charges. Many were young people of color acting in anger over what has become a consistent pattern of criminalization, abuse and even murder at the hands of Oakland police forces. They now face additional criminalization.

We know that arresting and imprisoning young people will not address the racial profiling, intimidation, humiliation, and death youth face at the hands of Oakland cops. We need real, long-term solutions to Oakland's problems. Not band-aid fixes aimed at keeping young people quiet and behind bars.

TAKE ACTION! CALL THE DA AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICES AND DEMAND THAT THE CHARGES BE DROPPED!

CALL-IN DAYS: Monday February 2nd-Friday February 6th

Mayor's office: 510-238-3141, District Attorney's office: 510-272-6222

Sample Script: "I am a resident of Oakland calling to urge Mayor Dellums/ Thomas Orloff to drop all charges against people arrested downtown on Jan 7th and 14th protesting Oscar Grant, III's execution by BART police. I'm asking the Mayor and District Attorney to move ahead urgently to ensure that people protesting the criminalization of Oakland youth are not further criminalized themselves.

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Below are some videos from the mass mobilization January 14, along with photographs taken by Josh Warren-White:

ABOUT CJNY!

The Community Justice Network for Youth (CJNY) is a project of the W. Haywood Burns Institute. This project is comprised of community-based programs, grassroots organizations, service-providing agencies, residential facilities and advocacy groups that focus their work on youth of color. The CJNY's primary function is to be a support network for organizers and practitioners who are on the ground working with youth who are at risk or already involved in juvenile justice systems. If you are interested in joining the network, contact us. And join our group on Facebook! Click here to view YouTube videos related to youth incarceration. CJNY on Twitter.