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News :: Crime & Police |
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Support Benton Harbor Rebellion - All Out In Support Of July 12th March |
Current rating: 0 |
by nightvision
Email: nightvision (nospam) ziplip.com (unverified!) |
08 Jul 2003
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The Southwest Michigan Coalition Against Racism and Police Brutality and the Benton Harbor chapter of the Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizers (BANCO) will hold a mass march and rally against racism and police brutality in Benton Harbor, Mich., on Saturday, July 12. Anarchists and other anti-authoritarians need to support this rebellion and the work BANCO is doing. This uprising was ferocious and targeted the racist criminal justice system. We should organize with all our resources to bring people to the March and Protest July 12th. |
Support Benton Harbor Rebellion
All Out in Support of July 12th March
By Steve Lansing, Michigan Nightvision Anarchist Collective nightvision (at) ziplip.com
For two days in June, police faced the wrath of the oppressed in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The uprising began after police chased a speeding motorcyclist and forced him to crash. According to local activists, more than 40 people witnessed the police kick the dead suspect and give each other high fives. The rebellion that followed rocked the small, impoverished town of 12,000. Local activists from the Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizers (BANCO) have called for a day of action against police brutality. It is crucial that anarchists and other anti-authoritarians mobilize to support those who rose up against the system that perpetuates violence, racism, and poverty.
Terrance Sturn was pursued by police for drag racing on his motorcycle. Benton Township Police chased Sturn into the town where he lost control and crashed into a building and was killed. According to a press release put out June 18th, by Reverend Edward Pinkney:
“A young man was riding his motorcycle in Benton Harbor. A police car began bumping the back of his motorcycle. The man took off to escape the police harassment. Another police car cut off the motorcyclist and "drove" the motorcycle into a building. The officer who drove the motorcycle into the building was Mark Lundin. As the man lay dead, Lundin kicked him in and head, and then he and the other officer present gave each other high fives. There are over forty witnesses to this tragic event. It is believed by many in Benton Harbor that the police are now hard at work to cover this up…”
That night hundreds of Benton Harbor residents fought police with bricks and bottles, burned the building Sturn crashed into, and destroyed police and media vehicles.
The next day (Tuesday June 17th) over 200 people gathered at the Benton Township Trustee’s regular meeting to express their outrage at the perpetual abuse by the police. Other people met at the scene of Sturn’s death. They also spoke out against the pursuit related death of 11-year-old Trenton Patterson.
That night more residents came out to show their outrage at police abuse. Police had to keep rebels away from the police station, which they threatened to burn. Protesters continued to target police and media vehicles, destroying several. Two people attacked a police barricade by shooting at police while trying to bust through it with their car. At least seven people were arrested.
The next day Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm declared a state of emergency and sent dozens of State Police, which quelled the rebellion, but not the spirit of resistance. More than 500 people came out to Sturn’s funeral and BANCO have put out a call for a march against police brutality and judicial complicity July 12th.
Anarchists and other anti-authoritarians need to support this rebellion and the work BANCO is doing. This uprising was ferocious and targeted the racist criminal justice system. We should organize with all our resources to bring people to the March and Protest July 12th. We must demand amnesty for those involved in the rebellion, and demand that the officers involved in the chase be punished. Most importantly we have to continue building resistance to the overall system, which more than any individual officer or department, is responsible for the death of Terrance Sturn. BANCO is working in this direction already.
“BANCO believes that these anti-police rebellions took place because justice was not served in the Patterson case, and now yet another person has been killed in an irresponsible police chase. The people exploded in suppressed rage. They are not criminals or rioters. They demand justice and we all are demanding justice. There will be no peace without justice!" -Rev. Edward Pinkney
The Southwest Michigan Coalition Against Racism and Police Brutality and the Benton Harbor chapter of the Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizers (BANCO) will hold a mass march and rally against racism and police brutality in Benton Harbor, Mich., on Saturday, July 12.
The rally will begin at 10 a.m. at the Benton Harbor City Hall, 200 E. Wall St. At 11 a.m., we will march to the Berrien County Courthouse, 811 Port St., in St. Joseph, for a rally at noon.
If your organization would like to endorse the march and rally, please contact:
JoNina M. Abron (269)370-4383 e-mail: jonina1.1 (at) juno.com
Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizers (BANCO) Benton Harbor, Michigan Contact: Rev. Edward Pinkney (269)925-0001
For more info on FRAC or Nightvision Contact:
Nightvision Anarchist Collective nightvision (at) ziplip.com PO Box 4502 East Lansing MI 48826 http://www.frac.ws
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See also:
http://www.frac.ws/supportbh.html
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This Just Sucks |
by bfd
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: -2
08 Jul 2003
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"For two days in June, police faced the wrath of the oppressed in Benton Harbor, Michigan."
Actually, a bunch of old ladies who had their houses burned down faced the wrath. I think that it's really shitty that you're trying to fan the flames of a really unfortunate incident that 1)doesn't concern you and 2)really has nothing to do with your silly pseudo-politics. |
