Saturday, July 25
12:00 noon
Lincoln Monument (West Market Street and Springfield Avenue)
Newark, N.J.
The ANSWER Coalition is endorsing the Million People’s March in Newark, N.J. and we encourage all of our members and supporters to attend. The following message was issued by Lawrence Hamm, Chairman of the People's Organization for Progress, which is sponsoring the march.
Police brutality is an ongoing, growing and deadly problem in the United States of America.
It includes the unwarranted and unjustified killing of unarmed people, the use of excessive force, the violation of peoples' constitutional rights, racist and discriminatory practices, criminal activity, corruption and misconduct, increased militarization of police forces, and the failure of the criminal justice system to hold police accountable.
Police brutality is not an isolated problem. It is a historical problem with roots that are deep in the social fabric of this country. It must be seen within the broader context of racial and economic injustice and inequality.
While the victims of police brutality come from all racial groups in society, the vast majority come from African American, Latino, Native American and other communities of color. They are overwhelmingly poor and working class. Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Abdul Kamal, Kashad Ashford, Rekia Boyd, and Jerame Reid are among the recent victims.
Police brutality has been and continues to be the cause of social unrest in the country. Throughout contemporary US history incidents of police brutality have sparked explosive episodes of civil rebellion and unrest, with the most recent being that of Ferguson, Missouri.
The failure of the criminal justice system to hold police officers accountable is causing a political crisis as more people discover that police brutality goes unpunished. Police kill unarmed civilians and are not even charged.
One grand jury after another fails to indict police officers. The cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner being the most recent examples. This is perpetuating a growing belief that the criminal justice system is racist and illegitimate.
Police brutality is a serious and longstanding problem. For decades attempts have been made to reform the police. These efforts have only been successful when tremendous sustained political and social pressure have been brought to bear upon the appropriate government institutions.
For these reasons the People's Organization for Progress (POP) is calling a MILLION PEOPLE'S MARCH Against Police Brutality, Racial Injustice, And Economic Inequality. We will march to demand an end to police brutality and justice for all of its victims, police reform, and an end to the problems of racial injustice and economic inequality which lead to police brutality.
Organizing meetings for the MILLION PEOPLE'S MARCH (MPM) are held on Thursdays, 6:30pm at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 224 West Kinney Street in Newark, New Jersey. I urge everyone who wants an end to police brutality to attend these meetings.
Do everything you can to spread the word about the meetings and the march. This is a huge project and we are going to need all the support we can get to make it happen. This is to invite you to participate, endorse, and financially support this important activity.
The MILLION PEOPLE'S MARCH is scheduled to take place Saturday, JULY 25, 2015, 12 Noon, starting at the Lincoln Monument, located at the intersection of West Market Street and Springfield Avenue in downtown Newark, New Jersey.
For more information call the People's Organization For Progress (POP) at (973) 801-0001. The Thursday meetings are very important. Please make every effort to attend.
Power To The People!