Jan. 10-15: Support Durham anti-racists in court – How you can help – URGENT spread the message!
| Eight anti-racist freedom fighters will head to court on January 11, 2018, in Durham, North Carolina, each facing several felony and misdemeanor charges.
Their charges stem from their participation in the courageous peoples’ removal of a Confederate monument on August 14, a bold response to the ‘Unite the Right’ white supremacist rally held just two days earlier in Charlottesville, VA. Heather Heyer, an anti-fascist activist, was killed and many others were injured when a neo-Nazi plowed his car into the demonstration – in addition to those hurt in other physical attacks by these forces against the protests throughout the day. They are issuing an urgent call for renewed solidarity and pressure on the Durham County District Attorney and political officials to say: This is an embarrassment to Durham, January 11 may be a critical day in the struggle that has unfolded in the aftermath of the toppling of the statue. After enduring months of court hearings, this is scheduled to be the first day of the trial on the charges against them. A continuance is always possible. Here’s how you can help:
Send in a solidarity message from your organization to info@defenddurham.org Make an urgently needed donation now !
Solidarity Actions Jan 11 – 15: Organize an Action in your city at |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was organizing a Poor People’s movement for jobs, healthcare, housing, against racism and wars abroad in the days before his assassination.
From January 11 through Dr. King’s birthday on January 15, organize a solidarity action in your city at the site of a racist monument or other symbol to white supremacy to reclaim the fighting spirit of Dr. King and say: ‘Workers rights, not white supremacy! Tear down racist monuments and drop the charges against the Durham activists!’ Were he alive today, Dr.King would be with the activists in Durham. He would be with the powerful movement sweeping the country to take down Confederate monuments and other racist statues, and on the frontlines fighting Trump and his attempts to divide the working class using racism, misogyny and all forms of bigotry. PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL Put the State on Trial! Activists in Durham have announced the formation of a People’s Tribunal to put the state on trial for its racism and violence against working class and oppressed peoples. The People’s Tribunal will convene its first session on Saturday, January 13. More info coming soon on how to support this Tribunal and how you can tune into a livestream when it occurs. The Durham freedom fighters have also issued a call for community members who believe that Durham is a better place without the racist monument to sign up to testify for the defense at their upcoming trial. Additionally, they are soliciting community input and ideas about what should take the place of the monument on the ground where it once stood. The support that these anti-racist fighters have received, both nationally and internationally, has been nothing short of overwhelming. Solidarity statements have poured in from unions and other social movement organizations. Thousands upon thousands have made calls and signed petitions to the Durham DA, the Durham County Sheriff, and other political officials to demand that the charges be dropped. Because of this, the DA has already been forced to drop charges against three who were arrested in connection with the monument toppling. Still, eight will head back to court on January 11. Additionally, two are facing charges in connection with the uprising against a planned Ku Klux Klan march in Durham on August 18. Because of the tremendous outpouring of the community, the Klan never showed. We’re not backing down. The state is ramping up the repression against those who dare to speak out against white supremacy, bigotry, and oppression – whether in Durham; or with the outrageous felony charges against more than 200 protesters during the J20 counter-inaugural demonstrations in DC; or the announcement by the FBI of even greater criminalization of the Black Lives Matter and other people’s movements. Our solidarity and our unity is the only way to push back, defend our movements, and defeat our enemies.
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