Hi friends,
This April, we took to the streets several times to demand justice for victims of MPD brutality and neglect, including Phillip Brown and Isaac Aguirre. And as we go into budget hearing season, DC Council is discussing Mayor Bowser's budget that proposes nearly $700 million in our tax dollars being used to fund MPD, which would be the largest MPD budget in history.
That is why the work of DCAARPR and other organizations who fight for community control over our resources is vital for our collective future. In the midst of these debates, one thing remains certain: a just, equitable, and affordable DC can only be made by a DC whose power lies in the hands of every day Washingtonians. Keep on reading to learn more about how we strengthen our people power to take back our community’s sovereignty! |
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Justice for Phillip Brown |
Days after the FAAR Act was passed due to our pressure on City Council, MPD was forced to release the body camera footage of the shooting of Phillip Brown, a Black man who was nearly killed by a Homeland Security Officer while being pulled over for a routine traffic stop. The video confirmed what we had been trying to expose for months – evidence that federal agents almost killed a Black man for no reason. We held a rally at MPD Headquarters to demand that the officers involved in the shooting – who also attempted to cover up the shooting – be fired.
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Know Your Rights Teach-In |
We hosted a teach-in at Sankofa Cafe where attendees learned their rights and got informed about sentencing laws, policing and the criminal system. The panel was moderated by Jawana Hardy, Founder of Guns Down Friday and Paige White of DC Lawyers Against the Trump Agenda and featured Halim Flowers, author of What Our Fathers Never Told Us. |
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Emergency rally for Isaac Aguirre |
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On Monday, April 13th, 19-year-old Isaac Aguirre was found hanging from a tree behind 4th District Police Station. MPD made no public statement and quickly deemed it a suicide, providing zero explanation as to how they came to this conclusion. After three days of MPD ignoring public outcry, DCAARPR learned about this incident and organized an emergency rally. We protested to demand answers regarding Isaac’s death and justice via community control of the police. “Indict, convict, send these killer cops to jail, the whole damn system is guilty as hell!”
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Rally to free Yousof Azizi |
Iranian journalist and anti-war advocate, Yousof Azizi, was kidnapped by ICE on April 13th from his home in Maryland. He has been held in detention since – moving from Maryland to Louisiana to Arizona and now to California. He is being held in tortuous conditions, sleeping on freezing concrete and receiving no medical attention for the illness he has since contracted. We rallied with the Anti-War Committee DMV to rally for Yousof’s immediate release and freedom. From killer cops, to ICE, to the IOF – we fight for all of our intertwined struggles!
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Student Protest Against ICE and War
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We joined the Black Student Action Coalition DMV, a coalition of student organizations across campuses in DC, for a march and rally at Sankofa Cafe. The students came together for their second protest this semester during finals week, demanding an end to ICE, war and genocide. The crowd chanted, “In the face of state violence, we will never be silent!” and “Forget the borders, we don’t need them. What we want is total freedom!” while marching down Georgia Ave and 7th St before ending with a rally in Chinatown.
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Two weeks after his death, community members hosted a vigil to honor the life of Isaac Aguirre at the tree where his body was found. DCAARPR member Merawi Gerima read statements from Isaac’s friends and family, who spoke of him highly and discussed how he moved from Arizona to DC to begin a new chapter of his life. Community members placed items of remembrance at the vigil site before marching to the nearby MPD precinct to demand answers regarding Isaac’s death. As we cried for justice, MPD officers – including known killer cop Jason Bagshaw – cowardly watched behind their window pane. We will continue to fight to learn the truth about Isaac’s death – community police control now!!
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Talking to the community about community control of the police Every Sunday from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Benning Road Metro! |
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DCAARPR Events: May Day Rally: Friday 5/1, 12pm, Washington Monument Teach in with Frank Chapman: Monday 5/4, 6pm, Sankofa Know Your Rights Teach-In: Friday 5/8, 6 pm, Navy Yard metro Tabling: Sundays 3-5 pm, Benning Road Metro Phonebanking: Wednesdays 5:30pm-7:30 pm, Virtual
Community and General Body Meetings: Mondays, 6pm, Virtual Committee Meetings: Media Committee: Tuesdays at 7 PM, Virtual Finance Committee: Sunday 5/17 at 6pm, Virtual Executive Committee Meeting: Thursday, April 16th, 8:30PM, Virtual Affiliate Events: Anti-War Committee General Body Meetings Fridays, 8pm, Virtual Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us [email protected] or @DCAARPR on Instagram if you’d like more information or learn how to get involved in our fight. We welcome feedback and criticisms. |
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