February 6 March of Stolen Lives Braves Massive Police Intimidation

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Family Members of victims of police brutality led the march behind a banner that read, "Stolen Lives – Murdered by Law Enforcement." The families and friends of people killed by police stood together, their combined presence was both a powerful statement and a reminder of the brutal reality of police murder. Rashidah Grinage, whose son AND husband had been killed in her home by Oakland police. Sonya Wahnee, the mother of Andrew Moppin, a 20-year-old Native American (Comanche/Klamath) stood side by side with Robin Glenn, the aunt of 27-year-old Jody Woodfox. Both young men were killed by the same Oakland cop. Danny Garcia, brother of Mark Garcia, Kathleen Espinosa, mother of Asa Sullivan, Mesha Irizarry, mother of Idriss Stelley, all killed by SFPD. Cora Lee Simmons, a relative of Acorn Peters, killed on the Round Valley Reservation in Northern California. Tara Batts, a close friend of Julio Paredes, shot in the back of his head outside a card club in Oakland. Statements in solidarity were read from other family members of victims of police terror from around the country. In the center, Sonya Wahnee,, mother of Andrew Moppin, holds a picture of Andrew. After the rally as members of the Moppin family attempted to catch public transportation, a family member was grabbed by police who detained him with the excuse that they thought he looked like someone who had jumped on a police car in a previous protest. When they released him 10 minutes later they warned him not to protest again because they might mistake him for that same person. Yet more proof that this system’s response to the abuse it heaps on the masses is to heap more violence and threats of violence to prevent people from lifting their heads.