Family members and representatives of the following victims of police murder spoke at Times Square:

 

Nicholas Heyward Jr.

 

Eric Garner

 

Akai Gurley

 

Aiyana Stanley-Jones

 

Mah-hi-vist Goodblanket

 

Terrence Kellum

 

Mohamed Bah

 

Jordan Baker

 

Ahjah Dixon

 

Meagan Hockaday

 

Kimoni Davis

 

Cinque "Q" DJahspora

 

David Silva

 

Janisha Fonville

 

Jonathan Ferrell

 

LaReko Williams

 

James Rivera Jr.

 

O'Shaine Evans

 

Nathaniel Wilks

 

Mario Romero

 

Richard Linyard

 

Daniel Covarrubias

 

Justus Howell

 

Darius Pinex

 

Dakota Bright

 

Freddie Latrice Wilson

 

Emmett Till

 

Gary Hopkins Jr.

 

John Collado

 

Angelo Miller

 

Kiana Nicole Blakey

 

Dontre Hamilton

 

Dale Graham

 

Tyrone West

 

No More Stolen Lives: Say Their Names

October 22, A Public Reading and Remembrance: A Demand for Justice

 

See coverage below (updated October 23).

 

Photos are being added as revcom.us receives them. If you were there and have photos please send them to revolution.reports@yahoo.com.

  • Jamal Joseph

    Lulu Fogarty, actress, playwright and co-producer, and Jamal Joseph, professor and filmmaker.

  • Tony Montenieri, and Eve Ensler, author and playwright

  • Nicholas Heyward

    Nicholas Heyward Sr., father of Nicholas Heyward Jr., 13, murdered by NYPD, 9/22/94

  • Sister Shirley on behalf of Eric Garner's family

    Sister Shirley on behalf of the family of Eric Garner, 44, choked to death by NYPD, July 17, 2014.

  • Religious Contingent

    Clergy from different religions stood with the families to Stop Police Terror.

  • Mertilla Jones, grandmother of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7 years old, murdered by Detroit police, May 16, 2010.

  • Reverend Phelps

    Rev. Stephen Phelps

  • Ma-hi-vist Goodblanket

    Simon Moya-Smith, for Mah-hi-vist Goodblanket, 18, killed by Custer County OK sheriffs, December 21, 2013.

  • Joshua Lopez

    Joshua Lopez, nephew of John Collado, murdered by an undercover NYPD cop, September 6, 2011.

  • Hertensia Petersen, aunt of Akai Gurley, 28, murdered by NYPD on November 20, 2014.

  • Terrence

    Kevin Kellum and Yvette Johnson, father and step-mother of Terrence Kellum, 20, murdered by immigration police in Detroit, April 27, 2015.

  • Gbenga Akinnagbe and Artuo O'Farrill

    Gbenga Akinnagbe, actor (left), and Arturo O'Farrill, musician

  • Mother of Mohamed Bah

    Hawa Bah, mother of Mohamed Bah, 28, murdered by NYPD, September 25, 2012.

  • Mother of Ahjah Dixon

    Ishtyme Robinson, mother of Ahjah Dixon, 23, died in Corsicana TX police custody, March 4, 2010.

  • Meagan Hockaday cousin

    Mayesha, cousin of Meagan Hockaday, 26, killed by Oxnard CA police, March 28, 2015.

  • Kimoni Davis

    Kimberley Griffin, mother of Kimoni Davis, Murdered by Hanging Rock OH police, 6/29/15

  • Father of Cinque Djaspora

    L'Sana DJahspora, father of Cinque "Q" DJahspora, 20, killed by Jackson TN police, November 6, 2014.

  • Naomi Wallace and

    Playwrights Naomi Wallace (left) and Kia Corthron. Photo: Phillip Buehler

  • Chris Silva for David Sal Silva

    Chris Silva, brother of David Sal Silva, 33, beaten to death by Bakersfield CA police, May 8, 2013.

  • Janisha Fonville

    Paris Bey, cousin of Janisha Fonville, 20, murdered by Charlotte NC police, February 18, 2015.

  • Jonathan Ferrell's Mother

    Georgia Ferrell, mother of Jonathan Ferrell, 24, killed by Charlotte Mecklenburg County NC police, September 14, 2013.

  • LaReko Williams' family

    Meko, Lavic, Lameka, Tameka, Family of LaReko Williams, 21, tasered to death by Charlotte NC police, July 20, 2011.

  • Rev McCorry

    Raquel Almazon, actor, and Reverend Jerome McCorry

  • James Rivera's Mother

    Dionne Downs, mother of James Rivera, 16 years old, murdered by Stockton CA police, July 22, 2010.

  • O'Shaine

    Cadine Williams, sister of O'Shaine Evans, killed by San Francisco PD in October 7, 2014

  • Nathaniel Wilks

    Chemika Hollis, partner of Nate Wilks, killed by Oakland police August 12, 2015

  • Cindy Mitchell's sister

    Cyndi Mitchell, sister of Mario Romero, 23, murdered by Vallejo, CA police, September 2, 2012.

  • Jessica Gatewood

    Jessica Gatewood, mother of Richard Linyard Jr., 23, murdered by Oakland police after a "routine traffic stop," July 19, 2015.

  • Mother of Daniel Covarrubius

    Lanna, Elijah, and Marilyn Covarrubias, for Daniel Covarrubius, 37, killed by Lakewood WA police, April 21, 2015.

  • Lawyer and Philosopher

    Civil rights attorney Martin Garbus (left) and ethicist and professor Kwame Anthony Appiah

  • Latoya Howell

    LaToya Howell, mother of Justus Howell, 17 years old, killed by Zion IL police, April 4, 2015.

  • Darius Pinex

    Gloria Pinex, mother of Darius Pinex, 27, murdered by Chicago police, January 7, 2011. Also in picture are Darius' three brothers.

  • Airicka Gordon-Taylor, Emmett Till's cousin

    Airickca Gordon-Taylor, cousin of Emmett Till (1941-1955), lynched by white racists in Money MS, at the age of 14.

  • Gary

    Marion Hopkins, mother of Gary Hopkins Jr., 19, murdered by Prince George's County, MD police, November 27, 1999.

  • Quentin Tarantino and Gina Bellafonte

    Quentin Tarantino (left) and Gina Belafonte. Photo: Phillip Beuhler

  • Brother of Kianna Blakely

    Art Blakey, Brother of Kiana Nicole Blakey, 17, killed by Cleveland police, 1989.

  • Parents of Dontre Hamilton

    Maria and Nate Hamilton, mother and brother of Dontre Hamilton, 31, murdered by Milwaukee WI police, April 30, 2014.

  • Tyrone West

    Family, for Tyrone West, 44, murdered by Baltimore police, July 18, 2013

  • Tyrone West

    Tawanda Jones (speaking), sister of Tyrone West, 44, murdered by Baltimore police, July 18, 2013. At left, Gloria Pinex, mother of Darius Pinex, 27, murdered by Chicago police, January 7, 2011.

  • Darlene Cain, Mother of Dale Graham

    Darlene Cain, mother of Dale Graham, 29, killed by Baltimore police, October 28, 2008.

  • Carl Dix

    Carl Dix, co-founder of the Stop Mass Incarceration Network and a representative of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA

  • Families - Phillip Buehler

    Hertencia Petersen, aunt of Akai Gurley, 28, murdered by NYPD on November 20, 2014; Mertilla Jones (at mic), grandmother of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7, murdered by Detroit police on May 16, 2010; Nicholas Heyward Sr., father of Nicholas Heyward Jr., murdered by NYPD on September 22, 1994. Photo: Phillip Buehler

  • Banner brought from San Francisco to Say Their Names

  • October 22

    Crowd at Times Square, October 22. Photo: Phillip Beuhler

“Don’t hide behind the lies, don’t hide behind the blinds...”

Times Square, NYC: Saying Their Names & Demanding a STOP to Police Terror

The truth: An epidemic of police murder and terror. The DEMAND: It must STOP! The message broke into the light of day from a stage in the middle of Times Square in New York City, and before the world, on October 22.

No More Stolen Lives: #SayTheirNames was an unprecedented event. It was a coming together of more than 30 family members, loved ones, and representatives of victims of police brutality from around the country, together with prominent voices of conscience. It launched three days of Rise Up October, leading up to the National March to STOP Police Terror on October 24 in New York City.

People came to share the stories and outrages, pain and anger of losing a loved one. They came to support each other, and have the backs of those fighting for justice. They exposed the crimes of the police, and shined a bright light on the epidemic of STATE TERROR especially against Black people, Latinos, and Native Americans. Most of all, they courageously came to STAND UP and FIGHT and to call on others to do that until police terror is brought to a stop.

~~~~~~~~~~

Early in the day, Nicholas Heyward, Sr. stepped to the front of the stage. His 13-year-old son, Nicholas Jr., was murdered by police in 1994 for playing with a toy gun. Nicholas Sr. shared the pain of that loss with courage. And he didn’t stop there. He issued a challenge that would echo across the world from the center of NYC: “We are talking about innocent lives that are taken constantly and the police never, never are held accountable. Enough of these officers killing our children. We need to put a stop to it. It don’t matter which one they bring into office, we still have to suffer these injustices to our children and that is something we need to put a stop to.”

Darius Pinex’s 2011 murder by Chicago police was covered up by a massive conspiracy of lies by the Chicago police and other city officials. His brother said: “People don’t know what we go through at the crib, thinking about the loved ones I lost, the ones you lost. For people to just keep saying, ‘Oh, he pointed a gun at me,’ or ‘I saw a shimmer, oooh’ they just steady lyin’ goin’ with the same excuse, steady over and over. And nobody pays attention, and nobody cares. Just ‘That’s what he did.’ That’s bogus man. Thank y’all for coming out. Justice for all y’all. Justice for Darius Pinex! Justice for Dakota Bright! Justice for Tamir Rice! Justice for everybody! Rise up October!”

The loved ones of victims of police terror came from all over New York City and beyond—from Cleveland and Detroit, from Oklahoma and Oakland, and everywhere in between. There was a contingent of clergy, representing in their vestments. They were joined by prominent voices of conscience. Artists contributed powerful works. Hundreds gathered to listen in Times Square, increasingly drawn into saying the names of victims as they were challenged to do so from the stage.

LaToya Howell is the mother of Justus Howell, 17 years old, killed by Zion, Illinois,  police, April 4, 2015. She said: “The first thing they tell you when they kill one of our youth is ‘I fear for my life.’ What are you trying to force us to do? Because we fear for our lives every day. Every day we send our child outside those doors we fear for our lives. We’re shown on TV, we’re shown on computers, we hear from word of mouth, we hear it all—that your child can be killed by the way that they look, walk, or talk.”

And she issued a challenge: “I am Justus Howell and I stand for all of our youth and loved ones. I want y’all to go home and think it over. Because today is the first day of the rest of your lives. And I need y’all to be a part of the solution. If you have a mouth, speak about change. If you have eyes, use them to see this bullshit. Don’t hide behind the lies, don’t hide behind the blinds and act such as you are blind. I see this every day and I have to live it every single day, and the pain never goes away. These are not just pictures and posters, these were people breathing, living their lives dreams and their compassion for people. My son and your son, I will fight for the rest of my life. No justice no peace!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Prominent voices of conscience read names of victims of police terror, told their stories, and lent their moral and physical presence to the day: actress and playwright Lulu Fogarty; graduate theology student Nkosi Anderson; professor, artist, and activist Jamal Joseph; Eve Ensler, creator of The Vagina Monologues, and Tony Montenieri; Rev. Stephen Phelps; actress Raquel Almazan; Rev. Jerome McCorry; playwrights Kia Corthron and Naomi Wallace; philosopher and novelist Kwame Anthony Appiah; civil rights attorney Martin Garbus; director Quentin Tarantino; activist Gina Belafonte; and Carl Dix, co-initiator of Rise Up October and representative of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA.

Martin Garbus told the story of the murder of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in 1969—a political assassination of a freedom fighter and revolutionary by the Chicago police and the FBI. Eve Ensler ended saying “Can we just take a moment to think about each of these lives, each of these very real people, and hold them in our hearts for a second.” And after a moment of silence, she threw her fist in the air and challenged everyone: “Rise up to end police brutality and murder!”

For four hours in Times Square, the picture came more and more sharply into focus: A toy gun... A man walking down housing project stairs when the elevator wasn’t working... A seven-year-old child sleeping on a couch... Someone in desperate need of mental health care and compassion... MURDERED. The sadistic randomness... The insulting and absurd excuses... The systemic pattern of targeting Black, Latino, and Native American people for nothing...The pervasiveness of police terror... The fact that over and over and over, these murdering police are exonerated if not promoted.

~~~~~~~~~~

Searing testimony and stories from the loved ones of those killed by police and voices of conscience, including voices that rooted the current epidemic of police terror and murder in the genocide, slavery, and Jim Crow oppression, and in the persecution of immigrants that are the history of this country.

Airickca Gordon-Taylor spoke. She is a cousin of Emmett Till, who was tortured and brutally murdered by white racists in Mississippi 60 years ago for whistling at a white woman. She described the vicious, horrific way Emmett Till was tortured to death. And then declared: “This is still Emmett Till! What we have going on today, instead of hiding behind white hoods, cops are hiding behind their badges. This is a system with the new Jim Crow, it’s no different. And if we don’t rise up, it’s never gonna change. It’s up to us to make a change! Rise up! Rise up! Rise up!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Over the morning, the stories were told of about 250—out of literally thousands of people murdered by the police. And what was revealed was far, far more than enough to indict a whole damn system whose police are not there to protect and serve, but to enforce a world of slavery and oppression.

No More Stolen Lives: #Say Their Names—A Public Reading and Remembrance: A Demand for Justice was the kick off for three days of Rise Up October. It took place on the 20th anniversary of the National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation, along with a protest later in the day in Brooklyn, and marches in other cities across the country.

In the face of lies and denial, whitewashing and threats, the stand of the families, the voices of conscience, the activists, organizers, and volunteers was absolutely necessary, courageous, and inspiring. It set a standard for everyone to rise to, stand on, and advance off of in the three days of Rise Up October, and the battle to bring an end, once and for all, to a situation where—among all the other horrors—every Black, Latino, and Native American child is born with a death sentence hanging over their head.

 

Chicago October 22, 2015

Chicago, October 22. Photo: Frank James Johnson

 

 

See reports of October 22 National Day of Protest in Brooklyn, NYC, and across the country.

Read more