March on Chicago City Hall for community control of police

Frank Chapman of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. (Fight Back! News/Staff)

Chicago, IL - Prominent ministers, labor organizations and national figures in the movement against police crimes are joining the call to march on Chicago City Hall, August 29.

In August, the Black Lives Matter movement will mark the anniversary of the police murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) will cap a month of commemorations with a march of thousands to demand an all-elected, Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC).

Frank Chapman, Field Organizer of the Alliance, said, "It's time to end the daily count of African American victims of police crimes and the recurrent denial of justice when the killer walks free." Chapman explained, "To get justice for our community, we need an elected, Civilian Police Accountability council."

The Reverend Otis Moss III, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, has added his voice as an endorser of the call for the August 29 march, joining the thousands that will march to City Hall that day.

On June 28, the renowned academic and former political prisoner, Angela Davis, came to Chicago to support a modern day victim of political repression by the U.S. government, Rasmea Odeh. Professor Davis also spoke about her support for CPAC. "This is not a ‘review’ board, but an ‘accountability’ council to be sure that victims of police crimes receive justice.” Davis added, “It's not only controlling how the police are policed, but also how our own communities are policed."

Other organizations and leaders recently adding themselves to the snowball of support for CPAC include the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists - Chicago Chapter; the Coalition of Labor Union Women; Fight For 15; Black Caucus, Illinois Federation of Teachers; SEIU Local 73; and Malik Mujahid, Chair of the Parliament of World's Religions.

On August 29, the march will kick off at 12:00 noon from Federal Plaza at Dearborn and Adams.