CHICAGO, IL —Antonio Zambrano-Montes, 35, was killed by the Pasco, Washington police on February 10. He was killed after three officers chased him through a busy intersection with their guns drawn. As Antonio turned to face them, raising his arms, the police riddled his body with seven bullets. According to police reports, Mr. Zambrano-Montes had been throwing rocks at cars and officers deemed it necessary to shoot him.
Fabian Ebuy told the Tribuno del Pueblo, “I have never organized marches or rallies. I have never done something like this. But Antonio’s family asked me to help out. I did it because when I saw the video of Antonio running with his hands up, and the police shot him, I got mad. I’m going to do everything possible to help out.”
A couple of weeks earlier, on January 26, Jessica Hernandez,17, was killed by the Denver, Colorado police. The police claim she and several teenage friends were driving a stolen car that struck and injured an officer. But a passenger says Jessica lost control of the car only after she was shot and became unconscious. A video captured by a neighbor shows police handcuffed Jessica and appeared to search her after she was shot. They rolled her on her back and stomach as she lay limp and motionless.
The police have to be reined in, and only “we the people” can do it.
Why is this happening? The underpinning of the police state is the changing economy and the mass poverty it produces. As the class aspects of the struggle become clear, the police more and more separate themselves from society and govern solely through force since the precedent has already being set by attacks against minorities.
Justice for Antonio Zambrano-Montes!
Justice for Jessica Hernandez!
