On
June 25, around 200 people gathered for a march and rally to continue
the struggle for justice for Jordan Miles, a Black high school
student who was the victim of a brutal racist attack by three
undercover police officers.
Not
long after the incident, outraged community members and organizations
including the Party for Socialism and Liberation formed an
organization called the Alliance for Police Accountability. The APA
has been the driving force in the struggle to demand justice for
Miles and the prosecution of the three police officers.
Justice
however has yet to be served. Since the incident, no legal action has
been taken against the three officers. On the contrary, on May 4, the
Department of Justice decided not to press any charges. Following
this decision, Police Chief Nate Harper announced that the three
officers would be reinstated. It is now up to the Allegheny County
District Attorney Stephen Zappala to officially decide whether or not
to press charges against the officers. The APA recently delivered to
Zappala over 1,000 petitions demanding the prosecution of the
officers.
The
recent march and rally on June 25 was organized to keep the pressure
on Zappala. The march started at Freedom Corner, a symbolic location
where many local demonstrations were held during the civil rights
movement. Endorsed by many organizations including the ANSWER
Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and PSL, the event
hosted fervent speakers from the PSL, Nation of Islam, One HOOD and
Human Rights Coalition.
Some of the speeches pointed out the true
nature of the police force in a capitalist society, whose main task
is to serve the rich and to oppress the working class communities in
order to maintain the extremely unjust and oppressive status quo. The
beating of Jordan Miles and all similar cases are not isolated
incidents but the result of a systemic policy of class oppression.
Walter Smolarek, speaking on behalf of the ANSWER Coalition said “If
we unite based on our common interests as working-class people and
wage a determined, militant struggle, we can win justice and
challenge the police and the criminal system they protect.”
All
the speakers reiterated their demand for D.A. Zappala to prosecute
the three officers as well as for the city of Pittsburgh to fire
them.
After
the speeches, the crowd started the march to the City County
Building. During the march, protesters militantly chanted “No
Justice, No Peace, No Racist Police!” “What do we want? Justice!
When do we want it? Now!” Many protesters carried PSL placards that
said “Persecute Sisak, Ewing, Saldutte” and “End Racist Police
Brutality!” Passing cars and public buses honked and passers-by
waved in agreement. At the closing rally at the City County Building,
the loud and militant crowd continued chanting and demanding justice
for Jordan Miles.
