Modesto Demands Justice for Sammy Galvan!

1/15/05' - Around 50 members from Modesto and surrounding community came out in force to protest the police murder of Sammy Galvan, and continued harassment of various communities by the Modesto Police Department.

In August 2004, 22 year old Sammy Galvan was gunned down by Modesto Police officers after they responded to a domestic disturbance call by Sammy's mother, (he was having an argument with his girlfriend after returning from a family function). Two Modesto Police entered Sammy's room, and as they gave him various orders, Sammy rose up and was shot around 8 times. Those who saw the shooting say Sammy was unarmed, although the police are unclear as to whether or not he had a small knife in his hand, (his room had various cooking supplies), but report they felt threatend by Sammy. No police were harmed that evening, but by the end Sammy would be dead, and his father would be hurt. After the shooting, Sammy's father tried to rush to help, but he was tackled by the Modesto police and his arm was broken three times. Police would later try and say that Sammy had broken his fathers arm, (even at this point he lay dying).

A week earlier, a call was made to the police that a man was running around the neighborhood with a gun, and police were reported to be asking over the radio if Sammy was the man who was the one with the gun. 5 hours later, Sammy was DOA at the hospital, and his family was finally told after they had been waiting in the hospital lobby just to learn of his fate. The Modesto police then tried to arrest Sammy's father for "fighting" with the police, and continually asked the family if Sammy was in a gang or if his father was in a gang. In the same way that police and press and now trying to tow the line that the fatal police shooting in Ceres was caused not by a man not wanting to return to Iraq, but by gang involvement, the murder of Sammy Galvan was justified simply by the speculation as to whether Sammy was a gang member or not.

To this day, the police have not yet finished their investigation of the murder, and the Galvan family is still very upset and distraught over the situation. Harassment to the family has also continued after the shooting, with police driving by and even laughing at the family.

The DAAA Collective helped organize the event with the Galvan family, and one collective activist from Ceres spoke in front of the police station on the continued harassment of anti-authoritarian activists in Ceres, and also for the need for an organized and united community to defend itself from police attacks.

After the rally, a spirited march snaked its way through the downtown, behind a banner that read, "Justice for Sammy - No more Victims". Chanters shouted, "Sammy Galvan will be heard, Justice will be served", "What do we want? Justice!” Anti-authoritarians lead the crowd in chanting, "What is the enemy? Police Brutality!” while other activists passed out outreach material, and put up various anti-police brutality stickers. People also remembered the murder of Alberto, who was 11 when police raided his home looking for meth production. A police officer that had already been involved in an incident where he shot a body of a man that had "already committed suicide". The boy was lying on the ground with his hands on his head, and was shot and killed. Police later claimed that the gun may have gone off on accident, or that a knife on the officer’s gun may have caused the gun to fire. The officer is still working for the police department. Marchers chanted, "Albert and Sammy, Murdered to Young! Killed by a badge and a gun!"

The march received support from many honkers, and ended at Graceada Park. Food Not Bombs passed out fruit, and fruit juice, and various community members spoke to the crowd on their various experiences on police harassment.

The DAAA Collective is saddened greatly, and our hearts go out to all who have lost loved ones at the hands of law enforcement and have yet to received justice. We do feel however that the event was very positive, and the seeds have been planted for networking and future organizing within the community between all those that have been affected by police harassment. We are honored to have had the opportunity to have spent the last few days organizing with the Galvan family, helping with making banners and signs, and showing Modesto that as anarchists and anti-authoritarians we are here to struggle and to work for a community that will be free from exploitation, fear, intimidation, and state violence in all forms. The continued harassment of all people of color under the lie of "gangs" needs to end. The harassment of homeless under the lie of "drugs" needs to end. The harassment of activists under the lie of "terrorism" needs to end. Our communities are stronger than their blue shields!