Say NO to Murderers in our Schools

WHO: The Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant, ONYX, The Oscar Grant Committee to Stop Police Brutality & State Repression and various community members, parents and students

What: Press Conference & Rally

Where: The Oakland Unified School Board, 1025 2nd Avenue, Oakland CA

When: Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 4:00 Press Conference, 5:00 Rally

Why: The Oakland Unified School District Police Chief, Peter Sarna, was recently forced to step down, after he said black people were not welcome in his hometown of Orinda and were "n----rs who should be hung in the town square".

Who did they replace this racist with? A murderer named Barhin Bhatt, whose promotion comes less than a week after the community went to the school board meeting to demand he be fired for executing Raheim Brown as he ...SAT in his CAR and was no danger to the police officer.

The community demands the termination of Bhatts and Bellusa as well as their arrest and immediate prosecution for the murder of Raheim Brown.

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On January 22, 2011, 20-year-old Raheim Brown was sitting in his car outside of Skyline High School when he was approached by Sgts. Bhatt and Bellusa. In a short while, Raheim Brown would be dead; shot five times and his female companion beaten and arrested. Police alleged Brown was armed with a screwdriver but even if that is so, the young man was sitting in his car and never exited the vehicle thus posed absolutely NO threat to the officers. This is at a minimum excessive force, but the community believes it is actually no less than murder.

On Wednesday, August 10th, community members attended a school board meeting to demand the termination of Bhatts and Bellusa but less than a week later, not only was Bhatts not fired; he was promoted into a position of prominence and power.

The community demands the termination of Bhatts and Bellusa as well as their arrest and immediate prosecution for the murder of Raheim Brown.

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* more info on the former police chief's racist comments:
http://www.baycitizen.org/policing/story/top-oakland-schools-cop-accused-racial

* more info on the current police chief's murder of Raheim Brown:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/08/13/18687578.php
http://sfbayview.com/2011/the-oakland-school-police-killing-of-raheim-brown-jr

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