Please see the other entry about this in the calendar for background info.

Recent developments (i.e., a proposed agreement between the plaintiffs and Oakland) has changed the nature of this event. As best we can tell no longer will Judge Henderson be hearing arguments for or against Receivership; rather he will be evaluating whether the proposed agreement (for a 'Compliance Officer') is what he will be satisfied with.

We don't know how long this hearing will take place. It could take five minutes. Thus we have cancelled the rally scheduled for noon but we will still be holding a press conference at 9:00 AM.

Also, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement will not be participating in the press conference; at least that is our best information at the time I am writing this.

Press Conference to be Held the Justice For Alan Blueford Coalition.

This is history in the making. No police department in the history of the United States has ever been put under the control of a Federal Judge so directly. The fact that such a step is even being considered is a stinging indictment of the Oakland Police, in particular their racist, unconstitutional approach to policing. The whole world will be watching these proceedings.

Alan Blueford, an 18 year old Oakland high school student about to graduate, was murdered by an Oakland policeman on May 6th 2012 following an unconstitutional ‘stop & frisk.’ Many other young men of color have been killed in similar circumstances over the years. These deaths are a direct result of OPD’s inability to act constitutionally, avoid racial bias and control its trigger-happy officers.

The Justice 4 Alan Blueford Coalition demands that whatever steps are ultimately taken to control OPD’s illegal practices, that they include sufficient safeguards to insure: — there are no more wrongful killings and — the end of the racial profiling, rampant in OPD, which ultimately resulted in the tragedy of Alan’s murder.

We demand Justice 4 Alan Blueford! We demand an end to police violence! We cannot have any more killing of our children by OPD! AND WE WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW IT. We will not stop, federal control or no, until OPD stops harassing, beating and killing young men of color of Oakland.

COME JOIN US. MAKE SURE THE WORLD HEARS ALL OF OUR VOICES!

THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED

WE JUST RECEIVED WORD THAT JUDGE HENDERSON HAS ACCEPTED THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT AND HAS CANCELLED THE HEARING. THEREFORE WE ARE CANCELLING THE PRESS CONFERENCE AS WELL AS THE RALLY.