Reclaim the Streets Police Brutality Statement

On Friday, February 9th, an emergency rally was held in the city of Berkeley in solidarity with the indigenous people of Ecuador. The indigenous people of Ecuador had risen up against policies imopsed by the International Monetary Fund which has brought economic and environmental devastation to their land -- against the same forces of global capitalism and imperialism which brought about the genocide of the indigenous people of North American and Berkeley. The indigenous protesters were attacked by government forces; many were wounded or killed.<br><br>We wished to solemnly commemorate their struggle and express solidarity with them, because their suffering and depredations were imposed so as to bolster the wealth and power of the ruling classes of this land. The oil that powers the vehicles that have turned our streets into a war zone and whose pollution is killing the people of Berkeley has been obtained at the cost of death to indigenous people in Ecuador and elsewhere.<br><br>But our rally was attacked by a gang of violent thugs. These thugs sought in particular to destroy our means of expression - such as banners, flyers and music - and targeted with violent beatings and apprehension those people who were most vocal in their expression.<br><br>I was troubled to learn that these thugs had been employed and deployed by the government of the city of Berkeley.<br><br>Members of this body have spoken in the past about your deep respect for the freedom of speech, for freedom of expression. Your actions, however, show otherwise: you do not hesitate to employ violent repression when that speech becomes an effective form of resistance against capitalist exploitation of the people and the environment. You have spoken much but done little to safeguard our natural enviornment, the degradation of which continues, and now you have attacked those who are trying to do something, with the modest means they have available.<br><br>You have lavished millions upon these police thugs, so that they may pursue their violent fantasies of domination, while people lie cold and hungry in the streets.<br><br>We will not be silenced and will not acquiesce in the face of brutality. All political prisoners must be released immediately. Repression will be met with resistance.