Community groups assail police raids

This spring the Cleveland police department conducted sweeps in targeted communities, arresting over 150 Black youth in the St. Clair/Superior neighborhood and over 90 in the Central neighborhood. Many of the young men could face long sentences without parole under RICO sentencing guidelines for alleged gang activities. In many cases the “gangs” amount to no more than neighborhood friendship groups.

Marchers protest police harassment of community. WW photo: Sharon Danann

In addition, there have been 96 deaths of Cleveland youths aged 25 and under to date. Alarmed about violence and the widespread incarceration of young people, Black on Black Crime Inc., a community organization, reached out to other groups to make a protest and a positive statement with an event called “One Voice, One Vision.”

The organizers set up an encampment on Cleveland’s Superior Avenue between East 87th and East 89th and occupied it around the clock for a week, from July 9-15. Flags of red, black and green—the colors of Black nationalism—proclaimed liberated territory.

During the days, groupings from the encampment walked the streets of the neighborhood listening to the concerns of the residents. At night there were programs at the base camp with workshops, affirming hip-hop performances, speeches, prayers, poetry and free food. In between the air vibrated with the words of Martin Luther King Jr. and the music of James Brown, “Say it loud, I’m Black and Proud.” There was talk of the police, the prison system, the criminal justice system, the politicians, the lure of gang life and the need for jobs.

Participating organizations included Hip Hop Workshop, New Alliance of Black Nationalists, Future of Cleveland Under Scrutiny (FOCUS), the Cleveland Lucasville Five Defense Committee, Black Contractors Association, the Nation of Islam, and Survivors/Victims of Tragedy, Inc.

The event culminated in a march through the neighborhoods with security provided by the men and women of a Black motorcycle club, the Rough Riders. Families were on their porches to watch the march and members of the core group from the encampment went up to shake their hands. Neighbors of all ages joined the march as participants kept up the vigorous chanting with many fists in the air.

The chant, “What do we want? Peace! When do we want it? Now!” took on a whole new meaning. This was a march for peace in the community which was taking matters into its own hands to stop the violence rooted in police occupation.