Community activists Sharon Black, Steven Ceci arrested Dec. 9

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On the morning of Dec. 9, long-time Baltimore Community activists Sharon Black-Ceci and Steven Ceci were dragged from their home by Baltimore police. The two, long-time leaders in the anti-racist, and poor people’s rights struggle, had been under police surveillance for their political activism. They have each been falsely charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a felony, and possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor.

On Nov. 14, while both Sharon Black-Ceci and Steven Ceci were attending a workers’ rights conference in New York City, Baltimore police broke down the door of their Baltimore home purportedly based on mysterious and false reports of heroin being sold from their residence. A roommate, Patrick Allen -- who was present at the time of the police break-in — was arrested and the home was senselessly damaged.

Sharon Black-Ceci and Steven Ceci believe that this is not just an attack on them, but an attack on all activists and organizations that are fighting for a society based on social and economic justice and peace.

A year ago, the Baltimore ACLU revealed that the Baltimore All-Peoples Congress, the organization that Black-Ceci has led for more than a quarter of a century, was named as one of four political groups in Baltimore that the Maryland State Police had been spying on.

Sharon Black-Ceci and Steven Ceci were planning to hold a public event Dec. 9, the evening they were arrested, as a political response to the police attack on their home in mid-November. That event was carried out as a press conference and emergency rally to free the activists.

Sign the petition to demand: Release immediately and drop all charges against Patrick Allen, Sharon Black and Steven Ceci! Stop police attacks on all political activists!