Categories: U.S. and Canada

One wish for Tamir’s birthday: Justice!

Cleveland police gunned down 12-year-old Tamir Rice while he was playing with a pellet gun Nov. 22, 2014. The killer cop, Timothy Loehmann, was never charged, and he was only fired in 2017 on an unrelated disciplinary issue. Loehmann’s partner, Frank Garmback, was given a 10-day suspension, which was cut in half through the grievance procedure.

On June 25, which would have been Tamir’s 19th birthday, Tamir’s Campaign for Justice held a demonstration to demand the U.S. Department of Justice reopen its investigation into the killing. The DoJ closed the case in 2020 without even notifying Tamir’s mother Samaria Rice or the family attorney Subodh Chandra.

Speakers at the rally took note of the sentencing of Derek Chauvin, who killed George Floyd, which was announced the same day. While clearly not enough, Chauvin’s sentence was longer than sentences seen in previous racist, police brutality cases, notably Tamir’s.

Despite pouring rain, activists took to the streets and marched to the local DOJ office, chanting “One wish: justice.”

— Report and photo by Martha Grevatt

Martha Grevatt

Share
Published by
Martha Grevatt

Recent Posts

The Palestinian revolution up against U.S. oil imperialism

The epic struggle of the Palestinian people against the full weight of U.S. imperialism and…

May 9, 2025

New York City activists declare: ‘Glory to the Resistance’

The following report comes from the Bronx Anti-War Coalition organizers on a protest held in…

May 9, 2025

Canadians rebuff Trump’s bid to annex their country

In the Canadian federal elections held on April 28, the Liberals won with 169 seats…

May 9, 2025

No language can describe the depth of Israeli terrorism, Part 2

The following is Part 2 of a talk given by the author to a meeting…

May 8, 2025

Class war at universities: Workers, students unite against fascism!

Boston Students, professors and workers are confronting the Trump administration’s fascist crackdown at universities across…

May 8, 2025

“Liberal” Swarthmore College arrests students, suspends them for protesting

Philadelphia Within days of Swarthmore students reviving a pro-Palestinian encampment on April 30, police arrested…

May 8, 2025