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In a surreal meeting last Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved on first reading a military equipment use policy that explicitly allows the use of robots outfitted with bombs to blow people up. The policy allows 3 high-level command officers to employ robot bombs based on their “evaluation” that other things wouldn’t work. The Robocop policy passed on an 8-3 vote.
This isn’t the world we want to live in. The “evaluations” of a police department which received 272 recommendations to improve its racist policing practices just six years ago, aren’t adequate. The supervisors admit that virtually everyone who has written to them says no to the killer robots.
The second vote is on Tuesday afternoon. It needs to come out differently. Here is what you can do to make this happen.
1) Come to a rally and press conference at SF City Hall
2) Email the Board at Board.of.Supervisors@sfgov.org. (Several members of the board have taken umbrage at the term “killer robots” as hyperbole. Therefore, when you write to the Board, we suggest you use the term “robots that kill” instead).
Background: David Chiu, then a State Assembly member and now the SF City Attorney, authored AB 481 to require governmental transparency about the use and acquisition of militarized equipment by civilian police agencies. Governor Newsom signed the bill into law. The law requires policies for existing equipment stocks. SF owns 17 robots, which were purchased for bomb and suspicious package disposal. This policy would set out the rules of the road for the 17 robots. No legislative body in the Bay Area has yet explicitly permitted the use of robots outfitted with weapons (bombs or guns) against civilian populations.
Defense of Mumia Rally
Mumia Is innocent!
But this innocent, framed-up man has been held for over four decades in prison. Mumia is an internationally known political prisoner. As a former Black Panther and MOVE supporter, Mumia was framed for a crime he did not commit because he criticized the racist criminal justice system as a radio journalist. The evidence that should free him has now come to light, after being kept in the dark by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office.
Now, he will hear a judgement on his case for freedom in the Philadelphia PA Court of Common Pleas on the 16th of December.
Join us 12pm 12/16 at Oscar Grant Plaza as we uplift freedom fighter & humanitarian Mumia Abu Jamal. We will gather in community and await ruling from Judge Lucretia Clemons who has the opportunity to bring a just end to Mumia's over 40-year imprisonment #LoveNotPhear #FreeMumia pic.twitter.com/67fWo3lVNc
— Anti Police-Terror Project (@APTPaction) December 12, 2022
Calling out volunteers!✨
Mutual aid request Link in the bio!
Omni Commons is opening their facilities to support those in need of safe dry shelter. We need volunteers to support the infrastructure of the building!
The shelter will open FRIDAY 1/6at 6pm til WEDNESDAY 1/11 noon. pic.twitter.com/pv82f5hdYl— Omni Commons (@omnicommons) January 5, 2023
Help end racial profiling in San Francisco!
We have exciting news to start the year: the San Francisco Police Commission will be voting to limit racially based traffic stops and consent searches on Wednesday, January 11, at 5:30 PM. San Francisco has a tremendous opportunity to advance anti-racist policy, and you have a part to play.
Can you please support in any or all of the following ways?
- Submit an organizational letter of support by COB on Tuesday, January 10. As endorsers of this campaign, a letter from your organization is urgently needed before the vote.
- Attend the press conference at City Hall on Wednesday, January 11, at 10:00 AM,� to rally for the vote with the Coalition to End Biased Stops and supporting community leaders.
- Give public comment the evening of Wednesday, January 11: sign up here. To help with your public comment, here is an action guide with talking points, call-in information, template email, call script, and a social media toolkit. An associated flyer is attached for you to post and distribute.
- Share this email with your allies, organizations, and coalition partners. Urge them to act. To ensure we are able to get an effective policy passed by the Police Commission, we need as much broad community support as possible.
Thank you for taking action!
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Tell the San Francisco Police Commissioners to approve DG0 9.07. and end pretext stops now! Meeting time: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 11. Location: Police Commission at City Hall. 1 Dr Carlton B. Goodlett Place, room 400.
— ACLU of Northern CA (@ACLU_NorCal) January 9, 2023
January 20th marks the 2 year anniversary of President Biden’s inauguration, and the halfway point for his current administration. It also marks the birthday of an extraordinary activist and pillar of the national fossil fuel resistance movement, Joye Braun, who we sadly lost in November. Joye was instrumental in fighting and ending devastating fossil fuel projects such as Keystone XL – we are also celebrating the two year anniiversary of its death – and the Dakota Access Pipeline.
We are showing up, along with People vs. Fossil Fuel groups across the country, to demand that Biden exercise his power to Stop Fossil Fuel Projects and Declare a Climate Emergency. Our local climate fights show why. We’ve continued to see flaring at the Martinez Refinery just in this last month, health and pollution concerns from the Chevron Richmond Refinery, and countless instances of our frontline communities facing harsh impacts from poor air quality, toxic substances, and limited resources. The climate emergency is already here – we need Biden to step up and do something about it.
Join us at the SF Federal Building on Jan. 20th from 11am-1pm for a rally with speakers and art, as we demand that President Biden:
- Declare a Climate Emergency
- Stop All Fossil Fuel Projects
- Honor Indigenous & Human Rights.
Rally in front of the Grand Lake Theater, Oakland
Saturday, January 21: 10 AM – 12 PM
Victory to the people of Ukraine, Iran, Myanmar, Syria, Belarus & India!
Location of Action: Assemble, Lake Merritt Columns; Rally, Lake Merritt Ampitheatre
Date and Time of Action: Sunday, January 22, 2023, assemble/march-1:00 pm, rally 2:15pm
CoSponsoring Organizations:
- Joe Lombardo, National Coordinator, United National Antiwar Coalition
- Jeff Mackler Dir., Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal; Free Julian Assange, SF Bay Area
- Rick Sterling, Task Force on the Americas; Mt. Diablo P&J Center
- Pam Africa, International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
- Vincent De Stefano, National Organizing Director, Assange Defense.org
- Anna Scibek, Women for Racial and Economic Equality
- Roger Harris, FreeAlexSaab and US Peace Council
- Judy Greenspan, International Action Center
- Cynthia Papermaster, CodePink Women for Peace
- Dennis Bernstein, Host, KPFA’s Flashpoints
Website: https://socialistaction.org, https://unacpeace.org, https://unac.notowar.net
As Martin Luther King, Jr. so correctly reminded us, the U.S. is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world. Since WWII, the US has initiated more than 60 military interventions in foreign countries. The US/NATO proxy war in Ukraine, brings the US in direct confrontation with a major nuclear power as does the U.S. provocation against China over Taiwan, and now Japan! It is extremely important that we build a strong, unified antiwar movement that can break through the media propaganda and censorship and end the US military aggression around the world.
Actions linking ALL the continuing US wars and sanctions will be a unifying focus and help break through the propaganda that saturates each and every war.
“We are now experiencing the coming to the surface of a triple prong sickness that has been lurking within our body politic from its very beginning. That is the sickness of racism, excessive materialism and militarism.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’
‼️Important court date THIS FRIDAY in San Francisco‼️
Rally with us before the hearing to tell DA Jenkins: Don’t let former SFPD officer Chris Samayoa get away with the murder of Keita O’Neil!
Friday, January 27 • 8:15am • 850 Bryant St pic.twitter.com/H0o7rETzp5
— Anti Police-Terror Project (@APTPaction) January 25, 2023
Friday 1/27: Emergency Action: Justice for Tyre Nichols in San Francisco https://t.co/RsOX24d7Ej
— Indybay (@Indybay) January 27, 2023
From Oakland to Memphis we demand Justice for Tyre Nichols!
As the nation braces for the body cam footage, we will hold a RALLY & MARCH this Sunday, 5pm at Oscar Grant Plaza in solidarity with his family and loved ones. More to come!https://t.co/ZxuGPoXhCu
— Anti Police-Terror Project (@APTPaction) January 27, 2023
Come join us to mourn and celebrate the life of #Justice4TyreNichols on Monday, 2/6 at 11:15 am (Oakland Tech – 45th and Broadway) for a Block Party Vigil. Free food, art, and music!❤️ pic.twitter.com/QfD8Hgt3hU
— CURYJ (@CURYJ) February 2, 2023
A few weeks after Vallejo PD shot 55 rounds at Willie McCoy, his niece was pulled over by VPD, dragged out of the car, tased & arrested, by 2 of the cops who murdered Willie. There were no charges filed against her. On 2/9 we gather to remember Willie & renew calls for justice. pic.twitter.com/U8O5uaazEa
— Melissa Nold, Esq. (@savage_esquire) February 4, 2023
All are welcomed to stand with Mothers On The March and People from the Community.
We stand with signs and banners and chalk the sidewalk, bringing attention to the crimes of the SFPD.
Our Demands:
-The Police Officers Association be SHUT DOWN!
-The SF POA Be Declared a Non-Grata Organization
-Abolish the ‘Officers Bill of Rights’ – This has been used to protect officers in abusing our communities!
-Jail Killer Cops – we demand killer cops be charged and convicted with murder
-Abolish the Police!
Freedom Rally for Iran 💚🕊❤️
Come join us on February 18th in San Francisco to stand in solidarity with the people of Iran.
Start: intersection of Powell street and Market street
End: Embarcadero plaza
Time: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm#IRGCterrorists #WomanLifeFreedom pic.twitter.com/JRC78gwrP0— BayArea4Iran (@bayarea4Iran) February 15, 2023