Topic: Black Lives Matter

FBI Caught Spying on Anti-Racist Groups…Again
February 4, 2019 – The FBI opened a counterterrorism investigation into racial justice group By Any Means Necessary (BAMN). The precipitating incident was a counter protest against the white supramcists. At the protest, individuals brought knives and violently stabbed anti-racist counter protesters. This led the FBI to investigate…the counter protesters
Silver Spring Justice Coalition Demands Answers After Unjustified Arrest of Neighborhood “Good Samaritan,” Samir Ahmed. Yes, He is Black.
December 12, 2018 – Montgomery County Police again disgraced themselves by treating another Black man with undue aggression, arresting Samir Ahmed in his own neighborhood after he had helped an intoxicated neighbor home.
Are Virginia Police Learning That Protest Is A Crime?
August 20, 2018 – Political and social movements aren’t crimes, so why are Virginia police being offered a class that promises an overview of “current popular movements” and their “influential impact on social media and direct action protest?” What does that have to do with policing?
“Justified?” Hundreds of Silver Spring Residents Say NO.
August 7, 2018 – After viewing the officer’s body cam footage, and hearing from friends and neighbors of Mr. White, members of the Silver Spring Justice Coalition believe the officer had no reason to hound the unarmed Black man and chase him through his own neighborhood.
Silver Spring Justice Coalition Decries Decision that Fatal Police Shooting Was “Justified.” Demands Transparency and Accountability
July 31, 2018 – On July 30, the Howard County State’s Attorney handed down a decision that the shooting of an unarmed black man by a Montgomery County police officer was legally justified.
Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit Is Both A Testament to the Power of Dissent And An Illustration of Government Hostility to Black Political Power
July 17, 2018 – July 17 marks the 59th anniversary of Billie Holiday’s death. We recall Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”, a musical protest against this country’s white supremacist violence. “Strange Fruit” is a testament to the power of music as an impetus for social change. The government’s reaction is also a story about the repression of dissent. It is for both of these reasons why we at Defending Rights & Dissent continue to defend the right to dissent.
Groups to DHS: What’s in the ‘Race Paper’ and Why are You Hiding it From Us?
May 31, 2018 – More than 40 racial-justice and civil-liberties groups urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release an unredacted version of a memo referred to as the “Race Paper”
Two Grassroots Victories Against Police Militarization and Trainings with Human Rights Abusers
April 10, 2018 – From the Bay Area, California to Durham, North Carolina grassroots activists are scoring victories against police militarization.
54 Organizations Demand A Public Hearing on Racism & Violence by Washington DC Police
March 1, 2018 – Defending Rights and Dissent joined with Black Lives Matter DC, the Stop Police Terror project and over 50 other organizations to demand that the DC City Council hold a public hearing outside of work hours, to hear public testimony regarding racism and violence in the Metropolitan Police Department
Rest in Power Erica Garner
January 3, 2018 – Defending Rights & Dissent is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Erica Garner. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and loved ones. She was 27 years old