Free Mohawk, Smash Racism

The police department has a really bad habit of killing Black people and then telling them how to react to it. Which is why we need to keep coming out here, because we can’t let them make an example out of me. They want Black people scared… [But] they’re (the cops) scared of people who aren’t afraid of them.”
 — Mohawk Johnson

CHICAGO, October 30—Another spirited crowd of antiracist fighters packed the sidewalk yet again in front the Leighton courthouse at 26 and California. “Free Mohawk! Free Them All!” chants rang through the air as we continued to demand that these racist courts drop the eight felony charges against Jeremey “Mohawk” Johnson, an artist, organizer, and all-around great member of our class. This struggle so far has exposed how the rulers’ cops and courts are the bosses’ tools.
Mohawk was arrested during an anti-kkkop protest on August 15 and has been battling the bosses’ __racist legal system ever since (See CHALLENGE, 11/4). A number of Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members have been consistently helping to build the mass campaign in order to fight the bosses’ racist attacks against Mohawk and all workers, and organize for international communist revolution.
Instead of receiving updates on progress within the case, our multiracial crew was given disappointing news: Mohawk had been given another court date and it would be two months from now, on December 29.
The judges would not hear Mohawk’s attorney’s argument for the removal of his electronic house monitor, which he has had to wear since being released from jail in August. Nor did they consider any of the over 200 character letters written on behalf of Mohawk from the community. The hearing was brief and rushed: Mohawk went in with his attorney, and all the judge did was give him  a new court date. Mohawk is still facing the trumped-up charges for aggravated assault on a cop.
The judge's refusal to not take Mohawk off of house arrest as we approach the holidays is petty and abusive, but fits the style of the bosses’ racist institutions. They want to try to break his spirit and the spirits of those supporting him, but they’re bound to fail. For every attempt so far that they’ve used to undermine our support—from changing court locations to delaying hearings—we’ve come back bigger and louder. This is what antiracist fighters do, and we PL’ers are ready to give more fighting communist leadership to this struggle.
So if you are in Chicago, get your snow boots and coats because we will see you all on December 29 at 26 and California! Support Mohawk here https://linktr.ee/FreeMohawk