Vol. 71/No. 37      October 8, 2007

The storefront window of the hall was defaced with racist and anti-gay graffiti September 23. Slurs were scrawled on the window in black marker above copies of the Militant newspaper displayed in the window. The headline of the Militant read: “Justice for the Jena 6! Drop the charges now!”

The windows also display a T-shirt demanding justice for the Jena Six, and books by Malcolm X, Che Guevara, and others published by Pathfinder Press. The hall serves as the meeting place for the Militant Labor Forum, a weekly workers’ political meeting organized by supporters of the Militant.

Forum participants went on busses from Chicago to a September 20 march and rally in Jena, Louisiana. They’ve also been involved in struggles against police brutality and racist attacks in this city. An August 24 forum protesting cop killings featured relatives of youth gunned down by Chicago police.

“Forum participants will not be intimidated by this attempt to silence us,” said forum director Laura Anderson in a September 23 press release. “In response to this threat, we plan to step up sales of the Militant newspaper and build this week’s Militant Labor Forum.”

The September 28 forum will be a panel of speakers who attended the march in Jena. The forum topic is “Justice for the Jena 6! Drop the charges now! What can be done next in the fight against racism—from Jena to Chicago.” Panelists include Shakria Hall, a Chicago State University student; Ashunda Harris, aunt of Aaron Harrison, who was shot in the back by the Chicago cops; Fred Riley, an electrician; and Anderson.

The local CBS affiliate carried as its top story on the September 23 10:00 p.m. news a report by Katie McCall from outside the Militant Labor Forum hall. She interviewed forum participants who were there that night.

“Whoever did this did it out of weakness,” Leroy Watson, a meat packer who attended the march in Jena told the reporter. “They left their calling card to intimidate us, but we are going to push ahead with our support for the Jena Six, and get involved in any other fights that break out.”

The newscast can be viewed at http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=35828@wbbm.dayport.com.
 
 
Related articles:
‘Justice for Jena 6!’
Demand thousands at Louisiana rally
YS joins other fighters for justice for Jena 6
Jena 6 protests held across U.S.
Jena 6 solidarity actions across U.S. (chart)  
 
 
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