Washington, DC, November 25 — Over 1,000 marchers — Black, white, Latino, and Asian — closed down Chinatown in DC’s central business district as outrage grew over the non-indictment of killer cop Darren Wilson. PLP youth led the communist contingent in the march, with masses of students and workers taking up the militant class-conscious chants sounding over the bullhorn. Over 300 CHALLENGEs and 200 PLP flyers were eagerly taken by protesters. Multiple contacts were made. The night before at midnight, three hours after the verdict, hundreds of Howard University students marched to the White House and then to Congress to protest the racist travesty of justice.
Since then, there have been daily actions trying to halt “business as usual,” with protests at the U.S. Justice Department leading to blockades of roads during rush hour and similar tactics at the major train/subway interchange. The exoneration of the cop who killed Eric Garner breathed fresh anger into the movement, and protests continue.
Students have held many meetings to plan further actions at local sites. At one high school, a PL’er organized a discussion with videos and stories from Ferguson, the link between Ferguson and the struggle at her school, plans for upcoming marches, and the need for bolder action at her school. New students have stepped forward through this work to up the ante at their school. Similar activities continue throughout the region.
Many protesters are beginning to understand that there is no way to end racism as long as capitalism rules society. Stopping traffic by itself won’t stop capitalism, but building a revolutionary party for the long struggle ahead will create the basis for a new anti-racist world! Join and build the PLP.