[Ppnews] Support Rebel Diaz in Court Tomorrow! (3/12)

Political Prisoner News ppnews at freedomarchives.org
Wed Mar 11 16:54:24 EDT 2009



On June 18, 2008, Rodstarz and G1 were walking peacefully down the 
street with their friend visiting from Chicago when they came upon 
police officers from the 41st Precinct in the Bronx in the middle of 
a sting against street vendors, aggressively confiscating the fruit 
and vegetables of street vendor. When they approached the officers to 
ask why the vendor was being treated in that manner and asked for 
their badge numbers, the officers turned their aggressions on the 
duo. After beating them and arresting them in front of over a dozen 
witnesses, they were taken to the 41st Precinct.

Within hours, over 75 friends, community members and activists 
gathered outside the precinct (1035 Longwood Avenue at Southern 
Blvd.) to sing, chant, drum and march for over 4 hours, demanding 
that all charges be dropped and that Rodstarz and G1 be immediately 
released. After withstanding a rainstorm, a rainbow offered hope that 
community resistance will overcome police brutality.

The following morning more than 25 people gathered at the Bronx 
County Criminal Court for their arraignment. The men are charged with 
two misdemeanors: obstruction of justice and resisting arrest, and 
are scheduled for court on September 3rd, 2008.

A cell phone video of the arrest was released to news circuits, and 
friends have already compiled video montage of the arrest, protest 
and the duo's music, available at 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ-_1b6AO6w&feature=email>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ-_1b6AO6w&feature=email.

Brothers Rodstarz and G1 are no strangers to repression and 
resistance. Sons of Chilean political exiles, they grew up on 
Chicago's north side, where police brutality was a daily reality. 
Upon their move to the South Bronx in early 2006 they were invited to 
perform their revolutionary music at the historic immigrant rights 
march in New York City, in front of 500,000 people. Today, Rebel Diaz 
travels throughout the world performing and organizing, using Hip Hop 
as a tool for education and social change around immigration, 
education and housing issues.

More information on the group can be found at 
<http://www.rebeldiaz.com/>http://www.rebeldiaz.com/ or 
<http://www.myspace.com/rebeldiaz>www.myspace.com/rebeldiaz

Please forward this info out to as many as possible!


Support Rodstarz and G1 of Rebel Diaz!
They were assaulted by NYPD after trying to translate for an Immigrant
Street vendor in the Bronx.
Pack the Courthouse!
Thursday, March 12th
           9am
Bronx Courthouse
265 E.161st rm. 510 part 20





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415 863-9977

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