Highway Action

On January 15, 2015, a non-Black group of Pan-Asians, Latinos, and white people, linked their bodies together across the I-93 highway in a highly coordinated action in Boston. This act of civic participation was in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and Black people.

Go here to read the solidarity statement and see a photo:
Black Lives Matter, January 15 Highway Action Solidarity Statement

Here is a "short and sweet" excerpt from the solidarity statement:
We hold ourselves accountable, as non-Black people, to turn up and disrupt business as usual. Today, our nonviolent direct action is a manifestation of our long-term commitment to confronting our nation’s racist power structure as part of achieving the liberation of all oppressed people, always by uplifting and centering Black liberation. We expose the reality that Boston is a city where white commuters and students use the city and leave, while Black and Brown communities are targeted by police, exploited, and displaced.

Today, we put our individual and collective voices together to resist and disrupt business as usual, the way we have been used to maintain a system that oppresses Black people. Moreover, as non-Black people, we understand and accept our duty to end the profiling, unjust incarceration, and killings of Black people in the United States and beyond. Black lives matter, today and always.

(excerpt chosen by DG, see full statement)

 
The call-in campaign on Monday, July 13, 2015

The Somerville 18 were arrested as a result of the I-93 South highway blockade in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. They are currently attending ongoing hearings.

Before the hearing on 7/16/15, The #Somerville18 received their first offer from the Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, who was seeking the excessive punishments of

• 90 days jail time, 
• 18 months probation, and
• $14,580 in restitution fines,
• as well as other punishments.

Marian Ryan was retaliating against the protestors for using their First Amendment rights to challenge white supremacy. The #Somerville18 asked for support to push back against the criminalization of protestors, and reduce the sentence being sought, by calling DA Ryan at (781) 897-8300 on July 13, 2015.

Black lives matter and protests are necessary! 


Whether or not we supported the time, location, style, etc. of the protest or not, some of my family, friends, and I called DA Ryan on 7/13/15 to request a reduced sentence since it was excessive!

As of the last court hearing on 7/16/15, it seems the DA is considering reducing what she was seeking. I am grateful for that. 

The next step is writing character references for the defendents, and letters of support. The next hearing is in September.
-DG

Go to this post to learn about a petition that needs to be signed before 9/24/15


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