press release

Memorial and March for Amilcar: Reporting Back

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This past Friday marked one year and a half since Amilcar was killed.

In addition to remembering and honoring Amilcar and the other victims of police violence, we called upon California Attorney General Kamala Harris to take over Amilcar’s case and file the murder charges herself.

Read our press release announcing the event and explaining why we are taking these steps.

At the site where he was killed, we remembered and honored him and his family:

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At the site where Amilcar was killed, we remembered and honored him and his family

We marched to the site where his and our neighbor, Luis Gongora Pat, was also killed by SFPD:14102230_10207123329062064_7173232076176825848_n

We then proceeded to Mission Police Station:14141893_10207123328142041_4570245433660378963_n

A few of the news reports….

Leading up to the event, KGO-TV ran this:

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Later that night, KGO followed up:

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Univision 14 covered the event:

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And our friends at Mission Local ran this:

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City of San Francisco Giving Human Rights Awards While Continuing Human Rights Abuses

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[Below is a joint press release from an alliance of community groups, reposted to the J4Amilcar website]

For Immediate Release:

City of San Francisco Giving Human Rights Awards While Continuing Human Rights Abuses

An alliance of community organizations in San Francisco that have been working to hold the City of San Francisco and the San Francisco Police Department accountable for the deaths of brown and black people who have been killed by the police have been called to receive a human rights award by the City of San Francisco.

These groups, including the Idriss Stelley Foundation, Amor for Alex Nieto, Justice 4 Amilcar Perez-Lopez, Do No Harm Coalition, Justice for Luis Gongora Pat, and Justice 4 Jessica Nelson-Williams express deep concern at the actions of the City which seeks to praise their activism while failing to address any of the systemic issues that lead to the disproportionate killing and economic displacement of people of color with no mechanism in place for justice. In response to the lack of justice from the City of San Francisco, the SFPD, its District Attorney, the Attorney General of California and the lack of any binding investigation from the Department of Justice, these groups have contacted the UN Committee on Torture and will be filing a complaint with the International Court of Justice, seeking assistance now from the international community to respond to the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the City on people of color and the economically disadvantaged in San Francisco which continue. In light of the findings of the damning Blue Ribbon Panel and the community’s call for justice, it is crucial that the City acts immediately to suspend the ongoing intimidation by the SFPD, to allow for the prosecution and removal of killer cops from its force, to cease evictions that are destroying the cultural integrity of neighborhoods of people of color and to stop its intimidation and harm of the unhoused.

With the police killings of Idriss Stelley, Mario Woods, Alex Nieto, Amilcar Perez Lopez, Luis Gongora Pat and Jessica Nelson, we see a City that is unable to guarantee the protection of human dignity and justice for all of its citizens.

Dr. Rupa Marya, professor of medicine with the UCSF Do No Harm Coalition: “When the body is fighting cancer, you need medicine, not awards. And the body of San Francisco is suffering from the cancer of disparity in income, safety and respect. The medicine here is justice.”

Please join us to document the Human Rights Awards Ceremony where each of these groups will voice their respective thoughts on this award and the state of Human Rights in San Francisco. Immediately following, there will be a press conference to answer specific questions from the press.

San Francisco Human Rights Commission Hero Award Ceremony

San Francisco City Hall

Room 250

Thursday, July 28th at 5:30pm

Media Contact:

Rupa Marya rupa.marya@ucsf.edu

Latest Evidence Disproves SFPD Chief Suhr’s Version of the Killing of Amilcar Perez-Lopez

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For Immediate Release:

Latest Evidence Disproves SFPD Chief Suhr’s Version of the Killing of Amilcar Perez-Lopez

Outraged Mission Community to Hold Vigil and March

What: Interfaith vigil and march in response to latest evidence that Amilcar Perez Lopez was murdered by SFPD
When: Friday, April 24, 6pm
Where: Beginning on Folsom Street, between 24th and 25th Streets

This Friday morning, April 24th, lawyers representing Amilcar Perez-Lopez and his family in Guatemala will file a lawsuit in the Northern District Federal Court in San Francisco seeking accountability for the killing of Amilcar by San Francisco plainclothes officers on February 26th. The Federal Complaint will reveal the true facts behind Amilcar’s heinous death, completely at odds with Chief Greg Suhr’s story.

“Those of us in the Mission neighborhood know that the facts are not as the police have reported to the media. We know that the truth about how Amilcar was killed by the police will be revealed when the lawsuit is filed.

“This Friday we will gather at the site of his murder on Folsom Street to demand justice for Amilcar, for other victims of racist police violence, and for the Mission District.” said spokesperson for the march and neighbor Florencia Rojo.

Amilcar Perez-Lopez was assassinated in a hail of police bullets three doors away from his Mission apartment on Folsom Street at 9:45 p.m. on February 26th. Soon after, SFPD Chief Greg Suhr blamed Amilcar for his own death at the hands of plainclothes officers. As in each recent shooting case in San Francisco – Alejandro Nieto on March 21, 2014, O’Shaine Evans on October 7, 2014, and Amilcar on February 26th, Chief Suhr claimed the shootings were justified based on his officers’ “reasonable fear” for their safety.

The evidence revealed on Friday morning, and in particular the autopsy findings, will unequivocally confirm that the officers were in no threat of any danger as Amilcar Perez Lopez was not attacking the officers—but rather fleeing from the officers after having dropped the knife. Most importantly, this evidence will unequivocally confirm that the killing of Amilcar was absolutely unjustified. The SFPD’s official version, which was announced to the public by Chief Suhr, is a fabrication intended to shield the shooting officers from prosecution.

“We in the neighborhood knew Amilcar as a hard working, young Guatemalan immigrant struggling to build a decent life for himself in this country. He worked multiple jobs in the construction and the restaurant trades. Despite how hard Amilcar worked, he sent money to his family in Guatemala to help support them. Amilcar was a good human being, a good neighbor and a wonderful provider for his family. There was no reason to shoot him. We will march on Friday with families of other victims of police shootings to demand that the truth come out and justice be done!” said Eduardo Roman, a co-worker and friend of Amilcar.

According to march organizer, Father Richard Smith of St. John’s Episcopal Church, “There is a prevalent death culture in the SFPD. They view their mission in our community as a them-against-us situation. I fear for my parishioners and all the innocent youth of color who live with a constant fear that on any day a police bullet may take their young lives. 

“I am urging all concerned members of our community to join us for this Friday’s vigil and march to stand up for Amilcar and for justice.” 

Events and locations:

  • Interfaith vigil with words, music, song, and native dance. On Folsom Street, between 24th and 25th (the site of the killing of Amilcar by SFPD), 6pm
  • March to Mission Police Station
  • Testimonies by families who have lost loved ones to SFPD violence. At Mission Police Station (17th and Valencia Streets)
  • Presentation and conversation with the legal team and free community dinner. At John the Evangelist Episcopal Church on 5th Street and Julian Avenue, between Mission and Valencia)

Audio-visuals:

  • Native Aztec dancers in ceremonial costume
  • Clergy in religious garb
  • Original art and banners by local Mission artists
  • Words, music, songs, chants, native drumming

Contacts:

Father Richard Smith     phone (415) 314-0924     email – Justice4Amilcar@gmail.com
Florencia Rojo                phone (734) 395-9453    email – Justice4Amilcar@gmail.com