Defend African People's Right to Resist! Vigil for Lovelle Mixon, Oakland, 3/25/09: photos

The International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) sponsored a march, rally, and vigil for Lovelle Mixon on Wednesday, March 25th. Lovelle Mixon's mother, his wife, several of his brothers, and at least one cousin were present. Many people were upset with the all of the official sympathies expressed for the four police officers who died Saturday, while none was offered to the family of Lovelle Mixon and the Oakland police continue to level new allegations against Lovelle Mixon in the media every day. That the media reports all of those allegations -- and does not hold the police accountable for the numerous people of color killed by Oakland police every year -- was a great source of anger.

While some speakers at the rally allowed the possibility that some of the allegations made by OPD against Lovelle Mixon may turn out to be true, and others worried about "eye for an eye" thinking, no one was happy with the general hostility shown by Oakland police officers who live in the suburbs and then all too often abuse and kill citizens of Oakland.