“We Are All Still Oscar Grant!” - Oakland Vigil Marks Five Years of Struggle

“We Are All Still Oscar Grant!” - Oakland Vigil Marks Five Years of Struggle for Justice

by Jonathan Nack
January 2, 2014

OAKLAND – Hundreds of people marked five years of struggle for justice for Oscar Grant and all victims of police brutality and racism at a vigil at the Fruitvale BART Station in Oakland, CA on January 1, 2014.

“We are all Oscar Grant,” chanted the multiracial crowd of both young and old.

It was the early morning hours of January 1, 2009, when Oscar Grant was killed by BART Police Officer Johannes Mesherle at the Fruitvale Station. Local protests helped to galvanize a growing national movement to hold police accountable for their brutality, killings, and racism.

Billed as a vigil, the program included musical and spoken word performances, spiritual rituals, and speakers. It was organized by the Oscar Grant Foundation.

“Every tragedy represents an opportunity to move the agenda for justice forward. We cannot forget and will not forget what happen on January 1, 2009 at 2:11 am. Join us in remembering and celebrating our martyr comrade brother, Oscar Grant. His life was taken to remind us that We Are All Oscar Grant,” said a statement by the organizers.

In addition to calling for justice for Oscar Grant, the vigil called for justice for other victims of the police as well as all victims of gun violence. Organizers called for families of loved ones killed by gun violence to bring an 8x10 photo of the victim.

For more information:

The Oscar Grant Foundation
http://www.oscargrantfoundation.com/
oscargrantfoundation [at] gmail.com

The Oscar Grant Committee
oscargrantcomm [at] gmail.com