First Published: The Worker, for Hawaii, Vol. 3, No. 7, June 15, 1978.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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(WPS) June 6, Houston–Picket lines protested the arraignments held for 14 of the over 30 people arrested in the May 7th rebellion in Moody Park. Those arrested face heavy charges–from assaulting a police officer to felony riot and attempting capital murder on a police officer.
The local capitalists have gone all out to punish the Mexican-American community and the people as a whole for the rebellion, which erupted when people courageously fought back against armed cops who invaded the park during Cinco de Mayo festivities.
People United to Fight Police Brutality, an organization which has given leadership to the fight against police repression in Houston, organized the militant picketline right in front of the courthouse. People United was formed after the brutal murder of Joe Campos Tones last year by Houston police, to unite people of all nationalities in the fight for justice for Joe Torres and against police brutality.
The picket brought out how the cops who murdered Joe Torres are still free, pending a decision on their appeal of one year sentences they received for murder, while those who were arrested after the Moody rebellion face sentences of up to 20 years and in one case, for life. Some of the defendants were dragged from their apartments the day after the rebellion by the Houston SWAT team and charged with assault on a police officer.
The picketline reiterated the demands People United have been raising since the rebellion: Free the Moody Park 3, Drop the Charges Against All Those Arrested in the Rebellion, Justice for Joe Torres, and Stop Police Terror.
The Moody Park 3 are members of People United who are out on $25,000 bond each and are being blamed by the capitalists for the rebellion itself. They face charges of up to 20 years for arson and looting, actions which they are not even accused of committing. Under a Texas law, anyone at the scene of a “riot” can be charged and held responsible for any crimes committed by anyone.
The Moody Park 3 have become the focus of the capitalists’ attacks on the movement in Houston against police brutality and murder.
In spite of the heavy charges they face, the Moody Park 3 continue to be active in People United–in the forefront of the fight, including helping to build support for others arrested in the rebellion. On their release from jail the 3 held a press conference and denounced the charges against all those arrested. Later, at the June 6 picketline, Travis Morales, spokesman for People United and one of the Moody Park 3, spoke forcefully about the nature of the system of “justice” which is hitting full force against those who took part in the rebellion while letting the killers of Joe Torres off with a wrist slap.
While People United has been making every effort to continue to build support among working people of all nationalities for all those arrested in the rebellion, as well as carrying forward the fight against police brutality and for justice for Joe Torres, some other forces have appeared on the scene, hoping to split the movement and narrow it for their own opportunist interests. A coalition of these groups, calling themselves the “Coalition to Defend the Barrio,” was originally to have joined the picketline in front of the courthouse, but at the last minute overturned their own decision to have a united picket.
This motley group, including the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) which puts out the Militant newspaper and the Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) (CPML) which peddles the Call newspaper, showed up at the courthouse and demanded that People United members take off their T-shirts, buttons and banners which were inscribed with the demands of “Free the Moody Park 3, Drop the Charges Against All, Justice for Joe Torres, and Stop Police Terror.”
Lawyers who are members of this coalition and are representing some of the defendants even told those they are defending not to speak with People United. While these groups claim to be leaders of the struggle against the capitalists, their actions can only help the capitalists in their efforts to split the defendants and the people’s unity.
The Moody Park 3, as well as other defendants, are coming up for arraignment on June 12. More actions are planned to build this fight.