Mike Siviwe Elliott, a leader with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, was arrested late at night on December 29, 2015. Elliott used his cell phone to record an incident on a Metra Train platform involving a young Black female being physically roughed up and handcuffed by a Metra police officer.  When the officer approached Elliott in an attempt to take his phone, Elliott moved away and the officer accused him of "battery to a police officer". He was unjustly arrested, handcuffed and taken to the Metra police station, then transferred to the 5th District police station. He was held for a total of nearly 12 hours.
 

The 5th District station was flooded with phone calls demanding the charges be dropped and for Elliott to be released immediately. He was released at 11:30am the next morning as activists waited for him in the lobby of the station.
 

Mike Siviwe Elliott, has responded to his arrest by saying, "My arrest is another clear example of why we need community control of the police. Police, whether they work for Metra or the city, continue to trample on the constitutional rights of Black people with impunity. The most logical solution to resolving police crimes in Chicago, is to establish an all elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), which would democratically empower the people to hold the police accountable."
 

A brief press conference will be held outside the Branch 35 Criminal Court at 8:45AM prior to Mike Siviwe Elliott's hearing. The hearing will be attended by Mike's supporters and allies from the movement.