Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (CAARPR)  
1325 S. Wabash Ave. Suite 105, Chicago, Illinois 60605        
www.naarpr.org


PRESS ADVISORY 
For release Wednesday February 24, 2016

For information:
Frank Chapman 312-513-3795 email: fchapman@naarpr.org  or
Ted Pearson 312-927-2689 email: tpearson@naarpr.org  

What:   Press Conference for Mike Siviwe Elliott, longtime activist for
             police accountability
When:  8:45AM Friday, February 26, 2016
Where: Cook County Circuit Court, District 1 Court House, 3rd floor RM 303
             555 W Harrison St. Chicago, IL 60607


Court Hearing Continues for Mike Siviwe Elliott, Activist Against Police Crimes, Falsely Charged for Filming Cop Assaulting Woman on Metra Train Platform 
On  December 29, 2015 Mike Siviwe Elliott, while riding on the Metra Train, observed a Metra police officer abusing LaTonya Ervin, a young Black woman, and he proceeded to video-record this police crime in progress. As a result of exercising his federally protected constitutional right to publicly record police crimes Mike was arrested and falsely charged with "simple battery" and "reckless conduct". These are false, unfounded charges made against a veteran human rights activist, trade unionist and community organizer.  We have correctly perceived this to be an attack on our growing movement for community control of the police. Shortly after Mike's arrest the 12th District police station was flooded with hundreds of calls demanding his release.
 
All this comes at a time when the City of Chicago is facing its most scandalous moral and political crisis in decades. Those who are responsible for this crisis precipitated by the failed attempt to cover up the murder of Laquan McDonald are Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Anita Alvarez, members of the City Council, the Independent Police Authority and the Police Board. These are the same people, the same system, that would deny Mike Siviwe Elliott and our movement the right to videotape and expose police crimes, even while on public property! We see Mike's arrest and subsequent frame up for what it is. It is an attempt to intimidate our movement, to curb and quash our vigilance in exposing police crimes and our just and rapidly building struggle for an all elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC). 

We call on all our people in the movement and in our communities to join us in making these demands to State's Attorney Anita Alvarez:
  • We demand that all charges against Mike Siviwe Elliott and LaTonya Ervin (the young woman who was attacked) be dropped immediately and that this harassment and infringement upon our right to monitor and expose police crimes cease immediately.
  • We demand full disclosure of why his cell phone was held for nearly a month and why both Anita Alvarez's office and the Secret Service were involved in examining his cell phone.
  • We demand an explanation of why the white private security guard who pushed LaTonya Ervin was not also arrested for assaulting her?
  • We demand to know why so many of our tax dollars are being spent on Mike's misdemeanor case.
A brief press conference will be held outside the District 1 Court House at 555 W Harrison 8:45AM prior to the hearing. Mike Siviwe Elliott will also be available for interviews after the hearing. The hearing will be attended by Mike's supporters and allies from the movement for police accountability. 

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Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression 
 Stop Police Crimes Campaign
 

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