Jesus and I are great fans of Rebel Diaz and see them as allies in the cultural work that is at the heart of a movement for social justice. Please get the word out an call to the 41st Precint. If you are in New York please make the effort to show physical solidarity with these cats-melanie

NYC Police Beat Up Rap Group Members Rebel Diaz

By Davey D

Looks like the NYPD are living up to their reputation of being bonafide 'dipshits'. We are just getting word that NYC Police located in what was once known as Fort Apache-the 41st Precint in the Bronx, have shown that police terrorism is alive and well.


The word is in a unprovoked attack they badly assaulted two members of the Rap group Rebel Diaz.



The story we are hearing is that group Rodstarz and G1 were up in Bronx on Southern Blvd in Hunts Point, when they noticed the police were harassing a street vendor who was selling fruit. The two went over to witness the cops in action and when they saw the police being abusive they pulled out a cell phone to video tape the incident and asked for the officers badge numbers. keep in mind that part of the Bronx has a large immigrant community and it is also being gentrified. The police from the 41st Precint have made it a point to commit acts of terror including the shooting and killing of an unarmed immigrant man last year. The case brought up images of Amadou Diallo another immigrant was gunned down by out of control Bronx cops in the neighboring precint.



According to witnesses, when Rodstarz and G1 asked for badge numbers the police became agitated and turned around and started beating them with bully clubs and kicking them in full view of other vendors and people on the crowded street. The two were dragged off bloody, put into a police car and charged with resisting arrest and assault.



The backdrop to this story is that Rebel Diaz are not your ordinary rappers. They are well known activist who not only speak out against police terrorism, but have been key in helping out folks within this immigrant community. Hence it would not be usual for group members to bear witness and to speak out against the injustices. Rebel Diaz has committed themselves to given voice to the voiceless in that Bronx neighborhood.






Many feel that the assault by these cowardly Bronx police officers in plain view of everyone was a way to send a strong message to folks in the community that the police run things and they best stay in line. By beating the Rebel Diaz members in front of everyone was a way to spark fear and remind people that no one is safe from the police. They wanna let folks know that they can brazenly beat up popular rappers in front everyone even with cell phone cameras rolling and do so with impunity. The whole ordeal is akin to the slave masters from way back sparking fear in the hearts of other slaves by beating the strongest among them in front of everyone for all to see.



Over the past year NY Police have been man handling, arresting and terrorizing politicized Hip Hop artists, activists and news reporters.



For example, last year in Brooklyn well known attorney Michael Tarif Warren who routinely represents people in police abuse cases was badly beaten along with his wife when they stopped to watch and bear witness to NY cops terrorizing a unarmed tennage boy at a gas station.



During the protests immediately following the acquittal of the officers on trial for the Sean Bell shooting, journalists who had been speaking out against the police were harassed and roughed up.



Hopefully folks will read this and understand that what the police are doing will not work.. A police state will not take place on our collective watch..

Tonight there will be a rally infront of the 41st Precint Police station

bring drums, noise makers, banners, and people power!

***please forward widely***


ACTION ALERT!

COPS BEAT REBEL DIAZ RODSTARZ & G1

ALL OUT TO PROTEST THE 41ST PRECINCT!!!!

bring drums, noise makers, banners, and people power!


1035 Longwood Avenue (@Southern Blvd.) 6PM TODAY June 18, 2008

take the 6 train to Longwood


Please call the 41st precinct 718-542-4771 and the arresting Officer MacHugo 718-542-8745 to demand:

1.


Drop All Charges

2.


Release Rebel Diaz!

The Taller Tupac Amaru participated, for the first time, in ProArts East Bay Open Studios. We want to thank each and everyone of the over 350 people who came to visit us at our studio and who shared in the celebration of what we have been able to do (in partnership with our communities) so far in 2008.

We also want to thank all of the family and friends who helped make our Open Studios successful (thank you Margarita, Gustavo, Tim, Derek, Maria, Jose, Bobby, and Farianna...)

We know some of our friends and allies couldn't make it out during the weekend so we want to extend the invitation to folks in the Bay Area to arrange a studio visit for the next week. If you would like to come by to check out the art we had available at our open studio please feel free to contact Melanie at 510 502 6393.

 Be sure to check out our store which will be updated with new work.

We need strong pro-immigrant and migrant art to confront the multitude of images of disempowerment given to us by our daily media.

The Taller Tupac Amaru  set out to meet this need by enlisting the help of artists, art enthusiasts and movement supporters this May 2008. Jesus Barraza, Melanie Cervantes, Dylan Miner and Artemio Rodriguez under the leadership of fellow artist Favianna Rodriguez set out to produce of FIVE empowering posters for the international immigrant rights movement. This type of collaboration and support given by a vast network of people was crucial in order to place 10,000 posters into the hands of hundreds immigrant right activists around the globe, and the thousands of people they help organize.

A historic gathering brought together over 300 migrant leaders from the US and Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America this May 2008, in Mexico City, to form a global association of remitters and their families. The event helped consolidate remitters’ economic and political power and gave them the space to define an agenda for the sustainable economic development of migrant communities. The conference was convened by TIGRA (Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research and Action).

YES! Posters are crucial  for today’s immigrant rights movement!

We printed EACH poster in a run of 2000 via offset and freely distribute them to the organizations attending the gathering. The posters will reach cities around the globe, so that we may introduce new and inspiring concepts about what it means to be an immigrant in the 21st century.

We forged partnerships with over 20 individual donors whose generosity made this project possible. This ambitious project was advanced by the collective power, action and love of many, many people all of whom are part of the immigrant rights movement.

This poster project was made possible thanks to:
• Efren Paredes, Jr. (www.4Efren.com)
• The Adelman/Llanos Family
• The Consejo Grafico
• Joel Lopez (Cuchilla del Tesoro, D.F., Mexico)
• Judilee Reed
• Diane Sanchez (Oakland, CA)
• www.iresist.org
• Roberta Uno & the Ford Foundation’s Matching Gift Program
• Jee Kim
• Leeway Foundation (Leeway.org)
•  Jaime Cortez
• Carol Wells, Center for the Study of Political Graphics (PoliticalGraphics.org)
• Tito Delgado
• Quinn Delaney
• Margarita Rodriguez
• Sergio Rodriguez
• Carlos Valle
• Angelica Loa Perez
• Hugo from Los Angeles
• Anonymous donor

Logistical and Translation Support provided by:
• TIGRA - Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research and Action (Transnationalaction.org)
• National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (Nnirr.org)
• TUMIS.com
• Viviana Rennella
• Arnoldo Garcia
• Cathy Lee
• Youseff & Mahmoud Sawan

Artists:
• Jesus Barraza (DignidadRebelde.com)
• Artemio Rodriguez (LaManoPress.com)
• Melanie Cervantes (DignidadRebelde.com)
• Dylan Miner (DylanMiner.com)
• Favianna Rodriguez (Favianna.com)

There has never been a movement for social change without the arts – posters in particular – being central to that movement. Protest posters flaunt their politics and court discussion. They can deepen compassion and commitment, ignite outrage, elicit laughter, and provoke action. The power of the poster is that it is produced in multiples, and therefore can be easily distributed for all to see.

Posters are still available. If you are interested in purchasing the full set of five for $30 contact favianna@favianna.com 

Jesus Barraza 

Melanie Cervantes

Favianna Rodriguez

Dylan Miner

Artemio Rodriguez