Police are a gang.

According to the LA Times, August 1, 1988 featured a large-scale raid by 88 LAPD officers on “two apartment buildings on the corner of 39th Street and Dalton Avenue … It was an all-out search for drugs and a massive show of force designed to deliver a strong message to the gangs.” Police caused massive property damage (including smashed furniture, holes punched in walls, and destruction of family photos) and sprayed graffiti messages such as “LAPD Rules” and “Rollin’ 30s Die.” In addition, “Dozens of residents from the apartments and surrounding neighborhood were rounded up. Many were humiliated or beaten, but none was charged with a crime. The raid netted fewer than six ounces 170 g of marijuana and less than an ounce 28 g of cocaine.”

He didn’t speak English (only Mayan). A police officer died of natural causes while arresting him and he is charged with murder. Also, the judge apparently says he cannot be prosecuted since he doesn’t speak the language (that’s weird).

Official home of America’s most comprehensive database of police violence. Get the facts about police brutality and how to address it.

Cory Doctorow adds a lot of context to ProPublica’s reporting on police misuse of bodycams and argues it’s a bigger problem.

I need to get

[00:09:34 - 01:43:24] This week we’re sharing an interview that we conducted with anarchists and abolitionists mostly in and around Manila, the capital of the Philippines. You’ll hear from K, Honey, Adrienne, Castle, Magsalin and Raj. During the…