CHICAGO—Dozens of Black, white, and Latin women and men of all ages shut down streets on the city’s west side. The bold actions of these anti-racist fighters peaked with a demonstration in front of the District 10 Chicago Police Department (CPD) station. As more people joined in, the killer Klan-in-blue made a hasty retreat into the station. Progressive Labor Party (PLP) participated and helped lead, promoting communist revolution as the solution to racist killer cops.
The march was led by friends and relatives of Steve Rosenthal. This 15-year-old Black teen was  executed by racist cops in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood in August 2018. The lying kkkops naturally rationalized their violent murder, leading with the standard lie that they “thought he might have a gun.”
After chasing him into a stairwell at his grandmother’s home, they shot him in the back of the head. They claimed it was “suicide.” He was brought to the local hospital, dead on arrival, but the family was not allowed to see his body. We have been fighting for justice for Steve ever since. During the first month after Steve’s murder, demonstrations were held almost daily.
Communists in the international PLP fight injustice alongside our class sisters and brothers wherever and whenever the bosses attack. We promote the idea that the whole racist capitalist system is at the root of our collective misery and must be destroyed. Racist police murder, pandemics, unemployment and deportations will cease to exist when we organize millions of our class into PLP to crush capitalism with communist revolution!
Antiracists take the street, fascist cops retreat
The massive worldwide rebellions set off by the police murders of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and Breonna Taylor inspired the renewed energy to fight and march for Steve. Organized mainly through social media, flyers, and personal contacts, a crowd of a few dozen multi-racial workers and youth turned up in front of the local west side high school that served as the rallying point for past marches.
Soon after setting off on our march, we quickly took over a major street in front of the police station where Steve’s murderers operated and found protection. A line of cops soon filtered out and tried to intimidate and disperse the crowd. But the anger of the family, friends, and supporters would not be stopped!
We quickly shouted down the racist hitmen, pointing out that 22 months had passed and the family still had little to no information about getting justice for their loved one. The cops were forced to retreat as we continued to block the street and the station’s front entrance.
Continuing the march through Steve’s home neighborhood, his friends and relatives led the march with chants, songs, and speeches. Some of the marchers were grade school age, like Steve’s younger brother, but still spoke into the bullhorn as boldly as any seasoned fighter.
 The leadership shown by the young Black workers who organized a militant march and stood up to the police was powerful. It bodes well for the future of the struggle to overthrow capitalism.
Workers embrace communist line
PLP comrades, who have been fighting alongside Steve’s family since his 2018 murder, helped give leadership as well. Our speeches called out liberal politicians, such as Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a Black woman posing as an anti-racist, who fully supports Chicago’s racist police.
Marchers applauded our message to continue organizing for communism, instead of falling into the bosses’ election traps. They asked PLP to lead the second half of the march with our banner that read CPD: Guilty of Racist Murder. Unite to Overthrow Capitalism. Join PLP.
Participants also loudly repeated PLP-led chants:
“CPD, KKK—How many kids did you kill today?”
“CPD you can’t hide—We charge you with genocide!”
We distributed hundreds of PLP leaflets and CHALLENGE newspapers to marchers and working-class residents. Our long-term efforts to build a base in this particular neighborhood – holding other rallies, marches, May Day dinners, and CHALLENGE sales – have helped to make us a welcome, antiracist fighting force in the area. We intend to continue deepening these relationships and building our base for our mass Party.
No retreats from communism
The movement against racist police murder worldwide is at a crossroads, and we have the potential to play a vital role. Either we boldly advocate for communist revolution as the solution, or we allow the liberals and the misleaders to dilute the struggle as they have done time and time before.
For us, the second option is a definite no-go. The road to justice for Steve Rosenthal, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others takes the form of building the international PLP. Fight back against racist capitalism – Fight for communist revolution!