Lucha de clases en China 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 62, No. 51 Dec. 17, 2020 $1 ‘Red House on Mississippi Ave.’ Portland activists block eviction By Johnnie Lewis House.” Portland, Ore. Police broke down the front door and assaulted the owner Michael Kinney and Dec. 14— The Kinney family— owners others asleep in the house. Deputy sher- of the now internationally famous “Red iffs arrested them and charged them with House on Mississippi”— is the last Black- trespass in their own house. Their guests Indigenous family in their neighborhood. were also arrested. They have been fighting foreclosure, and The defenders were unable to stop the now eviction, since 2018. initial assault on the house and the arrest The house, purchased in 1955, is in the of Michael Kinney and the others inside. Albina district— a collection of neigh- But very quickly the hundreds of defend- borhoods in the only sections of Portland ers regrouped and prevented the depu- where Black people were allowed to own ties, who were backed by the cops, from property for most of the 20th century. The taking possession of the property and district, home to the majority of the city’s house and removing its contents. Black population, has long been under The organizer recounted how defenders attack by developers and gentrifiers and armed with wooden banner and placard targeted for so-called urban renewal— poles, broom handles, tree limbs, baseball actually, removal. This once vibrant Black bats, trash can lids and other homemade community has been destroyed. defensive weapons, in an organized and In its place, the banks— historical red- Joined by supporters, the Kinney family resists eviction from their home. military fashion, “pushed the cops down liners—and wealthy real estate developers, the street and out of the neighborhood.” aided and abetted by the city’s white pol- Popular Mobilization and other Black A Black leader-organizer, asking to Another activist told WW: “Twelve of iticians, have built an interstate highway, youth, people of color, white, queer revo- remain anonymous, told WW: “Early on our people were grabbed by the cops, but a sports arena, a hospital expansion, along lutionaries have established a Red House the morning of Dec. 8, at least 50 police for lack of evidence, most were released with thousands of new, high-priced houses, Autonomous Zone similar to Seattle’s vehicles, sirens going off, blue lights flash- uncharged. The Portland cops announced condos and apartments. For the most part, Capitol Hill Autonomous the same day that they would people of color, poor and working people Zone. It involves a com- The house, purchased in 1955, is in arrest no more until those have been priced out of Albina, where the pound of about six square the Albina district, a collection of arrested were actually charged median price of a house is now $649,000. blocks around the house that with something.” The Kinneys say they paid their mort- includes a kitchen serving neighborhoods in the only sections It was clear that the activists gage on time but got caught up in a preda- free meals and a coffee shop of Portland where Black people were were serious about defending tory loan scheme to take their home. Urban supporting the movement the Kinney family. While in Housing Development LLC purchased the with free coffee. On Dec. 8, allowed to own property for most of the the compound, this reporter property in 2018, but the family remained the compound was attacked 20th century. The district, home to the was told by young activists: in the house while pursuing lawsuits in by Portland police. “We’re here to stop the evic- state and federal court to keep the home. On Dec. 10, this reporter majority of the city’s Black population, tion. We’re waiting for our After a years-long court battle over the entered the compound, now has long been under attack by developers marching orders.” Just then foreclosure, a judge ordered the Kinneys behind 10-foot-high barri- a platoon of maybe 30 peo- evicted in September 2020. The attempt cades, to learn more about and gentrifiers, and targeted for so-called ple marched by, chanting in to evict the family led to a mobilization of the police assault. I was urban renewal — actually, removal. cadence, carrying poles and militant support. warmly greeted by defenders, shields. As a former U.S. Army offered free food but asked to soldier and an organizer for the ‘Red House Autonomous Zone’ not take photos. It helped that I brought a ing, blocked off street intersections all American Servicemen’s Union (1968-69), In an effort to defend the Kinney fam- Workers World newspaper with the head- around here. At least 100 Portland cops this reporter knows a military formation ily from eviction, hundreds of Black line: “Evo Morales returns, Bolivians eject and Multnomah County sheriffs— look- when they see one. Lives Matter, antifa, black bloc, Occupy, coup regime.” ing like Robocops— attacked the Red Continued on page 3 Fight for Mumia’s freedom 2, 4 Defend incarcerated workers! NYC cops & landlords, hand in hand 3 Free Alabama Movement: Boston solidarity with ‘A fight from inside out’ workers, farmers in India 3 Prison work & the outside world Buffalo anti-racists face down fascists 4 Ramsey Unit: Texas terror 6-8 Michigan: Confronting white supremacy 5 Justice for Casey Goodson! 5 Editorial Attack on anti-ICE marchers 5 Centi-billionaire profiteers 10 Indigenous land defense in Arizona 9 Venezuela election 9 Palestine’s incendiary kites 10 Morocco/U.S. deal 11 Page 2 Dec. 17, 2020 workers.org Release Mumia now! By Betsey Piette this week Philadelphia ◆ In the U.S. The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police has Portland activists block eviction ...............1 done everything possible to silence Mumia Abu- Release Mumia now! .........................2 Jamal and bury his fight for justice. In February Boston rallies for workers, farmers in India......3 their obstruction even included filing a “King’s Bench” petition—which sidesteps and pre- ‘Solidarity with the people, not the state’ . 3 empts all other judicial or appeal procedures—to NYC: Cops and landlords go hand in hand.......3 attempt a change in venue for his appeals hearing. Time to ‘accelerate our efforts’ to free Mumia ....4 But Abu-Jamal’s global supporters, insisting Buffalo opposes ‘Watchmen’ hate group.........4 on his innocence and demanding his immediate Car hits anti-ICE march . 5 release, have other ideas. Mich. representative confronts white supremacy .5 Twice recently, a broad coalition of U.S. and international groups and individuals has suc- Columbus: Justice for Casey Goodson! ..........5 ceeded in gaining major media coverage for the Defend incarcerated workers! .................6 former Black Panther and journalist, who is Swift Justice: ‘A fight from the inside out’ .......6 Pennsylvania’s best-known political prisoner. WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE Kempis Songster: ‘Working people in prison’’ ....7 On Nov. 16, former football star and Black Lives Pam Africa speaking at Dec. 9 press conference to ‘Free Mumia now!’ Ramsey Prison Unit: The terror of Texas ....... 8 Matter activist Colin Kaepernick issued a state- ment in support of Abu-Jamal. This aired during ◆ Around the world a virtual press conference that included prison abolitionist Mobilization4Mumia, Campaign to Bring Mumia Home, Venezuela’s National Assembly election .........9 leader Dr. Angela Davis, and other luminaries. Mainstream International Concerned Friends & Family of Mumia Abu- media, including CNN, have continued to raise Abu- Jamal, and MOVE. Defend Chich’il Bildagoteel! ...................9 Jamal’s case as a result. Speakers included Pam Africa, Minister of Confrontation Palestine: Nature under settler colonialism . .10 On Dec. 9, on the 39th anniversary of Abu-Jamal’s unjust for International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Behind Morocco’s recognition of Israel.........11 incarceration, supporters again caught the attention of the Abu-Jamal; Mumia’s spouse, Wadiya Jamal; Noelle media with a live press conference in West Philadelphia Hanrahan with Prison Radio; Yahné Ndgo from Black ◆ Editorial near Malcolm X Park. There, less than two months earlier, Alliance for Peace; Ted Kelly with the Prisoners Solidarity The pandemic of capitalist profiteers ..........10 anti-police brutality protesters clashed with Philadelphia Committee of Workers World Party; Razakhan Wali of police following the cop shooting of Walter Wallace, Jr. Nation TIME Judicial Research; Gabriel Bryant with the ◆ Noticias en Español The anniversary gathering also included a free food give- Black Philly Radical Collective, and others. Lucha de clases en China ....................12 away and the launch of Abu-Jamal’s newest book, “Murder Pam Africa unveiled a local campaign to rename a Incorporated Vol. 3: Perfecting Tyranny.” Those attending Philadelphia street “Mumia Abu-Jamal Way.” Freed were treated to free donuts and coffee as several news out- MOVE 9 members Janet and Janine Africa spoke and lets and independent journalists covered the event, despite denounced the Philadelphia City Council’s recent apology the bitterly cold and windy weather. (More information for the city having imprisoned them for 41 years, calling it available at prisonradiostore.com.) a “public relations stunt.” Marking the day that Abu-Jamal was shot and wrongly Janine Africa stated: “An apology with no action behind arrested for the murder of a Philadelphia police offi- it is meaningless. Show us a symbol of your sincerity by cer, the event was organized by a coalition that included releasing Mumia Abu-Jamal.” ☐ Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. Join us in the fight New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212.627.2994 for socialism! E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist and trans people are gunned down by cops and bigots on Vol.