New Black Panthers protest Baytown PD
A diverse crowd of chanting and cheering Baytown, Texas
citizens welcomed Minister Quanell X, The New Black Panthers of Houston and National Black
United Front (NBUF) representatives at a Justice Rally at the Baytown Police Department.
The death of Luis Alphonso Torres while in police custody has brought back memories of
Rodney King for Houston area residents.
Recently released police video show brutal force being applied to Torres by several
officers as he screams and gasps for air, eventually dieing at the scene. The autopsy
report of Harris County Medical Examiner Dr. Joye Carter states the cause of death as
mechanical asphyxia with blunt impact trauma. The report further states the manner of
death as homicide. Minister Quanell X stated "We say to the Baytown police your days
of terrorizing the Black and Hispanic community are over, the Harris County grand jury
must bring back an indictment on charges of murder for justice to be served."
The small town east of Houston was rocked by the size and intensity of the rally.
Uniformed New Black Panthers and several NBUF members flying the Red, Black and Green flag
led the protestors directly to the front door of the police station chanting: "They
say let em go, We say hell no." Latino representatives spoke to the crowd in Spanish
and then in English calling for an end to the police reign of terror on Black and Brown
citizens of Baytown. Omowale Manu of NBUF told the crowd "ultimately it will be the
people of Baytown, not the New Black Panthers or NBUF that sees too it that justice is
served in the death of Mr. Torres. One step to curb police brutality is to demand a
civilian review board with subpoena power."
The Sunday action organized by the New Black Panthers was followed the next morning with a
well-attended protest at the Harris County Court House in Houston demanding a grand jury
indictment of the officers involved and a civilian review board. Many Latinos praised the
New Black Panthers for boldly speaking out and organizing for justice around the death of
Torres. Baytown police have stood by their officer's actions admitting no wrongdoing. |
