Evening star., 1941-09-15
300 Persons March
In Protest Against
Police Brutality
Parade Sections Converge
At Tenth and U Streets
For Mass Meeting

sections of the city and numbering
about 300 persons marched to Tenth
and y streets NV. yesterday after
noon for a mass netting sponsored
by the Citizens Committee Against
Police Brutality.
Many of the marchers, made up
in large part of small children
carried placardS and chanted, "Old
Jim Grow has gotta CO." and Fifty
more Negro cops"
A hearse and undertaker's auto
mobile carried signs in memory of
several persons shot in recent
months by police. Signs carried by
marchers included: Let's Beat
Fascism at Home and Abroad" I'VE
Want No Fascist Cops" and Police
Are Public Servants, Not OPP
pressors."
A banner was carried by group
for the United Cafeteria Employees
Local No. All of the C. I. O., and a
number of signs were carried bear
ing the name of the local branch Of
the Workers party, which distrib-
uted its national publication, Labor
Action, through the crowd.
Prof. Wilkers0n Presides.
The speakers we're introduced by
Prof. Doxey Wilkerson of Howard
University, who also presided at the
protest conference of the committee
the Sunday before. He told the
audience that police brutality had
developed here and said, I'VE are in
sistent that it shall STOP"
The Rev. Frank w. Alstork, presi-
dent of the Minister'S Alliance of
Washington and pastor Of Union
Wesley Church, said: We're going
to stop police brutality. We don't
believe in fighting. We have money
in our pockets and we have talent
white and colored. We're going to
stop the rattlesnakes in town with
that"
Other speakers included: Henry
Thomas of the c. I. o. Construction
Workers, Vincent Craig, secretary
Workers Industrial Council, c. I
O.; Dorothy Strange, secretary OF
the Sponsoring Committee; Frank
Donner, chairman Of the Case Com
mittee of the Brutality Committee,
and DR.. William A. Hunton, vice
president of the National Negro
Congress and connected with How
ard University.
Mr.. Craig said that although we
will take Maj. Kelly at his word, u
that he will not tolerate police bru-
tality, it Is necessary to watch the
Police Department. At the meeting
last week. Acting Supt. of Police Ed
ward j. Kelly promised the confer
ence that "as long as am head OF
the Police Department I will not
tolerate violence against citizens or
against police"
Citizens Trial Board Asked.
Before closing the outdoor meet
ing by having the throng shout
three times, Police brutality has got
to CO." Prof. Wilkerson said. 1--WE
want democracy in Washington ano
we are going tc get It," He warned
that so long as we have Fascist
tendencies, such as police brutality
we shall not have united front
capable of stopping Fascism abroad.
The paraders started from Seventh
and L streets NE, First and H
streets S.W., Fifth and L streets
NV, and Twenty-fifth and
streets NV. The various parts
met at Tenth and T streets NV.
Petitions citing the six demands
of the committee, we're distributed
for signatures. These demands are
One. that a policeman who recently
shot two colored brothers be sus-
pended and held for grand jury
investigation; two, that Maj. Kelly
deal with the problem of police
police manual regulations on use of
firearms read at precinct roll calls:
three, that a citizens trial board
replace the present Police Trial
Board; four, that so Negro appoint
ments be made out of the 1876 Or
dered for the District, and that a
Negro be named captain of No.
precinct; five, that police shall place
charges Immediately against per-
sons arrested or detained, and, six
that compensation be granted de-
pendents Of those killed by police.
Maj. Kelly, who watched the pa
rade at various points, said he has
estimated that 300 persons took
part.