Paul Bass Photo
Rally Thursday federal courthouse.
The government of Colombia went on trial Thursday afternoon at New Haven’s U.S. District Courthouse — not inside the building, but on the front steps.
There, New Haven activists held a rally condemning that government for its deadly crackdown on citizens participating in mass protests. The protests began April 28 over a tax reform measure. They have spread to calls for dismantling torture and rape-prone riot police forces, for mass Covid vaccinations, and for more aid to the poor. Government forces have killed an estimated 60 people, arbitrarily detained around 1,400, “disappeared” 600, and committed sexual assaults.
The activists’ verdict: Guilty. The sentence: The U.S. government should act on this letter (signed by, among 54 other Congress members, New Haven’s U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro) to stop sending U.S. weapons to Colombian police and push for an end to human rights abuses.
Organizer John Lugo addresses rally.
“Mauricio Gonzalez Escobar!” organizer John Lugo called into a megaphone.
“He’s not here because the police killed him!” responded the demonstrators gathered on the courthouse steps.
“Nicolas Javier Urbe!”
“He’s not here because the police killed him!”
“Angie Johanna Valencia Orodoñez!”
“She’s not here because the police killed her!”
The call-and-response covered all 60 people known to have been killed so far in the protests.
Rosalba Montaya, who moved here from a year ago, at the rally.
Unidada Latina en Acción (ULA), Colombian Action CT, and Black and Brown United in Action organized the protest. It was timed to show support with a mass protest march planned for Friday in Colombia.