On Wednesday, March 11th, the District Attorney’s office pushed in court for Dante Cano to be hit with a felony charge for vandalism. The one police officer in court claimed that after hearing a window being hit, he saw a person in black running in a sea of other people in black. Several moments later, Dante was in police custody, despite no evidence actually linking him to the crime. We are asking people to please help bail Dante out of jail, which will increase his changes of defending himself in court. We also call on everyone to continue to support the Ferguson 3, youths arrested during the first night of the rebellion in the Bay Area.
“He is a danger to the community,” declared the lawyer. The lawyer representing the DA stated that the boarded up windows of which Dante is accused of attacking during a protest in February, represent all that is wrong in Oakland. People like Dante we were told, “Cause violence in peaceful protests.” People like Dante Cano, a poor working-class youth from the Bay Area, we are lead to believe, are the most dangerous element in Oakland.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The window that is alledged that was broken, is currently owned by one of the largest devlopers in Oakland. One of the same developers which is helping to raise rents, push out long-term residents, and displace communities of color. During the time of the demonstration, police had just murdered Vuyvette Henderson in Emeryville, while police shootings occured in San Jose, Richmond, East Oakland, and police were let off in the murder of Alex Nieto in San Francisco. Dante Cano isn’t a threat to the people – he’s someone that stands up against the violence of the police and is criminalized for it.
Across the Bay Area, thousands face evictions as developers and landlords raise rents, push out the homeless and poor, and displace communities of color. Meanwhile, the police come down hard in these communities and attack demonstrations against evictions and police terror. This is why tens of thousands of people took to the streets in solidarity with the Ferguson uprising and against white supremacy and the police in the Bay Area in late 2014 and 2015.
Dante Cano is not a danger to the community – the State is.
We ask that you please donate to help bail him out. By getting Dante out of jail, you will help his chances to reduce his felony charges and allow him to fight the charges while on the outside.
Dante Cano has already been in jail for a month. We must stand behind Dante, the Ferguson 3, and all those that the State is trying to single out for collective punishment for the generalized rebellion.
Donate to get Dante out now!
Free Dante Crew
http://freedante.noblogs.org
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We encourage everyone to support all the youths that were arrested during the uprising against white supremacy and the police in the Bay Area in 2014 and 2015. Please donate to the Anti-Repression Committee.
Support the Ferguson 3! Write and support Davontae!
Santa Rita Jail
Davontae Smith BGK969
5325 Broder Blvd.
Dublin, CA 94568