Victory! Charges dropped against Black Lives leader

A tremendous victory occurred Feb. 7 at the Los Angeles County Criminal Justice Courthouse when City Attorney Mike Feuer was forced to drop all charges against the leading coordinator of Los Angeles Black Lives Matter, Dr. Melina Abdullah.

Abdullah was facing criminal charges that could have meant significant jail time for protesting at Police Commission hearings. The agreement to drop the charges, reached after months of protests, petitions and packed courtrooms, also struck down the justification for her arrest, making protests at the commission hearings easier to continue.

At a press conference outside of the courthouse immediately following the victory, Abdullah thanked the attorneys who worked pro bono and folks representing the legacy of Black liberation struggles in this country. She praised a member of the San Francisco 8 — Black Panther members who were tortured by the state — and the Nation of Islam for providing security for her after she received violent threats, and the many activists of every ethnicity that refused to give up the fight.