Hundreds Protest Racist Lynching of Robert Fuller and Debate Strategy for Change
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (US), June 30 —“His smile brightened the days of all who met him,” said a friend of Robert Fuller. The body of Fuller, a 24-year-old Black man, was found hanging from a tree in front of Palmdale City Hall at 3:30 am on June 10.
“He was becoming more involved in standing up for the movement near the time of his death,” the friend continued. “He was well-known and loved in the community.”
Immediately, with no investigation, the Palmdale Sheriffs declared Fuller’s death a suicide. Family, friends, and community members went to the City Council to demand an investigation. None believed that Robert committed suicide. They all believe it to be a racist lynching.
On June 13, hundreds of Palmdale residents marched with Robert Fuller’s family demanding an investigation. The marchers were Black, latin and white, young and older.
“People marched together as ONE in the name of peace and justice,” wrote a young friend. “Our chants of ‘No Justice No Peace’ and ‘Say His Name …Robert Fuller!’ made the ground quake outside the Sheriff Station with the power of the people’s voice.”
The family told how Robert Fuller was a young man full of promise and potential. They demanded that the Sheriffs open a homicide investigation.
At the station, they faced Sheriffs who pointed their guns and tear gas canisters guns at the entire crowd. Inside there were Sheriffs in riot gear. People stood firm, chanting. Then someone came out to say they were changing the status of the case and would be calling for an independent investigation. After about 45 minutes, the community marched back and heard speakers who said that we can’t let ourselves be divided or pitted against each other.
Since then, the community has held vigils and marches to demand the truth about Robert Fuller’s lynching. Lies and rumors have been spread about Robert Fuller to try to turn people against him. This is what the racist system does: first they murder the victim and then they try to murder his character with lies.
An activist said, “Some conservative people have a mission to make us look like we are outside of society, when society gives little to any of us, then society perceives us as a threat. We are still mobilizing.”
This friend also said, “I’m also going to help get out the vote and make sure people know and question the candidates.”
A comrade responded, “Voting won’t change the system. They are all capitalist politicians. To get rid of racist terror, we need to mobilize for communist revolution.”
“I know you say that communism will end racism and police terror. But that’s not going to happen right now. We need to elect the best candidates we can.”
But no politician can or will stop capitalism’s unending horrors. The system is in decline. No matter who is in office, it will intensify the attacks on us. The thing to do right now is to spread Red Flag and build ICWP collectives.
We are struggling with these friends to distribute Red Flag to their friends and to organize a study group with them. We want them to see the need to join and recruit others to ICWP to organize for a communist revolution.
Front page of this issue
