Uhurus take outrage over teen's death to City Hall

ST. PETERSBURG — A local activist group rallied at City Hall on Thursday, demanding reparations for the family of a 17-year-old student killed by a police officer last month.

Chanting "Jail the killer cop," a racially mixed crowd of about 30 activists representing the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement asked the City Council and Mayor Rick Baker to bring justice to the family of Javon Dawson.

The activists asked the city to demand that State Attorney Bernie McCabe's office be removed from the investigation, saying McCabe and his staff work too closely with police to produce an unbiased report.

"If the city of St. Petersburg believes in justice … it just seems to me that this is the time to come forward," said Uhuru president Chimurenga Waller, a former council candidate.

Javon, who was black, was shot twice during a June 7 graduation party after police say he aimed a gun at an officer, who is white, and refused to lower his weapon. Family and friends say Javon did not have a gun.

Other than a gun recovered near Javon's body by police, little evidence has been released to support either side's claims.

Thursday was the first time the Uhurus took a protest about Javon's death to City Hall.

About nine activists defended Javon during the meeting. The Gibbs High School sophomore did not have a criminal record.

The community's outrage over the death crossed racial lines, said white activist Stephanie Midler. "We don't want to see this kind of injustice, this kind of murder, in the white community either," she said. "African life does have value, just like it does in the white community."

The mayor and council quickly exited after the meeting. A police spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Council member Wengay Newton, the city's lone black elected official, said he needed more information before he could take action. "The investigation is still going on," he said.

Comments on this article

by Sal	Jul 26, 2008 2:50 PM
The Uhuru's have a selective perception diability. Live by the gun, die by the gun. Take a life and lose your own.

by Lin	Jul 26, 2008 2:45 PM
After a decade of living in this city, I wonder how much good Uhuru members could have accomplished if they had spent this time mentoring children, helping them learn to read & succeed in school.Also, where are the witnesses saying Javon had no gun?

by since1962	Jul 26, 2008 2:39 PM
Divisions in this city haven't changed much since the '60s if these comments are any reflection! Many issues Many Questions Few Answers TOO SLOWLY FUEL ANGER AND BIGOTRY NY Times Race In America survey indeed.Wonder how OUR burg would fare?

by Mary	Jul 26, 2008 2:30 PM
Hey Folks, don't bother typing messages here to the uhuru's; they can't read!

by Carl	Jul 26, 2008 2:09 PM
Do you see the there a pattern here folk? Every state and every city has a black community with drugs, violence, and high crime issues? Hmmm could be a culture issue? But lets just blame other people except themselves.

by Belle	Jul 25, 2008 9:57 PM
White people are outraged over the Uhuru's continuing to stick their noses in police business! Let the witnesses come forward or shut up fools! The deputy is to be commented for doing his job. Don't draw a gun on a policeman or you will be shot.

by Belle	Jul 25, 2008 9:56 PM
It appears that our city government is afraid of the Uhuro mob, how else can they order them around and make them do things that aren't approved by the majority of our city? This Socialist mob needs to back off and shut up!

by Belle	Jul 25, 2008 9:55 PM
Why aren't the leaders of the Uhuru mob under arrest for obstruction of justice? If they know of witnesses they should ask them to come forward not impede them. The idea of giving money to this family is rediculus! Money should be paid to the deputy!

by JH	Jul 25, 2008 9:43 PM
Uhuru's are tired old 60's radicals with a message that doesn't play in their own community. Just like the Times going to CAIR for a comment about Arab Americans. Don't associate a whole community with either of these victim creating groups.

by Bob	Jul 25, 2008 6:28 PM
Hey Uhurus, regarding the "race card": To 'borrow' an advertising slogan: "Leave home without it".

by Marty S.	Jul 25, 2008 5:18 PM
'The GHS sophomore did not have a criminal record.' I've seen these stated before and I ask - would the Uhuru's be okay with this shooting if he had had a criminal record? And why are they called activists when really they all preach seperatisism?

by Jon	Jul 25, 2008 5:17 PM
I'm sorry, but the comments on here are always vitriolic and racists. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. Being white for you is a matter of convenience; you don't choose what family your born under. Until you have lived in poverty--shut up.

by Syl	Jul 25, 2008 5:17 PM
The fact that he had no record is irrelevant. No criminal has a record until they commit a crime and get caught. It doesn't make them not a criminal just because they don't have a record. It just means they've never been caught.

by David	Jul 25, 2008 5:17 PM
he did not have a record YET!!!!!!!!!! give it a rest uhrus let it go.......

by JohnB	Jul 25, 2008 3:22 PM
The Uhurus don't speak out against black-on-black violence because in many cases (at least recently) one or the other party involved has been a Uhuru! At least they're smart enough to keep their dirty laundry out of the spotlight.

by John	Jul 25, 2008 3:21 PM
How about you idiots have some outrage over the black community. Drugs, crime, prostitution, guns, violence, single mothers, absent fathers, little regard for education.

by steve	Jul 25, 2008 3:13 PM
Hey I guess if you are pointing a gun at a police officer , are asked to drop it and don't..you die...I wonder if this group of low-lifes ever rallies over all the blacks who are killed by blacks in st pete....just wondering.....

by Eva	Jul 25, 2008 3:10 PM
I have NEVER seen ANY group as Prejudice as "the uhuru's" themselves.

by TC	Jul 25, 2008 3:09 PM
You can bet if a cop got killed the Uhuru would NOT holding any type of rally for him. They are very biased about who they care about and who they couldn't give a crap about. AND I'm sure if this boy had been white they wouldn't have any problems.

by LibbyRal	Jul 25, 2008 3:07 PM
don't see any 'europeans' protesting the death of dallas, the white man who was shot by police.family members have freely spoken and no witnesses have been hidden from the police. if 'africans' don't want to face scorn, they'd drop this sham

by Chris	Jul 25, 2008 2:59 PM
What is an Uhurus? Anyway the way I see it is one less thug to prosecute. Keep up the great work St.PD.

by neil	Jul 25, 2008 2:54 PM
while I don't know exactly what happened that nite it sure seems that St. Pete has a LOT of these kind of incidents that never get resolved. Do other cities have similar patterns of this type of incident? Accountability seems to be lacking.

by Cid	Jul 25, 2008 2:51 PM
St. Pete. is being watched by Blacks across the Nation .The Mayor is too silent . Blacks gave him the margin of victory in his elections . Is this how he repays us . This is totally dispectful . Always thought the Mayor was suspect . What is true

by Gaye	Jul 25, 2008 2:51 PM
This incident is not going to just go away without a full , fair , and open investigation . The Mayor and the Governor need not think that it will . The Uhurus are beginning to seem creditable , in the mind of the public .

by billy	Jul 25, 2008 2:49 PM
i am constantly amazed at the lack of concern shown by the uhuru crowd over young black men killed by young black men. where is the outrage and the fury?

by dionysis	Jul 25, 2008 2:47 PM
What BS. I do not care what color you are, if you point a gun at the cops you are going to be shot. Maybe the Uhurus should focus on educating black teens about this fact of life.

by herb	Jul 25, 2008 2:47 PM
I am sick and tired of people or organizations who find it necessary to proclaim racist reasons for a action BEFORE ALL OF THE FACTS HAVE BEEN MADE CLEAR. The police say he had a gun. A gun was found near him. Lets wait for the full report........

by savwa	Jul 25, 2008 2:46 PM
When the Uhurus protest in front of crack houses, then, and only then will they have any'cred.'

by Tom	Jul 25, 2008 2:46 PM
Where are the protests when it is black on black murder? What is the Uhuru Movement doing to stop that? There are more armed youth in south St Pete than anywhere else I have ever lived and that includes Detroit in the 80s and 90s. Stop all murder.

by Issywise	Jul 25, 2008 2:42 PM
The Uhurus got rage, their own racism and a wondrous paranoid capacity to see every single event as part of some huge monolithic racial conspiracy. If their program were enacted, their community would suffer worse evils than they imagine.

by Bob	Jul 25, 2008 2:28 PM
Here we go again having the Uhurus making demands. They cause hate in the city and they are ok with black calling whites names till the whites reply back. Soon they will riot the city because they don't get their demands. Jail time for them all

by Loretha	Jul 25, 2008 2:22 PM
The city needs to stop allowing this kind of nonsense behavior by a radical group, known as the Uhurus. Those people should have been arrested for attempting to cause unrest in the community

by Chris	Jul 25, 2008 2:21 PM
Does anyone really care what this group of racists has to say about anything?

by joe tampa	Jul 25, 2008 2:12 PM
Is it any wonder why these racist agitators have no credibility left? Why does the Black on Black crime rate and the failing Black culture trends not bother them?

by Bill	Jul 25, 2008 2:09 PM
Seems strange the Uhurus promise help, but again are just causing hate in the city. Look for a riot because they didn't get their way. Maybe Bill maxwell should be out there covering the story.he too is a racis