NEW YORK (AP) – Thousands of uniformed police officers from New York City and around the country gathered Friday at the solemn, eight-hour wake of a city policeman who was killed along with his partner in a brazen daytime shooting a week ago.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had been criticized by the police union for his handling of protests critical of officers, briefly attended Officer Rafael Ramos’ viewing at the Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens, where Ramos was brought in a flag-draped casket and viewed in full dress uniform.
“Dad, I’m forever grateful of the sacrifices you made to provide for me and Jaden,” Ramos’ son, Justin, said during the wake, referring to his younger brother, as officers gathered in the street watched on giant television screens.
Ramos’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday. Vice President Joseph Biden and Mayor de Blasio have said they’ll attend. The funeral for Ramos’ partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, hasn’t yet been announced. (more…)

December 27, 2014; Washington, D.C. – In a year-end conversation with NPR News, President Obama told Morning Edition Host Steve Inskeep that low morale around race relations in the U.S. is exaggerated by the national conversation around recent violence and not an accurate reflection of the state of affairs around the country.
When asked if the U.S. is more racially divided than it was when he took office six years ago, the President responded:

“No, I actually think that it’s probably in its day-to-day interactions less racially divided.” (more)

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The media narrative included here does not do the event justice.
Oakland CA – A protest march targeting police shootings turned violent in Oakland on Christmas night, reports CBS San Francisco station KPIX-TV.
Some demonstrators in the “No Time Off” march were hostile from the beginning, with one protester lunging at a KPIX camera moments after the march began. In Jack London Square, around 30 store windows were smashed, and some liquor was looted, the station says.

The Christmas tree in the square was targeted as the protest moved through the city’s streets, with ornaments and lights being ripped from the tree.
When the group blocked an intersection near City Hall, one driver lashed out, saying, “When people come from other areas and cause trouble, that’s what’s frustrating.”
About 40 Oakland Police officers monitoring the protest took a hands-off approach, trailing the marchers from behind. (link with video of police watching)

SAINT LOUIS – Demonstrators took to the streets for a second night after a white police officer in Berkeley, Missouri, killed a black 18-year-old who police said pointed a gun at him.
Dozens of protesters held a vigil late Wednesday at the gas station in the St. Louis suburb where Antonio Martin was shot, and they briefly blocked traffic on Interstate 170 during a march before returning to the station. Berkeley Police Chief Frank McCall told KMOV-TV that six to eight people were arrested.
Later, about 75 people staged a peaceful protest early Christmas morning outside of a nearby church, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Police in riot gear were present.
The actions were calmer than a night before, when a crowd of about 300 people gathered at the gas station, throwing rocks and bricks in a scene reminiscent of the sometimes-violent protests that followed the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson.
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https://twitter.com/DefendWallSt/status/547989131050381312
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For more than two years, Pastor Saeed Abedini has been held unjustly in an Iranian jail, simply for meeting with Christians in a private home.
Despite his ordeal, Abedini has maintained his strong Christian faith. Never has that faith been more evident than in an inspiring Christmas letter that he sent his family:
Rajai Shahr Prison 2014

Merry Christmas!

These days are very cold here. My small space beside the window is without glass making most nights unbearable to sleep. The treatment by fellow prisoners is also quite cold and at times hostile. Some of my fellow prisoners don’t like me because I am a convert and a pastor. They look at me with shame as someone who has betrayed his former religion. The guards can’t even stand the paper cross that I have made and hung next to me as a sign of my faith and in anticipation of celebrating my Savior’s birth. They have threatened me and forced me to remove it. This is the first Christmas that I am completely without my family; all of my family is presently outside of the country. These conditions have made this upcoming Christmas season very hard, cold and shattering for me. It appears that I am alone with no one left beside me. (more…)

Many people are frustrated by the lack of information and what appears to be mulching the little bits we do know into agonizing over analysis.

Buck up. What you don’t see on these pages is our pressured back channel efforts to pry loose critical information that we believe will ultimately bring Justice For Jessica. Those efforts are synergetic with, and dependent upon, those who will rise on her behalf remaining vocal in their desire to be unrelenting; to be wolverine.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. To find the Truth in the Zimmerman case we faced significant foes, but also saw support from those who believe in the judicial system.  That entire construct was based on massive, intentional and institutional lies.   Lies the media were intentionally selling and promoting.  Yet, truth prevailed.
To find the Truth in the Wilson/Brown case we faced significant foes, but also saw support from those who believe in the principles of the judiciary system.  Again the media was the biggest enemy – and yet again, truth prevailed.  (more…)

(New York) Police have increased security at two New York City stationhouses while investigating threats against them in the wake of the deadly shootings of two officers last weekend.

As of early this morning NYPD swat team members were stationed 79th and 81st precinct stationhouses after a member of the Baltimore-based Black Guerrilla Family was allegedly overheard planning a ‘shoot out’ at those locations.
Emergency Services Unit officers were stationed at those same Brooklyn precincts as of Tuesday.
Police said on Wednesday they were remaining vigilant while investigating the origin of the threats. (more…)

At approximately 11:15 PM on December 23, 2014, a police officer with the City of Berkeley was responding to the Mobile Gas Station located at 6800 N. Hanley when he observed two male subjects on the side of the building. The Berkeley Police Officer exited his vehicle and approached the subjects when one of the men, Antonio Martin, pulled a handgun and pointed it at the officer. Fearing for his life, the Berkeley Officer fired several shots, striking the subject, fatally wounding him. The second subject fled the scene. The Berkeley Police Department requested the St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons Unit to handle the investigation. St. Louis County Police Detectives have recovered the deceased subject’s handgun at the scene

Saint Louis – A Berkeley police officer fired at least three shots at a suspect who pulled a gun on him, the St. Louis County Police chief said at a Wednesday morning news conference.
Police Chief Jon Belmar said the officer was responding to a report of stealing at a Mobil on the Run station about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday when the deadly shooting happened.
The officer saw two men on the parking lot in the 6800 block of North Hanley Road and began talking with them.
Belmar said one of the men approached the driver’s side of the vehicle. (more…)

NYC protests despite mayor's plea for pause. @miguelmarquez has the latest: http://t.co/YZ32bDaEdo @CNN http://t.co/Hdlpbw41yq

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) December 24, 2014

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