Each year on October 22^nd, communities across the United States observe the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation. Established in 1996 by the October 22 Coalition, the day calls attention to systemic violence by law enforcement and the ongoing lack of accountability for misconduct.

The statistics remain alarming. Data from Mapping Police Violence show that in 2024, U.S. police killed at least 1,365 people, the highest number on record. Further, Black Americans continue to be killed by police at nearly three times the rate of white Americans. Despite decades of reform efforts, the frequency of deadly force has not declined, and structural disparities in enforcement persist across jurisdictions.

Events on October 22^nd include vigils, marches, teach-ins, and data-collection efforts that document state violence and advocate for affected families. The day also reinforces the importance of sustained grassroots legal and community-based work, and equitable approaches to public safety that move beyond militarized responses.

Civil Liberties Defense Center recognizes this day as an essential moment to examine patterns of repression and to support nationwide demands for transparency, accountability, and liberation – and fight back against State repression in all its forms. Our imprisoned client, Malik Muhammad, exemplifies why this work is so critical.

For those of you who are just getting to know CLDC, Malik was subjected to a retaliatory transfer from Oregon State Prison in Salem, to Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon (far eastern Oregon – closer to Idaho than Portland or Eugene). Before his transfer, Malik was subjected to cruel and unusual torture in prison; being housed in solitary confinement for over 250 days, at times being forced to sleep on the floor without hygiene supplies or any of his property – including books. This abuse and neglect by the O.D.O.C. was conducted despite the fact that Malik is a veteran who suffers from PTSD.

Malik is a person who has fought against State repression whether on the inside or outside of prison, and has been forced to engage with the system by enduring hunger strikes – not only to protest his own cruel and unusual punishment but also to improve the lives and conditions for his fellow prisoners. Malik continues to fight unabashedly for the rights and dignity of people. Unfortunately, this move by the Department of Corrections has only added insult to injury as he’s been ripped away from his family and support system and sent to the borderlands between Oregon and Idaho.

To read more about Malik, please visit his blog page. If you’re interested in writing to him, please be sure to read these instructions for how to communicate with a prisoner at Snake River first.

Malik Muhammad #23935744
Snake River Correctional Institution
777 Stanton Blvd
Ontario, OR 97914-8335