USA: preparations to counter Urban Shield

A coalition of activists in the USA are preparing for protests against Urban Shield, a police training event and trade expo. Urban Shield brings together police departments from across the US and globally for intensive training " to learn how to better repress, criminalize, and militarize our communities." The event has been held annually in Alameda County since 2007, and recieves government funding. In 2014, the campaign successfully pressured decision makers in Oakland, who agreed to not host the event in the future.

Urban Shield will take place next in September 2016. Activists have been preparing with mobilising meetings in town halls to educate and mobilise local communities against Urban Shield, and held a webinar to explain in detail what Urban Shield is, and what they plan to do to stop it: