Showing posts with label Color Of Change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Color Of Change. Show all posts

Thursday 1 October 2015

US Police Kill 234 Black People In 6 Months.


          An appeal from Color Of Change, an an organisation fighting police racism and brutality in the US. The figures speak for themselves, 234 Black individuals kill by the police in six months. What country can tolerate such blatant racial brutality, no way can a country be called civilizied that tolerates such racial brutality.
    My name is Scott Roberts, and this is my third day as Criminal Justice Director at ColorOfChange. For months, I have admired the hard work of ColorOfChange members like you and I am honored to be joining this critical community of people committed to achieving Black liberation — especially at a time like this.
   In the past 6 months, police have killed at least 234 Black people nationwide — an average of more than 1 person a day. 1

It’s a painfully familiar story:

        Police — driven by explicit or implicit anti-Black racism — brutalize or kill a Black person who is doing nothing more than shopping at the grocery store, driving home from work, playing in the park or reaching out for help;2,3,4,5 Law enforcement and police associations then criminalize the victim, often lying, filing false police reports or planting evidence to cover up the truth.6 The media jumps on board, but within just a few days or weeks journalists stop covering the story; the community and family are left broken hearted, fighting a near impossible fight for justice, which is almost always denied.7
      We must stop this vicious cycle. As we know from past experiences, police cannot police themselves. Prosecutors rely greatly on police for help with their cases, which makes it far less likely they will risk the political fallout that comes with holding abusive and discriminatory officers accountable. If we want justice, we need to be ready to take matters into our own hands.
       Will you donate $5 a month to our Rapid Response Private Investigator Fund? If enough people contribute, we can put independent investigators on the ground following police violence targeting Black people to help expose the truth and build momentum for justice.
     Following Sandra Bland’s tragic death in Waller County, TX you and more than 3,000 ColorOfChange members donated to hire a private investigator. It was clear from day one that Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis and Sheriff Glenn Smith would likely fail to properly investigate Sandra's death. If her family hadn't raised their voices, the public would've never seen the video of Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia racially profiling and violently arresting Sandra — DA Mathis was ready to wash his hands and rule Sandra's death a suicide, no questions asked.
      Part 1 of our investigation was released last week, and the results are deeply disturbing. Attorney Paul Looney, who was appointed by the Sheriff to lead an investigation into the Sheriff Department, has confirmed that the investigation is a sham: "We're not trying to do an exposé...[Sheriff Glenn Smith] can read it or not read it...if he wants to throw the whole thing in the trash can, he can.’"8
      This is exactly the type of information we need to help secure justice for Sandra. Following cases of police violence, local officials often wait for the media attention to fade away before denying justice to Black families suffering one of the worst injustices this world has to offer. But we can't let that happen. A Rapid Response Private Investigator Fund will allow us to uncover the truth, keep the media attention alive and expose the different forms of anti-Black racism in an area in order to plan campaigns for systemic change.
     Tragically, police will kill hundreds more Black people in the coming months and we must be ready to act quickly. This fall marks 10 years that ColorOfChange members have taken action to strengthen and amplify Black political power in America. In the coming days, you will receive a number of different fundraisers asking you to support the critical work of our community in the years ahead. We depend on you. Your donations — the hard-earned dollars you give because you believe in justice — are what sustain our work.
      Private investigators cost on average $5,000. If just 3,000 ColorOfChange members gave $5 a month for at least 6 months we could afford to hire at least 15 private investigators. Click here to donate.

Onward,
— Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
September 30th, 2015
References
1. "National Police Violence Map," We the Protesters, updated 9/21/2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5370?t=4&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

2. "No Charges in Ohio Police Killing of John Crawford as Wal-Mart Video Contradicts 911 Caller Account," Democracy Now! 9-25-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4477?t=6&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

3. "‘I will light you up!': Texas officer threatened Sandra Bland with Taser during traffic stop," Washington Post 7-22-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5045?t=8&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

4. "As investigation enters fifth month, Tamir Rice’s mother has moved into a homeless shelter," Washington Post 05-04-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5371?t=10&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

5. "'Black women unnamed': how Tanisha Anderson's bad day turned into her last," The Guardian 06-05-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5372?t=12&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

6. "Walter Scott, Michael Slager, Taser planted?" Slate 04-07-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5373?t=14&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

7. "Thousands dead, few prosecuted," Washington Post 04-11-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4861?t=16&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2

8. "The Sandra Bland Investigation Is In Trouble," Huffington Post 9-24-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5349?t=18&akid=4859.2196388.7p1tH2
Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk



Wednesday 6 May 2015

Racism And Police Brutality.

 
 It says "Police" on his chest, but he looks like a soldier in a combat area.
An appeal from ColorOfChange, on behave of the people of Baltimore:


Sign the Petition.

Over the past few days, Baltimore law enforcement stepped up their militarized violence against protesters. Courageous Black folks and their allies calling for an end to centuries of structural racism and discriminatory policing were met with pepper spray, beatings and unjust arrest. 1 And while all 6 officers who killed Freddie Gray have been charged and are out of jail, many protesters are languishing in overcrowded, inhumane jail cells facing unjust criminal charges and outrageous bail.
Will you join nearly 30,000 ColorOfChange members urging State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby to drop the charges against all protesters?
Since the tragic police killing of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, more than 300 people have been arrested for protesting. Among them is Allen Bullock, an 18-year-old facing a $500,000 bail and 8 criminal counts — that carry a life sentence — for smashing the windows of a police car. 2 Allen's family urged him to turn himself in, but in the context of a justice system that values property over Black lives and disproportionally treats Black youth more harshly than their white counterparts, Allen faces no mercy.
The people of Baltimore have had enough. Over just the last 4 years, police have killed 109 people in the city. And in 2014, 100% of the people killed by Baltimore police were Black. Baltimore — like most cities in America — has a long and ongoing history of violent, discriminatory and illegal policing. 
The same racist and violent Baltimore policing culture that killed Freddie has fueled the recent abuse of protesters. In a harrowing video released this weekend, police are seen pepper-spraying a Black protester point blank and then brutally dragging him across the street by his dreadlocks. 3 White people protesting the same unconstitutional curfew instead received a 5-minute-warning. 4 Police also arrested 10 legal observers who were documenting human rights abuses by law enforcement. 5
Protesters are not criminals. Urge State's Attorney Mosby to drop the charges against protesters and focus the city's resources on preventing violent and discriminatory policing.
Thanks and peace,
— Rashad

Sign the Petition.

References
1. "A Bloody History of Police Brutality in Baltimore," The Root 05-04-2015
http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2015/05/a_bloody_history_of_police_brutality_in_baltimore.html
2. "Cops Who Murdered Freddie Gray Released On Bail, Protester Still Stuck In Jail (VIDEO)," ReverbPress 05-04-2015
https://reverbpress.com/justice/bullock-held-on-500k-bail-freddie-gray-cops-released/
3. "Balt Police caught treating peaceful protesters diff based on race/or content of speech," SCT LAW Tweet 05-03-2015
https://twitter.com/wylielawfirm/status/594921328643317761
4. "White protestors politely asked to leave, black protestor pepper sprayed and dragged away," BoingBoing 05-04-2015
http://boingboing.net/2015/05/04/white-protestors-politely-aske.html
5. "Baltimore's Refusal to Permit Legal Observers to Witness Police Enforcing Curfew Resulted in Mass Arrest," FireDogLake 05-04-2015
http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2015/05/04/baltimores-refusal-to-permit-legal-observers-to-witness-police-enforcing-curfew-resulted-in-mass-arrest/
Don't they make you feel safer!!!!
Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk