In Light of the Murder of George Floyd and Subsequent Police Violence

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In light of the murder of George Floyd and subsequent police violence against protestors, the Public Interest Law Organization expresses solidarity with the Black Law Students Association and the Black Lives Matter movement at large. As future lawyers, judges, advocates, and professionals, we recognize our responsibility to be actively anti-racist in order to change a system that has been broken for too long. While the officers responsible for Floyd’s death were charged and arrested, oppression against people of color runs much deeper than any single act of violence. Floyd is just one of many black individuals who have been victims of racial injustice, police brutality, and social inequity. A few of the names we should not forget include Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Michael Ramos, and Ahmaud Arbery. In standing with the BLM movement, we also mourn these tragic losses of life. As an organization of students passionate about pursuing public interest through the law, we recognize that our justice system is founded on racial inequalities that have persisted for decades. To all persons of color within the UHLC community, please let us know how we can support you during this time. We pledge to work on our own biases, to educate others and learn how we can better fight for change, and to listen to our communities of color. In Solidarity, PILO at UH Law Katherine Powell, President Jennifer Ren, Vice-President of On-Campus Affairs Monica Wadleigh, Vice-President of Off-Campus Outreach Samantha Casas, Secretary Emory Powers, Treasurer .

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Download a PDF of the Toolkit Here
This toolkit was created through a collaboration with MediaJustice's Disinfo Defense League as a resource for people and organizations engaging in work to dismantle, defund, and abolish systems of policing and carceral punishment, while also navigating trials of police officers who murder people in our communities. Trials are not tools of abolition; rather, they are a (rarely) enforced consequence within the current system under the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) for people who murder while working as police officers. Police are rarely charged when they commit these murders and even less so when the victim is Black. We at MPD150 are committed to the deconstruction of the PIC in its entirety and until this is accomplished, we also honor the need for people who are employed as police officers to be held to the same laws they weaponize against our communities. We began working on this project in March of 2021 as our city was bracing for the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who murdered George Floyd, a Black man, along with officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane while Tou Thao stood guard on May 25th, 2020. During the uprising that followed, Chauvin was charged with, and on April 20th, 2021 ultimately found guilty of, second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Municipalities will often use increased police presence in an attempt to assert control and further criminalize Black and brown bodies leading up to trials of police officers, and that is exactly what we experienced in Minneapolis. During the early days of the Chauvin trial, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man was murdered by Kim Potter, a white Brooklyn Center police officer, during a traffic stop on April 11th, 2021.
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February 12, 2021 Michael E. Horowitz United States Department
February 12, 2021 Michael E. Horowitz United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Dear Mr. Horowitz, I write today to convey my deep concern regarding the disparate treatment of Black protesters in defense of Black lives and the white supremacist insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol Building. The attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, in which a mob of insurrectionists illegally and violently stormed the halls of Congress, justifiably terrified our country. It was a shameful act that will forever stain this nation’s history. In the days since January 6th, it has become clear that this mob of insurrectionists barged through the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power and suppress the votes of millions of Black, brown, and Indigenous people. Incited by former President Donald Trump, 800 insurrectionists breached the first security perimeter of the Capitol Building, some heavily armed and prepared to 1 carry out acts of violence. They stormed the U.S. Capitol, barreled past fences, barricades and walls, and climbed over protective barriers and through broken windows. They then made their way to the second-floor lobby and into the Senate Chamber. One woman was shot, and later pronounced dead, 2 and four other people died on Capitol grounds, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer. Police seized five guns.3 Of the 800 people who stormed the Capitol Building, 206 people have been arrested, and charged, 4 many of them charged with violating curfew laws. It has come to my attention that Eric Muchel, one of the insurrectionists who came prepared to hold Members of Congress hostage, was released on 1 Kaya Yurieff.
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Download the Letter
This letter is embargoed until Friday, June 5, 10:00am (EST) To Members of the United Nations Human Rights Council Re: Request for the Convening of a Special Session on the Escalating Situation of Police Violence and Repression of Protests in the United States Excellencies, The undersigned family members of victims of police killings and civil society organizations from around the world, call on member states of the U.N. Human Rights Council to urgently convene a Special Session on the situation of human rights in the United States in order to respond to the unfolding grave human rights crisis born out of the repression of nationwide protests. The recent protests erupted on May 26 in response to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was only one of a recent string of unlawful killings of unarmed Black people by police and armed white vigilantes. We are deeply concerned about the escalation in violent police responses to largely peaceful protests in the United States, which included the use of rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray and in some cases live ammunition, in violation of international standards on the use of force and management of assemblies including recent U.N. Guidance on Less Lethal Weapons. Additionally, we are greatly concerned that rather than using his position to serve as a force for calm and unity, President Trump has chosen to weaponize the tensions through his rhetoric, evidenced by his promise to seize authority from Governors who fail to take the most extreme tactics against protestors and to deploy federal armed forces against protestors (an action which would be of questionable legality).
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Struggle for Power: the Ongoing Persecution of Black Movement the by U.S
STRUGGLE FOR POWER T H E ONGOING PERSECUTION O F B L A C K M O V E M E N T BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT In the fight for Black self-determination, power, and freedom in the United States, one institution’s relentless determination to destroy Black movement is unrivaled— the United States federal government. Black resistance and power-building threaten the economic interests and white supremacist agenda that uphold the existing social order. Throughout history, when Black social movements attract the nation’s or world’s attention, or we fight our way onto the nation’s political agenda as we have today, we experience violent repression. We’re disparaged and persecuted; cast as villains in the story of American prosperity; and forced to defend ourselves and our communities against police, anti-Black policymakers, and U.S. armed forces. Last summer, on the heels of the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, millions of people mobilized to form the largest mass movement against police violence and racial injustice in U.S. history. Collective outrage spurred decentral- ized uprisings in defense of Black lives in all 50 states, with a demand to defund police and invest in Black communities. This brought global attention to aboli- tionist arguments that the only way to prevent deaths such as Mr. Floyd’s and Ms. Taylor’s is to take power and funding away from police. At the same time, the U.S federal government, in a flagrant abuse of power and at the express direction of disgraced former President Donald Trump and disgraced former Attorney General William Barr, deliberately targeted supporters of the movement to defend Black lives in order to disrupt and discourage the movement.
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JUSTICE RESOLUTION Meet on the Streets, George Floyd Square
JUSTICE RESOLUTION Meet on the Streets, George Floyd Square August 7, 2020 Edited: August 12, 2020 Resolution 001 Topic: What does justice look like? On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by former Minneapolis Police Department officers. This event sparked an uprising by the community in protest to systemic racism within the City of Minneapolis (the City). On May 30, 2020, National Guard vehicles drove through the George Floyd memorial in the middle of the night, causing the community to establish barricades to prevent vehicles from entering the intersection. On June 2, 2020, the City of Minneapolis placed cement barricades at the street entrances of George Floyd Square1 for pedestrian safety. For weeks, city employees and community members engaged in conversations to discuss what happens next and address the needs of the community. On August 6, 2020, city employees informed a handful of community leaders and business owners that despite no consensus, the City intends to begin a phased removal of the barricades the week of August 17th. This resolution outlines demands for justice by community members who do not intend to allow the intersection of 38th Street East and Chicago Avenue South to open up without concrete actions of justice taken by the City in response to the murder of George Floyd. Whereas, the City killed a man in the street near the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, Whereas, the definition of race equity as provided by the City Council of Minneapolis is, “The development of policies, practices and strategic investments to reverse racial disparity trends, eliminate institutional racism, and ensure that outcomes and opportunities for all people are no longer predictable by race,”2 Whereas, the City Council of Minneapolis approved a resolution declaring that racism is a public health emergency on July 17th, 2020,3 1 George Floyd Square is marked by 37th Street East, 39th Street East, Elliot Avenue South, and Columbus Avenue South.
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Presentation by the Joint Police Reform Group
PRESENTATION BY THE JOINT POLICE REFORM GROUP INTRODUCTION Following the murder of George Floyd in May, 2020, some of us who have been deeply concerned about racism and policing in our country for some time, turned our attention to learning more about the Watertown Police Department and its practices with an eye toward addressing police reform locally. Similarly, many other communities across the nation are engaged in this process. Additionally, the Massachusetts legislature, out of its growing concern for the lack of police accountability, issued a landmark bill to address, among other things, police certification and decertification, police misconduct, training, use of force policies, and police bias. While the bill that eventually was signed by Governor Baker was somewhat weakened by his requested changes, when enacted it will still be of enormous positive impact. We believe, however, that efforts at the local level continue to be necessary to hold individual police departments accountable. Local efforts are important for the prevention of racial bias, unnecessary use of force, and harmful aspects of police culture. Citizens want reform. The information and projects presented below represent what we have learned from our research and efforts that has led us to the determination that we must act to bring about changes to the current operations and culture of our Watertown Police Department. It is our conclusion that the WPD definitely has areas that warrant improvement. We have listened and learned from our investigations and interactions with the WPD. As representatives of groups of Watertown residents, we ask that our town government listen to our concerns and act to bring about greater justice and accountability from the WPD, as well as more effective solutions to the root causes of public safety issues.
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But the Holy Spirit Can, As I Advocate for African American Boys and Men
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Black Lives Matter
26316 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward, CA 94545• 510.293.2900• www.edenrop.org Linda Granger, Superintendent The murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other African Americans are a reminder of the long, painful history of the unjust treatment of African Americans in our country and I am heartbroken. I had hoped that with the election of our first African American President, the removal of racist statues, and the love and passion that I see in so many of our students, that we were on the right path. I had hoped that we would eliminate institutionalized racism and white privilege and create a country where all are truly equal. I had hoped that the world that we were building for my daughter and our young people would be a place where they would be accepted and cherished. I may be disheartened, but I am not deterred. Racism against African Americans in our country must end. African Americans have been denied civil rights, high-wage jobs and homes to live in. They have been abused by police and those in authority. Longstanding cries or “taking a knee” for civil rights and human dignity have been slighted and ignored by politicians. We need to look the problem square in the eye. The recent protests all over the country and the world are only a first step. Our country’s injustices far exceed the videos captured by a few cameras. We need to commit ourselves--truly commit ourselves--to systemic change. Beyond resolve, we need to stand up for what’s right.
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I Am George Floyd. Except, I Can Breathe. and I Can Do Something
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After the Killing of George Floyd, U of M Researchers and Alumni Grapple with the Racism in Our Midst
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Higher Digital Statement in Response to the Murder of George Floyd and in Support of Black Lives Matter
Higher Digital Statement in Response to the Murder of George Floyd and in Support of Black Lives Matter We are outraged. We are hurt. We are determined to change. All of us at Higher Digital are appalled and outraged at the unjust murder of another innocent black man at the hands of police officers. Like many other companies, we cannot and will not remain silent. We stand with our higher education community and the Black Lives Matter movement in committing to systemic reform and change. The murder of George Floyd can be traced to origins over a century before the Declaration of Independence. Racism has a painful place in American history and continues to be deeply embedded across all facets of society. We see it. We also know that meaningful change only happens through unrelenting, persistent commitment and determination. How many more innocent black and brown lives need to be lost before something changes? Two quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stand out: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.” Most of us who work in education understand that an open mind and a commitment to learning is an antidote for racism. Racism is steeped in ignorance. Education becomes a strong solution for anyone brave enough to open oneself up to new ideas and perspectives – to seek understanding and truth.
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