Editor’s note: What follows are excerpts from various quotes on today’s situation.
FALCON HEIGHTS, MN — “The police just shot my boyfriend for no apparent reason. … They shot him. He shot him three times because we had a busted tail light. He asked them for his license and registration. He told that man that it was in his wallet, but he had a pistol on him because he’s licensed to carry, and the officer told him don’t move . . . as he was putting his hands back up, the officer shot him in his arm about four or five times . . . If you see that video that went viral, everyone will see that this was a very detrimental situation not only to me, not only to her [referring to her daughter], but to everybody in this community, everybody in this world . . . this affected everyone. . . . every single life out here matters, no matter the color, the race, the nationality, we all deserve to be heard. No one deserves to be taken away.”
From transcripts of Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of Philando Castile who was killed by police in July, 2016.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — “Since the police killing of Alton Sterling [by Baton Rouge] police, thousands in Baton Rouge have been non-violently protesting day and night all over the city. There has been no arson, no looting, no burning cars, no windows broken, and no people beaten. Despite these non-violent protests, around 200 people have been arrested and the police have shown a militarized and aggressive response. . . police are caught on camera pointing their guns at non-violent protestors . . . these officers are not disciplined or suspended by the government but defended. . . . Military vehicles with LRADs (long range acoustic devices) atop them have been used to break up non-violent gatherings . . . Police advanced against protestors dressed in military gear, with gas masks, shin guards, face shields, brandishing assault weapons alongside heavy military vehicles . . . videos show dozens of police surging onto private property and arresting people wholesale while standing on the sidewalk . . . . People have been pepper sprayed in jail. People in jail were denied their medicines. People hurt during arrests who asked for medical help in jail were denied. People are caged in places that could not possibly accommodate the numbers of people inside. People are not being allowed to make calls from jail to attorneys or families. Strip searches of women prisoners are occurring.
From an article by Bill Quigley who teaches law at Loyola University New Orleans
FRESNO, CA — The case of Dylan Noble, an unarmed white 19-year-old fatally shot four times within two minutes time by Fresno Police officers in June, 2016 had a very different response by the Fresno Chief of Police. Latino activists who have made demands of the Chief for 20 to 30 years about the police killings in the community and were puzzled by the Chief’s quick and cooperative response in this case. Could the visible signs of impulses toward unity in the Fresno community over yet another young life snuffed out by police be driving the Chief’s response? Meanwhile, government entities continue to hire more police/sheriffs/law enforcement officers while not giving any priority to youth or community services the communities are demanding. One of the main divisions that exist today is that some have what they need and are living the American Dream, while others —estimated at 50 million—have no jobs, go to bed hungry and have no homes or a roof over their heads. The people who care about the 1,000 deaths at the hands of police per year must all move to stop all killings by police by defending every victim of police violence. The people of Fresno are proposing a simple “Don’t shoot policy.” If not now, when?
Gloria Sandoval, a community activist in the San Joaquin Valley, and member of the Tribuno del Pueblo editorial board.
