chasing peace

It's bigger than you, but you must face it

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Posting this because it’s absolutely disgusting and I can’t find anyone talking about it!

Australians have been protesting against indigenous deaths in custody and for black lives matter for ages now with no change and the police responding by inciting violence against protestors.

I went to the first BLM protest held in Adelaide after the murder of George Floyd, at that point there had been 432 Indigenous Deaths in custody, that was only a few weeks ago and the number has risen to 438. There has NEVER been a single conviction.

This is how the South Australian government have chosen to respond, further weaponising and militarising the police force. They know it’s wrong, they know it’s against the needs of the people’s, they don’t care - it’s clear their priority Is control.

PLEASE raise some noise about this, I know it’s hard, there seems to be something new we have to raise awareness about every hour but australian issues and even more so anywhere that’s not Sydney or maybe Melbourne there isn’t any media attention except MAYBE local papers/stations. This is going to endanger the lives of indigenous people in Adelaide, this is going to kill them.

I go into the city everyday for school and work, I can already tell you the way the police treat the indigenous peoples, homeless, substance users, and anyone who is vulnerable there is horrific, I can’t imagine the level of risk this is now imposing by adding these ridiculously unnecessary weapons. The majority of our crime is related to substance disorders (meth captial of the world), homelessness, mental health crises and theft - these aren’t issues the police solve! These are issues the police aggravate and escalate.

I’m sorry if this isn’t the most coherent post but my blood is boiling, as someone who knows exactly how the vulnerable are treated by police in Adelaide and especially the CBD this is extremely concerning.

Please share around, make some noise, this is not okay. Silence has lethal consequences.

“October 22, 2019

Dear Steve Wolfson, Clark County District Attorney,

Last Thursday the Clark County Coroner’s Office ruled the death of Byron Williams a homicide.  In the early morning of September 5th, by MLK Blvd and W. Bonanza Rd, 

Williams was riding his bicycle. 

 A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police cruiser saw him cycle by and attempted to pull him over because they did not see a light on Williams’ bicycle.  Williams attempted to flee by ditching the bicycle and began to run.  The officers ran after him, yelled demands at him, and Williams surrendered by getting down on the ground.  As he laid on the ground, the two officers pinned him down with their knees in his lower back.  Williams began uttering, 

“I can’t breathe,” during his arrest.   He said, “I can’t breathe” at least 22 times. 

 The officers on scene not only ignored his pleas for help, but were found jeering and congratulating each other for catching Williams and making derogatory remarks at him while he was suffering a medical crisis, including, 

“He has incarcer-itis,” 

and 

“Ain’t no one comin’ for you.”

Multiple body worn cameras were also turned off while Williams was having the medical emergency that cost him his life.  Within an hour and a half of being apprehended, Williams was dead.  LVMPD released a heavily edited and redacted version of the body worn camera footage to the public.  The family was privy to seeing around 60 minutes of footage from multiple cameras whereas the public’s version was less than 5 minutes long.  What they saw after the officers picked Williams up was that the officers placed him face down on the ground again.  Prone restraint was one of the contributing factors to his death:  that is, restraining someone on the ground face down.  

Simple First Aid training states that when a person is having breathing problems, you do not move them, and if you do move them, you move them very carefully on their side and inspect if something is blocking their airway.  As a public, as taxpayers, and as those who have been directly impacted by police misconduct and violence, we expect a much higher standard of professionalism from our police officers.  

We also expect our district attorney, Steve Wolfson, who is elected by the people, to act in accordance with the community’s wishes.We are urgently demanding the Clark County DA’s Office to immediately indict LVMPD officers Benjamin Vazquez and Patrick Campbell, and the remaining officers on scene for the homicide of Byron Williams.  Sincerely,The Las Vegas Community and beyond.”

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS 

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS