VIDEO REPORT: BLM Cleveland Organizes Defund the Cleveland Police Department Protest on July 4th, 2020
#DefundCleCPD
On July 4th, 2020, Black Lives Matter Cleveland organized a protest calling for the defunding of the Cleveland Police Department.
In this Video Report:
BLMCle co-founder Kareem Henton demands that police budgets be re-allocated to other social services.
Christopher McNeal, a BLMCle attorney, spoke about the racist origins of police, the war on drugs, and the need to do away with qualified immunity.
Representatives from People's Archive of Police Violence in Cleveland and New Era Cleveland addressed the crowd about work they are doing against police violence and for persecuted communities.
In front of the 4th District Police Station protestors stopped and BLMCle demanded that the cross-streets of E. 93rd and Kinsman Rd be renamed "Black Lives Matter" intersection. Police barricaded and boarded up the station prior to the action.
Latonya Goldsby criticized Cleveland City Council's decision to approve BLM street murals without consulting with BLMCle, and the omission of several names.
McNeal invokes the American spirit of rebellion in his call to #DefundCleCPD.
Henton reminds the crowd to keep pressure on city council, and calls out council member Matt Zone for prioritizing business interests over the people of Cleveland, as well as failures to oversee police misconduct effectively.
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Brian “BZ” Douglas is an independent, reader-supported journalist covering movement politics, grassroots music, and host of the “BZ Listening” Podcast.