Canada indigenous chief Allan Adam battered during arrest

THIS HAPPENED IN ALBERTA HOME TO THE WHITE SUPREMACIST CHRISTIAN PARTY UCP AND ITS LEADER PREMIER KENNEY

BBC•June 13, 2020

Video of an indigenous chief's violent arrest has shocked Canada, turning a spotlight on systemic racism in the country's police force.

The footage shows Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam being floored and repeatedly punched by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.

The confrontation took place in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on 10 March.

Protests demanding police reform have spread across Canada recently after spilling over from the US.

Although RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki initially said she "can't say for sure" PATHETIC whether systemic racism is a problem with the police, on Friday afternoon she released a statement saying "systemic racism is part of every institution, the RCMP included". "Throughout our history and today, we have not always treated racialized and Indigenous people fairly," she wrote. 

THE RCMP ARE A MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL FORCE, THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO INDIAN LANDS WEST OF THE OTTAWA VALLEY, FOR THE RAILROADS.SEE MY http://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2005/07/rebel-yell.html

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for an independent investigation.⇓


What does the video show?
Before the public release of the footage on Thursday night, the local RCMP division said they had reviewed it and found the officer's actions "reasonable".

The incident begins when an RCMP officer approaches Mr Adam and his wife over an expired licence plate.

The nearly 12-minute-long video, recorded by a dashcam from the RCMP officer's vehicle parked behind Mr Adam's lorry in a casino car park, begins with Mr Adam having a tense and profanity-laden discussion with the officer.

"I'm tired of being harassed by the RCMP," he says.

Mr Adam and the officer continue to have a heated argument. At about the 4:45 mark, the officer tries to arrest his wife, twisting her arm behind her back until she says: "Ow!"

That is when Mr Adam gets out again, shouting: "Leave my wife alone!" He pushes the officer away. Everyone gets back in the vehicle.

Backup is called, and Mr Adam gets out of the lorry. The officer begins to arrest him, and Mr Adam says "don't touch me", using an expletive. That is when a second officer runs at him full speed, knocks him down, and repeatedly punches him while shouting: "Don't resist."

The incident is being investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, which oversees incidents involving police where someone is hurt.
What do Allan Adam and his lawyer say?

Mr Adam told Canadian media: "Because we are a minority and nobody speaks up for us, every time our people do wrong and the RCMP go and make their call, they always seem to use excessive force.

"And that has to stop. And enough is enough."

Mr Adam's lawyer Brian Beresh wants his client's charges, which include assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, to be dropped. Mr Adam is next due in court on 2 July.

Mr Beresh has practised law for 44 years, and says police violence against indigenous people has been a constant issue.

"I've seen this from the first day I've started to practise," he told the BBC.

"I'd like there to be some positive action taken by the RCMP, in terms of how they can prevent this from happening again. If this can happen with my client who's a respected chief, what about the First Nations person who is living on the street, who doesn't have my client's standing?"

The final straw

Analysis by Robin Levinson King, BBC News, Toronto

This video comes not so much as a surprise, but as a final straw to those who have for years been demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality.

Over the past two weeks, thousands of Canadians have marched in mostly peaceful protests held in cities across the country for the Black Lives Matter movement. While the protests may have been sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US, the Canadians marching have been clear to say that systemic racism is not just an American problem.

In addition to Mr Adam's arrest, the recent deaths in police custody of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a black woman in Toronto, and Chantel Moore, an indigenous woman New Brunswick, have become touchstones in the wider discussion about race and policing in Canada, which has included calls to defund police.

Although Canada is often praised for its politeness and multiculturalism, especially in comparison to the US, it has its own legacy of violence and oppression of indigenous and black people to contend with - a legacy which continues to have ramifications today.

While only 5% of the population is indigenous, indigenous people make up about a third of the prison population. Last November, the Globe and Mail published an analysis that showed that indigenous people made up a third of deaths in police custody.

While most Canadian police forces do not track race-based data, media reports find that black Canadians are also more likely be stopped by police and experience police violence.
What is the political reaction?

Calls for an end to racial injustice are gaining traction. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday he has "serious questions" after watching the video.

"We have all now seen the shocking video of Chief Adam's arrest and we must get to the bottom of this," he said. "The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers."

BLM protest in Ottawa

Last week, he marched in a Black Lives Matter protest and has said Canada has a problem with systemic racism "in all our institutions, including in all our police forces, including in the RCMP".

Black in Canada: 10 stories

Canada 'complicit in race-based genocide' of indigenous women

But Mr Trudeau also faces serious criticism both personally and politically, especially after photos surfaced during last autumn's election campaign of him in black face.

He has also been under scrutiny for not making greater strides at indigenous reconciliation.

Last year, a government report into murdered and missing indigenous women found that Canada was complicit in "race-based genocide" against indigenous women. Many of the report's recommendations have yet to be implemented.


Trudeau has 'serious questions' on arrest videoReuters Videos•June 12, 202039 Comments

"The events that have been brought to light over the past days highlight, without question, there is systemic discrimination within our institutions, including the RCMP."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded answers, after he viewed a newly released dashcam video that shows Royal Canadian Mounted Police arresting a prominent indigenous leader.

In the video from March 10, Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation accuses an officer of harassing him.

About 7 minutes into the video, an officer tackles Adam to the ground.

An officer then punches Adam in the face.

Adam alleges police beat him up during the incident involving an expired license plate in Fort McMurry, Alberta.

He released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face.

Then - this video emerged after it was filed as a court exhibit.

“I think everyone who has seen this video has serious questions about what exactly happened, about how it happened this way and about that use of force that we saw. That’s why we’re calling for an independent, transparent investigation that will get the answers that so many people are asking right now.”

The RCMP said officers used reasonable force after Adam resisted arrest.

An independent agency has begun an investigation.

Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police. He is due in court on July 2.

People of indigenous descent account for just under 5 percent of Canada’s population. Many live in communities hit by crime, ill-health and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.

Video Transcript

JUSTIN TRUDEAU: The events that have been brought to light over the past days highlight that without question, there is systemic discrimination within our institutions, including within the RCMP.

- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded answers after he viewed a newly released dash cam video that shows a Royal Canadian Mounted Police arresting a prominent indigenous leader. In the video from March 10, Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan first nation accuses an officer of harassing him.

About seven minutes into the video, an officer tackles Adam to the grounds. An officer then punches Adam in the face. Adam alleges police beat him up during the incident involving an expired license plate in Fort McMurray, Alberta. He released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face. Then this video emerged after it was filed as a court exhibit.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU: I think everyone who's seen this video has serious questions about what exactly happened, about how it happened this way, and about that use of force that we saw. That's why we're calling for an independent transparent investigation that will get the answers to so many questions people are asking right now.

- The RCMP said officers used reasonable force after Adam resisted arrest. An independent agency has begun an investigation. Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police.

He is due in court on July 2nd. People of indigenous descent account for just under 5% of Canada's population. Many live in communities hit by crime, ill health, and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.


Canadian PM Trudeau condemns ‘shocking’ police video of aboriginal chief arrestRob Gillies, Associated Press, PA Media: World News•June 12, 2020


Canadian PM Trudeau condemns ‘shocking’ police video of aboriginal chief arrestCanadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has said dashcam video of the violent arrest of a Canadian aboriginal chief is shocking and that black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police.

The arrest has received attention in Canada as a backlash against racism grows worldwide after the death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck.

A 12-minute police video shows an officer charging at Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam with his arm and elbow up as he tackles him to the ground. It also shows the officer punching him in the head


BREAKING NEWS: Dash-cam footage obtained by CTV News shows Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam getting tackled by Wood Buffalo RCMP officers, then punched in the head and put in a choke-hold. #cdnpoli #RCMP pic.twitter.com/NKJeapPzDN
 Rosa Hwang (@journorosa) June 12, 2020

Mr Trudeau called the video “shocking”, and said: “I have serious questions about what happened. The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers.

“At the same time, though, we also know that this is not an isolated incident. Far too many black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police. It’s unacceptable. And as governments, we have to change that.”

Pictures show Mr Adam was left bloodied with his face swollen. Alberta’s police watchdog is investigating.

Police charged Mr Adam with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police dashcam video was released publicly as part of a court application to get criminal charges against Mr Adam removed.

The video earlier showed a different officer approaching Mr Adam’s truck outside a casino in Fort McMurray, Alberta, early on the morning of March 10. Police have said the truck had expired licence plates.

The video shows him getting in and out of the vehicle, removing his coat and taking a karate-like stance and using expletives as he complains about being harassed by police. His wife and niece get in between Mr Adam and the officer at times.

I'm raising money for Legal Costs – Chief Allan Adam. Click to Donate: https://t.co/cSe2TTmj7x via @gofundme
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (@ACFN_KaiTaile) June 12, 2020

His lawyer, Brian Beresh, has filed a court motion to have criminal charges dropped over violation of Mr Adam’s constitutional rights.

“All of this resulted from an expired licence plate tag. The video speaks for itself,” Mr Beresh said in a statement.

Mr Trudeau has said the issue of systemic racism in policing is longstanding and needs addressing.

Mr Adam held a news conference last weekend to talk about excessive force and racism. He has noted that although aboriginals represent 5% of Canada’s population, they make up to 30% of the prison population.

Opposition Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said he was troubled by the video.

“It’s very difficult to watch,” he said. “I found it very troubling and very worrying. The events of the last few days and weeks have ignited a very important conversation about the use of excessive force.”

The RCMP said in a statement that the video had been reviewed by supervisors and “it was determined that the members’ actions were reasonable and did not meet the threshold for an external investigation”.

The statement from the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation called for the officers involved to be punished and criminal charges brought.

The Dow crashes more than 1,800 points out of nowhere — here's one reason why

https://news.yahoo.com/the-dow-crashes-more-than-1700-points-out-of-nowhere-heres-one-reason-why-193300504.html

The Dow Fell 1505 Points for the Week. Why Investors Shouldn’t Fret.

https://www.barrons.com/articles/dow-jones-industrial-average-fell-1505-points-for-the-week-why-investors-shouldnt-fret-51592009424

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1505.44 points, or 5.6%, to 25,605.54 this past week, its worst weekly performance since the third week in March, when circuit breakers were triggered multiple times. It would have been worse except that the benchmark followed a Thursday drop of 1,862 points, or 6.9%, with a Friday rebound that almost lost steam before stocks surged into the close. After rising to three straight record highs, the Nasdaq Composite closed the week down 2.3%, at 9588.81, while the S&P 500 lost 4.8%, to 3041.31, and the Russell 2000 tumbled 7.9%, to 1387.68

Chile's health minister resigns as pandemic hits hard
AFP•June 13, 2020

A worker checks the temperature of a customer outside a supermarket in Valparaiso on June 12 as the city went under quarantine (AFP Photo/ADRIANA THOMASA CARBALLO)


Santiago (AFP) - Chile's health minister resigned Saturday amid controversy over the country's official coronavirus death toll, as the pandemic hits the nation hard despite quarantine measures in the capital for more than a month.

The departure of Jaime Manalich was announced by President Sebastian Pinera.

The government says publicly that the health crisis has claimed more than 3,000 lives.

On Saturday, however, a report revealed that Chile had informed the World Health Organization that the country's coronavirus death toll was actually more than 5,000.

The report was by an investigative journalism organization called CIPER which obtained a copy of documentation in which the health ministry told the WHO about the toll.

Publication of the information followed a week in which criticism of Manalich intensified after the ministry changed the way it tallies COVID-19 deaths. Many epidemiologists said the changes made no sense.

Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza said the higher figure is accurate and stems from the new and different tabulation methodology.

On Friday Chile set a record for new infections and deaths over a 24 hour period -- 6,754 and 222, respectively.

"The situation in our country continues to rise, above all in the metropolitan region," health ministry official Arturo Zuniga said Friday.

Infections have risen steadily in the South American copper giant despite the capital Santiago and its seven million people being placed on lockdown more than a month ago.

On Friday, the government also put the cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar under mandatory quarantine, along with nearby rural towns.

The quarantine orders mean that nearly half of Chile's population of 18 million is under strict confinement.

As of Saturday Chile has officially reported 167,355 cases of infection and 3,101 deaths.

Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters gather in Trafalgar Square against police brutality and racism
April Roach Evening Standard  FRIDAY 12 June 2020

Black Lives Matter supporters are seen on the roof of a van during a rally in Trafalgar Square: Getty Images

Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square today after marching through central London in the pouring rain against racism and police brutality.
Dozens of activists wearing face coverings and waving signs reading “Enough is Enough” were seen making speeches in Trafalgar Square.

One speaker said the fact they had turned up despite the weather shows “genuine commitment” and urged the supporters to continue their demonstrations.

The demonstrators were urged to “stay calm” if they encountered any counter-rallies as they marched from Hyde Park.

Leaders of the march told others involved to make their demonstration “peaceful” and to not join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend, fearing violence would damage their cause.

Hundreds of campaigners surrounded Nelson’s Column before 5pm after walking from Hyde Park, as around two dozen police officers watched on.

They marched behind a van branded with the clenched fist emblem, holding up traffic along the way.

In Hyde Park the racial justice protesters chanted, held banners and performed a two-minute silence to raise awareness of black people oppressed around the world, during which they raised a clenched fist in the air.

At one point, around 20 police officers moved through large crowds of peaceful protesters sitting on the grass to seize a pair of demonstrators and escort them to nearby police vans.

The officers were booed as they moved to detain the two Black Lives Matter protesters.

Two men arrested by a swarm of officers were wanted for unrelated matters, City of London Police has said.

A protester wears a mask in the style of one worn by 17th century plague doctors during the rally in Trafalgar Square (AP)More

Footage of the arrest, which was undertaken by about a dozen Met Officers on behalf of City of London Police, was circulated on social media.

A spokeswoman for City of London Police said: “The individuals arrested by the Metropolitan Police today are wanted by the City of London Police for matters unrelated to their activity at any of the Black Lives Matter protests.

“As it is an ongoing police investigation we can’t provide any more details.”

Friday's protest came after BLM London organisers cancelled protests planned for today and Saturday due to fears Right Wing groups would infiltrate the protests.


They also said poor planning and a lack of consideration for public safety was why they were advising protesters not to attend the scheduled events.

The Democratic Football Lads Alliance called on supporters to travel to London to protect monuments after a number were vandalised in recent protests.

Last weekend saw demonstrators clash with police in London, while in Bristol a statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down and dumped in the city’s harbour.

An elderly Irish man sits with a Black Lives Matter protester in Parliament Square on June 12 (Getty Images)

Metropolitan Police said it was ready to tackle violence directed at police or property following disorder at anti-racism protests last weekend.

Commander Bas Javid said: “We will learn from what happened last weekend. It’s accepted that a very, very small minority of people were intent on causing and engaging in violence.

“We absolutely don’t condone that, violence of any kind, particularly against police officers, particularly against property, and we’ll be ready for that."

Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said he agreed with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that protesters should stay at home.

“I always said that I completely understand and share the outrage that underpins the Black Lives Matter protests,” Mr Drakeford said.

“But there are ways in which people can make their concerns known that do not involve breaking the law and putting yourself and other people in danger from coronavirus.”
Read more

Premier League players to wear 'Black Lives Matter' on shirts

Black Lives Matter unveil Westminster billboard to 'expose UK racism'

BLM London organisers call off protest amid fears of clashes

LGBTQ Pride Month leaders, in show of solidarity, unite to support George Floyd protests: 'Stonewall was a riot'

 AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY 

IT WAS TWO BLACK QUEENS WHO LED THE PROTESTS
Beth Greenfield ·Senior Editor June 2, 2020, 12:23 PM MDT

The Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ equality movements must support each other, note activists at the start of LGBTQ Pride Month. Here, in a scene from San Francisco Pride 2017, the messages intermingled. (Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)More

June is LGBTQ Pride Month. But it’s starting out in a way that no one predicted: With Pride organizers shifting their focus to the current racial unrest, and LGBTQ organizations — over 100 at last count — signing on to an open letter pledging support to George Floyd protests across the nation, in a show of solidarity denouncing racism.

“‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.’ Those words, written over 30 years ago by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, remind us that indifference can never bridge the divide of hate,” the letter begins. “And, today, they should serve as a call to action to all of us, and to the Movement for LGBTQ equality.”

The letter, which invokes not only Floyd’s name but of other victims of racist violence, including Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, has been signed by a fast-growing number of organizations — from major players such as GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force to smaller groups including Louisiana Trans Activists, Out Boulder County and Project PRIDE Sarasota. It makes connections between the protests of today and the roots of the gay civil rights movement.

“We, the undersigned, recognize we cannot remain neutral, nor will awareness substitute for action. The LGBTQ community knows about the work of resisting police brutality and violence,” it notes. “We celebrate June as Pride Month, because it commemorates, in part, our resisting police harassment and brutality at Stonewall in New York City, and earlier in California, when such violence was common and expected. We remember it as a breakthrough moment when we refused to accept humiliation and fear as the price of living fully, freely, and authentically.”

While planned Pride Month celebrations have already been completely altered by being moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing measures, the latest national events are further impacting the lens through which Pride is being viewed, both officially and through scores of social media posts.

This pride month, we remember the reason we have the rights we do today. We thank the black trans woman who rioted and protested for us. If you do not support Black Lives Matter, do not celebrate Pride. pic.twitter.com/zbhht1NLzk
— rimie rat🌸 (@naeclue) June 1, 2020


pride 51 years ago vs black lives matter today pic.twitter.com/efJrMRZQjn
— slo 🤠🇰🇭 (@slohjm) June 1, 2020


The Stonewall riots were lead by queer POC and were a massive catalyst to the LGBTQ rights movements. If u are queer but dont stand with the Black Lives Matter movement maybe opt out of celebrating pride this month n think about why we have the rights we have. pic.twitter.com/kQ4btTG7Pr

— 𝖗𝖊𝖉𝖗𝖚𝖒 (@prodbyredrum) June 1, 2020

In light of the Black Lives Matter movement and the beginning of Pride Month, let’s talk about the black trans woman that aided and led the LGBTQ+ community into gaining equal rights: Marsha P. Johnson pic.twitter.com/xqTFQp3VcZ
— 𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕤🥱 (@cristaystay) June 1, 2020

“There’s no way you can talk about our community without addressing race,” Julian Sanjivan, co-president of InterPride, tells Yahoo Life. As the former director of New York City’s Pride March, and now deeply involved with the international organization of global Pride events, including the upcoming virtual Global Pride, Sanjivan says they’ve realized “just how intersectional this community is.”

They add, “Within the LGBTQ+ community, at any given point of time, you could see a person who is trans and a person of color and an immigrant, and there are so many other layers to that… within our community and within a single person.”

That’s why kicking off the month with a powerful show of solidarity with protesters became a priority.

“I think people forget that Pride started off because of riots — Stonewall was a riot, after all. We may not have seen a lot of the progress with the LGBT community if that first brick was not thrown in 1969,” Sanjivan says. “So, it was an uprising and still is. It’s not like we’ve achieved equality… [Pride is] a celebration of who we are, loving whoever you love, celebrating your chosen family, and for some, coming out — but it’s also a protest to be recognized. And with the current administration we have, a lot of what we’ve achieved over the years has slowly been taken away. Pride is always a combination of celebration and protest.”

GLAAD’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis weighed in with a statement on the organization’s website. “Today marks the first day of Pride Month, and although it may look different this year, the spirit of Pride continues to live on in our community’s resilience in the fight for equality and acceptance for all,” she noted. “And at this very time in our country’s history, this fight has never been more significant… This Pride Month, we’ll be centering and lifting up the voices of Black LGBTQ people. There can be no Pride if it is not intersectional. We are Together in Pride. Black Lives Matter.”

The open letter also mentions Christian Cooper, the black gay man who was targeted by a white woman in Central Park. It also points out the unending rash of violence against trans individuals, particularly transgender women of color, citing the names of the dozen of trans people who have been murdered already this year — Dustin Parker, Neulisa Luciano Ruiz, Yampi Méndez Arocho, Monika Diamond, Lexi, Johanna Metzger, Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos, Layla Pelaez Sánchez, Penélope Díaz Ramírez, Nina Pop, Helle Jae O’Regan and Tony McDade.



#TonyMcDade, we say your name. https://t.co/pfgzkfbJaI

— Out Magazine (@outmagazine) May 29, 2020

“It is no exaggeration to describe it as an epidemic of violence,” the letter points out.



if you are not supporting the black lives matter protests then i don’t want to see you celebrating pride month. remember your history pic.twitter.com/1yrJwg8cxm

— e (@fetishwasabi) June 1, 2020

Similar efforts to raise awareness around the killing of black trans women infused Pride events last year when the series of murders was often discussed in the context of irony, as it was people of color, including late activist Marsha P. Johnson, who played a major role at Stonewall and in the activism that followed.

Read more from Yahoo Life:


Prompted by calls to 'give grace' to cop who killed George Floyd, black activists question the rush to forgive


Why coronavirus mask-wearing orders leave black Americans facing a tough decision


Shuttered LGBTQ community centers feel shutdown fallout: ‘It’s been really hard’

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George Floyd Protesters Get Creative in Moments of Solidarity






TRENDING
1.
Should you form a COVID-19 'double bubble?'
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Companies say black lives matter. Employees say it's just for show.

Kamilah Newton,Yahoo Life•June 12, 2020

A Black Lives Matter mural in New York City. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Prompted by ongoing national George Floyd protests, big brands have been rushing to put out statements of diversity and Black Lives Matter solidarity — only to face swift backlash as past employees, citing their own past experiences, come forward to call out what they say is behind-the-scenes hypocrisy.

Companies that have posted messaging on their websites and respective social media accounts, and have sent emails to employees denouncing racism and discrimination, have ranged from Amazon to Zara. However, a number of these same companies have received backlash from former employees who have criticized an alleged culture of bigotry within each one — and in some cases effecting change as a result.

Starbucks promised to “confront racism” in a June 1 Instagram post, for example — and on Thursday, one employee took to Twitter to call out what she described as the company’s double standard. “I might get fired for this, but I’m calling Starbucks out,” she tweeted. “How are y’all gonna say we can’t wear anything BLM because it’s a personal issue, but have us wear and profit off pride month shirts, cups [and] gift cards. BLM and Pride were created to fight injustice, what’s the difference?”

I might get fired for this but I’m calling @Starbucks out, how are y’all gonna say we can’t wear any anything BLM bc it’s a personal issue,but have us wear and profit off pride month shirts,cups,gift cards. BLM and Pride were both created to fight injustice, what’s the difference
— 🙎🏽‍♀️ (@0ri_Molina) June 11, 2020

In response, Starbucks tweeted that it will be collaborating with the Black Partner Network to send out shirts “in support of [its] Black partners, customers and communities”; on Friday, the company went even further, reversing its stance to now allow employees to wear items in support of Black Lives Matter.

Also this week, ex-employees of Vogue magazine blasted the brand for its alleged racist practices.

Following a staff memo from Anna Wintour, apologizing for “hurtful and intolerant mistakes," employees of color took to social media to share their upsetting experiences. Shelby Ivey Christie, who worked as a media planner for Vogue in 2016, tweeted that working there was “the most challenging and miserable” time of her career, citing experiences of alleged racism, bullying from white colleagues and inadequate pay. She wrote, “There was an instance where a white male exec on the digital biz team dressed up in a chicken suit, with gold chains, sagging pants + rapped to our entire biz org as a meeting ‘kickoff.’ HR was present and laughing.” She offered more in a thread with details about purported nepotism and black co-workers who were overqualified and yet overworked and underpaid.

I will say this: my time at Vogue, at Condé Nast, was the most challenging + miserable time of my career — The bullying + testing from white counterparts, the completely thankless work, the terrible base pay + the racism was exhausting.
— Shelby Ivey Christie (@bronze_bombSHEL) June 9, 2020

Another former employee, Zara Rahim, spoke out as well, noting that in 2017 she was hired as communications director for Vogue, where, she says, she was the only woman of color in a leadership role. She recalls being given “diversity responsibilities” on top of her job requirements, which didn’t result in extra pay, but equated to having a whole other job.

“I was told in the end I was ‘complaining too much,’” she tweeted. Rahim explains that she has trauma connected to her past employment at Condé Nast and claims that, at one point, she was being “paid nearly 50k less” than the white woman who held the director title before her — and that, since leaving, her salary has jumped by $60,000. She tweeted, “There are people who hold these keys and have held them for decades. They know what they are doing, fire them.”

Fuck it if I get sued for this but I got a $5k raise for my promotion to a director title and still was paid nearly $50k less than the white woman who had the job before me. https://t.co/dJeaEKW9Ro
— Zara Rahim (@ZaraRahim) June 9, 2020


what's the phrase for giving a woman of color a leadership role with half the support and less pay and then adding more responsibilities to their plate solely because they're a POC? anyone? does glass cliff cover this?
— Zara Rahim (@ZaraRahim) June 10, 2020

Additionally, journalist Noor Tagouri, who was never employed by Vogue but was photographed for a feature in the magazine’s February 2019 issue — only to be misidentified in the magazine as Pakistani actress Noor Bukhari. In attempts to rectify the mistake, she was offered a written feature, but was prohibited from addressing the mishap. Instead, Tagouri offered to do a separate feature on the topic, but was allegedly told that Vogue wouldn’t publish two diversity pieces in one year. Further, she says she was offered to lead a free diversity event and was turned down because it might be interpreted that “Vogue has a problem.”

Lol. I just wanna say - when I met with the executive editor of Vogue after being misidentified in the magazine (never met with/got an apology from AW) - they asked me to write an *UNRELEATED* Upfront piece for an issue. (THREAD)
— NOOR (@NTagouri) June 10, 2020

This week, Condé Nast CEO Robert Lynch reportedly sent an email to staff, pledging to investigate and act “on all current and historic claims of pay inequities and inappropriate workplace behavior.” Additionally, he committed to holding a town hall series and creating an “external advisory council focused on anti-racism and inclusion topics,” in order to ensure “equitable representation within our content across our print, digital and video.”

Starbucks and Condé Nast, however, were not alone in being called out for racism and hypocrisy.

Last week, Los Angeles retail brand Anthropologie posted a Maya Angelou quote on Instagram, calling for equality — only to have its comments flooded with claims of egregious discriminatory practices, including, but not limited to, having secret code names for black customers.

Hey @Anthropologie. Your policy of racial profiling is disgusting. Your employees (US and Canada) tell stories about the codename “nick” they were directed to use when forced to profile black customers. The time for tranparency, apology and CHANGE is NOW.
— Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) June 11, 2020

That comment section soon became overrun by retail workers detailing the code names for black customers allegedly used by other major retailers. Over the years, many of the names used to racially profile shoppers have surfaced in claims by ex-employees and lawsuits against companies including Zara and Versace; now former Anthropologie employees say that the use of the code name “Nick” was used to refer to black shoppers, and that they were told to surveil black shoppers.

Another allegation noted that, just days before posting a black square in support of Blackout Tuesday, Anthropologie asked queer black model and writer Lydia Okello to participate in Anthropologie’s “Slice of Happy” Pride Month campaign — in exchange for a free outfit, nothing close, she says, to the usual rates.

The company soon responded with an Instagram post promising to support the black community by pledging $100,000 to the United Negro College Fund and by diversifying its workforce.

Another major company, Publix supermarkets, is also being taken to task following an announcement of its “commitment to diversity.” At least three employees, in locations in Alabama and Florida, have spoken out about being told to flip or remove their Black Lives Matter masks — or be sent home. Publix did not respond to Yahoo Life’s request to comment on the matter.

The list of companies being cited for behaving badly behind the scenes while making seemingly anti-racist public statements is large and growing:
L’Oréal

On June 1, L’Oréal shared an Instagram post that said, “Speaking out is worth it,” prompting some to remind the cosmetics brand of the time when it fired a model for doing just that: In 2017, the company fired U.K. model Munroe Bergdorf for calling out "the racial violence of white people" in a Facebook post. In response to the company’s recent statement of solidarity, the model did not miss the opportunity to hold L’Oréal accountable for its past practices. “Excuse my language but I am SO angry,” Bergdorf wrote. “You dropped me from a campaign in 2017 and threw me to the wolves for speaking out about racism and white supremacy... You do NOT get to do this. This is NOT okay, not even in the slightest.” In response, the company has offered her a seat on its U.K. diversity and inclusion advisory board.

Did you forget? pic.twitter.com/pE5EyKsnTK

— 𝕯𝖆𝖓𝖎𝖊𝖑 (@xlovur) June 1, 2020
Facebook

Also on June 1, in response to a Facebook employee “virtual walkout” over President Trump’s recent posts, Mark Zuckerberg wrote in solidarity with protesters. “We stand with the black community,” he wrote before committing to a donation of $10 million to “groups working on racial justice.” However, many took the opportunity to remind the social media giant that it doesn’t have the best equality track record. Over the years, Facebook has been accused of failing black employees and censoring black users. Just days after the backlash, Facebook removed almost 200 social media accounts linked to white supremacy groups.


NFL

On May 30, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, “The NFL family is greatly saddened by the tragic events across our country,” offering condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Additionally, football teams have been posting black squares in support of Blackout Tuesday. But back in 2017, the league shut out Colin Kaepernick for “taking a knee” during the National Anthem to protest police brutality, and Twitter users jumped at the chance to remind them. Since the backlash, Goodell has admitted that they were “wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier” and the league has announced that it would pledge $250 million over the next 10 years to help fight systematic racism. But some say it’s not enough.


The #NFL has made billions of exploiting black men’s lives and descriminated against @Kaepernick7 for taking a stand - $250M is nothing! We demand more. #BlackLivesMatter
— Shaun BLM 🇰🇪 (@ShaunBLM) June 12, 2020
Refinery29

On June 2, Refinery29 blacked out its homepage and Instagram and has been sharing posts in solidarity with the black community — prompting an ex-employee to speak out. Alese Edwards tweeted, “Hey @Refinery29, cool blacked out homepage! But you know what real allyship looks like? Paying your Black employees fairly, having Black women in top leadership positions & addressing the microagressions your Black employees deal with from management on a daily basis.” Edwards’s tweet was met with a slew of replies from former employees who had also had enough. In response to the allegations, Christene Barberich, co-founder of Refinery29, announced that she would be resigning.

Hey @Refinery29, cool blacked out homepage! But you know what real allyship looks like? Paying your Black employees fairly, having Black women in top leadership positions & addressing the microagressions your Black employees deal with from management on a daily basis.

— Ashley Alese Edwards (@AshleyAlese) June 2, 2020
Amazon

On May 31, Amazon posted a tweet saying it stood “in solidarity with the Black community... in the fight against systemic racism and injustice.” The ACLU looked into its practice of selling facial recognition technology. Amazon Ring, a video doorbell that has received criticism from civil rights organizations for partnering with police departments and creating a way “for police to request or access footage without a warrant, and then store it indefinitely.” In response, Amazon announced it will impose a one-year ban on the sale of its face-recognition technology to police.

Cool tweet. Will you commit to stop selling face recognition surveillance technology that supercharges police abuse? https://t.co/DfnAhyw2PW

— ACLU (@ACLU) May 31, 2020
TikTok

On June 2, TikTok also participated in Blackout Tuesday — disabling all playlists “to observe a moment of reflection and action,” but in the past, it’s been criticized for allowing racist content, blocking the Black Lives Matter hashtag and inequitable treatment of black content creators. Earlier this year, they were called out after teen dancer Jalaiah Harmon was not given credit for the dance craze she pioneered called the Renegade. Some say TikTok’s algorithm may be to blame, “elevating White creators while limiting the visibility and reach of creators of color.”

TikTok later apologized for the suppression of Black Lives Matter posts, calling it a “technical glitch.” It’s also since acquired a new CEO, Kevin Mayer, who said it was an “important time to support Black employees, users, creators, artists, and our broader community,” committing himself to the cause. Additionally, the growing social media platform said it is donating $3 million to nonprofit organizations that help the black community and promised $1 million toward “fighting the racial injustice and inequality that we are witnessing in this country.”


While you here can you remind them that Tik Tok is cancelled too!! They blocked the blm hashtag but allow the racist post about black ppl to go viral. Black people please stop using Tik Tok! Stay to the cause
— So Hollywood (@Simply_Keen) June 11, 2020
McDonald’s

On June 3, McDonald’s posted a video to its Twitter page captioned, “They were one of us,” referring to victims of police brutality such as Michael Brown, Atatiana Jefferson and George Floyd, for whom “the entire McDonald’s family grieves.” The video further explained that the company is standing for “victims of systemic oppression,” but many were quick to call the company hypocritical, with Color of Change tweeting a video that reads, “McDonald’s workers still lack a living wage, paid sick leave and union rights,” which are “a part of systemic oppression.” Echoing the sentiments, the ACLU tweeted, “Black lives are more than a marketing campaign. McDonalds, are you listening?”

Black lives are more than a marketing campaign. @McDonalds, are you listening? https://t.co/2Hrxxn4Kiq

— ACLU (@ACLU) June 11, 2020
Reformation

On May 31, Reformation posted a list of organizations that they would be supporting, including Black Lives Matter and the NAACP, but it wasn’t long before the company’s alleged racially insensitive past resurfaced, with former employee Elle Santiago taking to Instagram to share her experiences. That included an occasion when the brand’s founder, Yael Aflalo, allegedly said the company was “not ready" to feature black models.


lol at reformation “hiding a racist corporate culture” these are from 2014 and 2016 pic.twitter.com/afsfivRgrh

— ً (@writtendirected) June 7, 2020

Users on Twitter quickly dug up photos from both 2014 and 2016, one showing Aflalo and the brand’s producer at the time, Elana Rosenblatt, eating fried chicken to “celebrate” Black History Month. The other photo is an Instagram post from Reformation captioned, “Hot out the factory,” while, in the background is what looks to be a sweatshop with employees of color hard at work, still making the very dresses being advertised.

On Friday Aflalo resigned, leaving her position to its former president, Hali Borenstein.

NYPD lieutenant apologizes to colleagues for kneeling during protest

FORCED TO RECANT BY KKK WHITE KOPS 

Janelle Griffith, NBC News•June 12, 2020


A lieutenant with the New York Police Department who knelt alongside George Floyd protesters apologized for doing so in an email to his colleagues, writing, "The cop in me wants to kick my own a--."

In a June 3 email obtained by NBC New York, the officer, Lt. Robert Cattani, said his kneeling with protesters "goes against every principle and value that I stand for."

Cattani was among at least four officers who submitted to demonstrators' chants of "NYPD take a knee" during a May 31 protest in Lower Manhattan, according to the New York Post, which first reported the email.

The police lieutenant told his colleagues in the email that he had trouble sleeping after he "made a horrible decision to give into a crowd of protesters demands and kneeled alongside several other officers."

The symbolic pose gained prominence in 2016 after Colin Kaepernick, then quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest racial inequality and police brutality against people of color.

In his email, Cattani said he knelt to appease protesters.

"The conditions prior to the decision to take a knee were very difficult as we were put center stage with the entire crowd chanting," he wrote.

“I know I made the wrong decision," he added. "We didn't know how the protesters would have reacted if we didn't and were attempting to reduce any extra violence."

He said he thought that by kneeling, maybe "one protester/rioter who saw it would later think twice about fighting or hurting a cop."

Cattani said he spent the first part of his career working to build a reputation as a good cop and that he "threw that all in the garbage" on May 31.

"I know that it was wrong and something I will be shamed and humiliated about for the rest of my life," he wrote.

Protesters across the country and around the world have called for greater police accountability since George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes on May 25.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been fired and charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers involved in the arrest were also fired and face charges of aiding and abetting murder.

Cattani was not the only officer in New York City to take a knee with protesters. The city's top uniformed officer, Chief of Department Terence Monahan, joined hands with and knelt alongside protesters in Washington Square Park on June 1. He drew praise from Mayor Bill de Blasio, who tweeted later that day: "We're lucky to have people like Chief Monahan wearing the uniform. He believes in Neighborhood Policing with all his heart."

But some others, such as the city's public advocate, Jumaane Williams, have been critical of the gesture by people who have not been active in the racial justice movement.

In reference to recently introduced police reforms in New York, Williams said on "AM Joy" on MSNBC this week: "It should not have taken 8 or 9 days of unrest" on these issues we have been speaking about for such a long time. "All of the people who now find it easy to take a knee because of the unrest, many years ago were excoriating people like Colin Kaepernick."

Writer Roxane Gay tweeted on June 5: "I need cops and politicians and white people more broadly to stop kneeling. We don't need you to kneel. We need you to stand up for real, radical, sustained change."

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea meanwhile, in speaking directly to officers on Thursday, said they need to listen to public sentiment and understand why people are protesting, NBC New York reported.

“I’ve heard police officials this week talking about how could people feel this way," Shea said. "The quicker we realize that, the quicker we get to a solution."

Two NYPD officers have been suspended without pay for conduct during the Floyd protests. One of them, Vincent D'Andraia, was seen in a video shoving a woman to the ground on May 29 at a demonstration in Brooklyn. He was charged Tuesday with misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief, harassment and menacing.

FAKE NEWS
Fox News Used Digitally Altered Photos in Coverage of Seattle Protests and ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’

Samson Amore The Wrap June 13, 2020



Fox News has repeatedly published digitally altered photographs as part of a series of stories about protests on Seattle’s Capitol Hill that aired June 12.

The misleading images were first discovered by the Seattle Times, which raised the issue to Fox News.

“Fox’s site had no disclaimers revealing the photos had been manipulated. The network removed the images after inquiries from The Seattle Times,” The Times reported June 12.

The photos are purported to be taken inside Seattle’s so-called “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone,” a six-block radius in downtown Seattle that is now outside police control. The area was established May 25 after Mayor Jenny Durkan ordered Seattle police to abandon their East Precinct station during protests against the May 25 killing of George Floyd. Seattle residents have nicknamed the reclaimed police station the “Seattle People Station.”

One of the altered images used by Fox News shows a civilian standing outside a demolished storefront with a military assault rifle. The Seattle Times reports the image is not one photograph but a “mashup” of several photos from different days and different photographers — created by layering images from riots in downtown Seattle on May 30 under a Getty Images photo of a man with a gun. Fox News also published an alternate version of this image, where the armed man appeared to stand in front of a sign that said, “You are now entering Free Cap Hill.”

Fox removed the images, telling the Times “we have replaced our photo illustration with the clearly delineated images of a gunman and a shattered storefront, both of which were taken this week in Seattle’s autonomous zone.”

However, according to the Times, that statement and the new photos are also misleading. The gunman photo is from June 10, but the storefront image it has been combined with is a Getty Images photo dated May 30, the paper said.

Fox also used images from protests in other states in its coverage of the Seattle unrest. The network published an image of burning streets in St. Paul, Minnesota as part of its package on Seattle May 30, along with the headline “CRAZY TOWN.” Fox has since also removed that image.

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported Seattle is negotiating with Black Lives Matter activists to determine a way to clear the Autonomous Zone and return the area to a semblance of normal. The local activists say they won’t leave the area until the City meets a list of demands, which include redirecting half of the Seattle Police Department’s budget to aid the black community.

Black Lives Matter spokesperson Jessica Kilpatrick told the Wall Street Journal about the unrest, “it’s a temporary occupation until we get our demands met.”

Fox News spokesperson Caroline Shanahan provided TheWrap a copy of the editor’s note Fox News published addressing the issue. “Editor’s Note: A FoxNews.com home page photo collage which originally accompanied this story included multiple scenes from Seattle’s ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’ and of wreckage following recent riots. The collage did not clearly delineate between these images, and has since been replaced. In addition, a recent slideshow depicting scenes from Seattle mistakenly included a picture from St. Paul, Minnesota. Fox News regrets these errors.”

Read original story Fox News Used Digitally Altered Photos in Coverage of Seattle Protests and ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’ At TheWrap

Who are police protecting and serving? Law enforcement has history of violence against many minority groups

Rick Jervis, USA TODAY•June 13, 2020

AUSTIN – If she sees a crime being committed, Ishia Lynette is more likely to call her father than police.

Her reluctance to turn to law enforcement for protection stems from growing up half Black and half Mexican in El Paso, Texas, and witnessing her African American father arrested – twice – for minor traffic violations and relatives harassed by police.

“From very early on, I was fearful of the police,” said Lynette, 30, who now lives in Austin and works with the Austin Justice Coalition, which advocates for police reform and accountability. “I can’t think of a time when I called the police unless it was very necessary – like a murder.”

Global protests in the wake of George Floyd’s May 25 death have called for massive overhauls of police, with some groups demanding that American cities defund police departments. Many law enforcement agencies embrace a mission to "protect and serve" but the debate over police brutality and funding has raised questions about just who these departments keep safe.

Police departments have a long history of violence and aggression toward many minority communities in the U.S., including Latino, Muslim, LGBTQ and Black Americans, creating a deep mistrust of police that has resulted in many minority communities already under-using police departments because they are reluctant to call them for help.

Two young boys join LGBTQ community members and Black Lives Matter protesters holding signs and chanting slogans on an intersection in West Hollywood, Calif. on June 3, 2020, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day.

Police relations in Black communities have been at the center of worldwide protests, ever since Floyd, 46, who is Black, was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis by officers after being accused of passing a fake $20 bill at a grocery store. In a video of the encounter, Floyd gasped for breath as officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while three other officers looked on.

Other minority groups, such as Latino and LGBTQ Americans, have also faced decades of strained relations with police and are hesitant to call on them, according to experts, activists and studies.

Recent cases include:

Tony McDade, a 38-year-old transgender man, was shot and killed by Tallahassee police two days after Floyd was killed.

Mike Ramos, 42, who was shot and killed in April by Austin police after they answered a call of people doing drugs in an apartment complex parking lot. Police later said he didn't have a gun.

Earlier this month, California Highway Patrol officers repeatedly shot Erik Salgado, 23, after a traffic stop. His pregnant girlfriend survived but was severely injured.

Fear of police in African American communities could be traced back generations to “slave patrols” that worked with sheriff’s departments across the South to capture and terrorize runaway slaves, said David J. Thomas, a criminologist at Florida Gulf Coast University and retired veteran police officer. Through the years, departments have attempted reforms – such as hiring more minority officers – but those efforts have fallen short of restoring confidence to black communities, he said.

The Department of Justice under Barack Obama launched a series of lawsuits and consent decrees on police departments known to have civil rights violations. But those efforts all but vanished under President Donald Trump, he said.

“There’s nobody that oversees local law enforcement when they run amok,” Thomas said. “Law enforcement without oversight is a very dangerous thing.”

Alexander Weiss, an expert on police staffing who has helped reform police departments in major U.S. cities, said that distrust of police – especially after publicized incidents of police brutality – often leads to minority communities refusing to call police for help, further endangering those neighborhoods.

A study by his consulting firm in February in Baltimore showed that white, affluent areas of the city called on police more than twice the number of times as neighborhoods populated by minority groups.

“It’s one of the biggest challenges here,” Weiss said.

A 2013 PolicyLink/University of Illinois at Chicago study revealed that 32% of U.S.-born Latinos would rather tell a church or community leader about a crime than law enforcement. That number rises to 50% for foreign-born Latinos.

“The Latino community is mistrusting and actually fearful of some of the police in their communities,” said Claudia Ruiz, a policy analyst with UnidosUS, a Washington-based Latino advocacy group. “Latinos have some of the lowest reporting statistics in the U.S.”

One of the biggest barriers in improving relations and avoiding civil rights violations in Latino communities is lack of good data, Ruiz said. Local law enforcement agencies often include race but not ethnicity in arrest records, a discrepancy UnidosUS is lobbying Washington to fix, she said.

“It’s very hard to call for changes in how law enforcement interacts with Latinos when the data is not complete,” Ruiz said.

Blacks and Latinos are not the only groups that have complained of police mistreatment. In 2017, a New York federal judge approved a settlement that protected Muslims and others from New York Police Department investigations into political or religious activity. The agreement stemmed from lawsuits that accused the NYPD of illegally surveying Muslims in the wake of the 911 terrorist attacks.

To repair mistrust between police and minority communities, police officials have been bolstering training among their ranks and encouraging more hiring of minority officers, said Cindy Rodriguez, president of the National Latino Peace Officers Association.

Her group offers training to departments around the U.S. that encourage inclusiveness, both inside and outside of agencies, she said. Rodriguez said she's also encouraged by NLPOA's growing size: In the past four years, the group has welcomed 600 new members and grown by 12 chapters.

Those minority officers go into neighborhoods and bridge a lot of gaps, she said.

"That’s how you gain the trust," Rodriguez said. "It's going into the community and doing things."

The modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the U.S. began with a response to police brutality: the 1969 Stonewall riots. Violent street demonstrations erupted on the streets of New York City after an early morning police raid on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, a popular hangout for the area’s gay men and lesbians. Today, popular LGBTQ Pride events are held toward the end of June to mark the Stonewall riots.

Through the years, new laws and police practices have improved police reaction to LGBTQ rights, but widespread harassment and discrimination still exists in the community at the hands of police, said Avatara Smith-Carrington, a law fellow at Lambda Legal, a New York-based organization that supports LGBTQ rights.

And people in the LGBTQ community who are also Black or brown often receive even harsher treatment from police, Smith-Carrington said. Many of them are reluctant to call police to report crimes for fear of being harassed themselves, Smith-Carrington said.

In a 2012 study released by Legal Lambda, 73% of those surveyed reported having some face-to-face encounter with police over the previous five years and 21% said police had been hostile toward them. Another 14% of respondents reported being verbally assaulted by police, according to the study.

One gay man in the study reported being called a homophobic slur and beat up by police in Washington, D.C., then charged with assaulting them and forced to plead guilty to being under the influence of his HIV medication.

The recent protests sparked by Floyd’s death are a good opportunity to shine an equally bright light on LGBTQ rights, Smith-Carrington said.

“The beauty of this movement right now is that it’s elevating and amplifying the harm that happens to communities of color,” they said. “These same incidents of violence at the hands of police also happen to LGBTQ people across the spectrum.”

In Austin, Brenda Ramos, Mike Ramos's mother, has been speaking at rallies drawing thousands of protesters following Floyd's death, raising awareness of police brutality on people of all races and colors.

"My son, Mike, my baby, was shot and killed by Austin police officer Christopher Taylor one month ago. I cried every day," she said at a May 31 gathering alongside parents of other slain victims. "Now, I'm in this terrible heartbreaking club. It's a club of mothers of black Americans who have been murdered by police."

Lynette, the Austin activist, said she doesn’t agree with completely abolishing police but does think many of the millions of dollars that go into paying for more officers and weapons could be better used toward eradicating homelessness, improving mental health and overall empowering communities historically weary of police.

“We will keep having the same issue as to how minority communities interact with police until we can build that trust back up,” she said. “At this point, it’s gone.”

Follow Jervis on Twitter: @MrRJervis.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police brutality makes many minority groups afraid of law enforcement