THIS TOOLKIT WAS CREATED AS A PLACE OF CENTRALIZED INFORMATION
ANY ACTIONS ANY INDIVIDUAL/GROUP TAKES WILL BE OF THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY. SAFETY FIRST. DE-ESCALATE ALWAYS
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STOP KILLING US | FREE THEM ALL
SHORTENED LINK TO THIS TOOLKIT:
bit.ly/sku-solidarity
Hashtags: #StopKillingUs #StopPoliceCrime#FreeThemAll #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor #JusticeForTonyMcDade #JusticeForNinaPop
TW: police brutality, police violence, Black lives matter, etc.
In the past month there has been a release of multiple video recordings of Black people being murdered by police officers across this country. This comes at a time where white people are empowered to be vigilantes and prey, shoot, kill Black people. This comes at a time where there is a global pandemic killing millions of people.
We cannot ignore the who, what, where, why, when, and how. We cannot ignore that there is a fascist cult of White supremacists who have asserted their power through taking over institutions, as well as taking over physical buildings. We cannot ignore that white people, like Amy Cooper or Anthony Trifiletti or the McMichaels, know exactly how to get away with murder. We cannot ignore the fact that when a police officer is called to the home of a Black woman in neighboring-Canada the same reality that she’s more likely to be killed than safer in their presence exists. We cannot ignore the failure of elected officials - federal to local - not being responsible to the people. We cannot ignore that Coronavirus-19 has killed over 100,000 in this country, and we only know 1% of their names. The whole system is guilty.
There have been many calls across the movement with a spectrum of demands - some call for the firing of police officers and the banning of them to serve on any police force in the future; some call for the complete abolition of police and policing; some call for criminal charges to be brought against the police involved. There is no right response when you’re up against white supremacy. However, we all have a role when it comes to making just and transformational changes to the society we live in.
Now is the time for activists to activate. From the streets of Minneapolis, there is a national call for there to be SELF-ORGANIZED, AUTONOMOUS ACTIONS. People went to the streets on Wednesday, May 27th - and we have no plans of stopping until we’re ready to stop. We’re not going home until we’re ready to go home. We keep us safe.
Keep calling actions, keeping bringing attention to the plight that Black people face across this country and this world. Find your role. Let’s go.
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Reminder: COVID-19 is real. People are dying. We are responsible to ourselves and to each other. If the action you are attending is outside, please try your best to protect yourself with at minimum a mask. If you’re able to, please bring extra for others. We keep us safe.
TOOLS FOR SELF ORGANIZING
There is a national call for there to be SELF-ORGANIZED, AUTONOMOUS ACTIONS. Haven’t planned an action before or thinking about how to adapt with social distancing? Here are some quick resources.
With any action, make sure that those participating can make informed decisions about their own safety and the level of risk they can take on.
- What is it?
A March starts in one place and moves to another. Marches are a good way to disrupt and reclaim public space.
- Core components:
- Starting location: You should determine and publicize your starting location ahead of time. If possible, pick a symbolic, historic, and/or high traffic location.
- Route + marshals: Figure out where you’re going to go. Do not publicize this information, and only share it with marshals who will be helping to guide people, so as to decrease surveillance and interference
- Signs, chants, etc: Encourage people to bring signs. Prepare some chants ahead of time and have some folks ready to lead chants. Remember the goal is to be disruptive and reclaim public space.
- Speakers: Maybe you want to have a few people planned to speak at different points during the march. These could be neighbors, organizers, faith leaders, healers, and others. Prioritize giving the mic to those who are most directly impacted.
- Black Lives Matter
- I can’t breathe
- How do you spell racist? NYPD!
- Black lives matter! Trans lives matter! Blue’s a job, that shit don’t matter.
- NYPD, KKK, how many kids have you killed today?
- Whose streets? Our streets!
- What is it?
A rally is an energizing public action. A rally may include speakers, chanting, singing, group meditation or grounding exercises, leafleting, etc.
- Core components:
- Location: You should determine and publicize where to meet ahead of time. If possible, pick a symbolic, historic, and/or high traffic location.
- Signs, chants, etc: Encourage people to bring signs. Prepare some chants ahead of time and have some folks ready to lead chants.
- Speakers: You should have a few people who can speak at your rally. These could be neighbors, organizers, faith leaders, healers, and others. Prioritize giving the mic to those who are most directly impacted.
- Black Lives Matter
- I can’t breathe
- How do you spell racist? NYPD!
- Black lives matter! Trans lives matter! Blue’s a job, that shit don’t matter.
- NYPD, KKK, how many kids have you killed today?
- Whose streets? Our streets!
- What is it?
A vigil is a more somber and/or ritualized action. This could include lighting candles, holding silent space, or taking symbolic action like everyone wearing mourning clothes.
- Core components:
- Location: You should determine and publicize where to meet ahead of time. If possible, pick a symbolic, historic, and/or high traffic location.
- What is it?
Meet up online (in a Zoom room, Hangout, etc) and take action together. Maybe you’ll have different people speak, maybe you’ll use the time to phone blitz targets (ex. Politicians or police chiefs), maybe you’ll use the time to make art and share it on social media afterwards.
- Core components:
- Link where people can join
- Facilitator who can help frame the virtual action, welcome people, and keep people on track
SAY THEIR NAMES
Breonna Taylor
- 26 years old
- Louisville, KY
- Cis woman
- What happened:
- March 13, 2020
- Louisville PD showed up with a no-knock warrant to search Breonna’s home for drugs trafficking evidence in the case of Jamarcus Glover, who they already had in custody.
- They did not knock and did not announce themselves, so when Breonna’s boyfriend heard someone trying to get into the house and thought it was a break in, he fired a shot.
- The police sprayed Breonna’s home with over 20 rounds, 8 of which hit and killed her.
- Officer Brent Hankinson (involved in Breonna’s murder) was already facing federal charges for harassing suspects with unnecessary arrests and planting drugs on them
- Demand the Mayor and City Council address the use of force by LMPD.
- Fire and revoke the pensions of the officers that murdered Breonna. Arrest, charge, and convict them for this crime. Ensure the newly requested special prosecutor, State AG Daniel Cameron, seeks full transparency and accountability.
- Provide all necessary information to a local, independent civilian community police accountability council #CPAC.
- Create policy for transparent investigation process due to law enforcement misconduct.
- Drop all charges for Kenneth Walker, Breonna’s boyfriend, who attempted to defend them and their home.
- Release the 911 call to the public for accountability.
George Floyd
- 46 years old
- Minneapolis, MN
- Cis man
- What happened:
- May 25, 2020
- Shop owner called the police to report George trying to pass a potentially counterfeit bill.
- Police arrived and arrested George, who was compliant and did not resist
- Outside of the shop, there is video of the white officer (Derek Chauvin) kneeling on George’s neck for 8 minutes. George says “I can’t breathe” and “I’m about to die” while officers look on, and witnesses beg for the officer to stop and just put George in the police car.
- George’s body was limp after the officer removed his knee, but he was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead.
- Police narrative: A police statement says that Floyd appeared to be in “medical distress,” but made no mention of his being pinned to the ground with the weight of a police officer compressing his airway.
- Community asks:
- Call / email for accountability. Script + contact info here.
- 612-324-4499
- Donate to Minnesota Freedom Fund for bail fund
- Do NOT come to Minneapolis
Regis Korchinski-Paquet
- 29 years old
- Toronto, OT
- Afro-Indigenous cis woman
- What happened:
- There are reports that the family called the police to help because Regis was having an epileptic episode
- Regis was standing on the balcony of her 24th-floor apartment, and was pushed off by police, according to Regis’ mother
- Her body was left for 6 hours after she died
- Police are saying it was a suicide. They went so far as to call the news outlets and tell them not to come to the scene because it was a suicide.
- “While officers were inside an apartment unit on the 24th floor, they observed a woman on the balcony. A short time later, the woman fell from the balcony to the ground below.”
Tony McDade
- Age ??
- Black trans man / masculine individual
- Currently misgendered by all news reports
- (Deadname: Natosha McDade)
- Leon Arms Apartments, Tallahassee, Florida
- What happened:
- May 27, 2020
- Police were called to respond to a stabbing in Leon Arms Apartments
- One eye witness who identified himself as a resident of Leon Arms apartments said Tony came to him asking for help because he said someone had been stabbed. The witness said he followed Tony and when he rounded a corner, he heard a barrage of gunshots from police officers. He described it as “seven, eight rounds.” The witness also said that he saw police pull up, hop out of their cars and just start shooting. He said no one yelled “freeze” or “hands up.” At no point did the eyewitness ever say the victim had a gun.
- Tony sustained 5 bullet wounds.
- Tony is the third person murdered by Tallahassee PD in under 3 months
- Police narrative (CW misgendering):
- Police say the suspect, an adult African-American woman, was last seen running away from the scene and a description of the suspect was provided to responding officers who were arriving in the area.
- Not long after, police say they found a woman who matched the description of the stabbing suspect in the 2500 block of Holton Street.
- TPD says the woman was armed with a gun.
- "The suspect then made a move consistent with using the firearm against the officer, who fired their issued handgun, fatally striking the adult female suspect," the department wrote in a release.
Doug Lewis
- 39 years old
- St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN
- Cis-man, father of four
- What Happened
- Killed May 1st following a fender bender
- According to Anthony Trifletti (killer, 24 year old white man):
- Trifletti was rear ended by Lewis. He, Lewis, and friends of Trifletti in a separate car pulled over. Trifletti took pics of the damage and asked for Lewis’ insurance information
- Somehow things escalated into a yelling match, at which point Trifletti told his friends to leave, which they did
- Triffletti and a friend claim that Lewis said “I’m GD” to signal gang membership. Witnesses do not corroborate.
- They both started to drive away, but Trifletti “unintentionally” followed Lewis and Lewis parked and got out of his car. When Lewis started approaching Trifletti, he pulled his gun and shot him 4 times.
- Claims he thought Lewis was reaching for a gun.
- Originally fled the scene before turning himself in to the police
- Trifletti is charged with 2nd degree murder, held on $500,000 (lowered originally from 1 million) bail. He is claiming self-defense. Police confirm that Lewis was unarmed. His lawyer is argued for lower bail partially based on covid-19 concerns within the jail.
- Memorial held, attended by ~50 community members. Douglas’s sister Valerie: “White people can get away with killing a black man by saying they were afraid.” Lewis’s family has been present at Trifletti’s court dates
- Community Asks
Myon Burrell
- Convicted at age 16, now 33 years old
- Cis man
- What happened:
- Tyesha Edwards was killed in 2002 by a stray bullet from a gang incident.
- Myon Burrell was not on the scene, corroborated by his co-defendent
- Hours after the shooting, an often-used jail informant dropped Burrell's name. After more than eight hours of police questioning, the sole eyewitness — a teen rival with his own legal troubles — also fingered Burrell, cementing his future. Burrell was arrested the next day.
- This was a high-profile shooting of an innocent girl, in a city with an already high crime rate, so there was a lot of pressure on the system to get someone to be responsible.
- He’s been falsely imprisoned for 17 years
- AP report
Nina Pop
- 28 years old
- Sikeston, Missouri
- Trans woman
- What happened:
- Nina was beloved by her community
- Nina was found stabbed to death in her apartment on May 3, 2020
- She’s the 10th trans woman murdered this year.
- Sikeston police have not determined a motive but are considering the possibility that her death was a hate crime
- They have arrested a 40 year old man, based on evidence
Ahmaud Arbery
- 25 years old
- Satilla Shores, Glynn County, GA
- Seemingly cis-man
- What happened:
- Killed on Feb 23rd while out for a jog in his neighborhood.
- Prosecutors
- Feb 27: the first prosecutor recuses themself due to a relationship with Gregory McMichael
- Early April: the second prosecutor doesn’t see a reason to charge the McMichaels but also recuses himself due to a conflict
- April 13: third prosecutor takes over the case
- May 5: Video of Ahmaud’s murder is released
- May 7: McMichaels are arrested
- Police narrative: Gregory McMichael (a former Glynn County police officer and a former investigator with the local district attorney’s office) saw Ahmaud running and thought he matched the description of a man suspected for local break ins. Gregory called his son Travis and they pursued Ahmaud. The McMichaels pulled up on Ahmaud, and Travis got out of the truck with a shotgun. The police report says Ahmaud attacked Travis, that they fought over the gun, and that Travis fired two shots.
- Community asks: