Activists have been protesting all summer long to end racist, violent policing in Rhode Island, yet the violence continues. On October 18th, Jhamal Gonsalves was driving his moped when he was hit by Providence Police Officer Kyle Endres. Jhamal was then dragged and pulled by his arm as he was passed out on the sidewalk. Jhamal has been hospitalized in a coma state ever since.
The attack on Jhamal brought hundreds out into the streets in peaceful protest, calling for Endres to be charged for the collision. Instead of firing Endres, police attempted to quell the movement by arresting and fining some 20 protesters, medics, and bystanders, including a National Lawyers Guild legal observer. One arrest led to a protester having a seizure in the prisoner transport van and being sent to the hospital.
In response to the protest, Attorney General Peter Neronha announced that his office would conduct an investigation within two weeks. The deadline has passed and no findings have been released. Officer Kyle Endres is still working while Jhamal Gonalves is still in a medically induced coma.
Enough is enough. Rhode Island’s racist policing must stop. We demand justice. We demand communities be free from the fear of police. It is not enough to reform the police, or to provide more oversight. After past protests, the Providence External Review Authority was created so that Providence civilians could intervene in police violence. However, despite the city receiving more than 40 complaints, PERA has been denied partnership in the investigation of Kyle Endres, leaving the state to decide if Endres would be charged.

We know our communities are safer with less police—not more.
Therefore, as Providence area community members, we have put together the following demands:
Fire and charge Officer Kyle Endres for hitting and hospitalizing Jhamal Gonsalves.
Drop all charges and fines against protesters.
Defund the Providence Police Department by 70%.
We need a city that upholds our democratic rights to fight injustice. We need a city that meets our needs for safety, with mental health response services, better education, and access to health care and safe, affordable housing. The $86 million spent on Police in 2020 would be far better spent on these public services. Providence’s working, Black, Indgenious, People of Color communities need stability, security, and financial relief from a recession—not fear of wrongful arrest and assault by police. We stand with Jhamal Gonsalves and all victims of racist and violent policing in Providence, in Rhode Island, and in the whole U.S. We are coming together to say enough is enough.