Weekly Email 10/25/2021-11/1/2021

This Week’s BLMLA Actions/Events (10/25/21-11/1/21):

  • MONDAY, 10/25/2021 at 2:00PM – Budget & Finance Committee Meeting by Phone – Support the #PeoplesBudgetLA coalition by calling into the Budget & Finance Committee meeting and demanding Paul Krekorian agendize Mike Bonin’s #NoNewCops motion. If passed, this motion would eliminate the LAPD practice of hiring above attrition and divest $18million from policing. This is money that could be used to fund mental health services, housing services, and other services that actually keep our communities safe and healthy and thriving. Call 1 669 254 5252 and use Meeting ID No. 160 655 3266 and then press #. Press # again when prompted for participant ID. Once admitted into the meeting, press *9 to request to speak. Click here for the People’s Budget LA toolkit.

  • MONDAY, 10/25/2021 at 4:30PM – Pasadena City Council Meeting on zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/161482446 – Let’s keep pushing our demands for justice for #AnthonyMcClain! Make public comment at the Pasadena City Council meeting to: 1) Call for the immediate firing and prosecution of Officer Edwin Dumaguindin 2) Accept the resignation of Police Chief Perez EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. Please submit a speaker card prior to the public comment period at the link here. To participate by phone, call 1-669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 161 482 446.

  • TUESDAY, 10/26/2021 at 9:30AM – Los Angeles Police Commission Meeting on Zoom at https://lapd.zoom.us/s/289225944 – Make public comment demanding the commission #FireChiefMoore for his failed leadership. Coalition talking points here. Please use the “raise hand” function to speak. To participate by phone, call (855) 880-1246, Meeting ID: 289 225 944. Press *9 to be put in the cue for public comment.

  • TUESDAY, 10/26/2021 at 6:30PM – Torrance City Council Meeting IN PERSON for #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell at 3031 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 – Torrance police officers Matthew Concannon and Anthony Chavez killed #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell within 15 seconds of approaching the vehicle and to this day have not been fired or prosecuted. Join Christophher’s family and BLMLA in demanding that the officers be fired and that Torrance City Council finally create a civilian oversight commission of the police department, like they were told to do about 6 months prior to the murder of Christopher in 2018. If you can’t make it out, please email your comment by Tuesday at 3pm to CouncilMeetingPublicComment@TorranceCA.gov.

  • WEDNESDAY, 10/27/2021 at 4PM (and every Wednesday) – Fund Services, Not Police! #EndPoliceAssociations at 1313 W. 8th St., Los Angeles – This Wednesday’s rally will honor the life and legacy of General Jeff, and the work that he did to demand City officials “Fund Services, Not Police!” As always, we will make space for the families whose loved ones were stolen by police violence. Wear masks and bring your bodies, spirits, energy, drums, signs, flags and dedication. If you’re not able to come out, share the flyer widely and engage in virtual protest by tuning in to the action on Instagram Live @blmlosangeles. 

  • SATURDAY, 10/30/2021 8-10AM – This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580AM or facebook.com/BLMLA – Talking with James Farr and Michael Williams about the Pasadena Police cover-up in the murder of #AnthonyMcClain. Melina Abdullah hosts. Listen live on KBLA Talk 1580 AM, kbla1580.com, download the KBLA app, or watch the livestream on facebook.com/BLMLA. ASL interpretation graciously provided by ProBonoASL. Taking your calls at 800-920-1580.

  • SATURDAY, 10/30/2021 2-6PM - Rally for Stolen Lives (honoring the life of #DanaMalikYoung) at Chuco’s Justice Center, 7625 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles - Join the family of #DanaMalikYoung and the hundreds of families of those killed by police in Los Angeles County for a rally and speak out. More at: bit.ly/3BWNU1Y.


Recap:

  • During last Tuesday’s Police Commission, LAPD Chief Michel Moore straight up lied and claimed that LAPD officers are not refusing to wear masks, although all over social media cops have been photographed and recorded on video while maskless. Even in person when many cops are encountered about not wearing a mask, they refuse. Chief Moore also announced that LAPD shot 5 people in the past 2 weeks alone, all who were in the midst of a mental health crisis. So far this year, LAPD has shot 30 people this year, compared to 24 last year, and have killed 11 this year compared to 7 last year. Chief Moore’s failed leadership is not only killing our people through police violence but by the spreading of COVID-19. We need you to make public comment during the weekly police commission meetings and sign and share the Fire Chief Moore petition online at tinyurl.com/firelapdchiefmoore.

  • Last Wednesday’s #EndPoliceAssociations rally uplifted the importance of supporting REAL unions NOT Police associations, who protect killer cops from being held accountable. It also featured the powerful artistic expression of the Project Knucklehead drummers, who brought the African spirit of our ancestors to the action. As always we made space for the families whose loved ones were stolen by police violence and were joined by the family of #PaulRea.

  • Last Thursday, Sheriff Alex Villanueva defied another subpoena and failed to appear before the Sheriff Civilian Oversight commission. Undersheriff Murakami also failed to appear to testify about Villanueva’s “secret police” and the harassment of oversight officials.

  • Last Friday, we joined Stop LAPD Spying, LA CAN and other coalition partners in the street downtown in the annual O22 protest against police brutality and the harm of the police state. The rally began at LAPD HQ and made its way all downtown, amplifying FTP chants, “Stop the Spending, Stop the Lying” and others that kept the crowd moving and chanting down Babylon.

  • Last Saturday’s This Is Not a Drill on KBLA Talk 1580AM discussed the Benton Harbor, Michigan water crisis directly impacting predominantly Black residents. Guests included Angela Austin of Black Lives Matter-Michigan & Black Lives Matter-Grassroots, MaryAlice Adams of Black Lives Matter-Michigan & Benton Harbor City Commissioner, Reverend Edward Pinkney President of Benton Harbor Community Water Council also part of Black Lives Matter Michigan. Missed it? Watch here.

  • Last Sunday Black Lives Matter supported the Huey P. Newton Foundation as they unveiled the first-ever public memorial to the co-founder of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California.

Megan Castillo