“Police in the US killed at least 1,232 people last year, making 2023 the deadliest year for homicides committed by law enforcement in more than a decade…”
– The Guardian, January 2024
Alright, John, let's get into it.
A non-profit research group called Mapping Police Violence recently released their updated database for 2023. And while the data is imperative and meaningful –
it's also not surprising. We also must remember that this data is based on public and reported records and that
there are likely countless victims of police brutality that the state has managed to cover up.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the database:
- Black people are the demographic most likely to be killed by the police
- Black people are 3x as likely to be killed compared to white people
- Black people are 1.3x as likely as white people to be unarmed
- 95% of America's major city police departments kill Black people at higher rates than white people
- Most killings by police begin with traffic stops, mental health checks, and non-violent offenses – times where no crime was alleged
It's crazy that even though we saw record-breaking protests in 2020 to now against police brutality and racial injustice, the numbers show things are getting worse. A global push and a clear call from folks worldwide – but, we're regressing?
Whether it's pushing to decrease a local municipal police budget or working towards passing bills that enforce police accountability, we can't fight this without you.
John, we're only going to decrease the amount of state-sanctioned violence and police brutality in 2024 if we work together and remind the world that Black Lives Matter. Chip in to fuel our advocacy efforts now >>
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We always hear things like: “He was probably armed.” “She should've stayed calm.” “They shouldn't have run away.” In reality, this is a blatant utilization of white supremacy framed as the justification of anti-Black violence.
But let's be real: None of these reasons could
ever justify a police officer taking a person's life –
especially when the majority of these police encounters ending in fatalities lacked any alleged crime.
There is truth in these findings that even the most ridiculous counterarguments could not deny: Racism exists and thrives in policing, and policing is a form of white supremacy.
John, 2024 CAN be the year we decrease police killings, but not without your help. Commit to helping to put an end to racist policing by chipping into Black Lives Matter today >>
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter
