Dear friend,
Police across America have been using weapons of war to attack peaceful
protesters and journalists in the last few days. They got many of those
from the federal government through the Pentagon's 1033 program, which
gives military surplus to local law enforcement.^1
After the Ferguson protests in 2014, progressives got President Obama to
limit this program. But Trump reversed that order, and also scaled back
the Department of Justice's investigations into police misconduct.
There are a lot of things we need to do to end institutional racism and
stop police brutality. One of those steps is demilitarizing the
police. We're calling on Congress to end the 1033 program. Will you join
the fight?
[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition and tell Congress: Stop giving weapons of war to
local police!
Before the protests against the police murder of George Floyd, the
Minnesota State Patrol had sought military surplus from the Pentagon,
including armored vehicles.^2 In scenes across the country in recent days,
police have used these vehicles and weapons to intimidate peaceful
protest.
Police in Minnesota are calling the protests "urban warfare," revealing
their attitude toward free expression.^3 When police think they are
soldiers, and are equipped like soldiers, they start to treat the public
as a hostile enemy.
The effects are dire, especially for communities of color. Research has
shown that there is more police killing in cities where officers have
access to military gear, and that these weapons and tactics repeatedly
lead to the murder of Black and Latinx people in particular.^4
There is a lot of work to be done to stop police violence and
institutional racism. Ending police militarization is just one of the many
important steps we can take. And as we've seen in recent days, that step
is urgent. Will you help?
[ [link removed] ]Add your name: Tell Congress to stop giving weapons of war to local
police!
Thank you for taking action for justice,
Robert and the team at Demand Progress
Sources:
1. NBC News, "Trump Makes It Easier for Police to Get Military Equipment,"
[ [link removed] ]November 13, 2017.
2. Huffington Post, "Why Protesters In Minneapolis Are Facing Militarized
Law Enforcement," [ [link removed] ]May 29, 2020.
3. The Atlantic, "When Police View Citizens as Enemies," [ [link removed] ]May 31, 2020.
4. Washington Post, "Why does the Minneapolis police department look like
a military unit?," [ [link removed] ]May 28, 2020.
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