On Wednesday, Mayor Jenny Durkan proposed a 5% cut to the Seattle Police Department. The proposal is a $20 million cut from the SPD budget, not to direct towards other social services, but to make up for the massive budget shortfall due to COVID-19 this year.
This is clearly not enough. The Black-led movement in Seattle has been demanding that the city cut 50% from SPD’s budget ($200 million) and direct that money towards community-led social services. We will not stop until these demands are met.
In fact, we’re bringing the demands to her.
JOIN THE MARCH FOR ACCOUNTABILITY THIS SUNDAY and tell Mayor Durkan: Meet Our Demands!
Sunday, June 28 from 5-8PM
Magnuson Park (Magnuson Park baseball fields on Sportsfield Dr NE, Seattle 98115)
For years, Mayor Durkan has betrayed families who have lost loved ones to the police—and ignored the demands of our communities. The march follows both the demands from the movement and from the family of Charleena Lyles:
1. Drop the lawsuits that seek to destroy King County's inquest process (Renton, Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, and the King County Sheriff office).
2. Officer Jason Anderson and Steven McNew: Drop your lawsuit against King county prohibiting the family of Charleena Lyles from getting answers.
3. Defund the Police and Reinvest in Community.
4. Mayor Durkan: Resign.
5. Release the protesters arrested during the uprising without charges.
Please also support Charleena Lyles’ family’s email campaign: tinyurl.com/dropyourlawsuit.
Find the event on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and help us spread the word!
WE NEED YOU
In order for us to fully show up for the movement for Black lives, we need your help! We need your help making sure this family-friendly march is safe and successful.
Please sign-up here for the critical role of parade marshall or for tent duties during the march on Sunday.
If you’d like to help flyer for the event over the next two days, please reach out to your district group on Slack!
GET YOUR T-SHIRTS BEFORE THE MARCH
Our Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color caucus printed amazing Angela Davis t-shirts for DSA members. Sign up here to get one before or at the protest this Sunday. $20 suggested donation to cover printing costs.
SDSA STATEMENT ON KICKING SPOG OUT OF THE LABOR COUNCIL
Our apologies, comrades—our last email had a broken link to the statement. You can read our official statement about the groundbreaking vote to kick SPOG out of the Labor Council here.
In solidarity,
Seattle DSA
