BLM protesters took down the American flag at the site of the Police Chiefs’ Convention in Chicago and put up a flag that read “Unapologetically Black”. The “creation of a new system” is what they want…“We want less money for policing and more money for community services.” Huh? How about the black on black crime in Chicago or do you just ignore that?
The conference is the largest of its kind nationwide, with over 14,000 public safety officers in attendance. The protest was organized by community organizations calling on police departments nationwide to change the way they engage with communities of color.
“What we’re looking for today is to have our voices heard, to show the coalition of voices, to show that black lives matter, to make our voices heard to this very powerful organization that sets policies,” protester Maria Hadden told the station. “We want less money for policing and more money for community services.”
The protesters blocked traffic and took other “Actions … to demonstrate the urgency of our demand for a fundamental shift in the way this country invests in our most valuable resources – our people,” SAID Charlene Carruthers, BYP100 national director, in a news release. “We demand that our lives, our communities and our futures be made a priority. The police chiefs who belong to the IACP and their local departments have a debt to pay for the lives and the resources they’ve stolen and we’re here to collect.”
Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy left the gathering to check on things outside, WLS said, then he returned to deliver his remarks.
“We’re in a tough time for policing right now and I believe we’re at a crossroads. I don’t think this climate has ever existed in the history of American policing,” he told the other chiefs.
Via: WLS