Statement on the killing of Amir Locke by Minneapolis Police
The recent murder of Amir Locke by Minneapolis Police yet again underscores the urgent and pressing need for better protection of our Black and Brown people throughout the nation from law enforcement. The video in this matter (see video at www.saobserver.com) clearly shows a reckless assault against a young man who was sleeping innocently at a friend’s apartment before being accosted by a heavily armed tactical team at nearly 7 o’clock in the morning. As his mother stated, “Amir never had a chance.”
The insensitivity that it takes to repeat the longstanding and most recent and recurring mistakes in the way law enforcement hunts us is overtly shameful. These officers and their supervisors should be immediately fired, not suspended. When is enough, enough?
This country has to do better. More of us have to take a stand for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s our duty, our responsibility, as a people to speak up and use our voices and continue to hold people accountable for their actions. Our collective work and voice ensures that the stories of the community are told and used to advance the struggle of generations to come.
The George Floyd Global Memorial stands in solidarity with the Locke Family and others. The race is not over.
In God we trust.
