Anti-Prop 69 Press Conference in Fresno

People of Color respond to
Police Chief Dyer's endorsement of Prop 69.

**** Press Conference **** Press Conference ****

· When: 5:00 p.m. Thursday, October 21, 2004

· Who: Comite NO NOS VAMOS, National Action Network and others

· Where: In front of Fresno Police Headquarters, Mariposa Mall b/w N & M street

What is Prop 69? California already has a criminal DNA database. Each year in California, more than 50,000 felony arrests do not result in criminal charges. Example… You're one of many victims of identity theft or racial profiling who has been falsely accused and arrested for a crime you did not commit. You are eventually released when police realize the error. But, under Prop 69, not before having your DNA seized and stored in the DNA database for matching against crime scene evidence all over the state.

Police already have too much power: Prop 69 gives them much more Prop 69 equates arrest with guilt, and gives police, rather than judges and juries, the power to decide whose DNA will be taken and stored in a massive government criminal database. Innocent people do not belong in a criminal DNA database.

What is Racial Profiling? "Threat and Humiliation" a study recently released by Amnesty International found that approximately thirty-two million Americans, a number equivalent to Canada report they have been victims of racial profiling.

Racial Profiling directly affects Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Persian Americans, American Muslims, many immigrants and visitors, and under certain conditions, White Americans. It happens to both women and men, affects all age groups, people from all socio-economic backgrounds, and occurs in rural, suburban and urban areas. Here in Fresno, one just has to look at Fresno Police Departments traffic statistics to see the working of racial profiling in action.

What is Oct 22? The 9th annual National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation is the day for thousands across the country to speak out and act. Over 50 cities in the Nation will stand out, protest and stay silent no more. Our resistance will give others courage. Here in Fresno, the Fresno PD stats indicate that although Hispanics make up 39.9% of Fresno population, Use of Force is used 49.3% of the time at time of contact. Even more depressing is the 30.3% Use of Force on Blacks who are only 8.4% of our City's population. According to our data, over 30 persons have died in confrontations with officers in Fresno, Kings, Madera and Tulare Counties since 2001.
****For more info. call Gloria Hernandez (559) 268-2261 or Rev. Floyd Harris 288-0828*****