Remember George Floyd

The people who are rioting all over the country and lighting stuff on fire. They want to be heard by the government. I dont blame them. TRUMP dont give 2 sh*ts about no one white, black, Hispanic. Burn it down baby

This protest, nationally, is completely valid. I would like to paraphrase a peaceful protest leader "I" We have a dream today. Martin Luther King Jr. As a community our voices will not be heard if we protest in a violent way. We have as members of society the ability to protest peacefully. If you shed humanity of the ability to protest peacefully, all is lost. Gather family and friends, please protest peacefully and your thoughts will be heard. Please don't vilify yourself as a protester by committing lawlessness among yourselves. Let your voice be heard, these are troubling times to be certain. It escapes our minds to witness such lack of justice. To Live in peace in our communities, we must feel safe. My friends, please keep a non violent protest.

The massive turnout this morning may be the forerunner of meaningful persistent action to change police policy in Santa Cruz.

Or it may be a brief cry of rage in response to the video exposure of the police murder of George Ffoyd.

Or it may be a gathering of symbolic opinion (as happened in Santa Cruz in 2003 on the eve of the 2nd Iraqi War and then melted away with a war that still rages).

Or it could be the beginning of a sustained campaign to demand and institute the most fundamental change here at the local level where we can actually do something rather than wait for the empty promises of Trump and Biden.

Or, as ever, it's also an opportunity for reactionary politicians and police officials (see https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10157788579112562&set=a.10151459395047562 & https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10157782670122946&set=a.51299427945) bowing a knee today and pushing repressive legislation tomorrow.

I suggest some local changes long in coming in the attached flyer which I distributed this morning.

One thing is fairly sure Chief Mills and his boss Bernal won't take action themselves.

See "An Updated Letter to SCPD Police Chief Mills in the Wake of the George Floyd Murder" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/29/18833367.php, for more specifics.