20th of March, 2022. It’s been 736 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
ETA: A previous version of this post stated that two of the officers involved in George Floyd’s killing were of Asian descent. We have not yet been able to confirm the race of the second officer and so have updated that below.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight by four Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers. This gut-wrenching tragedy, in addition to the police murders of Tony McDade, Yassin Mohamed, Sean Reed, Breonna Taylor, Steven Taylor, the vigilante murder of Ahmaud Arbery, and the hate crime murder of Nina Pop, and countless others, has re-sparked collective outrage that is being met with the brute force of state repression — all during a pandemic that is disproportionately claiming Black and Indigenous lives in this country.
We, as Asians4BlackLives (A4BL), join our comrades in denouncing these gross displays of state-sanctioned police violence, and renew our call to all non-Black people of Asian descent to move in solidarity with Black communities for Black liberation and resistance.
We cannot look past the fact that at least one of the MPD police officers involved in the murder of George Floyd, Tou Thao, is Asian American. While we acknowledge the complex and contradictory histories of who make up “Asian Americans,” another instance of the direct involvement of officers of Asian descent in the death of a Black man is not just a damning symbol for Asian American complicity in the death of Black people, but also a direct manifestation of anti-Blackness in our communities.
This history of anti-Blackness runs deep, from the murder of Latasha Harlins by Soon Ja Du to daily practices of racial profiling and cultural appropriation. Non-Black Asians must act swiftly to end all forms of violence against Black people. We call on Asian Americans to reject the model minority myth, which was historically created to delegitimize Black resistance while absolving non-Black Americans from addressing systemic racism. It is our duty to continue the legacy of past and present Black and Asian solidarity — from activists like Yuri Kochiyama, Grace Lee Boggs, and Kartar Dhillon to the Black Buffalo soldiers who defected from the U.S. army in support of Philippine independence. This means organizing our communities in solidarity and protesting using a diversity of tactics, including shutting down business as usual to ensure that each life wrongfully taken by the police does not go in vain.
Abolish the Police
We echo what Black activists have said countless times: the institution of modern-day policing — with its origins in slave-catching — has always served to protect private property and the ruling elite at the expense of Black, Indigenous, and poor and working class communities. Police violence against Black people is not the result of some officers being “a few bad apples.” The trees producing these apples are rotten to the roots. The problem cannot be fixed with simple reform measures — abolition of the police as an institution is necessary to prevent further Black lives from being lost.
Uplift Black Resistance, Help Build Black Power
We uplift the demands from the Movement for Black Lives and amplify the call to divest from police and invest in community. We also join Reclaim the Block,Black Visions Collective, and others who have called on the Minneapolis City Council to defund the Minneapolis Police Department (and all police departments) and invest in resources that actually keep Black communities (and thereby also all communities) safe and healthy by sharing and signing this petition.
We urge our communities to continue to join spaces and groups of people that are on the frontlines of building a society rooted in Black Power and Black Liberation, a world where Black Lives truly matter:
Build strong communities and community safety plans; #DontCalltheCops.
Fight to abolish the prison industrial complex that continuously profits from locking up Black people and perpetuates a never-ending cycle of criminalization and violence. #AbolishPrisons.
Fight to #CancelRent and raise the minimum wage so that Black communities can afford to live in the neighborhoods they are often displaced from.
Fight for a just transition, a #BlackNewDeal, #RedNewDeal and a #GreenNewDeal to counter the greed of corporations that for too long have profited off of the destruction of our Mother Earth and the environmental racism that disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous people.
Fight for #MedicareForAll, so that Black people can have access to quality healthcare that does not lead to catastrophic spending and bankruptcy.
Fight for a society in which wealth is not concentrated in the hands of a few billionaires who utilize the police to violently protect their interests.
Fight against imperialism, which threatens Black communities globally, and support people-led movements worldwide.
Build life together that promotes not just surviving, but thriving: SOLUTIONS not PUNISHMENT.
Research the Black-led groups in your area. Talk to your non-Black friends and family about anti-Blackness. Listen, plug in to action, and donate to Black individuals and organizations.
Donate to vetted, Black-led organizations, bailfunds, and allied groups in your area. In Minnesota, we recommend the following, which are currently accepting donations as of June 1, 2020: George Floyd’s family GoFundMe,CTUL, a low-income worker of color-led organization (mostly Latinx) down the block from where George Floyd was killed, who have been offering mutual aid to protesters, and Northstar Health Collective, street medics treating people and training folks how to take care of each other in protests.
In all these struggles, follow the leadership and center the perspectives of those most affected.
All lives do not matter until Black Lives Matter. Asian Americans need to strengthen our solidarity with our Black siblings. We must struggle and fight together for an end to the unjust siege against Black communities everywhere, and put an end to the police state and all forms of state-sanctioned violence.
Together, with our comrades, we demand:
Justice for George Floyd Justice for Tony McDade Justice for Yassin Mohamed Justice for Sean Reed Justice for Breonna Taylor Justice for Steven Taylor Justice for Ahmaud Arbery Justice for Nina Pop Justice for all Black Lives
Happy Birthday to the beautiful Breonna Taylor She should would have been celebrating her 27th birthday today, instead we’re mourning her tragic death because she was murdered while she slept Continue to #sayhername until we get Breonna the justice she deserves and the officers are arrested/charged. • • Please make sure you’ve signed the Breonna Taylor Petition and donate to the gofundme page for Breonna’s family if your able to (both links will be posted daily on my IG story) #breonnataylor #justiceforbreonnataylor #birthdayforbreonna https://www.instagram.com/p/CBFFNjxjsCm/?igshid=12g1h32xlqyom
What can I say right now that hasn’t already been screamed, cried, shouted, pleaded? As a black women with black brothers and friends and cousins etc. I know all too well how many in this country see and treat us. I’ve heard, seen, experienced my own mistreatment of police officers. And by the grace of God I was able to walk away from those encounters, but obviously not everyone is as fortunate. I attempted to honor just the smallest portion of lives lost in this manner, but drawing a pretty picture isn’t enough. We all need to do our part and take action! Keep scrolling to the second to last page to see what you can do. Please make sure to sign the petition for the officers who murdered George Floyed here https://www.justiceforbigfloyd.com/ so that they can be charged for their actions and please please please spread the word
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.“
If they weren’t afraid of you, they wouldn’t try to silence you. // Reduced polling stations. Voters being turned away from polling stations due to lack of ballots. USPS Mailboxes being removed from neighborhoods. Mail being slowed down. States rejecting ballots due to ballots reaching late because of the mail slow down even if they are postmarked by the election date.
This what voter suppression looks like!! Let’s elect change to put an end to it There are primary elections being held in 3 states today: Alaska, Florida and Wyoming. // In person voting for Alaska ends at 8pm. Mail in ballots must be postmarked with today’s date. // In person voting for Florida ends at 8pm. Mail in ballots must be dropped off at a designated secure drop box by 7pm. DO NOT mail your ballot. It will NOT be counted. // In person voting for Wyoming ends at 7pm. Mail in ballots must be hand delivered to your county clerk’s office no later than 7pm. DO NOT mail your ballot today. It will NOT be counted. Make sure you sign ✍️your ballot ✉️ // Your voice matters. Your opinion matters. Your community matters. Your issues matter. Your rights matter. Your vote matters. Go vote . . . . . . . #vote #votelocal #votingmatters #votebymail #mailinballot #saveusps #runtoprotest #blacklivesmatter #johnlewis #goodtrouble #rightsideofhistory #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforbreonnataylor #justiceforvanessaguillen #irunwithmaud #runner #blackrunners #runningmoms #momswhorun #asthmaticrunner #diverserunnersworld #diversewerun #amplifymelanatedvoices #blacklivesstillmatter #blackgirlsrun #womensrunning https://www.instagram.com/p/CEChvndH8bz/?igshid=k73p0nqfj7pn
Fourth in a series I of comics about protesting safety tips I made with @this.is.ysabel . This one is about the dangers of police surveillance and how to avoid it if possible. Keep being safe when you go out. Don’t get snatched!
I am writing on behalf of Breonna Taylor. We demand that John Mattingly, Detective Brett Hankison, and Detective Myles Cosgrove are fired immediately and charged with manslaughter and negligence. We demand that a special prosecutor be appointed to investigate the Louisville Police Department immediately. We demand that a special session be convened to ban no-knock warrants immediately. We demand justice for Breonna Taylor.
You cannot shoot an innocent civilian and call it a “clerical error” – we will not have it. We demand that you appoint a special prosecutor to immediately investigate the Louisville police department. JUSTICE FOR BREONNA.
The virtual protest on Twitter is starting Friday June 5th at 3pm Eastern time use #JusticeForBreonna and tag @GovAndyBeshear, @djaycameron, @danielcameronag, @repjohnarmuth, @RandPaul, and @senatemajldr.
Tweet:I demand that John Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Detective Myles Cosgrove are charged and arrested for the murder of Breonna Taylor.
In a second tweet, write: I demand that you appoint a special prosecutor to immediately investigate the Louisville police department.
NY come and get ittttt Stay loud and keep it up! And keep wearing those masks babies!!! Be loud and make them hear us! Vis your voice, boots on the ground, or with your paper If you’re gonna be on the ground let me know for buddying up or if anyone needs tips and resources, here to help! Stay safe out there fam. Don’t forget to have numbers of legal counsel ready. See anyone arrested, get their names! No pics of faces!! To my friends in other states doing the damn thing, I see y’all. Make this Sunday count PS: Defund the police, FUCK DE BLASIO, and let’s get babashook . . . . Heads up @justiceforgeorgenyc @justiceforgeorgequeens #blm #nyc #nypd #curfew #queens #weheartastoria #blacklivesmatter #justiceforgeorgefloyd #goth #brooklyn #bronx #statenisland #america #trump #maga #justicefortonymcdade #motd #keepamericagreat #backtheblue #ootd #justiceforbreonnataylor #sundayfunday #astoria #nojusticenopeace #nycprotest #queensprotest (at Astoria (Astoria, New York)) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBIl1UYBVYD/?igshid=1cw5p074g70l3
Updated bio with action, resources, places to donate, and references coming in hot! All info in the link in bio . . . . #queens #nyc #openyourlobby #justiceforgeorgefloyd #motd #astoria #ootd #justiceforbreonnataylor #goth #nypd #sheriffdeputy #serveandprotect #womenfortrump #weheartastoria #queensprotest #protest #trump #backtheblue #policefamily #kag #blacksfortrump #nojusticenopeace #keepamericagreat #america #maga https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-qKhUB0Do/?igshid=1r3jsokoooxxp
Queens Protest 5/30/20 Speak the fuck up. Show up, don’t be silent. White people, take cues from organizers and your black sisters and brothers at protests. You are there to support, not to lead! Be an ally, be an accomplice, be the fucking help. Use your privilege for change, equality, be present. And wear a mask, we are still in a pandemic. But don’t be neutral! #blacklivesmatter #queensprotest #protestforgeorgefloyd #queens #nyc #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforbreonnataylor #justicefortonymcdade #justiceforahmaudarbery #wasyourhands #coronavirus (at Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5TKUIhho6/?igshid=1wvrx12n9aimz
Racism is deeply embedded in the police force, and we must continue to fight for change there and every other aspect of life in this country. We are exhausted, we are tired, we are sad, angry and most of all we are hurting. However we will not stop, We will continue to keep fighting to change the justice system in our country. We demand accountability, equality, respect, justice and extensive systemic change. We will not stop until we receive it.
* Photo Edit By @__darid * * * SGS COSMETICS Iced Up Loose Powder Highlight on Moira and Starlit, HBIC Loose Powder Highlight on Lasha, and Play Girl lashes on Starlit. All 3 Ladies are wearing SGS Gloss! @sgscosmetics #ad
✊ The Time Is Now. Rise Up Against Injustice ✊ - Background by @oladimeg - ✊✊✊ - #blacklivesmatter #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforbreonnataylor #justiceforahmaud
Yesterday a group of Indigenous folks righteously tore down the statue of Christopher Columbus at the Minnesota State Capitol. Unsurprisingly, shortly after, state police arrived in riot gear to protect the fallen statue from further damage. Much has been said about the “failings” of police being able to keep people safe, but this idea of failure assumes that the function of the police is to keep all people safe. Images such as this should remind us of the dangers of reform, and that the true function of police is to protect whiteness and white supremacy. They are proxy for colonial militia, upholding both the material and ideological conditions of white supremacy. In the American mythos, police are positioned as heroes and so of course to many, and to white civil society especially, their brutality and violence is confusingly. Though, the brutality is the point. To position black, brown and indigenous people as wild, as uncivilized and violent police create only the illusion of safety, that all that stands between order and societal collapse is immobility and constraint of black, brown and indigenous people. Images such as this offer an easy and perfect lens into the function of the police, you cannot reform a colonial militia away from violence and patrol. If it is safety we want, if it is equity and liberation we want, we have to admit, collectively, that police are antithetical to this goal. They are an ideological death cult, they are willing to brutalize indigenous people to protect the stone bust of one of the architects of white supremacy. Symbols matter, statues alert a society to its values, and so does the defense of these statues. Tear them all down. Abolish police now! #blacklivesmatter #nativelivesmatter #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforbreonnataylor #freeleonardpeltier #abolishpolice @unicorn.riot https://www.instagram.com/p/CBTv1lNFg3v/?igshid=p4mkurza7h00
In the middle of the night on March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was senselessly killed by police as she slept in her own home. Breonna was a daughter, friend, sister, and hero in her community.
Since her death, no one has been charged for her murder. The only semblance of justice that we have seen is the passing of the Breonna Law in Kentucky. But there is still much work to be done to ensure that other innocent people do not continue to lose their lives in the same manner.
Your name will forever be on our minds, in our hearts, and on our lips as we SAY YOUR NAME.
24th of April, 2022. It’s been 771 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
17th of April, 2022. It’s been 764 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
10th of April, 2022. It’s been 757 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
3rd of April, 2022. It’s been 750 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
27th of March, 2022. It’s been 743 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
20th of March, 2022. It’s been 736 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
13th of March, 2022. It’s been 2 years. 729 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
6th of March, 2022. It’s been 722 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
27th of February, 2022. It’s been 715 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
20th of February, 2022. It’s been 708 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
13th of February, 2022. It’s been 701 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
6th of February, 2022. It’s been 694 days since Breonna Taylor was killed by the LMPD & Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly & Miles Cosgrove haven’t faced charges or been arrested for her death.
On March 13th, Louisville police broke down the door of Breonna Taylor and fired into her apartment, killing her. Today would have been her 27th birthday.
You can find the petition and other actions to help seek justice for Breonna by clicking the link below.
