Tag Archives: BIPOC

BIPOC, National

Trump Makes proclamation on “National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens”

The White House released more election red meat for a segment of his base who find racist language appealing. The “Proclamation on National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens” released Friday is full of loaded race-baiting and misleading language.

“Our Nation solemnly stands alongside the mothers and fathers who are no longer able to see their children grow up and have families of their own and for the sons and daughters who have lost a parent or loved one at the hands of someone who never should have been inside our country in the first place.”

Donald Trump – President of the United States

Viewed as a slap in the face by the Mexican community November 1 is also Dia De Los Muertos holiday and the day picked by the Trump Administration to recognize National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens.

Dia De Los Muertos, literally translated to The Day of the Dead, blends pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and Aztec rituals, with European pagan and the Catholic Church All Souls Day. The celebration honors deceased family members. Celebrants believe the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve one day a year. The souls of the dead return to be among the living to feast, drink, play music, and dance with those they loved. To honor their presence, family members treat the souls as cherished guests leaving favorite foods at their gravesites and gifts and offerings on an ofrenda, or offering.

This isn’t the first time that the Trump administration has picked a date to coincide with significant events in the Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) communities. Early this year, Trump initially picked June 19, also known as Juneteenth, for his Tulsa, Oaklahoma rally. That rally turned into a superspreader event for COVID-19. The proclamation is also riddled with falsehoods and exaggerated facts. The statement there is 400 miles of new fence along the Mexico border is factually accurate, but almost all of that is a replacement fence that was budgeted before Trump took office.

Trump did his photo opportunity at Saint John’s Episcopal Church on June 1, the same day Black Wall Street was burned and hundreds killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. The administration initially picked June 19, also known as Juneteenth, as the date for a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event was moved after pressure from the GOP and Oklahoma officials.

The declaration has echoes of fascist regimes such as Nazi Germany, where Adolph Hitler made similar proclamations against Jews and would publish the list of Jewish crimes in state-owned newspapers.

David Obelcz contributed to this story.

BIPOC, Local, National

BLM protesters march after shooting of Kevin Peterson Jr.

Black Lives Matter protesters, mostly dressed in black bloc, held a vigil at Cowen Park in Seattle on Friday for Kevin Peterson Junior. Peterson Jr. was shot and killed by three Clark County sheriffs deputies in Hazel Dell, Washington, on Thursday, October 29. Hazel Dell is located about 12 miles north of Portland, Oregon.

Protesters gather in response to the Kevin Peteson, Jr. police shooting in Hazel Dell, Washington.

On Thursday night, Clark County Sheriff deputies pursued Kevin Peterson, Jr. as part of an alleged drug investigation. Initially, Clark County Sheriff’s office stated that Peterson Jr. had a gun, had fired at deputies. Later on Friday, officials walked back the statement.

“Soon after the foot chase began, the man produced a handgun, and the officers backed off. A short time later, the subject encountered three Clark County deputies who all discharged their pistols. During the crime scene investigation, a Glock model 23, 40 caliber pistol was found near the deceased by independent crime scene investigators.”

Battle Ground Police Chief Mike Fort

Olivia Selto, Peterson Jr’s. girlfriend, reported she was on a video call at the time of the pursuit and witnessed Peterson Jr. get shot. She said that deputies did not check his condition as the call remained connected, and then terminated the call on the phone.

Initially, the Camas Police Department took on the investigation, but I-940 does not allow for neighboring police departments to investigate police shootings. The Battleground, Washington Police Department is acting as the public liaison for the investigation.

Back in Seattle, a group of approximately 50 people marched through the streets of the University District calling on bystanders to “get into the streets.” The march received a positive response from observers and gained several participants along Greek Row near the University of Washington. The Seattle Police Department reported that windows were broken at a Starbucks, and several arrests were made.

David Obelcz contributed to this story.

Breaking News, Local

UPDATED Amazon security guard drives car through protesters, at least 1 injured, driver in custody

Video 5 Comments

A vehicle drove through protesters outside of the Seattle West Precinct police station, striking at least three protesters with reports of at least one injured. A group from Seattle’s Every Day March, on their 151st day of protest were outside of the police station when a car exited from a parking garage and drove through the crowd. Reports from the scene indicate the driver is an Amazon security guard, who was asked by protesters to drive a different route but instead drove through the group. Seattle Police are reporting they have a driver in custody.

Earlier reports of Seattle car brigade drivers being ticketed appear to be untrue based on video from the scene, with drivers issued written warnings.

Among the victims was a person who was with Summer Taylor and Diaz Love on July 4, when Taylor was killed and Love gravely injured in an early morning motor vehicle attack while protesting on Interstate 5. Washington State Patrol had closed the freeway, but left access to the off-ramps open.

Video shows a large group outside of the precinct, and screams of terror as the car drove through the protesters. After there was a scene of chaos with Seattle Police working on issuing written warnings to the car brigade drivers and later harassing Every Day March leaders while they were trying to leave.

This is at least the sixth car attack against protesters in Seattle since June 7, 2020. Nikolas Fernandez drove his car into protesters on June 7, shooting one in the arm before surrendering to the police. Fernandez has been charged with felony assault. Retired Seattle police officer Molly Clark drove her car through a Seattle protest while hurling racial slurs. Clark retired from the Seattle Police Department was never charged. A Doordash driver drove through the bike brigade during a march, clipping a person and destroying a bike. That driver was never charged. Dawit Kelete drove his Jaguar SUV into protesters on I-5 in the early morning hours of July 4. He was arrested and has been charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving.

Seattle Municipal Code Section12A.12.015(A)(4) allows protesters and vehicles to block traffic and be in the street while exercising their First Amendment rights.

Renee Raketty contributed to this story.

BIPOC, Local

Art installation raises ire of SPD East Precinct

The CHOP Gallery on Seattle’s Capitol Hill may not be open to the public but its new installation is already raising the ire of its neighbor — the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct.

The installation includes up to five projectors streaming protest-related content onto the north-facing windows on E. Pine St. and onto the precinct itself.

A projector from the John Mithcell Art Gallery shines a mural of George Floyd onto the barricades around the East Precinct. Renee Racketty, copyright 2020, all rights reserved

The curator, John Mitchell, gave Malcontent News a tour on Monday. The projectors have not been mounted yet to their permanent positions as he continues to perfect their placement. Some of the projectors, which he acquired used, had once fetched $25,000 each.

“These are professional grade projectors once used by Nike — not sponsored,” he says.

A projector from the John Mithcell Art Gallery shines an image of Breonna Taylor on a wall close to the East Precinct. Renee Racketty, copyright 2020, all rights reserved

Before Mitchell could finish his thought, a marked SPD police cruiser pulled up. “Mr. Mitchell…” the officer began to say from his rolled-down driver side window. The officer went on to explain that one of the projectors made it difficult for him to see oncoming traffic.

Mitchell, himself an accomplished photographer, says he just wants to spark dialogue in the community and encourage other artists to act.

BIPOC, Local

1500 march in Seattle for 150 Days of BLM Protest

Video

The video includes strong language, discussion on violence, and police activity.

An estimated crowd of 1500 assembled on Capitol Hill to march in recognition of 150 days of continuous Black Lives Matter protests in Seattle. Assembling at Cal Anderson Park, once the heart of CHOP, at 6 PM, the crowd continued to swell as a host of speakers and organizers addressed the enthusiastic crowd. Three black-owned businesses did a brisk business before protesters assembled for their march.

The march route went through downtown and stopped briefly at the West Precinct. The Seattle police reported graffiti was painted on the ecology blocks that surround the building, and some bottles were thrown. We witnessed fresh graffiti but did not see, nor hear any bottles. The march then went to Westlake, where there were more speeches by organizers and black leaders, a candlelight vigil, and live music by the Marshall Law Band. During this time a group of an estimated 100 protesters broke off and moved traffic barricades into the street according to Seattle Police Department reports.

For the return to Capitol Hill a smaller group, who had attended for over four hours, marched back to Broadway and Pine. As the evening march concluded, a large group from ENDD in black bloc, marched east on Pine before turning north on 11th. A resident of Capitol Hill reported that eggs had been thrown at the East Precinct and there was fresh graffiti.

Seattle police then appeared in force heading west on Pine and drove at a high rate of speed north on 12th. When our team moved to investigate, a large group of protesters rounded the corner at 12th and Pine, heading west, with Seattle Police chasing them with dye enhanced pepper spray and batons. No pepper spray was deployed, and upon our arrival with cameras, SPD released two they were just taking into custody and told the third person, “take a walk.” One was held by SPD while one community member yelled from a window and another protester heckled officers. Ultimately the individual was released.