Thread by @SolidCville

WE NEED POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

Celebrate the community's victories in establishing the #Charlottesville Civilian Review Board & speak out on its mission at the City Council public hearing.
WHEN Tonight*** May 21, 5PM
WHERE Freedom of Speech Wall (in front of @CvilleCityHall)

LIVE from Free Speech Wall downtown:

@CvilleBLM kicking off rally celebrating wins of CRB: “We demanded a better resolution & it passed. We demanded a public applicant forum &we had it. We demanded that City Council dissolve the ineffective citizen advisory panel &they did,”

Mark Heisey of @SURJ_Cville giving the first statement.

We need a CRB with “real investigative powers,” calls for the abolition of white supremacy, abolition of the institution of policing.

“When police stood down on A12, they allowed the injury of many protesters and death of Heather Heyer. And there’s been no accountability,” Heisey says.

“Will [newly-appointed Chief of CPD] Brackney hold all the officers accountable for the backlog of complaints? How are we supposed to trust her?

How are we supposed to trust this new chief of police?” Katrina of @CvilleBLM asks.

Community member of @CvilleFund w/ @ignitekindred: “We were unable to bail out any black women, even though we could identify many of them. Jailed for nonviolent offenses. Meanwhile we see Richard Preston and Cantwell get off free,” she says.

“These two white supremacists are sitting comfortably at home for their very violent acts in Cville and at @UVA. Compared to these black women who are in pre-trial detention for nonviolent offenses.”

White supremacists “sitting comfortably at home for very violent acts,” while black women languish in prison is unjust.

PHOTO: Crowd has gathered downtown by the Free Speech Wall to celebrate the coalition's victories over the past 6 months and to demonstrate that #Charlottesville community is committed to meaningful community oversight of our police

.@CvilleDSA: “Enthusiastic support for this review board,”

@socialistdogmom: “What about everyday abuses of police in this town? Not just a11 & a12. Standing at this very spot a few months ago, an older homeless gentlemen was assaulted by CPD. His blood was all over the ground,”

Calls for a “review board with teeth.”

.@JeffFogelforCCA: “The CRB will not be a public relations tool for the city,”

“We will not and cannot accept a half assed review board.” We will not be a cover-up for them.

The Civilian Review Board must be independent of Cville PD.

Fogel: “I got arrested at midnight b/c of a complaint by a white supremacist. I filed a complaint and they said the five officers were justified,”

Officers did not violate policy b/c police don't have policy to review their own misconduct. “We have a lot of fights ahead of us.”

Miss Rosia, CRB candidate & @CvilleBLM activist, speaks of legacy of misconduct & state repression of Cville communities of color by police.

“Im calling out Pleasants, Otis, Thomas, Thomas, Hickey...I have you all in my mind. I have your name & I will have your badge number.”

Miss Rosia calls out the over-policing and under protection of Black people in #Charlottesville by CPD.

“I’m distraught that Pleasants is even still on the force in the top office...we’re tired of the harassment,”

Independent report of CPD determined Pleasants was not authorized to order VSP to use tear gas on J8. His response, now infamous, "you're damn right I gassed them,"

“#BlackLivesMatter. Our Black children should be whoever they choose to be. Black existence makes this world go round.”

Rosia points to the great debt that #Charlottesville and its major institutions owe Black people: “Cville was built on the backs of Black slaves.”

.@CvilleBLM and supporters in the crowd express skepticism of newly-appointed Chief, RaShall Brackney. Though Brackney said she'd read Heaphy independent report and would consider its recommendations, she said she would NOT judge the CPD’s actions on A12.

“I was gassed twice on J8. How's this chief going to change anything?

Doesn’t matter that this chief is a Black woman. What matters is transparency and relationship to community.”

.@CvilleBLM wants accountability of historical violence against and suppression of #Charlottesville communities of color — from slavery to 2018.

#BlackLivesMatter

Katrina of @CvilleBLM: How is it that w/ all of the complaints, no one is held accountable? My son was arrested when he called for help, even though he was injured.

Black residents of Cville have the right to complain but the decision comes back that the citizen is Wrong. 1/2

Arresting black people for “probable cause,” but never saying what you are accused of. “I’ve been doing this for two years and I’m not going to stop.” 2/2

“We are the People’s coalition. We’re doing this for everybody, who knows they won’t get help when they call the police,” concludes Katrina of @CvilleBLM.

The crowd chants "#BlackLivesMatter."

The crowd has dispersed, many community members funneling into @CvilleCityHall early for City Council (6:30PM). Folks will continue to express concern over Civilian Review Board include the CRB's authority, as well as which candidates will make the CRB.