Seattle City Council President: “We Need to Radically Reimagine” Policing
A protestor holds a placard calling to defund police A woman holds a placard calling for the abolition of police during a June 1, 2020 demonstration in Seattle. (Toby Scott/SOPA Images via ZUMA) For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones’ newsletters.On Sunday, when a veto-proof majority on its city…
A Local Police Organization Offers to Hire Cops Called Out for Abuse
Cops banded together last week to stand up for their right to use force whenever they deem necessary. After the suspension of two Buffalo police officers who pushed an unarmed senior citizen last week, 57 fellow officers resigned from the riot squad in protest. Could it be more obvious that some cops are more dedicated to…
Joe Biden Doesn’t Want to Defund the Police
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, made clear today in a statement that he would not support defunding the police. He did say there is an “urgent need for reform,” and he advocated for body-worn cameras and further diversification of the police force. The former vice president, according to the New York Times,…
A Majority of Minneapolis Councilmembers Vowed to Dismantle the City’s Police Department
A large crowd gathered for a community meeting in Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis on Sunday.Julia Lurie/Mother Jones For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones’ newsletters.At a community rally at Powderhorn Park this afternoon, 9 of Minneapolis’ 12 city councilmembers showed up and pledged to dismantle the city’s police department,…
Barr Defends Firing Pepperballs at Peaceful Protesters Before Trump Photo Op
Jose Luis Magana/Getty For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones’ newsletters.Attorney General Bill Barr today tried to downplay the use of chemical irritants on protesters in Washington, DC, last week by insisting they weren’t, well, chemical irritants. “Pepper spray is not a chemical irritant. It’s not chemical” — AG…
Attorney General Barr Says the Law Enforcement System Is Not Racist
Evan Vucci/AP For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones’ newsletters.On CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, Attorney General William Barr acknowledged that though racism exists, he doesn’t think the criminal justice system that disproportionately arrests, imprisons, and kills Black people is racist. “I think there’s racism in the United…