“Our black and brown communities are continuously criminalized-with the perpetual worry that there is a gang problem manifesting. Well there is a gang problem in our cities, our towns, our county’s, our communities: they wear uniforms and badges and are called the police!” Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A) de La Universidad de Santa Cruz California
We, as Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A) de La Universidad de Santa Cruz California, a student run and student led organization that is committed to the advancement of civil and human rights of la Raza people, strives for the educational, gender, cultural, sexual orientation, economic, political, racial and social equity of the community; and who supports the struggle of other progressive movements in our communities stand with our fullest solidarity with the people of Salinas City and Community Organizers who are demanding a 4-point request to the Salinas City Council.
The community of Salinas is calling for the creation of a civilian committee to respond to citizen complaints against the police; a federal investigation into the Salinas Police Department, including officer-involved shootings over the past three years; a review of police training materials, open to the public; and that officers involved in Tuesday’s shooting remain on unpaid administrative leave until an external federal investigation is completed.
[…]
