BLOC Continues to Stand with Sterling Brown Despite City Attorney’s Comments

August 28, 2018

We are completely disgusted at the opinion of the City Attorney that he felt Sterling Brown’s rights weren’t violated during his police interaction. How many more statements, and press conferences, must we have before law enforcement is held accountable? Our community is tired of the frustration that the police are never at fault and are seemingly above the law. If they are never at fault, then where do we draw the line? Where is the accountability? What message does it send to our community that we are over policed and criminalized for existing in our Black and Brown bodies and the police department is never at fault? In a city and a state where we prioritize putting more money into the police department than we do in education and into creating thriving communities, the City Attorney is sending the message that our lives are not valuable. Milwaukee is home to the most incarcerated zip code in the world. Black and Brown people are not allowed the freedom to thrive and dream, we can only focus on surviving day to day and hope police interactions don’t end up deadly. White supremacy has deep roots in the police department, and it rears it ugly head every day.

Almost all of our BLOC Canvass Ambassadors have had negative police interactions, myself included. At BLOC, we knock on doors and educate our community about the political process and the power each of us has, despite what society tells us. I say this because we all remember Terry Williams who was shot and killed by a Sheriff Deputy at the lakefront last year. The Black community came together and held then Sheriff Clarke accountable, and 2 weeks ago we elected a new Sheriff who will support our community and value our lives. If necessary, we will do the same to the City Attorney in 2020.

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Angela Lang
BLOC Executive Director