Activists Doing Double Duty as They Protest for BLM and DACA

In light of what is happening in Chicago, protesting is being brought back to the spotlight.

Rioting and looting was the first thing covered after a police shooting in Englewood.

No one was killed in this incident, but one man was injured and is expected to recover.

According to police, they were responding to a report of a young person with a gun and they pursued a suspect who matched the description. The suspect was said to have shot first, causing the police to retaliate.

There have been conflicting stories about the incident, including one account of the events by the victims slightly younger brother. The victims brother claimed police pursued them after someone made a comment to officers in a vehicle.

The group was said to have dispersed to get away from police and the victims brother returned to the block he lives on with his brother.

The victim's brother heard several gun shots and strongly believes that the victim didn’t shoot at the officers. He says the gun they recovered from the scene didn’t belong to his brother.

The officers involved were not wearing body cameras.

One Black Lives Matter organizer stated that the officers went against the Consent Decree. The decree is police reform that is intended to correct patterns of misconduct in a police department.

The city of Chicago entered the decree in January of 2019.

In a section of the decree, it requires that any Chicago Police Officer is required to wear a body camera and if they do not they will be disciplined.

“It's become a serious matter about police practice and reform,” says Marqusha Oliver, Kansas City native.

Black Lives Matter rallies have been occurring in the city as well as some looting and rioting. Retaliation for police brutality has been more frequent in the past few years, but the concept is not at all new.

One very well known instance is the Los Angeles Riots after the beating of Rodney King. Police brutalized King and it was recorded. The recording was used in TV broadcasts and several riots and disturbances occurred following.

Through the years since the L. A. Riots, many have seen that having video evidence of police brutality has helped in sparking movements. In Kansas City, there have been plenty of protests in the recent months.

The city council recently approved the installation of six Black Lives Matter murals. In addition to Black Lives Matter protests, residents of Kansas City have also been protesting for the protection of DACA.

DACA is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It protects children who were brought to the United States without documentation to protect them deportation.

The Trump Administration has started to reject new DACA applications, defying a federal court order.

The groups fighting for Black Lives Matter have shown their solidarity with the Latinx community and organizations.

The Latinx community and organizations like Latinx United For KC have been not only working to fight social injustices for the Latinx community. They have been working to fight all social injustices, showing their solidarity with Black Lives Matter during the protests that followed the death of George Floyd in May.

Black focused organizations like Black Rainbow is now in solidarity with Latinx United and the movement to protect DACA and the people effected by it.

*Published in the Call newspaper August 14, 2020 issue*