8/10/2019 SA Demands Letter

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To all those united in the struggle against racism & poverty:

The mass movement triggered by the police murders of Michael Brown and Eric Garner is evolving inBoston, from one of spontaneous marches to fewer, more planned demonstrations. ocialist !lternativefeels the time has come to discuss the demands we should collectively put forward.

"irst, we say we should call for the demilitarization of the police as a step toward theirdisarmament.#bama$s plan to fund body cameras came loaded with nearly %'' million for morearmy hardware to go to cops, on top of the %(.) billion spent so far on everything from tan*s to sniperrifles. +olice militariation promotes an -us vs. them mentality among cops, ma*ing it easier for themto see ordinary people as threats. +olice can$t be trusted with heavy weapons. The power to *ill needs to

be ta*en out of their hands & the social conditions encouraging them to *ill need to be bro*en down.

!s we$ve seen in "erguson, closed grand /uries dont result in /ustice. +ower over the police needs tobe in the hands of the communities they are supposed to, but fail to, serve. Boston should establishelected boards of community memberswith the power to review incidents of police misconduct andracist violence and to fire and indict officers. Even Boston$s blac* police complain about racism in thecity government so control of the police can$t be entrusted to the Mayor0 it has to be in our hands.

1espite open invitations for meeting coming from Mayor 2alshs office, his statements about theprotests have been more concerned with -disruption of city functions, and he has made no attempt toactually engage with the issues being brought up by our thousands3strong actions. !t minimum, we

thin* nocriminal charges should be levied against arrested protestersto show the Mayor is seriousabout the concerns of the movement and our right to protest for them.

"rom the very beginning this movement has recognied the problem is not /ust the police, but thewhole damn system. 2e need demands tomake the link between police repression and poverty,much li*e M45s +oor +eoples 6ampaign did during the 789's. nstead of more money going toprisons & police weapons, lets demand funding for schools, college & day care, a mass /obs programwith union rights and living wages for all wor*ers, housing subsidies and other programs to benefitwor*ing and poor people in the city.

2e invite anyone reading this letter to come to our public meeting on Thursday, ;anuary 7