Prince George’s Changemakers (PGC) Coalition led a rally on Monday afternoon, gathering more than 50 supporters despite heavy rain, thunder and lightning. Marchers proceeded from Roosevelt Center to Greenbelt Road, where they gathered near the intersection with Southway, chanting and holding signs with messages including “Pass Anton’s Law,” “We Deserve Police Accountability” and “Fewer Police, More Social Workers.” Greenbelt is the eighth city in Prince George’s County where PGC have rallied.
After returning to Roosevelt Center, rally organizers Krystal Oriadha and Amity Pope explained their demands. “We are not being unreasonable when we demand accountability,” Oriadha said. “We will break systemic racism and bring it to its knees, and we’ll do it by policies and legislation.” The organizers were relieved to see how many committed Greenbelters turned up despite the bad weather, to “show up in the rain, stay out, march and advocate.” Oriadha went on to urge the crowd toward further action: “This is what I’m asking all our allies here to do. Black women, since they were stolen and brought here as slaves, have been holding up social movements on their shoulders. Allies, it’s going to cost you something. When you see your neighbors or your family members saying things that are ‘uncomfortable,’ you check them before they leave the house. Don’t allow them to sit comfortably. When you leave here, you have a charge: take a little bit of the burden off our shoulders.”
Policy changes that PGC want to see include the repeal of LEOBR, the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights. Maryland passed the first LEOBR in the United States in 1972, and it remains one of the most protective of police officers in the country.
PGC demand the passage of Anton’s Law, Maryland HB1090/SB1066, which concerns the use of deadly force, complaints against officers, transparency with regards to officers’ records and allowing investigations of officers.
Several important demands for police reform are outlined at 8cantwait.org: ban chokeholds and strangleholds; require de-escalation; require warning before shooting; exhaust all alternatives before shooting; duty to intervene; ban shooting at moving vehicles; require use of force continuum; require comprehensive reporting. City of Greenbelt police and Prince George’s County police have already adopted these practices as their official policy.
PGC demand that police be held more strictly accountable to these policies.
They distributed a printed list of their demands, which fall under the headings of Answer Us, Empower Us and Protect Us: “institute a transparent hiring process for the chief of police that includes community input; repeal LEOBR; pass Anton’s Law; cut police funding and re-invest in communities; fire officers who assault residents, use racist language, or are proven to be racially biased; ban no-knock warrants; take law enforcement out of schools; pass a law prohibiting the use of excessive force; allow for the disclosure of all investigations into police misconduct under the Maryland Public Information Act; demilitarize the police force; ban the use of the 1033 program [distribution of military property to police forces]; include community activists on civilian review boards; and ensure police officers live in the county.” More about the group can be found on their Facebook page.
The rally closed with a chant, using the words of Black feminist revolutionary Assata Shakur: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
