June 3rd, 2020
We are grateful to already be able to share a hopeful update to yesterday’s newsletter. We understand that yesterday afternoon Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood joined protestors in Niagara Square to listen to and speak with them. He has also agreed to another more formal talk with the organizers later this month. Their protest ended shortly after.
We hope Commissioner Lockwood will consider doing the same for our Speakout on the 9th. We want greater accountability from the Buffalo Police Department and see this as a positive step in that process for our city. We appreciate County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s presence yesterday and support for ending racial injustices both in Buffalo and around the nation. Please see also Mayor Byron Brown’s frank talk yesterday about racism.
Peace, thanks, solidarity, and yes – love.
The 5pm Sat 5/30 event at City Hall today is not organized by the WNY Peace Center, nor do we know the organizers. We have not seen any indication that it’s organized or endorsed by any local groups. Moreover, trouble is expected in a number of different ways. Local leaders at Black Love Resists in the Rust are not endorsing and advising people not to go. We echo their advice.
We are organizing another Speakout on Ethical Peace Officers, details to be publicized on Monday. We work with determination to end racism, injustice, domination, and violence. #BlackLivesMatter #SayTheirNames #EnoughisEnough #Unite
We grieve with George Floyd’s family, and are outraged at the heinous crimes against people of color, including state-sponsored violence. This crisis must lead to substantive radical change in our racist institutions. No more excuses.
Below is our press release from Tuesday, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. We have yet to get a response from the Mayor or the BPD administration. We will proceed Monday with the planning.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Heron Simmonds 716-948-3577
Victoria Ross 716-931-3520
WNY Peace Center stmt & invite to Mayor & BPD to a Speakout on Ethical Peace Officers
WNYPC Statement, from the WNYPC’s Racial Justice Taskforce:
We at the WNY Peace Center are extremely alarmed at the recent video of two Buffalo Police officers repeatedly punching a captive man in the head, coupled with many terrible stories of aggressive, unreasonable, and/or racist behavior on the part of Buffalo Police Officers, as told by attendees at the Buffalo Police Advisory Board Meeting of 5/20/20.
We urge Mayor Brown, Commissioner Lockwood, and Deputy Commissioners Gramaglia and Lark to join us in a Speak-Out for Ethical Peace Officers, on June 9, 6pm or at a mutually agreed upon time. We invite you to come for an open and honest (virtual) discussion on standards of conduct, use of force, and DE-ESCALATION. How can we get to a police force that respects all citizens regardless of race or color? And a community that sees the police as a resource and not a risk.
We echo the numerous calls by Partnership for the Public Good, Voice Buffalo, and many others to suspend the officers without pay who engaged in the illegal and immoral behavior in the video. Those authorized to bear arms must be the least violent – not the most.
We work for a culture of peace. And we’ll only get Peace through Justice. We invite your participation.
WNY Peace Center’s Racial Justice Taskforce
————
What: Invite to a Speakout on Ethical Peace Officers
When: TBD; suggested June 9, 6pm, – or another mutually agreed upon date.
Where: On zoom
Who: Mayor Byron Brown, Commissioner Byron Lockwood, Deputy Commissioners Barbara Lark and Joseph Gramaglia, and the community are invited to a Speakout on Ethical Peace Officers
hosted by the WNY Peace Center and its Racial Justice Taskforce.
wnypeace.org ###
May 19th, 2020
In an effort to limit digital overload, we are highlighting a few special events this week and then refer you to our website for details on our regularly scheduled events and COVID-19 ‘Helping Hands’ resource list.
– Tonight at 8, join the reactivated Racial Justice taskforce for a physically distanced conference call to determine how the WNYPC can address local issues of police brutality, policing standards, and other racial disparities. Call in to 701-802-5296 using Access Code 4891145.
– Tomorrow at 6 PM, come be part of grounding the drones and ending the wars with the Resist Militarism! taskforce. Planning is in process for (physically distant) events in Niagara Falls, with PeaceAction Niagara University and more; for moving toward having monuments for Peacemakers not just warmakers; retracting the AUMF; and more. All are welcome via Zoom using Meeting ID 886 4837 5765 and Password 053203.
– Then join the Buffalo Police Advisory Board for its virtual town hall tomorrow night at 7:30. This will be a space for participants to share their feelings on current local police practices and events, as well as an opportunity to share ideas on what policing should look like in the future. To join on Zoom, use Meeting ID 990 2923 4912 and Password PABMeeting.
– On Thursday at 1 PM, the Alliance for Families for Justice presents its town hall on the plight of families of those incarcerated during COVID-19. Hear family members with loved ones incarcerated in NYS prisons share their lived experiences and urgent concerns. We demand a plan from Governor Cuomo to address the COVID-19 crisis in prisons and save lives! Upon registration, you will be sent the link and password to the Zoom meeting; registration closes tomorrow, May 20th.
Lastly, we want to announce that the Immigrant & Refugee Justice (IRJ) taskforce has postponed their May monthly meeting until next week. Please visit their Facebook group for more details, including their #IRJtoRally, #IRJtoAct, and #IRJtoRead activities.
Please see details and much more below, including special events this week, regularly scheduled events, campaigns, fundraisers, and more at wnypeace.org, on our Facebook page, Twitter (@wnypeace), and Instagram (@wnypeace)! We update our Event Calendar often as we learn of new events, so please be sure to check back regularly!
*** And lastly, a reminder to pace yourselves – do only what you can without engaging in digital overload. No one call do it all. Let us know what kind of help you might need from the WNYPC; please feel free to reach out!
Peace, thanks, solidarity and yes – love.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
