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Maria Norris said she and other protesters were met with tear gas and force from Asheville police after a peaceful protest Sunday night. Asheville Citizen Times

From May 29-June 6,2020, hundreds of protesters poured into the streets of Asheville to demand justice for the murder of George Floyd, a Black Minneapolis manwho was killed after a white police officer kneeled on his neck fornearly9 minutes.

While some days were filled withmultigenerationalgroups marching through downtown streets chanting, I cantbreathe - Floyd's words before he died -and No justice, no peace, otherdayswere clouded withchemical fogs after police shot pepper balls and tear gas into the crowds.

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Since those tense days that included city-imposed curfews last year, the Asheville Police Departmenthas madesome changes to how it handles protests.

In March, Police Chief David Zack presenteda report of its actionsto City Council.

The study, called an "After Action Report," suggested 11technical changes to police practice and policy, includingrequiring officers to turn on their body cameras while they are policing protests or shooting chemical weapons.

Asheville police 'underreported' use of force, Chief Zack says

The reportalsosuggestedthings some activists find outrageous. The final recommendation: APD will continue to review best practices on crowd control tactics,including the use ofchemical weapons.

Clouds of teargas rise as protesters meet police after hundreds crossed the Bowen Bridge May 31, 2020 in reaction to the death of George Floyd.(Photo: Angela Wilhelm/awilhelm@citizentimes.com)

In July, City Councilunanimouslypassed ameasureto give reparations to Black residents,through promoting homeownership and business opportunities. But, for the 2022 budget, the citys finance department suggested putting just about$1 million into the reparations fund until it can arrange a commission to study the action further (and there is also $200,000 set aside for the study).

For the 2021 and 2022 budgets, the city has moved somefunding and responsibilities away fromthe policeand into different departments,including animal control and noise ordinanceenforcement, but its a far cry from the 50% reduction in police spending that many activists called for last year.

Perhaps the most visible change to the city is theVance Monument:a 75-foot granite obelisk honoringa Confederate-era governor and senator who enslaved people. Crews have been taking it down since May 18, and it is expected to be totally gone by June 2.

Blocks from the Vance Monument are seen on the ground as the obelisk is disassembled May 25, 2021 in Asheville.(Photo: Angela Wilhelm/awilhelm@citizentimes.com)

Still, thepeople who marchedlast summerare divided over what kind of progress has really been made.TheCitizen Timesspoke withfour activistsabout whatthey thinkhas changed since the protests, whats yet to be done, and what the legacy is of the movement in peoples consciousness.

Asheville police investigating officers in spring Black Lives Matter protests

Oralene Simmons is the founder of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County.In the 1960s, she integrated the all-whiteMars Hill College.She was the first Black student enrolled.Her great grandfather, Joseph Anderson, was enslavedand held as collateral to guaranteeone of theloansused to buildthe college.

Simmons wasnt a member of Black Lives Matter, but she admired their work.

Ifeel that it was a movement. And notjusta phrase that people could shout about or have bumper stickers, that it really meant a lot to so many people, she said.

Simmons was on the committee that was established todecide the future of theVance Monument.Shethinks its a good thing that its been taken down,andalsothinksits a step in the right direction thatthe police budget for2022allocates more money for officer training. She believes the department needs to scrutinize who exactly theyre hiring, be rigorous in their accreditation process, and providetransparencywith the public when they do something wrong.

Oralene Simmons is the founder of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County.In the 1960s, she integrated the all-whiteMars Hill College.She was the first Black student enrolled.Her great grandfather, Joseph Anderson, was enslavedand held as collateral to guaranteeone of theloansused to buildthe college.(Photo: Angela Wilhelm/awilhelm@citizentimes.com)

There must be transparency in policing, and policehave tobe held accountable, she said. No one is above the law, and no one is below the law.

As a mother and grandmother ofBlack sonsand grandsons,Simmonssaid she thinks about their interactions with police an awful lot,to the point where I am afraid.

She thinks the department must do everything it can to make sure that another killing of a Black person, like the murder of George Floyd, does not happen in Asheville.

I know that there are so many other mothers that feel that way and thinkcould this happen?she said.

Asheville protests: Munition that hit demonstrator in head likely fired by state trooper

Idris Salaamis a chefwhoworked security for protestersduring the marcheslast summer. He was hit in the hand with a tear gas canister on the JeffBowen Bridge. He said it burned his body, and his phone.

He joined the protests without any group affiliation.

I've always been against police brutality and everything going back to, I guess, when I was a kid, and I have always wanted to be with people who were trying to fight for change, andeverything else. And I had a friend thatrantheBlack Lives Mattermarch last year, and he asked me to be security, Salaam said.

Idris Salaamis a chefwhoworked security for protestersduring the marcheslast summer. He was hit in the hand with a tear gas canister on the JeffBowen Bridge. He said it burned his body, and his phone.(Photo: Angela Wilhelm/awilhelm@citizentimes.com)

Over the years, police brutality in Asheville had worn on him, he named thepolice killing ofJai Lateef Solveig Williamsand beating ofJohnnieRushassituations that especially weighedon his mind.

Stuff like thatthat has been going on and going on and going on, and they kept saying Yeah we'regonnachange, we'regonnachange.I said, No, you guys are not trying to change. I just got fed up, he said.

Salaam also thinks the increased funding forofficertraining, along withthe moving of noise enforcementordinance outside of police jurisdiction,is a good thing,but its not enough.

I could tell you right now that the demands(of last summers protests)have not been met, he said.

It bothers him how secretive the police are with their body camera footage. He thinksit should be released as soon as its asked for.

Healsothinks the Vance Monument coming down is a positive development.

Heshould not have a monument in the middle of the city representing him, Salaam said. He thinks it should be replaced with something dedicated to any one of the numerous notable Black people whove grown up in Asheville: Nina Simone, for example.

The Vance Monument is disassembled in Pack Square May 25, 2021.(Photo: Angela Wilhelm/awilhelm@citizentimes.com)

Heknows the city passed a plan to give residents reparations, but he doesnt understand why its taking so long and why neither he, nor people in his community have been consulted about it.

They're just not doing anything they said they would do, he said, But in the meantime, we've seen hotels go up left and right. Like, what's going on?

Salaam says,for him, one of the protestslegacies is thedeep distrusthe has ofthe policeafter being shot at.

Asheville's black voices: Outrage, fear, hope and plans for change

That's one of the images that stuck in my head. I mean, I'm not afraid of police or anything. But it makes me wonder like, wow, these guys wouldactually do that? Whatever trustIhadin the police is gone. I don't trust them whatsoever, he said.

Healsosaid he gets stopped by police as he walks around his neighborhood, which does the opposite of build trust.

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Gritsisthecommunity outreach coordinator with the Racial Justice Coalition in Asheville. They (Grits uses the pronoun they) area 20-year-old abolitionist.Similar toSalaam, they have misgivings about the reparations process. Theyare also critical of the police budget.

They didn't divest 50% of the police budget, Grits said, it was really just shifting money within the police budget.

If they are having conversations about reimagining public safety and eventual divestment, I'm not hearing it, they said. Not only did they not divest from the police, they also have dragged their feet to create conversations or spaces where folks can talk about what it means to reimagine public safety.

Grits cites the same two instancesof brutality by APD, which Salaam said activated him, but Grits has a different reading: After each incident, the department put in new policies to prevent brutality and killing, but they didnt work.

Reform cannot work, Grits said, The city is just trying to hop on the reform train again. It's ridiculous.

What initiatives are we putting in place outside of cops?The system itself is rotten. So where's the social worker?Wheres themutual aid?Wheresthe mental health practitioners? Wheresharm reduction?Whereiscrisis response?Because cops can't do that rightnow, Grits said.

Hundreds crossed the Bowen Bridge to protest the death of George Floyd in Asheville May 31, 2020.(Photo: Angela Wilhelm/awilhelm@citizentimes.com)

Even if community elders are saying,We need police,more police,it's because there are no alternatives. Data shows when we put more police in neighborhoods, violent crimesstill go up, because they're nearly reactive, Grits said.

What I hear ispeoplesaying that we need to feel safe. We need to feel heard.Wewant to be comfortable in our community, Grits said. These were the demands of the movement,theysaid,butneither the city nor the police have taken steps to meet these demands in practical, transformational ways.

Dewana Little isthe executive director of the YMI Cultural Center,one of the oldest Blackcultural centers in the county.She said the two most visible changes in the last year are the removal of theVance Monument and the change in conversations about systematic racism.

Asheville police to investigate new Black Lives Matter protest excessive force complaints

Theres a danger, though, in relying too heavily on symbolic changes, she thinks.

The monument is not-- that'ssymbolic, that's not impact,right?SoI think about the money spent to take down the monument and how that could have beenused in the Black community to supportBlack businesses, support home ownership, support the elevation ofBlack people, she said.

Sheechoesthe concerns of the other activistsabout the reparations process.

We had a conversation. Just a conversation on, Oh! Reparations! Inclusion! And diversity! And equity! Little said.

Shesaysconversations arent enough.

The hold up to real change, toreallyaccomplishingtruereparations, isashiftinpower, she said.

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Little says the conversation about reparations has been happening for years. Even though reparationsisa radical shift from the status quo, she argues that it isnt actually that hard to figure out: (people ask) how do we do this? It's the same way you do it when you do it for white people. And that's the reality. Like it's not complicated. Use the same technique that you've been using for years to fund white people and use it to fund Black people.

Shethinks Black residents, not the city or the county, should have total control over the reparations process.

Itjustdon'tmake sense to me," she said. "It's like, why do yall have to have the power and control over the reparations committee? If you're really thinking of true reparations, why can't black people control their own reparations?

Littlesaidthatdifferent community organizations have told City Council effective ways to doreparations, even before the resolution passed.

So now you need a study to figure out what weve been telling you for all these years? And thats money that could be invested in our community, she said.

Even though there's reparations, and all of these things thatve happened like a year later, the impact is yet to be seen.

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Little also said shes disappointed in the police budget for the coming year. She says the call last year from activists was clear: defund the police, invest in other services for the community. The 2022 budget, she says, doesnt do that.

Though the activists agree there is more work to be done and disagree on what that might look like, theyre nearly unanimous in their understanding of the legacy of the marches: the power of collective action.

Salaam said those in power saw that if you do the people wrong, the power is in the people. And the people will show you that they're fed up.

Thepeople in Asheville saw how we can come together and make a difference. ... People thought Asheville was just real calm, present, progressive, but they saw that the people of Asheville don't play.

Clarissa Donnelly-DeRoven is the cops and courts reporter at the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at cdonnellyderoven@citizentimes.com or follow her on twitter @plz_CLARify.

Read or Share this story: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2021/06/02/changes-asheville-one-year-after-black-lives-matter-2020-protest/5254418001/

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Asheville's Black Lives Matter protests: What's changed a year later? - Citizen Times

When videos of George Floyds killing in the US went viral last year, something world-changing happened: a movement fighting against structural injustice became internationally visible.

While statistics in America and Australia have long shown disproportionate numbers of Black deaths in police custody, too often these numbers have been obscured through institutional counter-claims.

But on May 25, 2020, nine minutes and 29 seconds of footage transformed the rules about what makes news news. Floyds killing convinced journalists that a story can tackle the root causes of a violent action, and doing so is crucial to understanding the broader framework of violence in which such actions occur.

Those few minutes made it impossible for others to re-write the history of Floyds death: his murder as a product of systemic violence was unambiguous.

Read more: Pain of police killings ripples outward to traumatize Black people and communities across US

When #BlackLivesMatter (BLM) began, it insisted on a conversation that reached into Americas racist past to explain atrocities in the present.

Its power lies in this deeper engagement with systemic issues, amplified through the capacity of social media to reach wider audiences. One example is citizen support for actions defacing public statues of slave traders and colonisers, which have been recognised as symbols of exclusionary and violent national cultures.

Now, the tenets of BLM are amplifying the struggles of Palestinians and making them more visible and understandable to a global audience.

Just as BLM is forcing a reckoning with systemic racism, there is new attention being paid to the origins of the Palestinians struggles: settler-colonialism, asymmetric power relations and racial discrimination.

This is central to explaining why public opinion and the medias reporting on Palestine have shifted profoundly in recent weeks.

This shift can be seen with the #SaveSheikhJarrah campaign on social media, which aimed to bring greater attention to the attempted expulsions of Palestinians from their homes in a neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah.

The campaign created new awareness of the context behind these actions, in part triggered by a widely shared video on social media depicting a Jewish settler telling a Palestinian resident, If I dont steal your home someone else will steal it.

This repudiates Israels insistence the broader conflict between Israel and the Palestinians be relegated to the past. The context around the expulsions has become inseparable from the violence itself, making history central to the present crisis.

Read more: Israel-Palestinian violence: why East Jerusalem has become a flashpoint in a decades-old conflict

This new style of messaging has also elevated the voices of people like writer Mohammed El-Kurd, one of the spokespeople for the campaign, who has appeared on major American news outlets describing the issue in terms of settler-colonialism and apartheid. After interviews on CNN and MSBNC, he was detained by Israeli security forces.

El-Kurd previously told his story in the 2012 documentary about Sheikh Jarrah, My Neighbourhood, at the age of 11. His articulate explanations and poise in interviews have resonated with audiences, bringing new clarity to millions about the situation Palestinians face.

Through all of this, Israels claim of self-defence to explain its actions in Gaza is being challenged by a wider recognition of the governments violations of international law.

Just as BLM has garnered increasing public support beyond the African American community in the past year, a broader alliance of prominent voices is rallying behind the Palestinian cause, as well.

The Black Lives Movement itself has tweeted its support for Palestinian liberation and ending settler colonialism in all forms.

And Palestinians are finding support from a wide spectrum of political figures, celebrities, athletes and other prominent individuals, wising up to the contradiction of progressive politics that exclude Palestine.

The alt-rock band Garbage, who rejected calls to cancel shows in Israel in 2016, have now used Instagram to support the Palestinians. Another band, Rage Against the Machine, has dismissed criticism from some fans to express its solidarity with Palestinians.

Many prominent figures have avoided wading into politics in the past because they can face a backlash when they do and dont speak out on issues. But theres a greater willingness among some to be more vocal on these issues now, a choice that parallels the ethical questions raised by BLM.

In a recent Instagram Live post with El-Kurd, actor and model Indya Moore, for instance, talked about the importance of solidarity between African Americans, Palestinians and Indigenous peoples in their mutual struggles against settler-colonialism and systemic racism.

In the UK, soccer players from Manchester United and Leicester City displayed Palestinian flags on the field after matches and [faced not disciplinary action but applause].

This is striking because not long ago, athletes were threatened with punishments for taking political stands such as kneeling during the national anthem before football games in the US. BLM has changed this it allowed those with a public platform to advocate on behalf of others without fear of recriminations.

The latest ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to be holding. But there is a growing recognition ceasefires and calm are not the end of the story in a situation that has dragged on for decades.

The calls for change are continuing. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said after the ceasefire its time for the root causes of the conflict to be addressed. And Palestinian solidarity rallies have seen huge turnouts since the ceasefire went into effect.

Read more: As the Palestinian minority takes to the streets, Israel is having its own Black Lives Matter moment

All these changes owe a debt to the impact BLM has had on public understanding, combined with the success of First Nations peoples nothing about us without us campaign on representation. This has forced the issue in Australia, highlighting the systemic bias of media coverage that ignores Palestinian voices.

However, change will not only require the sustained efforts by Palestinian people themselves, but also through the deep-rooted solidarity they have forged with other marginalised communities. That work continues.

Original post:
How Black Lives Matter is changing the conversation on Palestine - The Conversation AU

It was a year ago when Rahul Dubey opened his door on Swann Street to Garrett Reaves, Jorge Fuentes and around 60 people, all strangers, while they were protesting against police brutality and systemic racism.

Tuesday they reunited.

Weve been a collective since June 1 last year, marking our one year anniversary today, Dubey said.

A News4 viewer shared video of crowds trying to avoid police officers who were enforcing a 6 p.m. curfew on that day.

They started moving in, beating people with clubs, pepper spraying, Reaves recalled. And [Dubey] was one of the few people on the street that opened his door.

One demonstrator shot another video showing protesters coughing from mace they said police were spraying.

Protesters waited inside Dubeys house overnight, avoiding arrest and finally walking out at 6 a.m. once the curfew was lifted.

Rahul helped us that night by opening his door and allowing us to come together for whats right, Reaves said.

Today marks one year since a peaceful protest at Lafayette Square ended with law enforcement using tear gas to clear protesters. Later, President Trump would pose for a photo with a Bible outside St. John's Church. News4's Cory Smith has more.

Police made dozens of arrests that night. Former D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham denied the alleged police brutality.

I saw absolute terror and atrocities raining down upon them as well as others on Swann Street, Dubey said.

They share in the struggle to make sure people understand that Black Lives Matter in hopes of having equality for all and bringing an end to racism in America.

[Reuniting with Reeves and Fuentes is] an honor. I feel a lot of love, Dubey said. The struggle continues on, and we work together.

See original here:
Protesters Reunite With Man Who Sheltered Them From Arrest at Black Lives Matter Protest - NBC4 Washington

Regarding As 1-year anniversary of death nears, Third Ward park named after George Floyd, (May 23): I agree 100 percent with this article and the honoring of George Floyd. Hopefully his death will help our country trend in a better direction. We should not fear the police. They are here to protect us. The park should remain as a symbol of how we are willing to fight for justice for Black lives now and forever.

Steven Shields, Houston

Party of distraction

Regarding Majority in GOP ready to move on from riot, (A3, May 28): As I read the morning paper it seems to me that Republicans in Texas and nationally are sharpening their skills as the party of distraction. In Texas the party is embroiled in fights over legalizing unlicensed gun carry and keeping transgender women students from participating in sports. Meanwhile the real business of the state goes by the wayside. The Republican leadership in Congress plays down the importance of establishing a commission to discover the leaders of the lawless mob that invaded the United States Capitol killing a Capitol policeman and maiming others. But neither Sens. Ted Cruz nor John Cornyn seem capable of admitting the seriousness of the events of Jan. 6 nor the truth of what my eyes saw captured on camera. My only recourse was my vote but now they are attempting to even take away or limit that right.

Jere Pfister, Houston

Protecting liberty

Regarding Abbott bans mask rules, (A1, May 19): Even though fully vaccinated, I will continue to wear a mask in public buildings because I believe in science and have a genuine desire to help my family and my community. Even though I could go without a mask, I see the value in protecting those around me (who either cannot be vaccinated yet or are immunocompromised) from any airborne contagion. Many of us have grandchildren who are too young to be vaccinated. Many of us have elderly parents who even though vaccinated have benefited from a flu-free year. Many of us have family members who have serious diseases and would be endangered even catching a cold. Many of us go to stores and confront workers who must interact with hundreds of people a day. By making this very small sacrifice we are protecting the liberties of others, in other words, the liberty of those other people to engage in the world around them and stay healthy.

Kitty Kenyon, Katy

Read more:
Opinion: Black lives matter now and forever - Houston Chronicle

Angela Moschetta in May was one of the Parkites in attendance online as Mayor Andy Beerman and the Park City Council met in a two-day retreat, an opportunity for the elected officials to talk broadly about key issues without the pressure of a typical meeting when votes must be cast.

The mayor and City Council addressed the overarching issues confronting the community, including the ideal of social equity. It is a priority for City Hall and designed to ensure the diverse tapestry of the communitys population has an opportunity to thrive.

The discussion eventually moved to comments about a series of giant murals with social justice themes that were put on the Main Street asphalt last summer, including one with a Black Lives Matter message. The murals quickly became polarizing and were vandalized shortly after they were made. The works and the vandalism spurred widespread discussion about race in the community that has stretched for nearly a year. There were also questions at the time about the City Hall process that led to the creation of the murals and whether the project was properly publicized prior to the works appearing.

The elected officials at the retreat spoke about the topic, but Moschetta provided notable input as well. She was especially direct as she addressed the mayor and City Council, indicating that Black people were not involved in the planning of the murals. She said the artist who created the Black Lives Matter mural is not Black.

You have chosen to not involve these people. You have chosen to make decisions as white people, to turn to other white people. Anybody with any kind of curatorial experience would have known what was going on that street, would have known about the potential political implications, Moschetta said during the retreat.

She added that City Hall did not involve any of these people in the discussion before that you could have and that the Park City Police Department could have been alerted to the murals prior to their creation.

Moschetta also mentioned two members of the City Council by name Tim Henney and Max Doilney as she spoke about the controversy. The mayor intervened after Moschetta mentioned Doilney by name, abruptly stopping her comments.

Hey, Angela, Angela, Angela, were not going to tolerate personal attacks here, so if you want to keep it broad level, youre welcome to, Beerman told her.

Moschetta responded by saying she was addressing what she saw as a lack of process regarding the murals. Beerman then ended her comments.

Angela, Im sorry, I asked you not to be personal, you continue it. Were cutting you off, he said.

Moschetta in recent years has become an activist who has addressed topics like the trademark controversy centered on the name Park City, the Treasure dispute and City Halls plans to develop an arts and culture district. She has both praised and criticized the municipal government. She is seen as the leader of a group known as Future Park City. Moschetta is a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The tense moment between Moschetta and the mayor that ended with Beerman stopping her comments highlighted the contentiousness of the topic of social equity in a community that is largely white with Latinos being the only racial minority inside Park City in any significant number. It also showed there is lingering controversy regarding the murals months after time, traffic and the elements left the works unintelligible.

Beerman provided a prepared statement regarding the matter in response to a Park Record inquiry.

Public input is always welcome and encouraged, but it is expected to be civil and topical, he said. Recently one of our residents was muted after making personal attacks and disrupting an otherwise constructive discussion. She was given a chance to re-frame her statements but chose not to, so we moved forward with the meeting. Following the discussion, all of Council showed their support for my decision.

In a later interview, Moschetta said it is concerning that, according to her, Park City leaders have recently attempted to discredit, dismiss and undermine public comment and dissenting opinions.

Its the opposite of democracy, Moschetta said.

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Park City mayor, in tense moment, cuts off activist as Black Lives Matter mural returns to forefront - The Park Record