Breaking: Pasadena Police Retaliate, Arrest Local Black Lives Matter Organizer
Joint statement from #BlackLivesMatter-LA and Pasadena on the arrest of Jasmine Richards
PASADENA - In a troubling turn of events, the Pasadena police have misused their authority by arresting Jasmine Richards (28), a Black Lives Matter-Pasadena organizer.
Yesterday, Monday, March 30th, just hours before Jasmine Richards was slated to attend the Pasadena City Council meeting and share new information from the Office of Independent Reviewâs Gennaco report on the police killing of Kendrec McDade, police officers took Jasmine into custody.
Initially citing a âfailure to appearâ charge, police later amended that with charges of making âterrorist threatsâ, trespassing, petty theft, assault and evading the police. Black Lives Matter organizers believe these charges to be in response to Richardsâ participation in a peaceful demonstration held in Pasadena just six days prior to her arrest. The demonstration, held on March 24th in collaboration with Kendrec McDadeâs mother Anya Slaughter, on the anniversary of her sonâs death, was part of a heightened demand for answers in McDadeâs killing and the public release of the Gennaco report in its entirety.
Jasmine Richards is a young woman who has overcome the harsh realities of Pasadena and emerged as a leader in the local movement against police violence. She is exactly who we hope our young people will become: strong, caring, compassionate, and dedicated to fighting for justice for Black people everywhere. Jasmine became a member-organizer of Black Lives Matter after her participation in the BLM Freedom Ride to Ferguson in August 2014. Since her return to Pasadena from Ferguson, she has been pivotal in making sure that Anya Slaughter, and other family members of those who have been murdered or brutalized by the Pasadena police, are connected to and centered in the Black Lives Matter movement. Jasmine recently became engaged to her partner of 3 years, April, who is both devastated and infuriated by the persistent targeting of Jasmine by Pasadena police.
As an active member of Black Lives Matter - Pasadena, Jasmine Richardsâ activism against police brutality has made her a highly visible target for police harassment. These current charges are an attempt by law enforcement officials to mis-characterize Jasmine and undermine her work as a galvanizing force in the Black community of Pasadena.
This isnât the first time Black Lives Matter activists have been surveilled and discriminated against by police. Recently, Black Lives Matter organizers in Minneapolis were not only arrested for their 2014 disruption at the Mall of Americaâ the group was also infiltrated by intelligence officers, and activists are now facing charges of unlawful assembly, public nuisance, disorderly conduct, trespassing, and restitution fees in upwards of $60,000. Similarly, Black Lives Matter activists in Oakland, dubbed the Black Friday 14, are currently fighting excessive criminal charges for shutting down the Oakland BART in November of last year.
Across the country, Black organizers are being targeted for surveillance, harassment, and heightened charges. But, the implications to freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble impact everyone. Anyone with a conscience and a commitment to democracy can see that.
Black Lives Matter activists believe that the history of brutality, pattern of racial discrimination, and lingering questions in the police murder of Kendrec McDade, warrant an investigation of the Pasadena Police Department, and the immediate release of Jasmine Richards.
To donate towards Jasmineâs bail go to: http://fw.to/mXYKFfV
#BlackLivesMatter-Los Angeles is a local chapter of the national Black Lives Matter movement. @BLMLA on Twitter.
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