You want an update on the protests in STL? Cops: still racist. White cis privilege: running rampant with a camera.
Just got back from standing in front of riot police in a bright orange sundress and glittery eyeliner. I wanted to see how far white privilege and traditional beauty standards could take me.
I stood between several black women and a white trans woman who were questioning the line of riot police and not getting any replies or eye contact. One of the black women was asking the police if they were wearing body cameras and her friend replied that the cop couldn’t hear her because she was black. She turned to me and I asked the police, and got silence as well. The ladies moved on down the line of police, but I stayed and asked if I could move forward to talk to another officer at the end of the line. The cop who had previously ignored every single question nodded and said yes to me. I walked over the police line.
Let me repeat that: I walked over the riot police line.
The police line that would huddle together and reaffirm their shield and baton grips when black people walked closer, that had held their shields out to push protesters back.
I walked over it. I spoke to an officer and had a conversation about when they received body cameras, and how to identify if an officer was wearing one.
Next time you accuse the protesters of instigating violence, consider that every agitation I have seen was initiated by people outside the protest trying to agitate people or police preemptively closing in on people. Next time you talk about how white privilege doesn’t exist or isn’t really that bad, consider that I walked over a riot police line, got answers, and wasn’t arrested or even asked to step back.
Time to invest in more brightly colored sundresses. #expectus