Washington, DC – The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) commends the tremendous organizing efforts shown today by both Mijente’s #WallOffTrump in Cleveland and the Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) and Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest against the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) in DC. APALA stands in solidarity with these efforts and the broader movements to end the mass criminalization of communities of color.

In Washington, DC, protesters blocked off roads in Northeast on 4th St. and Massachusetts Avenue, lining cross walks and holding up signs demanding an end to the National Fraternal Order of Police, a private union known to protect the interests of officers who brutalize and kill civilians. The FOP boasts more than 330,000 members and recently praised the acquittal of Lt. Rice, a Baltimore police officer involved in the 2015 detainment and murder of Freddie Gray.

“It’s great to see organizers take action in the streets to demand freedom. The FOP promotes harmful, unaccountable and racist policies that allows officers to hide from any culpability for their actions. The deaths of hundreds of black people for simply being black has become all too common. APALA calls for justice and accountability from all law enforcement officers and demands an end to the FOP,” declared APALA National President Johanna Hester.

In Cleveland, OH, Mijente, a Latinx and Chicanx organizing group, also led a community effort to create a banner wall spanning two blocks around the Republican National Convention. The #WallOffTrump symbolizes the fight against hateful, xenophobic and racist rhetoric used at the convention and in the larger political climate.

“Trump’s racist, Islamophobic, hateful agenda only serves to further divide an already divided nation and also criminalize people who are not white. What he brings to the table strengthens the White status quo and will certainly be detrimental for people of color, immigrants, and women. We absolutely do need to #WallOffTrump,” added Hester.
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“As AAPI allies and co-conspirators, we won’t stand complicit in this system that disproportionately discriminates, devalues and criminalizes Black folks, immigrants and other communities of color. It’s so critical that we work together to dismantle this system that protects those in positions of power and privilege and pivot our organizing efforts to ending the mass criminalization of people of color,” stated APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana.  

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Washington, DC – Yesterday, Baltimore Police Lt. Brian Rice was acquitted of all charges, including involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct, related to the 2015 arrest and death of Freddie Gray. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) is extremely disappointed in another acquittal in the case and the lack of accountability for Gray’s death.

“Another verdict that allows for Gray’s death to go unpunished sends a clear message that our criminal justice system only protects the status quo. Gray certainly did not kill himself,” APALA National President Johanna Hester stated. “Our criminal justice system – which time and again continues to fail and devalue black lives – needs to change. We need more accountability, more responsibility and more transparency if things are ever going to change.”

Rice’s acquittal follows the clearing of two other Baltimore officers of all charges, Edward Nero and Caesar Goodson Jr., in May and June, respectively. 25-year-old Freddie Gray was detained and sent to the hospital on April 12, 2015, where he remained in a coma before passing away on April 19. Following Gray’s death, Baltimore experienced a series of protests, uprisings and acts of civil unrest.

“The rage that Black folks and people of color feel is completely justified. Our system continues to disproportionately target and criminalize Black bodies for simply existing,” added APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana. “We have every right to be enraged and refuse to be complicit in the brutality and murder of our Black brothers and sisters.”

The verdict comes at a time where racial division is at a high and joins a month that has already been plagued with violence, including the shootings of Delrawn Small, Alton Sterling, and Philando Castile and recent shootings targeting police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge.

“Violence of any kind should not be tolerated. We cannot fight violence with violence. We need to look at the root causes and use collective action to change a system that only benefits those in power and with privilege,” Cendana stated.

APALA stands firms in the movement for Black Lives and continues to advocate for reforms and policies that promote racial, economic, and social justice for all communities of color.

Washington, DC – The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) is saddened and outraged by the recent deaths of Delrawn Small, Alton Sterling, and Philando Castile, each at the hands of police officers throughout the country. APALA condemns the continual mistreatment, brutality and murder that the Black community faces, and stands firmly with the Movement for Black Lives.

“Videos that have surfaced surrounding the deaths of Alton and Philando are deeply disturbing and demonstrate the deep-rooted hate and racism that pervades our criminal justice system,” stated APALA National President Johanna Hester. “We can’t look at Delrawn, Alton, and Philando as another statistic. These men leave behind family, friends, and a community ignited to fight for justice.”

On July 4th in Brooklyn, Delrawn Shawn was shot by an off-duty cop following a road rage incident. On July 5th in Baton Rouge, Alton Sterling was killed after being pinned down to the ground by police officers. On July 6th in Falcon Heights, Philando Castile – a Teamster brother at Local 320 that represents the police in Minnesota as well – was shot during a police traffic stop.

This series of shootings follows last month’s acquittal of Baltimore Police Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr. and the acquittal of Officer Edward Nero in May for charges related to the death of Freddie Gray, who was detained and died from a spinal cord injury in 2015. The trial of Lt. Brian Rice, the highest ranking officer involved in Gray’s death, began yesterday, and APALA will continue to follow the case as it unfolds.

“Across the nation, where’s the justice? Where’s the accountability? Time and again, the deaths of Black men are not brought to justice, and murderers are allowed to continue to live their lives,” added Hester. “These kinds of injustices can no longer go without consequences. Our criminal justice system is in dire need of change – change that curbs the disproportionate mass criminalization of Black lives, immigrants and people of color.”

“Gray’s story of justice unfilled and the consecutive murders of young Black men by cops this week continue to show how our legal and criminal justice systems continue to fail and devalue black lives,” stated APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana. “The peaceful protest gone wrong in Dallas last night is also upsetting and yet another symptom of the larger structural issues at hand.”

“We must address police violence head on and push for a more public dialogue with law enforcement in order to end the racism and racial bias we are seeing in front of our very eyes. We must be willing to call out what we know to be wrong—even if it might be unpopular. We cannot allow this moment to pass in silence,” called Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO.

“We must also stay grounded in love, community and family. We are in a state of emergency and our actions should reflect that. We all have our roles in working to end racism and this continued system of oppression, especially if you are white and identify as an ally,” reflected Cendana on what we, as a community, can do to combat police brutality and other institutionalized forms of racism.

Our hearts go out to Delrawn, Alton, and Philando and their families as we stand beside our Black brothers and sisters. APALA will continue to support the Movement for Black Lives and advocate for reforms and policies that promote racial, economic, and social justice for all communities of color.
Here’s how you can help fight police brutality, Anti-Blackness and other forms of oppression:
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1. Join our National Call for AAPI Solidarity on July 11 to discuss your reactions and the role of the AAPI community. Please RSVP here to receive confirmation details with the call-in information: http://bit.ly/AAPI-Solidarity.
2. Donate to the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
3. Learn more on how to combat Anti-Blackness: http://bit.ly/29wzMjJ.

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