Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Help! Drop charges against Dr. Melina Abdullah

Patrisse Khan-Cullors (campaigns.organizefor.org); Ashley Wells, Crystal Q., Wisdom Quarterly
Demand Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer Drop All Charges Against Dr. Melina Abdullah

Demand LA City Attorney drop charges against Dr. Melina Abdullah
Contact Campaign CreatorWe demand that Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer end the criminalization of Black protest and immediately drop all charges against Dr. Melina Abdullah—professor, mother, organizer, and founding member of Black Lives Matter.
Why is this important?
Mike Feuer, end the criminalization of Black protest. Dr. Melina Abdullah, a professor and mother of three school-aged children, has been dedicated to community organizing for decades. She has been active as a community educator, involved parent, and a “Spirit Mama” to dozens of “children.”

Her commitment has been deep and far-reaching, including fights for ethnic studies, public education, and fair land use. When the community rose up against police brutality in 2013, she was among the original group of organizers that formed Black Lives Matter. She has become a globally-recognized voice against police violence and a fixture in the contemporary Black freedom movement.

The prosecution you are leading against Dr. Melina Abdullah is malicious and discriminatory. As Los Angeles City Attorney, you are targeting and singling out Melina Abdullah in an attempt to silence Black protest. As you well know, Melina is the third Black activist to be prosecuted for her outspokenness at Los Angeles Police Commission meetings.

White and non-Black allies who engage in similar actions have not been prosecuted (even following their arrests). As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a national holiday, we know that Melina is actually walking in King’s footsteps and many other courageous Civil Rights leaders. Dr. King was arrested 40 times...

Your prosecution of Melina Abdullah is about much more than quieting her individual voice. Its intent is to have a “chilling effect” on Black protest more broadly.

Mike Feuer, your record of targeting and singling out Black protestors is shameful. In doing so, you actively criminalize Black protest, which represents a threat to the very victories gained through the Civil Rights Movement and other freedom struggles. For these reasons, among others, we demand that you immediately drop all charges against Dr. Melina Abdullah. More

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