Thursday, August 20, 2015

Throwback Thursday:Best of COP 24/7

Editors Note: This piece was originally posted December 10, 2014. Since then, despite additional gun violence, police shootings and other social unrest including the Ferguson anniversary, their continues to be issues around community policing and social justice issues of poverty, homelessness, racism, homophobia and mass incarceration. Meanwhile, there's been little to no movement from the Community Planning for Justice in Arkansas group on any of these issues. Also after numerous meet ups, called meetings, and a set of demands presented to the LRPD, it is the opinion of COP 24/7 although the effort raised awareness, there is no clear indication that any of those efforts resulted in making much difference that can be determined.

Little Rock Adds Protest Voices As the protest continue across the country and government official seek to create blue ribbon panels and summits on how to address the civil unrest, a local group quickly mobilized as Little Rock Direct
Action Planning Group which has now morphed or been enveloped into Community Planning for Justice in Arkansas. 

According to the group's Facebook page, this group has been developed in order for community members in Arkansas to plan and execute proactive participation in our communities against injustice - specifically pertaining to racial justice, economic justice, police brutality, and other issues related to these. We want to address our concerns together.
Protestors during a peaceful but vocal protest last Sunday at Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock, staged a "die in" in response to a non indictment of the Police Officer who,using a choke hold, killed Eric Garner during an arrest on staten island New York.
 
The protest was also intended to draw more attention to the use of deadly force on African Americans throughout the U.S. Chants... of  "No justice no peace no racist police", "I can't breath", and "Hands up don't shoot" were repeated by the protestors. Many protestors held signs and formed a circle around those who chose to lay down to symbolically represent those who have been shot and killed by Law Enforcement around the country.

 Little Rock Police officers had a presence around the protest but did not engage with the protestors instead allowing the protest carry on to it's own conclusion. COP 24/7 applauds these citizens on their act to address this critical issue and demanding that law enforcement and governmental officials respond wit positive outcomes. The group is also in the planning stages of another public protest. Watch COP 24/7 for updates, links and coverage on our Facebook page.(www.facebook.com/corneliusonpoint )
 
 
Arkansas RAPPS is a new program seeking to engage the positive MSM community in assessing linkage to care issues or challenges, outreach opportunities and peer to peer empowerment sessions. Want to know more you can call us at 501-349-7777
 
 
 

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