To: Mayor Nancy Vaughn and the Greensboro city council, Guilford County District Attorney, and Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes
Tell the City of Greensboro: Drop ALL the charges against Trump protesters! No to Racism and Bigo...
In response to the events on June 14th and the current environment of divisiveness and violence, we demand:
-Guilford County District Attorney immediately drops ALL charges against those arrested on June 14.
-Mayor Nancy Vaughn and the Greensboro city council declare Greensboro a "No-Trump Zone" banning Trump from returning to our city.
-The immediate resignation of Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes.
-Guilford County District Attorney immediately drops ALL charges against those arrested on June 14.
-Mayor Nancy Vaughn and the Greensboro city council declare Greensboro a "No-Trump Zone" banning Trump from returning to our city.
-The immediate resignation of Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes.
Why is this important?
On June 14, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump held a rally in Greensboro as part of his national campaign to mobilize a far right movement based on hate, fear, and division. In response, a diverse crowd of hundreds from Greensboro and across North Carolina mobilized to oppose his agenda of racism, anti-LGBTQ and anti-women bigotry, anti-immigrant and Islamophobic demagoguery, fueled by more war and repression. It was a powerful and beautiful demonstration of unity and solidarity in the face the growing tide of reaction that Trump is organizing.
As Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes took the stage to endorse Trump inside the arena, outside hundreds of local, state and federal cops brutalized and arrested protesters -- predominantly young people of color. In contrast, armed Trump supporters moved freely on the sidewalks and the streets around the arena - and even walked through the protest all while taunting and and shouting racial epithets at the demonstrators.
At least twelve people were arrested and charged with an array of bogus charges. Most of those arrested suffered injuries from the police in one form or another - one of the arrestees suffered a sprained arm; a second suffered a chipped tooth, facial injuries, and broken pair of glasses that was never returned; another had their pants ripped to shreds, and they had cuts and bruises covering their arms and legs, and a giant welt on their eye after being slammed and tackled to the ground by at least 5 cops.
The vicious police attack on the demonstration and Sheriff Barnes’ ringing endorsement of white supremacy are part and parcel with the role the cops play in our society -- to serve and protect the interests of the rich and the powerful, and to enforce division and oppression among working class people. We say the names of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Alex Nieto, Jai Williams, Mya Hall, Akiel Denkins, Sandra Bland, Aiyanna Jones, Trayvon Martin, and the countless Black and Brown people who have been killed by cops. Black Lives Matter!
In response to the events on June 14 and the current environment of divisiveness and violence, we demand:
-Due to the wrongful and abusive arrests of protesters, we demand that the Guilford County District Attorney immediately drops ALL charges against those arrested on June 14.
-In recognition that Trump’s presence in Greensboro created a toxic and violent scenario for our city, we demand that Mayor Nancy Vaughn and the Greensboro city council declare Greensboro a “ No-Trump Zone” banning Trump from returning to our city.
-Since his endorsement clearly demonstrates a willful incapacity to carry out his duties impartially, we demand the immediate resignation of Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes.
As Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes took the stage to endorse Trump inside the arena, outside hundreds of local, state and federal cops brutalized and arrested protesters -- predominantly young people of color. In contrast, armed Trump supporters moved freely on the sidewalks and the streets around the arena - and even walked through the protest all while taunting and and shouting racial epithets at the demonstrators.
At least twelve people were arrested and charged with an array of bogus charges. Most of those arrested suffered injuries from the police in one form or another - one of the arrestees suffered a sprained arm; a second suffered a chipped tooth, facial injuries, and broken pair of glasses that was never returned; another had their pants ripped to shreds, and they had cuts and bruises covering their arms and legs, and a giant welt on their eye after being slammed and tackled to the ground by at least 5 cops.
The vicious police attack on the demonstration and Sheriff Barnes’ ringing endorsement of white supremacy are part and parcel with the role the cops play in our society -- to serve and protect the interests of the rich and the powerful, and to enforce division and oppression among working class people. We say the names of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Alex Nieto, Jai Williams, Mya Hall, Akiel Denkins, Sandra Bland, Aiyanna Jones, Trayvon Martin, and the countless Black and Brown people who have been killed by cops. Black Lives Matter!
In response to the events on June 14 and the current environment of divisiveness and violence, we demand:
-Due to the wrongful and abusive arrests of protesters, we demand that the Guilford County District Attorney immediately drops ALL charges against those arrested on June 14.
-In recognition that Trump’s presence in Greensboro created a toxic and violent scenario for our city, we demand that Mayor Nancy Vaughn and the Greensboro city council declare Greensboro a “ No-Trump Zone” banning Trump from returning to our city.
-Since his endorsement clearly demonstrates a willful incapacity to carry out his duties impartially, we demand the immediate resignation of Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes.