Abolitionist Digest Vol. 2
Here’s 5 important abolitionist resources from the last 5 days. Please see below for an important solidarity action!
Kimberly Jones speaks powerfully about the motivations of the US Black Lives Matter Protesters and the history of state violence and impoverishment directed at the US Black community.
‘As long as you are focusing on the what they’re doing, we’re not focusing on why they are doing it’
2. Wail Qasim - From the US to the UK: shared legacies of black struggle
Wail Qasim writes for Red Pepper on the problems of thinking about US police violence as exceptional. They argue that Black British experiences of the racism of police and state violence is routinely silenced and must be heard.
3. Gary Young - Black Lives Matter & The Question of Violence
Gary Young discusses the justifiably of riots. He argues that our response needs to take account of the inability other forms of anti-racist resistance and protest to be heard and responded to by state institutions.
‘It’s always important, when talking about violence to talk about violence in its entirety’
4. Musa Okonga and Ryan Hunn - Stadio Football Podcast ep. 62
Football analysts respond to Police violence with reflections on experiences of the racism of the UK police, media and football. One for sharing with friends.
5. Madison Pauly and Alex Vitale - What a World Without Cops Would Look Like
Alex Vitale argues that we need to #DefundThePolice rather than campaign for policing reforms. He points to the long history of promises to make the police more professional, less biased and more transparent that have failed to make things better.
Important UK Solidarity Action:
The United Families & Friends Campaign are fundraising for their incredible work, fighting for justice for those who have died in police custody. They are a common platform for families of the likes of Joy Gardner, Sean Rigg, Brian Douglas, Ibrahim Sey, Harry Stanley and Roger Sylvester to continue to hold the police and the state to account for the deaths of their loved ones.