Abolitionist Digest Vol. 3
There’s a lot going on in the world of Abolition - Hello Minneapolis - Here’s 5 sources to help you keep up to speed.
In an astounding display of the effectiveness of direct action and protest, the Minneapolis City Council has voted to confirm its intent to dismantle their police department and invest in ‘proven community-led public safety. Although the detail of this is yet to be seen, it appears to be more than a soft-reboot of the policing of the city.
Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender said Sunday. “Our efforts at incremental reform have failed. Period.”
Listen to the City Councilors explain their decision here.
This occurred the day after Jacob Frey was shunned by a crowd for failing to support the defunding of the department:
2. CAPE and No More Exclusions: Abolition Webinar
Two amazing UK abolitionist groups, Community Action on Prison Expansion and No More Exclusions, put on this incredible webinar on abolitionist politics.
3. 8 to Abolition
While the #8CantWait campaign has attempted to divert the protests into a support for minor police reforms, the #8toAbolition organisers have developed this neat abolitionist step-by-step guide to abolition.
4. Aggressive Police Tactics at London BLM Protests documented by NetPol
“Legal observers witnessed the police only allowing protesters (including some minors as young as 12) to leave the kettles in ones and twos into a sterile area outside of the police lines, so that officers could film each individual. Face masks were pulled down to make sure faces were captured.
“Officers also demanded people give their names and addresses under another anti-social behaviour power, section 50 of the Police Reform Act – we believe there was at least one arrest for refusing to comply with this.”
5. Lessons from Rojava
Hawzhin Azeez reflects on the Kurdish autonomous self-administrative region of Rojava and their experience of developing institutions that promote community safety organised in alternative forms to a standing police force.
“The common cry of the oppressed has revolved around the idea of “no justice no peace”. This phenomenon raises the essential question of how a system deeply entrenched in a bloody history founded on white supremacy, capitalism, and colonialism ever provide true and meaningful justice? Some call for police reforms. Others have called for redistribution of funds. Some have argued that abolishing the police is the best option. Many, even on the Left cannot imagine such a system ever being viable.
“Yet, this system already exists in Rojava, the autonomous self-administrative region of North Syria.”
UK Solidarity Action:
Jessie Mawutu was trampled by a runaway police horse during the aggressively policed demonstration in London. The Metropolitan Police have rejected her complaint.
