OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Black Lives Matter put out a list of demands to city leaders after events that happened over the weekend.
The demands are as follows:
● An apology from Police Chief Wade Gourley and Mayor David Holt and the immediate resignation of Gourley, whose lack of leadership resulted in aggressive actions by the police towards peaceful protesters, escalating tensions and resulting in violence that could have been avoided.
● The immediate release without charges of all incarcerated protestors who were arrested for nonviolent offenses or “resisting arrest” while defending themselves or their loved ones from unlawful use of excessive force by OKC PD and the sheriff.
● Disciplinary action and termination be taken against all police officers who violently attacked peaceful protesters.
● The immediate installation of an independent citizens’ complaint review board for the OKC PD, which will have authority to review all complaints, including use of force, and discipline offending officers.
● Mayor Holt meet with us within 24 hours.
● Provision of training in de-escalation tactics for all OCPD officers, which must include training in interactions with persons who have mental health issues as well as training that includes cultural sensitivity.
● The immediate public release of the arrest record of Olain Jefferson, Jr. and body cam footage of all police involved in his arrest.
● The immediate public release of all video footage of the OKCPD incident involving and resulting in the death of Derrick Ollie Sr.
● The arrest and prosecution of David Stewart for the kidnapping and illegal confinement of Mr. Travis Miller Sr.
● Justice for the family of Mr. Elray Barber who was shot and killed by OKCPD on Christmas Eve 2019.
● Justice for Ms. Rolana Keeler who was shot by OKCPD on Christmas Eve 2019 while unarmed.
● Mayor Holt commit to the construction of a grocery store on the Eastside of OKC to be completed within 6 months.
● The granting of clemency and immediate release of wrongfully charged member of our community, Julius Jones, by Governor Stitt.
“White silence is completely offensive and so when we don’t hear our leaders speaking about the atrocities that are happening to those who are standing in protest we have a problem with that,” Rev. T. Sheri Dickerson, executive director of Black Lives Matter of Oklahoma City, said.
“When it comes to personnel or specific operations I am barred from our charter and by law from having any involvement in that,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said.
“What was so scary about black and brown and white people getting together and saying, ‘stop killing us?'” Camille Landry with Black Lives Matter said.
Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement condemn the actions of those who weren’t part of the group of peaceful protesters and were causing destruction.
“We cannot tolerate white people taking black issues and using it as means to affect their own motives and attempts at whatever they choose to do,” Jess Eddy said.
“We do not know who they are. We knew some had been identified by other people as outside instigators,” Dickerson said.
“People like me, a white guy from Northwest Oklahoma City, we first have to listen and we have to understand, this isn’t just about George Floyd… this is a nexus with a whole lot of other issues that tie back to unrealized dreams from the 1960s civil rights movement,” Holt said.
“Force needs to be proportionate and the role of the police is to protect and serve the community, not to stroke their own ego,” Landry said.
