At Albuquerque meeting on police shootings, silence speaks volumes
The Los Angeles Times
May 9, 2014, 1:20 AM
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-ff-albuquerque-meeting-silence-20140509-story.html
At Albuquerque meeting on police shootings, silence speaks volumes
After months of protests against deadly police shootings, the Albuquerque City Council heard from outraged activists and a few police supporters Thursday night as it considered alternate ways to select the police chief..
But it heard nothing but silence from at least seven activists who had signed up to speak -- some of whom turned their backs rather than address the civic leaders. They were ejected from the council chambers, cited for criminal trespass and banned from council meetings for 90 days. That penalty seemed to surprise at least some of the council members, however, and may be altered.
“Silence is speech,” some audience members shouted, pumping their fists in the air as security ushered out the mute activists.
The backdrop for the meeting was the Albuquerque Police Department’s 25 deadly shootings since 2010, and a U.S. Justice Department report, released last month, that found many of the shootings unjustified. The report criticized police for a culture of “aggression,” saying officers often used lethal force when there was no imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to themselves or others....
