#TheBluestLie Collaborative Announce New Turn in Campaign to End the ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Ordinance
A Press conference will be held today to announce a new turn in the campaign to demand an end to the Blue Lives Matter ordinance in the Public Safety Committee of the Chicago City Council. The press conference will be held Monday, August 1st, 9:00 AM Central, at the Intersection of S. Homan Avenue & W. Fillmore Street.
CHICAGO, IL – #TheBluestLie Collaborative including BYP100, Chicago Votes, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Black Lives Matter Chicago, and Showing Up for Racial Justice will have a press conference to announce a new turn in the campaign to demand Alderman Edward Burke rescind a proposal to expand the Hate Crimes Legislation (Ordinance #4878) to include protections for law enforcement officers and first responders. Over the past month, organizers from #TheBluestLie Collaborative have put enough pressure on the ordinance sponsors to withhold introducing Ordinance #4878 into the Public Safety Committee for at least a month.
Currently, City Council Alderman Edward Burke (amongst several other aldermen) are sponsoring an ordinance to expand the Hate Crimes legislation to include police officers and first responders. This expansion of the Hate Crimes legislation is a part of a new wave of “Blue Lives Matter” legislation that are appearing across the country. These “Blue Lives Matter” bills are in direct response to the growing social movements to hold police officers accountable for systemic violence. If the ordinance passes through committee and city council, anyone who has a negative interaction with a police officer can be charged with a Hate Crime which carries a felony of at least 6 months imprisonment and a $2,500 fine.
#TheBluestLie Collaborative demands that the sponsors of the ordinance, Aldermen Burke, Cochran, Sposato, Curtis, Napolitano, O’Shea and Taliaferro rescind their proposal to expand the Hate Crimes legislation to protect police officers and first responders.
#TheBluestLie Collaborative is lit and led by young Black Chicagoans committed to each others’ autonomy, liberation and abundant futures. Follow us at http://thebluestliechi.tumblr.com
For more information, contact: Immanuel Sodipe. 708-580-0255 . thebluestlie.chi@gmail.com
