HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/16/2021 Item 7, Balmana
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Marisa B <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:In Regards to the Use of Tear Gas at the June 2020 Protest
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To Whom It May Concern,
As a long term SLO Resident and activist, I was compelled to join the various BLM protests in the summer of 2020. I am
strongly committed to the principles and practices of nonviolence and would not have participated in demonstrations
had they turned violent (verbally or physically). My experience protesting with this group of exceptional young leaders
was one of the most positive protesting experiences I have ever had. It was collaborative, empowering, and nonviolence
in action.
I was moved by seeing a young girl of color, no more than 7 years old, on the shoulders of her caregiver, holding her sign
and chanting about how black lives matter--how her life mattered. It brought both great joy and great sorrow to see
such a young girl using her voice at such a young age, though in 2020, I wish the world was a better place for her and she
didn't have to be there.
It speaks to my level of privilege to describe the shock I experienced upon seeing our own local police force on Santa
Rosa Avenue in full riot gear. I was scared, but I was confident in our message and our modality of nonviolent
demonstration. There was a standstill, protestors chanting and law enforcement standing in stoney silence.
I will not pretend like every single person in attendance of the protest spoke respectfully to law enforcement. However,
of the remarks I heard shouted to the LE, I also heard fellow protestors yelling at those being disrespectful to remind
them of our message and intention of protesting. For example, when a woman started accusing the sheriff's department
of corruption in the Kirsten Smart case, someone replied to her that "that's not why we are here" and began a new
chant on brand with the overall group's message.
The standstill continued, but things did not escalate on the part of the protestors. Though things had not escalated, it
was clear that law enforcement was preparing to take action. Law enforcement motioned for someone with a
megaphone to speak with them, and soon after someone from our group of protestors shouted that children and people
with health concerns should vacate the area. I remember seeing the same young girl from earlier, being swept up by her
caretaker--confused and scared about why they were leaving, why the police were angry at her.
My friend and I decided to leave out of an abundance of caution--she had a medical concern with her lungs and could
not risk the use of pepper spray or teargas being used. It is a good thing we did, because law enforcement escalated and
used tear gas on peacefully protestors minutes after we left.
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I was horrified by the videos released after the events. The events of that day were in no way deserving of such malice.
It's hard for me to imagine any situation where a protest safe enough for children to participate in would ever deserve
to be met with tear gas. It would be akin to tear gassing the women's march.
I have been ashamed to be a part of SLO City and County since this event. I have never been so disillusioned to think SLO
was without systematic racism, but the events of June 2020 showed me that truly George Floyd could have happened
here. We are no different from MInneappolis--and we deserve a city where all agencies are dedicated to serve and
protect. I feel no comfort seeing law enforcement in my community, and from experiences working with law
enforcement professionally in a training capacity--I have no confidence that training will be enough to change the
culture.
We need to take great leaps forward in reorganizing how we view safety and prevention in SLO County. I do not believe
our law enforcement agencies have a place in that future as they exist now.
Thank you for your time in looking into this event.
-Marisa Balmana
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