During the Berkeley city council meeting that took place on June 9th, 2020, a council member had asked Andrew Greenwood, Berkeley Chief of Police, what alternatives his department had for means of nonlethal crowd control. Greenwood, who is sworn to protect and uphold the safety of all Berkeley citizens, responded with “Firearms. We can shoot people.” Later on in the meeting, he took back what he said. And stated as his form of “apology” that “we knew that wasn’t what he really meant by his comments.”

While what Chief of Police Andrew Greenwood said was absolutely disgusting, it was not surprising at all. Policing, especially in the city of Berkeley, is rooted in bigotry, racism, hate, and violence (proven by Andrew Greenwood himself). The city of Berkeley is not innocent of crimes against humanity, especially when these crimes at the hands of the police. Kayla Moore, a black, disabled, trans women, was murdered by the Berkeley Police Department. Six officers suffocated Moore by holding her down on a futon. And this is just one painful example of many that display the pattern of violence when it comes to the relationship of police and those such as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others. Because we don’t have to look far to see instances of police brutality -- because police brutality happens in our city as well.

While the abolition of the Berkeley Police Department is the ultimate goal, we call for the IMMEDIATE firing of Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood.  Someone who thinks that shooting people is a “nonlethal source to crowd control” is not fit to protect the citizens of this city. We demand that Mayor Jesse Arreguin put the citizens of this city first, and terminate Greenwood from his duties. Only then, could we be on the path for true safety.

For more information on abolition visit: https://www.8toabolition.com/

Link to the city council meeting: http://berkeley.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=a7a42035-ab36-11ea-9e08-0050569183fa

#BlackLivesMatter