LGBT Police Accountability Community Forum - Chicago, IL
CHICAGO: POLICE ABUSE OF LGBT COMMUNITY
Police accountability remains an elusive goal for community activists and organizations in Chicago. AI's findings in its Stonewalled report in 2006 indicate that even in serious cases of police abuse, Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers are seldom held accountable. These abuses include the use by police officers of sexually explicit and abusive language, threats, and physical violence. A recent case documenting homophobic CPD abuse against a gay man fit into a larger pattern of CPD abuse and require immediate action from human rights defenders like you. Recently CPD has undergone changes in its leadership and the city government is also trying to look good for its 2016 Olympic bid.
Help us use the context of Chicago Pride 2008 in June to put international-level pressure on Chicago's Mayor Daley to speak out publicly about these cases and on the issue of police abuse and accountability in general. Take Action Now »
Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Beyond Stonewalled: Building a Grassroots Alliance to Create Police Accountability
Broadway United Methodist Church
(Wheelchair accessible)
3344 N Broadway Street
Chicago, IL
map here »
In our groundbreaking Stonewalled report AI documented a widespread pattern of police abuse and misconduct against LGBT people. AI also found that even for serious abuses, the police officers are seldom held accountable. Continuing AI's commitment to fight the abuses revealed in the Stonewalled report, we are planning a big event to address the issue this June Pride season. The Midwest Regional Office is asking a broad coalition of community partners, from the most comprehensive list possible, to make the statement that Human Rights and Police Accountability go together!
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| Download event flyer Front | Back (PDF) |
Beyond Stonewalled: Building a Grassroots Alliance to Create Police Accountability will focus on new cases in Chicago which are emblematic of the problems documented in Stonewalled. Working with AIUSA volunteers, community stakeholders and other allies in Chicago, we are going to push for measures to improve police accountability.
By asking for police accountability we are asking for:
• Vigorous and independent investigations of complaints of police abuse
• Transparent Investigations - the public has a right to know what happens to complaints of police abuse
• No impunity for abusive police officers
Recent developments in Chicago (including a new independent police oversight body and the city's bid for the 2016 Olympics) present an opportunity for exciting grassroots campaigning on this issue. This call for action will also be echoed by action from the 36 international AI sections which support the Stonewalled campaign.
The program event will include:
• Introduction by Robert Schultz of Amnesty International
• Presentations by Joey Mogul, who spoke before the United Nations on police brutality, and Pat Hill of the African American Patrolmen's League and Black People Against Torture
• Stories from survivors of police misconduct in the Chicago area.
• Where do we go from here? - an interactive discussion with event participants on how individuals can work with already existing focus groups on these issues and on what effective measures are to ensure police accountability in Chicago.
All are invited to attend and participate in this event!
How You Can Help:
We need individuals willing to volunteer their time and energy to help us in three areas
1. Canvassing and promoting the event at local cafés, public places, LGBT friendly areas, ect.
2. Volunteers to help the day of the event with set up, organization during the event, and clean up afterwards.
This event is co-sponsored by:
8th Day Center for Justice
Affinity
African American Patrolmen's League
American Civil Liberties Union - Illinois Chapter
Amigas Latinas
Amnesty International - USA
Applied Research Center
Campaign to End the Death Penalty
Chicago Justice Project
Citizen's Alert
Equality Illinois
Gay Liberation Network
Human Rights Campaign - Chicago
Illinois Coalition for Abolition of the Death Penalty
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Justice Coalition of Greater Chicago
Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, University of Chicago Law School
National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression - Chicago Branch
SEIU Local 73
Tamms Year Ten Campaign
The University of Chicago Human Rights Program
...Our list is still growing!
Contact Robert Schultz (rschultz@aiusa.org; (312) 427-2060) or Diana Sands (dsands@aiusa.org; (800) 807-8400) if you would like to get involved with us in Chicago.
