Network to Eliminate Police Violence (NEPV) organizer Ellie Adekur-Carlson joined us for the Premiere of What World Do You Live In? and has earned our undying gratitude by helping to spread the message ever since. On March 19, while several other activists made presentations inside the monthly Toronto Police Services Board meeting, NEPV radicals outside insist that organizing powerful grassroots resistance is the only real way forward.
Ajamu Nangwaya summarizes it this way: “We're here, not begging for justice from the forces behind us, but to serve notice that we are going to start organizing in our communities to fight police violence.”Ellie kicks things off explaining that we're “protesting the rampant use of carding in communities across the city.” Carding, is Toronto Police's euphemism for what's known more widely as stop and frisk practices. “Those who are affected by this the most are afraid to come out,” she continues, noting that illegal police “strip searches take place daily” as a form of intimidation for those targeted by police.
John Clarke from OCAP (critical in our previous week's release SAFE PARK) takes centre stage in solidarity with the 'organize, don't beg' message. In a racist and capitalist society, he insists, police reinforce those values very intentionally. The escalation in police violence matches a particular political need for increased social control in a time of austerity. The result is a “tinder box” that could blow at any moment. This is “not about liberal fuzziness,” he notes to applause. The “answer is for communities to organize resistance.”Ellie takes the mic again. There's a “meeting in there, but we live there and live with those decisions. That's why we are out here.”
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=depB6-N4Ra4