Over two dozen activists and legal observers marched from North Seattle Community College to the Seattle Police Department North Precinct where a community picnic was being held. Once the activists arrived at the picnic, white activists locked arms, protectively surrounding people of color who set up a vigil space with signs, flowers, candles and images of Charleena Lyles. The activists who put on this action held space for over an hour at the event, saying the names of people in King County killed by police and through call and response, chanting their demands for justice.

From the event Facebook page…”Currently, there is a investigation of the Seattle Police Department in response to the killing of Charleena Lyles by officers Steven McNew and Jason Anderson. As of June 28th, 2017, four killings of people of color in King County have occured in 9 days. This is unacceptable. We demand an independent, community-based investigation into Charleena’s killing. We demand justice for these people.

#GiovannJoseph-McDade was 20 years old, graduated from Kent-Meridian High School, and was attending Green River College. He is the 3rd person to be murdered by King County police in the past month:
#CharleenaLyles was 30 years old, a mother of four and 3 months pregnant, murdered by Seattle Police
#TommyLe was 20 years old, murdered by King County deputy

#WilliamStokes was 51 years old, murdered March 23 2017
#PatrickReddeck was 38 years old, murdered October 16 2016

#abolishthepolice #disarmthepolice #stopkillingus #nojusticenopeace

The Seattle Police- North Precinct located at 10049 College Way N. will be hosting a community picnic on July 8th, 2017 from 1pm to 4pm. Below is the message on their flyer for this event.

” Picnics provide opportunities for precincts surrounding neighborhoods to come together and enjoy an afternoon of celebration with the officers that protect their families and businesess.

Community members enjoy an opportunity to learn about and interact with many of the Department’s units, including K-9, Mounted Patrol, bomb squad and SWAT.

Come join us for live music, hot dogs and ice cream, bouncy house and story time with your community police team.”

The purpose of this action:

#NoJusticeNoCelebation
We will not be celebrating for or with SPD.
We do not feel protected by SPD.
We do not feel heard by SPD.
We do not feel safe by SPD.

What the community wants is for police to stop killing us.

Our vision:

We will be holding a sit-in demonstration visibly nearby this picnic. We will give folks opportunities to share words. We will honor the names of the recent victims of police brutality. This space will be led by womxn of color particularly black womxn and be centering their experiences and feelings. Non-black folks will be in supporting roles throughout this action. White folks will be providing an outer layer protection role throughout this action.”