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Violence Interrupters executive director Tio Hardiman joined "The Story" Thursday to discuss the ongoing violencein Chicago and the Black Lives Matter movement.

"It makes no sense to me if we continue to stand up against the system but we will not stand up in our own neighborhood," Hardiman told host Martha MacCallum, adding that "we need to really do a lot of work in our own backyard right now in order to ...stem the tide of violence, gun violence [that] has taken so many lives here in Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia."

Hardiman also responded to Greater New York Black Lives Matter President Hawk Newsome's appearance on the same show Wednesday, as well asGeorge Floyd's death in police custody and the subsequent demonstrations across the country.

CHICAGO PASTOR SAYS 'LINE WAS CROSSED' AFTER BOY, 3, AMONG DEAD IN WEEKEND SHOOTINGS

"I'm one of the guys that was on the frontline when it came down to standing up against police brutality and excessive force," said Hardiman, who told MacCallum that he would like to meet with the leaders of Black Lives Matter. "And I understand where Black Lives Matter, what they're attempting to do. I understand that.

"But at the same time, we need help to do our best to stop gun violence in Chicago. The entire nation should be outraged when a three-year-old is executed on the streets of Chicago and a 13-year-old young young girl was killed on the west side [of]Chicago as well."

"Black Lives Matter, they're raising millions and millions of dollars," Hardiman added. "We should have a meeting and see how we can actually work together in order to stem the tide of gun violence in the inner city."

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The activist asked why inner-city murders do not draw the same attention as the death of George Floyd in police custody.

"I understand the need to rise up against police brutality and excessive force, I'm with that," Hardiman said."But at the same time, we are losing too many kids due tosenseless acts of gun violence in Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Detroit.

"So my call to action for Black Lives Matter: We need to have a meeting so we can see how we can organize and unify together ..." Hardiman said. "That's what I'm talking about. That's my main message here today."

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Chicago activist calls on Black Lives Matter to help stem city's gun violence: 'We are losing too many kids' - Fox News

A recent poll for WGBH News, Boston Globe, MassLive and State House News Service conducted by Suffolk University asked Massachusetts residents to respond to a number of questions related to the Black Lives Matter movement and the state's coronavirus response. WGBH News Host Henry Santoro spoke with Reporter Adam Reilly to break down some of the responses. The transcript below has been edited for clarity.

Henry Santoro: Let's start with what seems like the biggest takeaway from the poll, and that is support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Does that surprise you at all?

Adam Reilly: I don't know how much of a surprise it is, but it's definitely striking. That was the big takeaway for me, too. Eighty-five percent of respondents in the poll said that they either supported or strongly supported Black Lives Matter. That number alone is remarkable, but 51 percent of the respondents identified as strongly supportive, which is, again, a super striking number. And you see the support extended to certain potential reforms that could come out of the Black Lives Matter movement.

For example, 88 percent of respondents 88 percent, nearly a full 90 said that they want to ban the use of chokeholds by police. Eighty-two percent back this idea which we've heard from the governor and others of licensing police across the state and revoking their licenses if they violate certain basic standards. And there's another policy change, which would be a big deal; the governor wants to see this dealt with at the federal level, but still worth mentioning here: 75 percent of respondents said it should be possible to sue officers individually for bad things they do while they're on duty. Right now, you can only sue a police department, but a lot of people in the state would like to see that changed. There are, though, and this is, I think, important to note, there are other potential reforms where you see the support start to diminish when respondents are asked about them.

Santoro: But I think this report really showed big time with the marches that happened after the George Floyd murder.

Reilly: Yeah, no question. But let me get into some of the things that I alluded to a second ago the areas where you see support softening a little bit. Only 56 percent say that they want to ban the use of tear gas by cops. This is part of what we've heard discussed as demilitarization the idea that you're going to keep the police from operating the way an army does. Only 53 percent want to ban the use of rubber bullets. Again, you might think that that would be more popular given those marches that you referred to. It's not actually a wildly popular idea.

And this is crucial, Henry: just 50 percent of respondents say that they want to reduce police budgets and shift money to social services. So that's not a ton of support for what activists frame as defunding. And if you ask people, well, what about your own police department in your city or town? Do you want to take away some of their money and shifted to social services? Then it drops to less than half 45 percent. So tons of support for Black Lives Matter [and] a lot of support for some reforms that Black Lives Matter is in favor of, but [there are] other areas where the support softens pretty significantly.

Santoro: What about police handling of people of color?

Reilly: Yeah, here again, there's a really interesting split between the way people feel about the police generally and the way they feel about their own police department. This is the most striking instance of that split. Seventy-seven percent of respondents say the police generally, all over the place, don't treat black people the same way they treat everyone else. But then when you say what about the police in your own city or town, the number drops to 49 percent. So people are so much more inclined to think highly of their own local PD than law enforcement generally. And it's really interesting, that dynamic holds across the board with various racial and ethnic groups respondents who identify as white, black, Hispanic, Asian they all are more inclined to give their own local police the benefit of the doubt when it comes to racism or not being racist.

Santoro: Let's jump over to COVID now because this was a big part of this this poll. What are the big takeaways there?

Reilly: Well, I think you mentioned this in your intro. [There's] tons of support for the way the governor is handling the pandemic 81 percent approve, just 14 percent disapprove. Also, a lot of support for his handling of the reopening, but it drops a couple percentage points. Still numbers that any public official would envy.

But for me, the crucial takeaway here is that there is tons of ambivalence when it comes to activities that will signal a return to normalcy. Half the respondents said that they're comfortable right now going back to work or school. 41 percent say they'd be comfortable going out to eat. And then there are a couple numbers that are really low. They were low in the last poll [and] they're low in this one, too. Twenty-three percent say they'd be comfortable attending a sporting event, and just 19 percent say that they would be comfortable riding the T. So a lot of change in attitude will be required to get people doing those things again.

Santoro: That's for sure. Let's move on to schools a big topic for parents right now. What did the poll find as far as schools are concerned?

Reilly: Once again, a whole lot of ambivalence. There were a few questions asked on this topic, [but] let me just pick one to keep things as clear as possible. Respondents were asked, "will Massachusetts be able to safely reopen schools this fall?" And it was an even split when you take into account the margin of error. 44 percent said "yes", [and] 46 percent said "no".

Now, here's an interesting footnote to that: people with school-aged kids were more likely to think that you could do it safely than people without school-aged kids. If you have a school-aged kid, 48 percent of you said we can do this safely. If you don't have a kid, 41 percent said it's possible. And just from my own experience, Henry, that may indicate that parents are realizing that it's really tough to try to work at home while also keeping your kids doing the remote learning they're supposed to be. It's not easy.

See the rest here:
Where Massachusetts Residents Stand On Black Lives Matter Movement, Police Reform And Reopening - wgbh.org

The Joliet Black Lives Matter Business Expo, the first event of its kind, will be held Saturday outside the Warren-Sharpe Community Center.

The event is 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and combines a Black Lives Matter theme with a tribute to local civil rights activists of the past, an opportunity for black business owners to meet with the public, and messages for future leaders.

COVID-19 precautions are being taken.

The event is being held outdoors. Wearing of masks is encouraged. Exhibitors will be set up six feet away from each other for social distancing purposes.

But holding the event matters, said Trista Graves-Brown, an organizer of the expo.

"Right now we have to do it," Graves-Brown said. "The message is, after we do all this protesting, what's the next step? We have to pass the torch."

The event will include a ceremonial passing of the torch in which older community leaders and civil rights activists will encourage young people to become leaders.

"Now, because of COVID, kids are at home. They're not even inspired at school," Graves-Brown said. "What's going to motivate them to go on to the next step?"

Musicians will perform. Civil rights leaders who have a place in Joliet history will be honored. Several speakers will address various topics.

Participants are encouraged to wear African attire.

Warren-Sharpe Community Center is at 454 S. Joliet St.

The section of street outside the community center will be blocked off, making it easier to keep social distancing while still holding an expo, Graves-Brown said.

The event will end with a Black Lives Matter demonstration at South Chicago and McDonough streets.

But the purpose is for people to look beyond the demonstrations and prepare for the future. said Graves-Brown, co-founder of the group Speak Up that also organized a Black Lives Matter rally at Six Corners this month.

"The older people will pass on the torch to all the young people and say, 'It's up to you,'" she said. "Even though the world says Black Lives Matter, we have to matter to ourselves. That's the next step."

See the article here:
Joliet expo looks at the future beyond Black Lives Matter protests - The Herald-News

Des Moines Black Lives Matter activists say law enforcement officers boxed them in at a protest Monday night, preventing them from leaving, and then arrested 18 protesters for failing to follow orders to disperse.

We were planning to do a nonviolent march downtown, then come right back up to our cars and go home, said BLM organizer Jaylen Cavil at another protest outside the Polk County Jail Wednesday.

BLM activists said police pushed them off of their planned protest route Monday night and into a dark residential neighborhood.

They boxed us in from an alleyway and three streets, said Matthew Bruce, a lead BLM organizer. They closed the box in. And as they started closing the box in, then they gave the dispersal orders.

The protesters are accusing law enforcement of kettling, which is the controversial police tactic of blocking off streets and forcing people into a confined area. Some said law enforcement officers also used pepper spray and pushed protesters with shields Monday night.

What they did to us was the sickest, most disgusting thing Ive ever witnessed in my life, Bruce said.

There was always an avenue for protesters to remove themselves to avoid arrest, Des Moines Police Department spokesperson Paul Parizek said in a statement.

Parizek did not directly answer a question from IPR about whether DMPD believes protesters did anything illegal or violent Monday night before they were ordered to disperse.

Our position has been clear from the beginning, Parizek said. Peaceful protest is welcome and supported but disorderly conduct, disruption of peaceful neighborhoods, and destruction of property has an expiration date. It wont be allowed to continue.

Activists accused Parizek of lying about Monday night.

Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Alex Dinkla said kettling tactics were not used, and that ample time was given for protesters to follow dispersal orders.

But ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen said in a statement the organization is in touch with eyewitnesses to Monday nights protest and police response.

There are credible accounts of police action in violation of the constitutional guarantee of free speech, including kettling and the use of excessive force on nonviolent protesters including a child, media, and a legal observer, Bettis Austen said.

She added the ACLU is considering litigation.

Its clear to us that law enforcement leadership is failing to keep officers in line and communicate clearly to them that their role is to protect protesters ability to exercise their free speech rightsnot to punish protesters for challenging police brutality and racism, Bettis Austen said.

More:
Black Lives Matter Protesters In Des Moines Say Police Boxed Them In Before Making Arrests - Iowa Public Radio

The people of our nation are being attacked by the very system that is required by law to help them, serve them, and protect them from crimes against them. While this is the Police force's job, they are rather doing the opposite. They are taking the lives of people who are supposed to be protected. These hate crimes have been going on for CENTURIES. So much of our government system has been changed to make the United States of America the best country in the world, but now, as everyone is seeing in the news, America is no longer taking Black lives into account. Black lives matter whether the racist people of America and our Government think so. BLACK LIVES MATTER. They are not slaves. They are not servants. They are NOT to be punished for the color of their skin. THEY ARE PEOPLE. THEY WERE PEOPLE BEFORE WE TOOK THEM TO THE AMERICAS FOR SLAVES. THEY WILL BE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL HAVE OUR SUPPORT.

Our leaders, including Don Beyer, need to help their people protect their rights and lives.

Molly Hamrin

Alexandria

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Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Black Lives Matter - Virginia Connection Newspapers