Tristan Taylor and Nakia Wallace, co-organizers of Detroit Will Breathe — the name of the Detroit movement against police brutality and violence — met with Mayor Mike Duggan this morning to discuss the group’s collective demands.
“This movement, which as of yesterday has marched 11 days straight, made a list of demands that reflected the aspirational vision of the type of society they want to live in, one free from police violence and punitive measures as a way of solving social issues experienced by working-class and minority communities,” read a press release shared on the this morning.
Yesterday, the protesters voted to prioritize 11 demands in the meeting that they believe Duggan has “immediate authority and direct influence over.” These include:
- Defund and demilitarize the police
- End Project Greenlight and Facial Recognition
- Drop all charges and citations received by protestors
- Do not carry out eviction orders
- Drop the uneven citations received by Detroiters during the stay at home order
- End “consensual” sex between police officers and those under custody (legally define all sex in custody as rape)
- Prosecute and fire any police officer involved in police brutality
- Do not criminalize homeless people
- Make Detroit a Sanctuary City
- Create an Independent Office for Disabled Citizens
- Restore and maintain running water for all Detroiters
Other demands they intended to present to the mayor are as follows:
- Release all non-violent offenses
- Residency requirement that all DPD officers live in Detroit
- No use of rubber bullets/ military tactics
- Decriminalization of all recreational drugs
- Substantial investment for mental health and substance abuse victims
- More punitive charges against officers who hide badges
- Duty to intervene for other officers
- Abolish foreclosures
- End police union funding of DA office
- Drop all charges against all protestors
- More accessible structures for police accountability
- Care for juveniles instead of jailing
The Detroit demonstrators join other cities across the world — including Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, London, and Paris — that are fighting for an end to police brutality following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Protests have also taken place in the Detroit suburbs, including Sterling Heights, Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Troy. Detroit protestors kick off their march at 4 p.m. every day at the Detroit Police Department Headquarters.
To keep up with Detroit Will Breathe, visit .
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