Today’s action comes from the good folks at the ACLU People Power of Washington: https://www.wethepeoplepower.org/take-action-2/
Over the course of the summer with massive protests for racial justice in Seattle we saw SPD use “less lethal weapons” indiscriminately into crowds of peaceful protesters. The City Council passed an ordinance in June prohibiting the use of crowd control devices, but it was blocked by the courts for not following the consent decree. The CPC (Community Police Commission) has recommended against the use of tear gas for crowd control.
Read a detailed account here: https://sccinsight.com/2020/08/16/recommendations-on-less-lethal-weapons-highlight-difficult-policy-tradeoffs-for-spd-in-use-of-force-and-crowd-control/
On February 9th the Public Safety committee of the Council will vote on a new less lethal weapons bill that seeks to ban the use of tear gas for crowd control during demonstrations and rallies. However, there are potential amendments to the bill which would provide caveats and weaken the bill. These legal loopholes are problematic and could be exploited by SPD.
Read more detail here:
You can help sway the decision that the City Council makes in two ways!
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Speak during the public comment period at the City Council Public Safety and Human Services Meeting on Tuesday 2/9 at 9:30 AM by signing up no later than 7:30 AM, Tuesday, February 9
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Call/email your three Councilmembers ASAP.
Action 1: Sign up to speak during the public comment period (DEADLINE: 7:30 AM Tuesday)
The City Council Public Safety and Human Services Meeting takes place today, Tuesday 2/9 at 9:30 AM. You must sign up no later than 7:30 AM to give public comment.
Sign up here: https://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/public-comment
Sample script:
Hi, My name is {NAME} and I am a {CONSTITUENT/RESIDENT} of Seattle City Council District {YOUR DISTRICT}.
I am urging the City Council to stand by their commitment to police accountability and pass the less lethal weapons bill to ban tear gas for crowd control without amendments that weaken this ban.
* Tear gas is inherently an indiscriminate weapon and dispersal into a crowd of peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights should never be a policing tactic
* Use of a weapon known to cause respiratory distress against lawful protesters is unacceptable at any time but particularly amidst a deadly pandemic
* Amendments to the bill will only weaken it and provide loopholes for SPD to exploit
* I am urging the council to send a clear message to SPD and ban tear gas for crowd control without exception
* {Your personal reason — BEST OPTION}
Action 2: Email your Councilmembers (DEADLINE: ASAP)
Find your Councilmembers here: https://www.seattle.gov/council/meet-the-council/find-your-district-and-councilmembers
And then email your Councilmembers. You can use the script below as inspiration for what to write to them.
Sample script:
Hi, My name is {NAME} and I live in Seattle, {ZIP CODE}.
I am urging the City Council to stand by their commitment to police accountability and pass the less lethal weapons bill to ban tear gas for crowd control without amendments that weaken this ban.
* Tear gas is inherently an indiscriminate weapon and dispersal into a crowd of peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights should never be a policing tactic
* Use of a weapon known to cause respiratory distress against lawful protesters is unacceptable at any time but particularly amidst a deadly pandemic
* Amendments to the bill will only weaken it and provide loopholes for SPD to exploit
* I am urging the council to send a clear message to SPD and ban tear gas for crowd control without exception
* {Your personal reason — BEST OPTION}
