Despite rain and finger numbing temperatures, activists gathered outside Long Beach City Hall to remind the community that their work isn’t done just because Donald Trump lost his presidential re-election campaign to Joe Biden earlier that morning.
Speakers from Black Lives Matter Long Beach, Democratic Socialists of America Long Beach, Anakbayan Long Beach and Queers Obliterating White Supremacy (QOWS) took turns addressing the crowd.
“We’re all here to honor- you know, to heck with the elections, right- let’s honor our work. Our work, what we did. What we accomplished as American citizens with critical thinking skills,” Audrena Redmond of BLM Long Beach told the crowd.
(Kristen Farrah Naeem | Signal Tribune)
Redmond reminded the crowd that their work was far from over, and that Biden’s election should not distract them from local issues.
“As we turn on the news all we hear is the national stuff, which takes our eyeballs off what’s happening right here at home. This is why this is a city where the gay and lesbian community was targetted a few years ago, and no one hardly knew anything about that. And yet, Long Beach props itself as a place that is safe for the gay and lesbian community, and for our trans brothers and sisters. We are going to make sure that they know we are here, and I know you’re gonna do this cause you’re out here on a cold and rainy day,” Redmond said.
Redmond was referring to the 2016 court ruling that found the Long Beach Police Department was unfairly targeting gay men for lewd conduct arrests through sting operations. Long Beach Superior Court Judge Halim Dhanidina dismissed a 2014 charge of lewd conduct against Rory Moroney, finding that undercover male LBPD officers were regularly used to make discriminatory lewd conduct arrests against gay men, as reported by the Long Beach Press Telegram.
“This is a movement… We cannot go back to sleep. After Barack Obama was elected, people had the audacity to say, ‘Oh, we live in a post-racial America.’ I beg to differ, and I think the last twelve years have really proven that point,” Redmond said.
While the election of Biden over Trump was seen as the removal of one more obstacle on the path of racial and social justice, the new president elect’s controversial career was not overlooked.
“We’re not here riding for Biden. No. He’s the architect of the 1994 crime bill that put so many brown and Black bodies in prison. We’re not here for that. We’re not here for Kamala Harris- self proclaimed top cop in California. Nah, we know about that, we’re not here for that. From the top to the bottom, the Democrats are rotten. It stinks all the way down to Mayor Robert Garcia,” Vick Bouzi of DSA said.
The power of influential police unions has come under heightened scrutiny this year, after highly publicized murders of African American citizens at the hands of police and resentment over systemic racism sparked protests over the summer. Across the nation and in Long Beach, there has been a call to end police union money in politics.
Garcia was endorsed by the Long Beach Police Officer Association during his run for office. Furthermore, as reported by Forthe in June, in the past five years the police union has given over $500,000 in political contributions to committees led by Garcia.
Bouzi also criticized the LBPD’s treatment of peaceful protesters during the summer, recalling a crackdown on Long Beach City College students marching in his neighborhood.
When Bouzi saw the students protesting on his block, he went to hand out flyers to them before heading back inside his home to prepare for a separate protest.
“I go, I hand out flyers to these kids, all these college kids doing their thing, protesting during the uprisings. I go inside to get ready for my protest. Seconds later, I hear flashbangs outside. I go outside and there’s a f****** marching line of cops coming down from the sheriff’s station, shooting as these kids are crying and screaming. My neighbors come out and they’re in tears. They can’t believe it, what’s going on in front of this nice community in Long Beach,” Bouzi told the crowd.
Bouzi encouraged local residents to become involved with one of the many organizations in Long Beach that work to combat corruption and brutality within the city.
“The fight continues,” he said.
Rain continued throughout the rally, with organizers and demonstrators sometimes taking shelter under the eaves of City Hall and within the letters of the “Long Beach,” sign. Shortly before 2:20 p.m. the crowd dispersed as rains intensified and light hail began.
Thank you for your writing about this event! Didn’t hear about it, yet I personally agree with Audrena Redmond, hopefully this will not be the last we hear from her!