How California Protests Are Making History

From CalMatters:

By Emily Hoeven

June 9, 2020

Diverse movement spreads across state

For the 10th straight day, protests over police brutality against the black community swept California, their unprecedented diversity and scope pushing officials toward reforms that may have otherwise taken years.

More could be announced today, when Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers speak out against racism and kneel in front of the Capitol for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck.

Newsom on Friday banned the state police training agency from teaching the controversial carotid hold. The state Department of Justice is investigating the Vallejo Police Department’s use-of-force policies after years of complaints. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is redirecting money from the city’s police budget into services for communities of color, which San Francisco also plans to do. And some California politicians pledged to reject campaign donations from police unions.

Zev Yaroslavsky of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs: “There is a tectonic shift here with this growing constituency for reform. There is the emergence of this multiracial coalition of people, who have formed a powerful constituency, and they are making their voices heard.”

The racially diverse demonstrations have cropped up not only in big cities but also in small towns, affluent suburbs and rural parts of the state. They’ve spurred people who were never before politically active to get involved. And in many cases, they’ve been organized and led by teenagers.

Betty Mousavi, a 15-year-old Los Altos resident: “This moment is going to be taught to our kids in 20 years. It’s going to be our Rodney King story. If your kids come up and ask you what did you do during this time and you say nothing, it really shows how you were in your youth.”

Tips, insight or feedback? Email emily@calmatters.org.

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