Philadelphia residents filed a lawsuit in 2020 accusing the police of using excessive force on protestors rallying in response to the death of George Floyd. From being pepper sprayed to shot at with rubber bullets, protestors did not want this conduct to slide.
For many of the protestors, the irony wasn’t lost on them that they were experiencing police violence at a protest about ending police violence. The system made it clear that violence is the language of oppression. That system is willing to wield its power over peaceful protestors who dare to disrupt the status quo.
Money doesn’t erase the deep rooted structural issues within the American police system. We need more and the city’s response just isn't enough.
The city will also contribute $500,000 to a fund that aims to provide mental health counseling to victims of police violence, along with donations to grassroots organizations in the area. But these victims shouldn’t exist. These organizations shouldn’t have to fight. Police violence needs to end altogether.
When we stand against the system in numbers, they are forced to pay up, but monetary compensation isn’t enough. We need real change and liberation, and pushing the system even when they concede will get us there.