Anti-Racism Group’s Petition Makes Demands of City

Thousands of people have apparently signed an online petition calling on the city to agree to a series of demands for, “racial justice policies in New Britain.”

As of 11:50pm on June 3, 2020, more than 5,500 people appear to have signed the petition, posted to the site Change.org, by Alicia Strong in the name of the group group, Black Voices of New Britain. The online petition asks people to, “Sign our letter to Mayor Erin Stewart urging her to meet with us and move towards the implementation of racial justice policies in New Britain.”

The letter says that, “We can not come back to normal as New Britain does have many problems with systemic racism.”

The letter demands that the city,

• Add #blacklivesmatter to all relevant posts on your social media
• Review the contract with NBPD and ensure there is no provision preventing the city from creating a Civilian Review Board (if such a clause exists is renders citizens of NB powerless to hold NBPD accountable in any way. This is a common provision in Police departments)
• Begin steps with the city council to create a Civilian Review Board with subpoena power
• Give the NB Racial Equity Steering Committee power to create and implement a racial justice platform and accountability plan for all city departments
• Personally, undergo an Undoing Racism training
• With the guidance of the NB Racial Equity Steering Committee, hire a full time equity coach or firm to ensure implementation of plan
• Reallocate certain funds from the NBPD and redistribute funds to public education and social services.
• There shall be a diverse police commission
• Work on better employment opportunities for people of color
• Ensuring our safety and protection from any civil or criminal charges and harm when peacefully protesting or demonstrating
• Providing answers and justice for the family of Tamara Apache Mifflin

The group, on its Change.org petition, says that, “We want our elected officials, including the Mayor and the Common Council, to listen and adhere to the needs of the people without ignoring us. Our voices and our ideas matter and in order for New Britain to ‘experience the new’ we want to see action more than just words.”

“We will fight to have every elected official in this town to sit down for once and actually listen to the people,” said activist Victor Constanza. “Our group will fight for justice and for the truth.”

The organization attempted to deliver the letter making the demands to Republican Mayor Erin Stewart after she finished delivering a speech at the “Ride for Unity” anti-racism event on June 2nd. The group expressed frustration that Stewart did not receive the letter at the event, then took the stage at the event and chanted to have the letter read.

Bishop Rha-Sheen Brown, who was not part of the group trying to present the letter, sought to bring those in attendance together by agreeing to read the group’s letter out loud. Later that evening, at a community organizing meeting, Bishop Brown explained that it is important for people who agree on larger goals, even if they do not agree on everything, to work together.

At that community meeting, Tre Brown, who was principal organizer for the historic May 31st #PeoplesMarch, at which perhaps two thousand people marched against racism, encouraged people to continue to work to organize. “We are the future,” he said.

Tre Brown then proceeded to lead an emotional candlelight vigil that evening at the Darius Miller Bandshell in Walnut Hill Park. At the vigil, Tre Brown and Bishop Brown read the names of Black people who had been killed by police and others and the circumstances of many of the cases, including many cases in which those responsible for their killing were not convicted or charged.

The recent activism in New Britain has been a part nationwide protest in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. The killing of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and other African Americans have sparked vigorous protests against ongoing racism in the nation.

While the energy of the activism has resulted in disagreements among activists, activist leaders have sought to encourage the burgeoning movement in New Britain toward certain concrete goals, and they have sought to encourage everyday people to continue to be involved going forward.