Contact:
Brandon Lee
773-271-0899 x200
blee@advancingjustice-chicago.org
Advancing Justice | Chicago disappointed over McCarthy’s non-action
Supt. McCarthy absent from scheduled meeting with community groups
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago is disappointed in Superintendent Garry McCarthy’s absence from a scheduled meeting with community organizations on October 28. Representatives from his staff, including his Chief of Staff James Roussell, General Counsel Ralph M. Price, and First Deputy John Escalante attended in his absence and informed community members that the Chicago Police Department would not be meeting the community’s demands to fire the officers involved with the abuse of Jessica Klyzek, an unarmed resident.
Advancing Justice | Chicago and AFIRE Chicago were joined by leaders from We Charge Genocide, BYP 100, and Chicago Votes to call for the firing of Officer Gerald Di Pasquale and Officer Frank Messina who verbally and physically abused Jessica Klyzek, in addition to calling for the firing of Officer Servin for the murder of Rekia Boyd. No dismissals have been issued for any of the officers involved, but those decisions will not become final until after 90 days from the date of the recommendations.
“Advancing Justice Chicago will continue to follow the lead of organizations like We Charge Genocide and BYP 100 in their efforts to increase police accountability and stop police violence in Chicago,” said Kathleen Yang-Clayton of Advancing Justice | Chicago. “Jessica Klyzek’s experience is an all too familiar story in other communities. Her story is connected to Rekia Boyd’s, and both are symbols of a police department that does not value the lives of people of color and immigrant communities.”
“It is important that organizations like ours work in solidarity. As an Asian American that works alongside young black organizers fighting for black liberation, a win for the Asian American community of Chicago isn’t a win unless it also benefits the African American community,” said Timmy Rose, an Organizer with We Charge Genocide. “Re-imagining what community safety looks like for our people will take a lot of work, but coming to the table together ready to listen and build is an important step. The stories of Jessica Klyzek and Rekia Boyd are not isolated incidents and speak to the systematic oppression of communities of color at the hands of the police and the state. In order to see radical change, we must build power collectively and understand that we are not free until we are all free.”
“We, collectively as a community of people of color, have to uplift each other in the fight for justice, be it working to fight for Jessica Klyzek or Rekia Boyd,” said Rachel Williams, who organizes the Say Her Name campaign with BYP 100. “We have to put aside our differences and realize our commonalities.”
In addition to calling for the firing of Officers Di Pasquale, Messina, and Servin, the leaders also called on Superintendent McCarthy to support two policies that would increase police accountability: an amendment to the Welcoming City Ordinance and STOP Act, and were promised a follow up in 2 weeks by Chicago Police Department representatives.