When a group of young Chicago activists heads to Switzerland in November to address the United Nations over police violence in Chicago, they will have with them a 14-page shadow report outlining examples of what they call torture.
We Charge Genocide, the new grassroots youth advocacy and police-monitoring organization behind #ChiCopWatch and police watch training, released the report Wednesday. They say the statistics and stories scattered throughout the document are proof the United Nations Committee Against Torture should put pressure on local police to improve the department’s accountability efforts.
The Chicago Police Department takes advantage of young people of color, the group claims. The write-up uses statistics and nearly 20 stories categorized as alleged harassment, excessive force, deadly force, sexual assault, mass arrest or police inaction. The stories reflect a growing distrust young people of color in Chicago have when it comes to encounters with the Chicago police, according to the report.
…Before we know it, the door is kicked down and there’s five special-‐ops officers with their huge M16s drawn, pointed at us: Three 15 year olds playing video games….
I was walking to the bus when a police officer called out and said, “Hey you, come here girl with all of that ass.”
It’s not a coincidence that the document is released on the National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality. We Charge Genocide is also planning a rally outside the 11th District police station Wednesday night.
The full shadow report with upcoming maps and additional stories will be added to the shadow release’s website. Read the full report below:
