Breonna Taylor’s Anniversary Is Reminder of Her Legacy
Linda Sarsour, a founder of Until Freedom, said she thought the decision to block off streets on Saturday could unsettle demonstrators during what should be a somber memorial.
“It just tells me that maybe not that much has changed,” Ms. Sarsour said. “They claim it’s for safety reasons, but for us, when we see a lot of law enforcement, visible law enforcement, it sets a tone that they shouldn’t want to set.”
The breakdown of trust has damaged the morale of officers and citizens alike. According to a report published in January on the Police Department’s policies, 75 percent of officers surveyed said they would leave the job if they could. The report also noted a striking lack of diversity: 12.5 percent of Louisville police officers are Black, compared with 24 percent of the city’s overall population.
City officials have made several changes to policing since Ms. Taylor’s death, including the banning of no-knock warrants and the establishment of a civilian review board. But some activists are still calling for additional officers to face charges.
State Representative Attica Scott of Louisville said she would write a letter to the U.S. attorney general next week to ask for a full investigation into Ms. Taylor’s death.
In Frankfort, the state capital, Ms. Scott has seen a dual response to the surge of Black activism.
The State Senate approved a bill on Thursday that would, among other things, make it a crime to insult police officers, which many people saw as a direct response to the racial justice movement. But before a recent State House committee hearing for a police reform bill known as “Breonna’s Law,” thousands of people wrote in and called to voice their support.
That grass-roots enthusiasm, Ms. Scott believes, will be Ms. Taylor’s lasting legacy.
“I have never seen Black people, in particular, be as involved with the legislative process,” she said. “That, to me, is exactly what we want out of movements.”
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Austyn Gaffney contributed reporting.
