New Orleans press conference against consent decree termination, incoming federal marshals and troops
New Orleans, LA – On October 13, several organizations stood outside the federal building to hold a press conference against the termination of the federal consent decree over the New Orleans Police Department. The conference also condemned the impending threat of federal marshals and troops descending on the city.
“We need police oversight now more than ever. Landry is at our necks, and Trump is at our back. The Louisiana State Police are already here, the National Guard is coming into our city any day now. We now know that hundreds of federal marshals are making their way into our city as we speak. These marshals will carry out warrants and assist in immigration enforcement,” said Vonne Crandell of the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. ”NOPD is in the mix and without this consent decree they will feel emboldened to be as crooked and violent as the worst of them,” Crandell stated.
The New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression organized the press conference alongside the Jace Lee Scott Foundation, Eyes on Surveillance, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Participants chanted “No Trump! No troops,” and “Justice for Jace!”
“My son Jace was killed in 2019 and instead of justice my family was met with silence, misdirection and misconduct. The consent decree was supposed to end that pattern. It was created after the department of justice found years of unconstitutional policing, false reporting and lack of accountability within NOPD. But I’m standing here today to tell you those same patterns still exist. Now, some leaders want to end the consent decree claiming NOPD has changed, but how can we say reform is complete when families like mine are still fighting for basic truth?” said Sister Shanta Scott of the Alliance and the Jace Lee Scott foundation.
Abbey Lodwig of Freedom Road closed out the press conference by saying, “There is no going back to the way things were before Trump, and we don’t want to. We have to go forward. That means community control of the police, kicking these federal marshals out, and fighting back for the world of dignity and justice we deserve.”