Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, July 28, members of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) joined community members for a vigil that was followed by a rally and march to honor the life of Sonya Massey and others victimized by police. Massey, 36, lived in Springfield, Illinois, and was murdered in her own home by police after her request for help. Her death has sparked national outcry against police crimes and a national call to action around the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act. 

Lo Cross, co-chair of the Milwaukee Alliance, stated, “If attacks on Black women are happening locally then the efforts to protect Black women should happen locally, too. We need to build up the power in our communities to make sure we are the ones determining what policing looks like in our communities.”

Although it happened in Illinois, Massey’s death had a sharp impact in Milwaukee. Law enforcement originally lied to the affected family about her cause of death. Without access to bodycam footage her family would have never known that she was murdered. The Milwaukee Alliance fought for and won a policy that requires families have access to footage within 48 hours after critical incidents. Massey’s death and her family’s experience emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability. Milwaukee continues to demand transparency and accountability and hopes policies like these can continue becoming the norm around the U.S. 

The event brought together new and familiar faces to the movement against police crimes. Milwaukee answered the call to action to stand up for Sonya Massey, and organizations like the Milwaukee Alliance will continue moving forward in the struggle to put an end to police crimes. 

#MilwaukeeWI #policecrimes #SonyaMassey #MilwaukeeAlliance #MAARPR