Organizations including the Dream Defenders, Planned Parenthood, Florida Coalition For Trans Liberation(FC4TL), Florida Rising and Black Voters Matter issued statements or spoke in support of the removal of Revell and a real response to Revell’s attendance at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) conference from the city manager and city commissioners.

Despite Revell’s claims that he was there as an individual, he appeared in his official uniform and spoke almost exclusively about his role as chief of Tallahassee Police Department. Revell violated the separation of church and state by using his position and title to suggest officers should be Christian, saying “What is it that you want for the men and women that serve your community every day? Hopefully at the very top of that list is for them to know Jesus Christ as their lord and savior.”

TCAC’s president and the district organizer for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Regina Joseph, spoke about Revell’s conduct and pledged to fight for his removal as chief of the Tallahassee Police Department. “We’re gonna make sure that Lawrence Revell is out. And that whoever supports him is out. Until my very last breath, I will fight to make sure these murderous, racist, homophobic cops are out of our community.”

Others spoke not just of LGBTQ+ discrimination but also the racism and profiling they see every day in their own lives. Isabela Casanova, a member of Students for a Democratic Society, pointed out the militarization of the police at their school. “Do you know how fucking sad it is that I walk through the hallways that I work in and the Black and brown kids in my class are afraid of the school police officer? Who is walking through an elementary school fully armed and for what?”

In addition to Revell’s participation in BGEA conference, he was also involved in the death of Tallahassee resident George “Lil Nuke” Williams in 1996, a crime which he was never held accountable for.

TCAC is also demanding the removal of City Manager Reese Goad. He appointed Revell to his position of police chief in 2019 in a completely undemocratic process and is unwilling to hold him accountable.

Speakers reiterated the need for a Community Police Accountability Council (CPAC) and a People’s Budget.

#Tallahassee #LawrenceRevell #TallahasseeCommunityActionCommitteeTCAC #TPD #BillyGrahamEvangelisticAssociation

Tallahassee, FL – Local activists are calling new attention to the long struggle against terrorism by white supremacist law enforcement through a series of direct actions, the latest of which took place January 30 at a “Meet the Chief” meet and greet at a community center in Tallahassee.

“This action is to protest the appointment of confirmed killer cop Lawrence Revell to chief of police, and to condemn the opaque, nepotistic process employed by City Manager Reese Goad to appoint Revell to this position,” said Regina Joseph, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC).

Members of TCAC distributed brochures documenting the corrupt history of City Manager Reese Goad, the brutal, racist legacy of newly appointed Chief of Police Lawrence Revell, and the events of the night on which then-officer Lawrence Revell killed George “Lil Nuke” Williams, age 19, in 1996.

About 30 residents chanted, “Who are we? We’re the 850! Revell and Goad have got to go!” “No justice; no peace! No racist police!” and “Black lives matter!” Large posters displayed messages including, “Community control of police,” and “Mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living.”

A pair of police officers attempted to remove protesters from their location, threatening trespassing charges. Tallahassee resident and UPS Teamster Zachary Schultz put forward a moral challenge to the cops, “Are you really going to side with – and defend – a murderer? Lawrence Revell murdered George Williams, and immediately threatened dozens of teenagers at gunpoint to keep them from testifying against him! You’re defending that? That’s what you stand for? How dare you!”

The police mentioned trespassing charges again, but soon relented. The protesters held their ground. The action included speeches by TCAC President Regina Joseph and fellow TCAC member and recent FSU graduate Delilah Pierre, and song-leading by TCAC members Satya Stark-Bejnar and Trish Brown, who also does work on hurricane relief and refugee resettlement. There were no arrests.

#TallahasseeFL #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #PoliceCrimes #LawrenceRevell