Statement on Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol
Yesterday, a mob of white supremacists stormed the U.S. Capitol during Congress’s confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s victory. These actions were an attack on our democracy and an attempt to undermine the will of we, the people. But we will prevail and continue pushing forward.
Make no mistake — the violence that ensued yesterday is a direct pushback to the power that working-class people of color have built in our progressive movement. Our movement demands #BlackLivesMatter, #CommunitiesOverCorporations, and the right for our communities to thrive. We are rapidly picking up steam and mobilizing historic turnout in the polls and in the streets.
The people who incited violence know that our country’s values are shifting to choose solidarity over division, people over profit, and resistance over complicity. But we will not be intimidated, and we will keep building a future that works for all of us.
We know that America’s broken system of policing allowed for yesterday’s events. While leaders and law enforcement responded to Black, Indigenous, and Brown human rights protesters with violence and arrests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, the same perpetrators stood by and remained complicit in the violence incited by the white mob.
It’s clear that the police are only sworn in to “protect and serve” a select few, and we will continue pushing to defund the police and invest in our communities.
While our progressive movement poses a threat to white supremacy and the corporate elite, we know we have the support of the majority in building a multiracial democracy. We have the power to shape our futures. Join us as we continue building a future that represents the many, not the few.
Additional statement: Originally shared February 9, 2021
As Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial begins today (February 9, 2021), we have a message for our elected representatives:
We know why and how white supremacists attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. We know who fueled the conspiracy theories, abused their powers, and incited racist and sexist violence. We cannot be gaslit, because we have the proof. A former president must be held accountable for their actions EVERY DAY they are in office AND for the repercussions of their actions after they leave office. Our elected leaders are responsible for governing in the people’s interests. Our working-class communities deserve to not only survive but thrive, where there are no double-standards for law enforcement.
The path to unity flows through accountability. The path to healing begins with justice.