Moms Rising Group denounces Philadelphia police murder of Walter Wallace

George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Rayshard Brooks. Tony McDade. And now, Walter Wallace Jr.

[Murder of Walter Wallace Jr.]
MomsRising: “America’s moms mourn the death of Walter Wallace Jr. Our hearts are with Cathy Wallace, Walter’s mom, who tried valiantly and desperately to save her son’s life as police pulled their guns and shot her son not once, not twice, but ten times.”
Photo: YouTube

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the murder of Walter Wallace Jr. by Philadelphia police this week.

“George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Rayshard Brooks. Tony McDade. And now, Walter Wallace Jr. They are among the Black Americans – people with lives and loves, families and futures – who were murdered by police. This is state-sanctioned violence and it has to stop. This country will not tolerate police murders of people of color, day after day after day.

“America’s moms mourn the death of Walter Wallace Jr. Our hearts are with Cathy Wallace, Walter’s mom, who tried valiantly and desperately to save her son’s life as police pulled their guns and shot her son not once, not twice, but ten times. No mother should lose a loved one to those charged with our protection. No one should lose his life because police responded with lethal violence to a mental health crisis.

“The BREATHE Act would ensure our political leaders invest in our communities through education, housing, health care, and mental health services, and address the needs of people living in low-income communities. This federal bill divests resources from incarceration and policing; builds new approaches to community safety; invests resources to build equitable communities for all; enhances the self-determination of all Black and POC communities; and allocates funds to build healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities.

“At a time when COVID-19 is devastating Black and Brown communities, when our schools cannot function normally, when armed white supremacists with guns are marching on state capitols and intimidating voters, we need to shift priorities and re-allocate resources. Moms demand full accountability for the murder of Walter Wallace Jr., and investments in health, education and community supports. We will not rest until we have a country in which we can all be safe and thrive.”

Sign the MomsRising petition in support of the #BREATHEAct here.

MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.

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