On Tuesday, eighty-seven people were arrested and charged in Louisville, Kentucky, after a peaceful protest demanding justice for Breonna Taylor’s murder.
The protest began near Ballard High School and ended on Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) front lawn on Tuesday evening. The protestors chanted slogans calling for Breonna Taylor’s killers to be arrested but were asked to leave by police. Those who refused were arrested.
Holy shit this is the front yard of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron right now.
— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) July 14, 2020
The eighty-seven who were arrested now face criminal charges. Each protestor was charged with attempting to influence a participant in the legal process (a felony), disorderly conduct (a misdemeanor), and trespassing (a violation).
“That is an intimidation tactic from the Louisville Metro Police Department to tell us, ‘We’re going to meet you with trumped-up charges, so don’t ever come back here again,’” said Linda Sasour, one of the eighty-seven arrested. She expressed that no violence or threats occurred on Cameron’s property to warrant the charges.
May 24: Armed men hung an effigy of Kentucky Gov. Beshear from a tree, protesting COVID restrictions. No one was arrested.
July 14: Unarmed protesters sat in lines at Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron’s home, seeking #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor.
All were arrested & charged with felonies. pic.twitter.com/cps9fgaI4L
— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) July 16, 2020
Former federal prosecutor and law professor Mark Osler considered the charges to be strange. He said that felony intimidation charges typically are given in cases where intimidation is used to sway a member of the jury or a witness, not in cases of peacefully gathering on the lawn of a public official. In Osler’s opinion, a trespassing charge would have been more appropriate.
“Justice is not achieved by trespassing on private property, and it’s not achieved through escalation,” Cameron said. “It’s achieved by examining the facts in an impartial and unbiased manner. That is exactly what we are doing and will continue to do in this investigation.”
However, some feared that Cameron was incapable of prioritizing Breonna Taylor’s case and that instead, Cameron’s focus is being President Trump’s puppet.
But #BreonnaTaylor’s killers have not been held accountable. AG Daniel Cameron (@kyoag): As a leader, did you go out to talk to protesters and hear their concerns? There’s a higher way. https://t.co/Ievkgq6GCE
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) July 15, 2020
Daniel Cameron, Kentucky’s Republican Attorney General, is fast becoming one of the most dangerous elected officials in the country. This is lunacy. https://t.co/UYfe6S3vtw
— Chris Lee (@RuralChrisLee) July 16, 2020
By flaunting his recent engagement pictures and failing to charge Breonna Taylor’s murderers–Brett Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove–Cameron was accused of making a mockery of Taylor’s legacy. Unable to arrest and charge murderers or listen to the people’s cries for justice, he had the time to arrest and give felonious charges to peaceful individuals.
Daniel Cameron: doesn’t charge cops who killed Breonna Taylor, instead gets engagement photos, thinks mandatory masks are going too far. Yr doin great, bud. pic.twitter.com/WWampMbNia
— the socialist mom (@thesocialistmom) July 9, 2020
ARREST THE BITCHES THAT KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR !! I’m tired of waiting –
And Kentucky Attorney General …. Daniel Cameron you’re a CLOWN
Instead of charging killers your having engagement parts & having innocent celebrity protesters arrested pic.twitter.com/pVMnGlCjzF— kekethevocalist (@kekethevocalist) July 16, 2020
When are the laws to go protect young black women like Breanna Taylor going to go in affect?
When are you going to arrest the officers that killed Breonna Taylor?
— Jay-Ara (@JustJohnny85) July 15, 2020
Right @JustJohnny85? But let’s take in his engagement a few weeks ago. It must be so nice to be able to experience this kind of love WHEN BREONNA WAS STRIPED FROM THIS. She will never be able to marry the love of her life. ARREST & CHARGE THEM ALL @kyoag #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor https://t.co/AGaQA64e6L pic.twitter.com/o25UARN5P7
— Dons (@DonnaHTee) July 16, 2020
Only one of the officers involved in the case has faced any type of disciplinary action. Brett Hankinson was terminated from the LMPD, but Cosgrove and Mattingly remain employed.
just so y’all know, #BrettHankinson, one of #BreonnaTalyor’s murderers, is chillin at the beach right now and has yet to be arrested. CALL THE LOUISVILLE MAYOR’S OFFICE (502) 574-2003 AND DEMAND HIS ARREST ALONG WITH THE OTHER OFFICERS THAT MURDERED HER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
— carrie hood ⭕️ (@carrieraymon__) July 14, 2020