Police Violence, Racialized Indifference and a Hunger for Justice in Anaheim

"There is gang violence," admitted Atef, "but it has to do with the social system not providing for impoverished neighborhoods."

Arellano believes the City Council is to blame even more than the police department for the violence afflicting Anaheim. "They've been giving billions in subsidies to developers, the 1%. When the city council pays attention only to developers the rest of city crumbles." He said that the City Council has diverted resources to hotels, resorts and sports convention centers to the detriment of the city's working poor, who are already suffering from unemployment and a spike in crime.

The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM) recently published an investigation, which found that 120 black men, women and children have been killed by police, security guards or self-appointed law enforcers in the first half of 2012, the majority of whom were unarmed. That's one black person killed every 36 hours.

Thus far, less than 9 percent of those responsible for the deaths have faced charges (four police officers and six security guards and self-appointed law enforcers).

Almost all killer cops are routinely exonerated and quickly return to the street. Grieving families who invariably ask the modest question, 'why did he have to die?' are ignored. If there is some demonstrated community outrage the case may be further investigated. The legal system almost never charges these executioners and even if they do, the killing continues.

-Police Violence, Racialized Indifference and a Hunger for Justice in Anaheim