10/28/2020
Temple’s National Lawyers Guild stands in solidarity with those fighting for an end to state-sanctioned police violence against Black and Brown bodies. Black lives matter, Black lives deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and the police have shown over and over again that they cannot meet the basic needs of the communities they claim to serve.
On Monday afternoon, Philadelphia police shot and murdered Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old man who was in the midst of a mental health crisis. Rather than intervene, de-escalate, and assist Mr. Wallace during this crisis, the police responded with a barrage of shots. He did not pose a threat to anyone; he needed help. Instead, as his mother and community urged the police not to harm him, he was met with state violence. The pain and harm of this violence reverberates throughout the community and time.
This is yet another instance of state-sanctioned violence and racism. It is another confirmation that we must abolish the police and invest in our communities. We need response teams that can de-escalate and intervene in safe ways, rather than respond with undue, unwarranted violence. Walter Wallace, Jr. should be alive today, like so many before him. He should be safe and receiving the care he needed and deserved. Walter Wallace Jr.’s life mattered and we will continue to join in the fight to honor his life and ensure that Black lives receive the dignity and respect that they deserve.
