Richard Zhou is fundraising
Bail Relief for BLM Protestors
We three students are trying to raise money and donate it to organizations dedicated to helping those wrongfully arrested.
On Saturday, May 30, protestors gathered in Downtown Chicago and peacefully marched down the streets.
A little before 6 PM, one student from The Lawrenceville School witnessed the lifting of bridges leading out of downtown, and the Chicago Police Department locking up all the subway entrances, suspending bus routes, and blocking off many of the major highways like Lake Shore Drive Michigan Ave and Wacker Drive, preventing protestors from leaving the area.
Police were unable to raise the Wabash bridge, however, causing protesters to congregate at the nearby Trump tower which happened to be in front of a police blockade.
The police threatened to arrest the protesters if they did not immediately disperse and leave the area; however, due to blocked transportation routes and options, the protestors were unable to effectively clear out the area.
At approximately 8:30, the Chicago mayor, Lori Lightfoot, enacted a curfew at 9 PM, declaring that anyone outside past that time would be immediately arrested.
The thousands of protestors in the downtown area not only were denied access to all forms of transportation but also had to make the journey home in only 30 minutes, an unrealistic expectation.
The CPD arrested over 1000 protestors that day, many of whom were beaten by law enforcement, and taken to prison, secluded without contact with relatives and friends.
In one case, a protester wasn’t able to make contact with anyone for over 20 hours and was beaten by the CPD before being taken to jail.
This incident was only one of many of the unjust police arrests taking place all across our nation. Law Enforcement is undoubtedly overwhelmed with all these arrests, and it could take weeks before a protestor receives a hearing. Before that hearing, many will have to remain in jail as some are unable to pay for their bail due to their circumstances.
We are trying to raise money and donate it to these following organizations that are dedicated to helping those wrongfully arrested. 100% of the donations will go to:
Chicago Community Bond Fund- The CCBF’s intention and hope is “to pay bond for everyone arrested at the protests right now. [They] have publicly committed to that here and also have a long history of paying bond for people arrested at demonstrations, particularly protests against police violence. Black lives matter, and [they] will continue to support everyone fighting to realize that truth."
Please do your part to help out.
-Richard, Nicole, and Manoc
Here are two other great charities with a similar cause for you to check out:
The Minnesota Freedom Fund - The Minnesota Freedom Fund support black youth-led movements right now by “working with the National Lawyers Guild and Legal Rights Center to help bails that are set.” Their mission is to pay “criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford to as we seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing.”
Brooklyn Bail Fund - The Brooklyn community Bail fund is dedicated to helping those in New York who cannot pay bail because of their socioeconomic status. BCBF committed to “challenging the racism, inequality, and injustice of a criminal legal system and immigration and deportation regime that disproportionately target and harm low-income communities of color”. Since 2015 they have paid bail for nearly 5000 new yorkers, producing 750 years of freedom.
On Saturday, May 30, protestors gathered in Downtown Chicago and peacefully marched down the streets.
A little before 6 PM, one student from The Lawrenceville School witnessed the lifting of bridges leading out of downtown, and the Chicago Police Department locking up all the subway entrances, suspending bus routes, and blocking off many of the major highways like Lake Shore Drive Michigan Ave and Wacker Drive, preventing protestors from leaving the area.
Police were unable to raise the Wabash bridge, however, causing protesters to congregate at the nearby Trump tower which happened to be in front of a police blockade.
The police threatened to arrest the protesters if they did not immediately disperse and leave the area; however, due to blocked transportation routes and options, the protestors were unable to effectively clear out the area.
At approximately 8:30, the Chicago mayor, Lori Lightfoot, enacted a curfew at 9 PM, declaring that anyone outside past that time would be immediately arrested.
The thousands of protestors in the downtown area not only were denied access to all forms of transportation but also had to make the journey home in only 30 minutes, an unrealistic expectation.
The CPD arrested over 1000 protestors that day, many of whom were beaten by law enforcement, and taken to prison, secluded without contact with relatives and friends.
In one case, a protester wasn’t able to make contact with anyone for over 20 hours and was beaten by the CPD before being taken to jail.
This incident was only one of many of the unjust police arrests taking place all across our nation. Law Enforcement is undoubtedly overwhelmed with all these arrests, and it could take weeks before a protestor receives a hearing. Before that hearing, many will have to remain in jail as some are unable to pay for their bail due to their circumstances.
We are trying to raise money and donate it to these following organizations that are dedicated to helping those wrongfully arrested. 100% of the donations will go to:
Chicago Community Bond Fund- The CCBF’s intention and hope is “to pay bond for everyone arrested at the protests right now. [They] have publicly committed to that here and also have a long history of paying bond for people arrested at demonstrations, particularly protests against police violence. Black lives matter, and [they] will continue to support everyone fighting to realize that truth."
Please do your part to help out.
-Richard, Nicole, and Manoc
Here are two other great charities with a similar cause for you to check out:
The Minnesota Freedom Fund - The Minnesota Freedom Fund support black youth-led movements right now by “working with the National Lawyers Guild and Legal Rights Center to help bails that are set.” Their mission is to pay “criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford to as we seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing.”
Brooklyn Bail Fund - The Brooklyn community Bail fund is dedicated to helping those in New York who cannot pay bail because of their socioeconomic status. BCBF committed to “challenging the racism, inequality, and injustice of a criminal legal system and immigration and deportation regime that disproportionately target and harm low-income communities of color”. Since 2015 they have paid bail for nearly 5000 new yorkers, producing 750 years of freedom.
- I
- R
- Z
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