In Louisville, Breonna Taylor’s household honors her legacy

By: AP | Louisville (kentucky) |
March 14, 2021 8:50:46 am
On the one-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s dying, the slain Black girl’s household continued their name for justice as a whole bunch of demonstrators gathered in downtown Louisville on Saturday.
“Eyes are on Louisville, Kentucky, today so let’s show America what community looks like,” stated Taylor’s aunt, Bianca Austin, who wore her niece’s emergency medical technician jacket.
Austin spoke from a stage arrange in Jefferson Square Park, which turned an impromptu hub for protesters throughout months of demonstrations final summer time. Flanked by two hand-painted murals of Taylor, activists repeated calls to cost the law enforcement officials who killed the Black girl throughout a raid at her house.
The crowd shouted Taylor’s title and “No justice, no peace” as they gathered close to an outside memorial that features a mural, posters, paintings and different mementos honoring Taylor’s life. Some organizers gave away meals throughout the speeches.
A bicyclist leads a bunch of protesters down Jefferson Street in Louisville, Kentucky, on the one yr anniversary of the dying of Breonna Taylor Saturday, March 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Taylor’s household then led the protesters on a day march previous City Hall.
In a tweet Saturday, President Joe Biden referred to as Taylor’s dying “a tragedy, a blow to her family, her community, and America.”
“As we continue to mourn her, we must press ahead to pass meaningful police reform in Congress. I remain committed to signing a landmark reform bill into law,” he wrote.
The rally got here a day after Kenneth Walker, Taylor’s boyfriend, filed a federal lawsuit towards the Louisville Metro Police Department, alleging his constitutional rights had been violated throughout final yr’s botched raid, information shops reported. Walker final yr filed an ongoing state lawsuit towards town and police, saying he was the sufferer of assault, battery, false arrest and malicious prosecution.
Taylor’s entrance door was breached by Louisville officers as a part of a drug raid within the early morning hours of March 13, 2020. Walker fired his gun as soon as, saying later that he feared an intruder was coming into the house. One officer was struck, and he and two different officers fired 32 photographs into the house, placing Taylor 5 occasions.
Taylor’s dying initially flew underneath the media radar, because the COVID-19 disaster shut down society, however George Floyd’s dying in Minnesota and the discharge of a chilling 911 name from Walker in late May sparked curiosity within the case.
A grand jury indicted one officer on wanton endangerment fees in September for taking pictures right into a neighbor’s house, however no officers had been charged in reference to Taylor’s dying.
Police had a no-knock warrant however stated they knocked and introduced their presence earlier than coming into Taylor’s house, a declare some witnesses have disputed. No medicine had been present in Taylor’s house.
A Kentucky decide final week signed an order completely closing a prison case towards Walker for firing on the officer.
Walker referenced the closure of the case towards him throughout Saturday’s rally.
“I gotta say that’s a nice start, but that’s not where we finish,” Walker stated. “We’ve got to keep going.”
Demonstrator Olivia Alexander stated the anniversary of Taylor’s dying reminded her to proceed to work for racial justice, regardless of some setbacks previously yr.
“As we’ve seen, there’s not been any justice for Breonna Taylor, and a lot of the other brutal killings of Black Americans, so holding onto hope has been the most important thing,” Alexander stated.
An ongoing federal investigation may very well be large ranging and is regarded by many because the final probability for justice for Taylor’s dying.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, tweeted an announcement in assist of Taylor’s household, together with her mom, Tamika Palmer.

“Today we remember Breonna Taylor, her tragic and unnecessary loss and the immense work we have ahead of us,” he stated. “I will never understand the unimaginable grief of Tamika Palmer and other family and loved ones, but I am committed to listening and working with others to be build a more suitable and fair commonwealth for every Kentuckian.”