For Immediate Release
August 23, 2020
Color Of Change Condemns Targeting of Protesters by Tampa Bay Police Department, Demands All Charges Be Dropped In Friday Arrests
Statement from Scott Roberts, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Campaigns, Color Of Change:
“In Tampa Bay on Friday, law enforcement continued to escalate their outrageous campaign of unjustified charges against Black Lives Matter protesters and leaders. This time, one of our own staff, Color Of Change Regional Field Manager Saidie Dean, was targeted and arrested on charges from an incident over two months ago that are utterly ridiculous.
Sadie is just one of several protesters dragged from their homes weeks after a protest where they were peaceably and lawfully speaking out against racism and police violence in Tampa Bay.
We condemn the actions of the Tampa Bay Police Department, call on States Attorney Andrew Warren to drop all charges immediately and open an investigation into the actions of the TBPD. We also join with local organizers in calling for the firing of Police Chief Dugan who has allowed this harassment to continue.
This is part of a dangerous pattern of targeting and intimidating Black people and trying to silence protest against police violence. We will not stand for this continued aggression from law enforcement.”