HOUSTON – Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky during a botched, no-knock drug sting back in March. Three months later, the case remains under FBI investigation and no charges have been filed.
On what would have been Taylor’s 27th birthday, several dozen protesters gathered Friday at Discovery Green demanding justice.
“We really need to love one another in order to overcome the obstacles we’re experiencing right now. Breonna Taylor could have easily been me,” said Kirsten Brooks.
Protesters are calling for police reform on the local and national level, including a national ban on no-knock search warrants. The organizer of today’s protest strongly encouraged attendees to register to vote and to contact their Houston City Council members to demand change.
Organizers are urging city leaders to redirect 50% of the Houston Police Department budget for community-based services and programs.
In addition, they seek the department to ban chokeholds, require de-escalation, require a warning before shooting, exhaust all alternatives before shooting, ban shooting at moving vehicles. They also believe law enforcement should be removed from schools.
Attendees said the response to this call for action has been overwhelming, especially to see so many facets of the Houston community represented.
“It’s been hard to work. It’s been hard to sleep. Hard to focus. I see the beauty in all of this and I know that change is coming. It’s already happening,” said Crystal Murdauh.