The Black Panthers of Milwaukee held a “human rights tribunal” on Sunday to protest the “genocide” of blacks by police, which essentially involved members toting assault rifles through the Sherman Park neighborhood.
Leaders of the Revolutionary Black Panther Party called for the resignation of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Ed Flynn on Friday before taking to the streets two days later to protest the death of Sylville Smith, who was killed in Sherman Park by former Milwaukee police officer Dominque Heaggan-Brown in August, WISN reports.
Heaggan-Brown, a black 24-year-old, was charged Friday with first-degree reckless homicide in the Aug. 13 shooting, which sparked a series of violent riots, according to Fox 6.
“This is genocide. It can’t go on,” Alli Muhammad, spokesman for the Black Panthers, told WISN at the Sunday “tribunal.” “Any other country, any other people it would be declared as such.”
The group of about two dozen panthers dressed in mostly black, many with their faces covered, strolled through the neighborhood with their fists in the air.
“Stop the genocide,” they chanted repeatedly. “Black power!”
Most of the men in the group appeared to be carrying assault rifle or shotguns.
Another video showed the Panthers chanting, “Free us or you die, cracker!”
A police spokesman addressed the group’s posturing in a statement Sunday.
“Open carrying a forearm is not arrestable absent any other violations of the law,” the spokesman said.
The protest comes as others in the neighborhood are taking a less confrontational approach to working with local law enforcement to crack down on crime.
The Sherman Park Citizen Patrol deployed volunteers to canvas the neighborhood Monday night in hopes of reporting suspicious activity to Milwaukee police. The community activated the patrols after eight businesses were burned by looters following the Smith shooting, Fox 6 reports.
“This is our neighborhood – and we want it back,” resident Abie Eisenbach said. “We are going from 48th to 60th, Burleigh to Nash. Our motto is Bringing Unity Back Into the Community.”
The group is using marked “citizens patrol” vehicles, each manned by two volunteers, to create a presence they hope will keep the community safe.
“They can be a complement to our Milwaukee Police Department,” city alderman Michael Murphy said. “A complement, not a substitute, and add to the safety and vitality of our city.”
Eisenbach believes it’s a critical time for locals to send a message to criminals.
“I remember as a kid being able to play outside at night – my parents didn’t have to worry,” he said. “We have to let people know that crime will not be tolerated here.”
The Sherman Park Citizen Patrol is currently using four volunteers to conduct 90-minute patrols, and hope to build on the effort moving forward.
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