By JoAnn Fields
La Mesa, CA: Hundreds of students at Helix High School walked out of class on Monday morning in protest of their fellow classmate who was brutalized by a La Mesa Police Department Community Relations Officer (CRO). The CRO was called to the campus Friday afternoon upon school staff finding a can of mace in the young lady’s bag.
Events leading up to the arrest was shared that the 4.0 gpa student was serving an in-school suspension due to excessive tardies. Her health condition could be a contributing factor for her to have a slow start to get to school.
Aeiramique Blake posted on social media video of the incident that clearly shows the CRO body slamming the petite student while handcuffed down onto the concrete.
The video has since gone viral and stirred up activism among Helix High School students to speak up against this injustice and take action.
Melat Ezenea, Senior, Helix High School, “Police brutality has been around for so long and it has to come to the stop. It’s 2018 like everyone has said but it is like was are still in the 1960s. We still see the unfairness, the prejudices, the discrimination between blacks and whites, blacks and the police and police that are racist. We all need to come together and take action because one voice makes one sound and one movement will happen.”
Mohammad, Co-President, Young Black Scholars Club states, “Our club is committed to having racial equality not only at our school but around the country. That is why we are standing here today rebuking the injustice and obvious case of excessive force that occurred at our school. We urge community leaders and teachers to stand with us. We see all around the country how the police meet mistreat communities of color and think they can get away with it. But today we are standing here saying ‘No more!’ We will not allow this any longer.
La Mesa Police Department must implement descalating policies among their officers and restorative justice practices must be enacted here at Helix High School.”
Aeiramique Blake along with a collective of community leaders that included Aviana Laster, Monica Montgomery, Bishop Bowser , Deacon Harvey, Richard Olongo and Tasha Williamson also spoke in unison during the press conference following the student walkout.
For more information to get involved in this movement, contact Aeiramique Blake of Generation Justice San Diego via email at [email protected].
