Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed this week responded to the demands made by the Black Lives Matter movement following their meeting in July, and in classic Mayor Reed fashion he pulled no punches in his response.
The Mayor flat out rejected most of the demands, including ones to disband the citizen’s review board, end Atlanta Police Department’s training with Israeli security experts. He also flatly dismissed BLM’s call to divert bond referendum funds, earmarked for transportation projects, into low-income black communities.
Reed did agree to review the APD’s ‘no-knock’ warrant policy, which has become a subject of much controversy following several high profile incidents. He also agreed to hear alternatives for private probation firms, which critics have accused of abusive tactics which single out the black community.
BLM has yet to respond to the Mayor’s statement, but following hard “no’s” on their biggest requests and a couple of “maybes” on the rest, it’s clear that Reed is unwilling to compromise much without good reason.
In related news, Sir Maejor Page, the ludicrously named ‘CEO and President’ of Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, was found this week to have several arrests on record for impersonating a police officer. According to court records he is described as “wearing a replica APD uniform, with a Glock, taser, loaded magazines, radio, handcuffs and baton around his waist” when he ‘arrested’ a woman in a gas station for having an open container of liquor. When police arrived they promptly released the woman and took Page into custody for impersonating an officer.
Not a great look for Page, who is also facing heat from Black Lives Matter Atlanta, a separate wing of the movement which has rejected his self proclaimed leadership.
