When the citizens of Salt Lake City took to the streets to mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Bernardo Palacios Carbajal and countless others, they were met with police in riot gear and a curfew.
As protests against police brutality and systemic racism continue across the country, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has issued another weeklong nightly curfew. Utah’s city and state leaders have been swift to dispatch police and the National Guard and impose curfews, but not to hear the concerns of those who are marching.
Erin, why have you met protesters with police instead of an open ear? Where are your invitations to community leaders, to local organizations, to people of color to air their grievances and ask for change? Where are your forums for the citizens of Salt Lake to suggest changes to policies that increase police accountability and benefit people of color?
If you truly value your community, you will not push us to the side. You will not brush our concerns under the rug. You will meet with us and enact the changes that we demand – we march to be heard.
Please, Mayor Mendenhall and Gov. Herbert. You’re better than this. Prove it to us. Listen, and do.
Hunter Tuesday-Heathfield, Salt Lake City