Lummi Nation: ‘Racial inequality and discrimination are not new for our community’
The Lummi Nation said Wednesday that it stands in support of family and community of George Floyd and with communities across the United States seeking justice for his killing.
“Racial inequality and discrimination are not new for our community,” Lummi Nation Chairman Lawrence Solomon said in a news release. “And we do not tolerate racial injustice. We stand in solidarity with all those who have suffered racial inequality and all those fighting to end it.
“We stand with our African American Lummi and community members. We’ll love and support you all.”
The release, which was emailed to The Bellingham Herald and posted to the Lummi Communications Facebook page, said that the Lummi Nation knows all too well the impacts of systematic racism in our country and how it has created socioeconomic disparities.
Though the Lummi Nation said it understood the desire to participate in peaceful demonstrations in the release, it reminded community members to keep safety and well being of the entire community in mind.
Lummi remains under a Shelter in Place Order, initially issued March 22 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the release, and travel outside Whatcom County is prohibited.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer was captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and face down in the street on May 25. The officer and three others on the scene were fired last week.
The officer who kneeled on Floyd was charged with second-degree murder on Wednesday, while the three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, the Associated Press reported.
A number of Whatcom County law enforcement officials issued statements with their reactions to Floyd’s death, and Lummi Nation Police Chief Robert Wilson issued his in Wednesday’s release.
“We need to make it clear that what happened to George Floyd was completely avoidable,” Wilson said. “It is my opinion that what was done was excessive, and due to this tragedy, a person lost their life and the family has lost a brother, son and father. The individuals involved must be held accountable.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 1:14 PM.
