Jackson Residents Unite in Solidarity Against Proposed Takeover of City and Police Brutality

Residents of Jackson, Mississippi, gathered at New Jerusalem Church last week to receive free cases of bottled water, a new normal in the state capital that has been struggling with a failing water system. The event, however, was not just about the water crisis. It was also about the growing concern over the Republican state lawmakers’ proposed “takeover of the city of Jackson and disenfranchising local voters,” according to local activist Danyelle Holmes.

The Mississippi Capitol Police has been at the center of the controversy, as the state seeks to expand its power. The agency has an unusual level of authority for a state capitol police force, and does not equip officers with body cameras. This has caused alarm among residents, community leaders, and local politicians, as well as the families of those who have been injured or killed.

Two such victims include a 25-year-old father of two who was fatally shot in the head during what police described as a response to a traffic violation, and a 49-year-old woman who was struck in the arm by an officer’s bullet that crashed through her apartment’s walls as she lay in bed. The woman is currently recovering from her injuries.

The event at New Jerusalem Church was a show of solidarity for the victims and their families, as well as a call to action for the community to stand up against the proposed takeover of the city. “We will not be silenced,” declared Holmes. “We will not be intimidated. We will not be pushed out.”