Future is Feminist Calls to Shut Down Heart of D.C.

The Future is Feminist will shut down the heart of D.C. on Friday, March 24th, 2017 outside of the Wilson Building to resist nominated Police Chief Peter Newsham’s pending confirmation. We will not allow him to terrorize our communities.

On Friday, March 24, 2017, one final public forum will celebrate Peter Newsham’s nomination as Police Chief. Newsham has spent nearly three decades terrorizing D.C. He is a liability to the city, having cost D.C. millions of dollars in lawsuit fees, and he is a threat to the lives of Black communities, other communities of color, queer and trans communities, and other marginalized groups.

Until they make our communities safer by punishing officers like Newsham who brutalize community members and stop of granting shitty cops more state power, we will make sure they hear our voices.

We are saying NO to Newsham and standing up against police brutality in D.C.

1. He is an abuser. Newsham, had a protective order filed and granted against him by his ex-wife in 2002. Records show a litany of alleged domestic violence encounters involving Newsham and his former wife during the 1990s and 2000s.
2. He responds violently and irresponsibly to peaceful protests. Then Assistant Chief Peter Newsham admitted in court he ordered the arrest of almost 400 protestors, journalists, and bystanders during the 2002 World Bank-International Monetary Fund protests at Pershing Park. The arrests reportedly cost the city more than $10 million to settle a lawsuit filed by those wrongfully arrested. He recently ordered the mass arrest of hundreds of protestors at the 2017 Inauguration, which may also cost the city money in lawsuits.
3. He completely mishandles criminal cases. A scathing third-party report uncovered the department’s mishandling of sexual assault cases while Newsham was at the helm of the MPD’s Investigative Services Bureau.

The Future is Feminist believes that a feminist future, is a future without State Violence and a future that does not criminalize people of color, queer people, trans and gender non-conforming people, women, and other historically marginalized communities. Stand up and say NO to Newsham.

P.S – We hate cops.

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