Muslim group representatives to attend funeral for 12-year-old police shooting victim
(CLEVELAND, OH, 12/1/14) — On Saturday, December 6, the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland) will join with local and national civil and human rights groups to co-host a forum on police shootings in the wake of the fatal shooting by police of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy, who was playing with a soft-pellet gun outside a local recreation center in that city.
SEE: Tamir Rice Weighs Heavily on Second Anniversary of Deadly Cleveland Police Chase
Video Shows Cleveland Officer Shooting 12-Year-Old Tamir Rice Within Seconds
The Funeral Service for Tamir Rice is Wednesday
WHAT: Forum on Police Shootings & Community Response
WHEN: Saturday, December 6, 2014, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
WHERE: Cleveland Public Library, MLK, Jr. Branch, 1962 Stokes Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106
CONTACT: CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia Shearson, 216.830.2247, jshearson@cair.com
[MEDIA NOTE: On Wednesday, December 3, representatives of CAIR-Cleveland will attend the funeral of Tamir Rice to be held 11 a.m. at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, 7510 Woodland Avenue, in Cleveland.]
“The purpose of these community-based initiatives is to bring together diverse civil and human rights leaders and organizations to form a more united front to work on social justice issues, including the excessive use of force by police,” said CAIR-Cleveland Events Coordinator Aiesha Siddiq.
The forum, hosted by the Greater Cleveland Civil and Human Rights Coalition, of which CAIR-Cleveland is a founding member, was formed with the help of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee to increase collaboration among local groups working on issues such as racial profiling, police misconduct, immigration reform, excessive government surveillance, and home foreclosures. It will focus on the community’s response to allegations of the excessive use of force by Cleveland police, including the recent killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice and the “137 Shots Cleveland Atrocity” in which two unarmed civilians were killed two years ago by the Cleveland police in a hail of 137 bullets.
At the forum, the coalition will discuss plans related to the expected release of a U.S. Department of Justice finding stemming from a pattern and practice investigation of the Cleveland Police Department. The group will also discuss prospective legislation entitled the Local Civil Rights Restoration Act, which would provide local solutions to excessive government power and lack of accountability and citizen oversight.
CAIR recently called for a “national action” to address issues of racism in the aftermath of a Missouri grand jury’s decision to not indict the officer who shot Michael Brown. CAIR also questioned the “problematic” grand jury process that resulted in a failure to indict the officer.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia Shearson, 216.830.2247, jshearson@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202.744.7726, ihooper@cair.com