DETROIT—Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) released the following statement on the nationwide George Floyd protests:

“We must listen to folks on the ground expressing pain and anger. Black folks in our country continue to be harmed and killed by those within institutions rooted in and built upon racism and white supremacist systems. We must respond with meaningful action. Not tear gas. Not handcuffs. And for damn sure not military action. Dissent and freedom of speech must be protected. It’s past time to rid this country of systemic racism and anti-Blackness. Attacking people with more oppression and violence will only continue the racist systems in our country that will kill more Black people and harm oppressed communities.I will continue to listen to those who are on the ground and who are directly impacted.

“I will be pushing for the following actions to move forward in a meaningful way:

• Create emergency response teams made up of health and human services professionals to respond to instances where police presence may increase conflict
• Dismantle the system of mass incarceration and over-policing of communities
• Eliminate qualified immunity for police officers
• Establish a database and process for decertification of police officers who commit criminal activity
• Invest in our communities with resources to eradicate poverty, create opportunities for our neighbors to thrive, and to repair and heal communities
• Prohibit the militarization of police and redirect funding to community needs
• Restore disparate impact in the Civil Rights Act to ensure folks have a path to justice when their rights, liberties, and lives are denied and harmed
• Support legislation that would significantly limit the use of force to narrow circumstances and never as a first resort

“I lift up and send gratitude to those who are engaged in movement work to push us to do better. Thank you.”