The Southern Poverty Law Center Condemns Dragging of Disabled Community Activist by the Jacksonville Sheriff鈥檚 Dept. at City Council Meeting
JACKSONVILLE听鈥� This week,听听was dragged and detained by Jacksonville Sheriff鈥檚 department officers for going over the time limit during the public comment section of a city council meeting.
The following statement is from Bacardi Jackson, interim deputy legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center:
鈥淭he Southern Poverty Law Center strongly condemns the medically harmful听听of Ben Frazier 鈥� a 72-year-old community activist who uses a mobility-assistance device 鈥� for simply exceeding a reduced, 1 minute, 5 seconds, public comment time limit.
鈥淭hese actions are reminiscent of the civil rights movement, where peaceful, nonviolent protests were met with aggression, open hostility, and jail time at the hands of law enforcement. Jacksonville City Council听鈥檚 order to have Mr. Frazier removed was a gross overreaction to a citizen who has been protesting the removal of the Women of the Southland monument from Springfield Park for several years.
鈥淎pathy is NOT an option when it comes to removing relics of the Jim Crow era from public spaces. The 人兽性交 will continue to stand with and commend the endless resolve of Ben Frazier, the Northside Coalition and all of the activists who continue to do the hard work of dismantling symbols of white supremacy in Jacksonville.鈥�
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