Urges President Biden to Ban the Transfer of War-Zone Equipment by 100th Day in Office
Black Lives Matter Foundation announced today the launch of a campaign to urge President Biden to stop the militarization of police departments, and ban the transfer of vehicles and equipment made for war zones.
“This program is directly linked to our movement, and is in direct opposition to our righteous protest to liberate Black people,” said Melina Abdullah, the Co-Director of Black Lives Matter-Grassroots. “We want to see the Biden administration sign an executive order by his 100th day that would place a moratorium on the transfer of military weapons and vehicles through the Department of Defense 1033 Program. Our streets are not a war zone, and our people are not enemies of war.”
After the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014 in Ferguson, Mo., President Obama issued an executive order that prohibited the transfer of certain items, including bayonets and grenade launchers, to law enforcement agencies. The order was rescinded in August 2017 by the Trump administration.
Military equipment has no place on U.S. streets, and does not reduce violence. Research has shown there is a direct correlation between the 1033 Program transfers and murders at the hands of law enforcement.
By abolishing the program, the White House can direct the Secretary of Defense to stop classifying military equipment as “suitable for use by the agencies in law enforcement activity.” BLM Foundation also wants Biden to recall military equipment currently in the hands of law enforcement agencies.
In the coming weeks, BLM Foundation will mobilize supporters through social media to put pressure on the administration to demilitarize our neighborhoods and end the 1033 program.
About BLM Foundation
Black Lives Matter Foundation (BLM Foundation) is a global foundation supporting Black-led movements primarily in the U.S., UK, and Canada. Rooted in the principles of abolition, the foundation aims to eradicate white supremacy, dismantle historically anti-Black systems, create spaces for Black imagination and innovation, and invest in sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of Black lives across the diaspora, ensuring that Black people have the resources to thrive.
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