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Lafayette, Louisiana: People Take to the Streets After Pigs Murder Trayford Pellerin
| revcom.us
Protesters took to the streets on Saturday, August 22, in Lafayette, Louisiana, one day after police fired 11 shots at close range into Trayford Pellerin, a 31-year-old Black man, outside a convenience store. The police had followed Pellerin half a mile on foot and justified the killing by claiming he had a knife.
The shooting of Pellerin was captured on video by a bystander and spread widely on social media. The video shows at least five cops opening fire for no reason. His mother said he suffered from anxiety related to social situations. His aunt said, “He was very quiet. He had a big heart.” The executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana said in a statement, "Once again, video footage has captured a horrific and deadly incident of police violence against a Black person who was brutally killed in front of our eyes." He went on, “None of our communities are safe when the police can murder people with impunity or when routine encounters escalate into deadly shooting sprees."
After a community rally, people marched in the streets, blocking traffic and chanting, “No justice, no peace.” As the protesters approached a police precinct, police in riot gear fired smoke grenades into the crowd and made arrests.
One day after the murder people marched in the streets, blocking traffic and chanting, “No justice, no peace.” Photo: @katie_gagliano
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