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Muslim Advocates Calls for Stronger Congressional Response to Police Violence

WASHINGTON, DC — The following is a statement from Muslim Advocates Executive Director Farhana Khera on the bicameral introduction of the Justice in Policing Act:

“Anti-Black police violence is woven into the fabric of our nation and dates back centuries. This cannot be undone without bold structural reforms for police practices.

We applaud this long overdue effort to address the deeply rooted and longstanding anti-Black prejudice that pervades our nation’s police practices. The Justice in Policing Act is on the right path with its scope and many important reforms that have been languishing in Congress for decades, including a call to end chokeholds and racial profiling and to create a national database of police misconduct.

But some of the proposed solutions fall short of what this moment and our communities demand and are required. Military weapons, tools and resources should be banned from police use, qualified immunity should end entirely, and all federal funding streams to state and local police departments should be urgently re-examined. 

On each of these points, Congress must do better.

The country is clearing calling for structural changes to undo centuries of discriminatory policing. The Justice in Policing Act is a good step forward, but full justice and accountability demands more. We urge Congress to strengthen this bill before final passage.”

Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination. 

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