I created this block for the @sjsa_remembranceproject
Researching the case of George Robinson, killed by Jackson, Mississippi police in January 2019, I was horrified at the casual brutality that resulted in Mr. Robinson’s death. Policing has become militarized, leading to all-out warfare in our cities. Black people of any age or gender, but especially Black men, are not community members, not citizens. They are the enemy and must be destroyed at all costs. There is no empathy, no recognition of humanity. It’s not about “protect and serve,” it’s about domination and control. And it is systemic. This is not a few bad apples, this is standard operating procedure. Sadly, sometimes even Black officers have this mindset, as was apparently the case here. Mr. Robinson, age 62, was sitting in a car outside his own home when approached by police searching for a murder suspect. According to witnesses, Mr. Robinson was cooperative and agreed to get out of his car, but said he had difficulty moving, due to a recent stroke. Police dragged him out of the car and threw him face down on the pavement. Witnesses say he was beaten, kicked and punched. He left the scene on his own, but went to the hospital that night and died two days later from head injuries inflicted by police. All three officers were charged with murder, but in May 2021, a judge dismissed charges against two of them. The third will be tried at a later date. I read everything I could find about Mr. Robinson. He was clearly an important and beloved member of his community. He was a respected elder. Everyone talked about how kind, generous, friendly, and even-tempered he was. How could such a person be beaten to death by police? In designing this remembrance block, I wanted to uplift Mr. Robinson’s role in his community. The sun behind his head represents the light he brought into the lives of others. The words describe how his family and friends thought of him. The broken hearts symbolize the damage caused by violent death. Not only did Mr. Robinson lose his life, but his entire community was traumatized. #sew4justice