Thursday, June 23, 2011

Article: Protests in Calif. over claims of police brutality

This group of activists and community organizers are demonstrating outside an awards event meant to honor members of the Long Beach Police Department.

The Campaign to Stop Police Violence is a community coalition that formed in the wake of the death of Doug Zerby.

Long Beach police officers shot and killed Zerby this past December after officers say they mistook a water nozzle for a gun.

Since the shooting, the community coalition has been holding rallies to build support and to encourage victims of police brutality to come forward.

Campaign officials say their information shows that Long Beach is a national leader in police violence.

Ian Thompson is with the Long Beach Campaign to Stop Police Violence and ANSWER LA.

Thompson says he knows that tough economic times can lead to an increase in crime which can lead to justifiable police action.

But he says police are also looking to target people even when no crime has been committed.

Elizabeth Bustamante is one of those people who say police targeted her family.

Bustamante says Long Beach police officers shot her fiancee John Cabrera more than two dozen times.

At the time police said they were responding to a domestic violence call and that Cabrera was uncooperative.

Bustamente says police had no reason to use deadly force.

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