FREE SF statement: Sanctuary Means Freedom from Police Abuse, too

In response to the police shooting of Adolfo Delgado, the FREE SF coalition, including the organizations listed below, released the following statement.

The San Francisco Police Department’s shooting of Adolfo Delgado has caused great anguish and heartbreak in the community, and we are profoundly troubled by eye-witness reports of excessive force. We add our voices to calls for full accountability and transparency in this case. Regardless of what the SFPD may claim it was investigating, we must recognize Adolfo’s humanity, resist stereotypes, and insist that the truth come to light.

Sadly, this is the latest in a long line of painful police shootings in San Francisco that have disproportionately taken the lives of African-American and Latino residents. While the City’s “Sanctuary” policies are among the strongest in the nation, they mean little if law enforcement violates basic civil rights of residents of color. While we fight the Trump administration’s abuses of power, we cannot shrink away from holding our local institutions accountable.

“Sanctuary for all” must mean safety from police brutality and must encompass non-violent approaches and proven deescalation techniques that limit abuses of power.

Organizations issuing this statement include: Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus; Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC);  Causa Justa::Just Cause; Community United Against Violence (CUAV); Dolores Street Community Services; Faith In Action Bay Area; Immigrant Legal Resource Center; Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity; Legal Services for Children; CA Immigrant Policy Center; Mujeres Unidas y Activas.

The coalition, active for ten years, led efforts to update and defend San Francisco’s Sanctuary and Due Process for All ordinances.