The Right to Protest: A Statement from Imagine Black
Imagine Black wholeheartedly believes in the First Amendment right to protest. The rights to free speech and peaceful assembly are foundational to any functioning democracy. They are not optional. They are not conditional. They do not disappear because elected officials or government staff feel uncomfortable.
We were deeply alarmed by reports that Councilor Loretta Smith has drafted a city ordinance to allow city councilors to openly carry a firearm while conducting city business. Discussing carrying firearms and threatening violence in response to protest or disruption during public meetings. That is not leadership. That is dangerous.
You may disagree with protesters. You may dislike their tone. You may feel challenged by their demands. But to insinuate that people deserve to be shot or met with armed force because they are expressing dissent is reckless and unacceptable.
During Black History Month, it is especially important to remember that since this nation was built through the theft of Indigenous land, Black people have repeatedly been met with violence simply for disrupting injustice and protesting for their humanity. To suggest that violence is an appropriate response to protest, particularly in this moment of reflection, is deeply disappointing and historically dangerous.
The normalization of violence in response to civic participation undermines democracy itself. Suggesting that firearms are a solution to public dissent escalates tension, increases the risk of harm, and signals a disturbing willingness to prioritize control over constitutional rights.
We expect better from public servants. We expect leadership grounded in de-escalation, accountability, and respect for civil liberties. Threatening violence against community members exercising their rights is not governance. It is intimidation.
Imagine Black stands firmly with the right of our communities to speak, assemble, and demand change without fear of armed retaliation. Public officials who suggest or normalize violence in response to protest cannot credibly serve a city that depends on civic participation and constitutional rights.