Philadelphia City Council 2020 Stated Meetings of Philadelphia City Council, 17 Sep 2020

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From YouTube: Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson Speech on Bill No. 200368A and Gun Violence 9-17-2020

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From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, September 17, 2020:

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) speaks after passage of his legislation prohibiting the use of restraints or other physical contact that present a substantial risk of asphyxiation by a peace officer to detain someone. Prohibited restraints include chokeholds, hogtying, and placement of body weight on the head, face, neck, chest or back.

The bill, No. 200368-A, passed unanimously.

He also speaks on rising gun violence in the City.

Read more: http://phlcouncil.com/council-approves-councilman-johnsons-let-philly-breathe-bill-to-ban-the-use-of-chokeholds-and-other-dangerous-restraints-by-law-enforcement/

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Okay, thank you, council president. Thank you. Colleagues. First and foremost, I want to thank my colleagues for putting in the affirmative and passing the left. No choke holds bill.

A

The bill was and was introduced in the spirit of george floyd, who lost his life on a police officer, put his knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.

A

I thank commissioner danielle outlaw for already adopting this policy as a part of the philadelphia police department, and I also want to thank my colleague council guardia as well for giving me some additional um support and advice around this legislation to make sure um it's fine-tuned and, most importantly, works as it relates to holding those accountable who engages and using the types of chokeholds that result in a loss of life of the individuals in which they are apprehending.

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I believe that the life of george floyd was not thinking in vain.

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We have recently saw a major historical settlement, as relates to the loss of the life of brianna taylor as a result of some actions by law enforcement officials, but we still want justice for brianna taylor, and so I thank all my colleagues for again passing the lackfully brief, no choke no chokehold bill, but also, I feel like I'm working in a twilight zone because, as we address the issue of police reform, we also are addressing the issue of senseless gun violence that we are experiencing here in the city of philadelphia.

A

um I continue to echo the support of my colleague, councilman jamie guardia. She says that we are in a state of an emergency, and this issue should be addressed as such.

A

I thank my colleague, councilman curtis jones, for establishing a committee to look at specifically the last 100 shootings that have taken place here in the city of philadelphia. We have a lot of work to do. We all have to roll up our sleeves and find out how we're going to reduce or eliminate this issue of gun laws that we're seeing in the city of philadelphia. It does not matter your philosophical approach. Some may want to be heavy on prevention. That's great. Some may want to be heavy on law enforcement. That's great.

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Some may want to be heavy on getting on the streets as relates to boots on the ground. That's great. Some may want to be heavy on policy and legislation, that's great, but we need all hands on deck.

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We have to address this issue comprehensively if we want to have a safer city, if we want to make sure our children are safe, that we're going to make sure our women are safe and we want to make sure that we're saving the life of these countless african-american young men that we're seeing dying day after day in the streets of philadelphia, and I believe, we're experiencing a level of black on black genocide, because it's totally to the point where we may lose a whole new generation of young people, and so um I just want to echo the urgency around this issue.

A

I thank all my colleagues on again for their support on passing the letter breed no chokehold bill as well as working with me as we address this issue of since this gun violence here in the city of philadelphia. Thank you very much, council president. Thank you. Councilman.