“Be Love. So much things to say right now….. Got surrounded by the police for being Black in a white neighbourhood. Smh. I’m sad and irritated to see that fear is still the first place police officers go in their pursuit to serve and protect. To the point that protocol supersedes their ability to have discernment. Many have suffered and died in moments like these. That’s a crazy reality check. Give thanks for life and the ability to stand our ground. We are stronger together. Use your voice collectively”- @iamdonisha
Donisha Prendergast, Granddaughter of Reggae Great Bob Marley, artist Komi Oluwa Olafimihan and film maker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall were all detained by Rialto police after a racially motivated police call came in from a neighbor who falsely accused the women of burglarizing the Airbnb rental they were checking out of. After attending the Kaya Fest in San Bernadino the 3 women, accompanied by a white female photographer were packing up their belongings and taking the property out to their car when a white neighbor called Rialto police saying that they were “suspicious” and “stealing stuff” from the home they rented. The other reason was supposedly the women did not smile or wave to neighbor who made the call.
This allegation was enough to send several police cars and a helicopter out to the scene. When Donisha showed proof that she and the others were guests checking out of the place the police still were not satisfied until she got ahold of the owner of the house over the phone.
After being held “lawfully captive” for several minutes they were set free to go but the scars from “nigger branding” will not be forgotten.
Ms. Prendergast and her friends are taking legal action against this matter for there are some crimes committed against the women like racial profiling, being falsely accused in a manner that could jeopardize the reputation or cause serious injury or death- it’s just a hate crime police call altogether. The person who made the call should be held accountable for this action because bottom line someone could have not only lost their freedom, but lost their lives for no reason other than being Black.
Airbnb’s senior advisor Laura Murphy sent out a letter to the Mayor of Rialto as well to the police department condemning the biased treatment of the women and the way the situation was handled.
I have always condemned the history/ourstory/continuedstory of the (false) Superior/Inferior Boss/Boy Yassuh/Nawsuh gotta kiss butt -or be lynched relationship between Black folks and Wite folks to begin with. This is TRUTH that you could not look a wite person in the eyes when you HAD to answer to him. You could not look at him-ESPECIALLY at his woman or you would face a middle of the night death sentence from the KKK. IF you REFUSED to lower yourself to please “ol massa” you got lynched. IF you did not give up your wife/daughter to him for wicked pleasure you got lynched! IF you read books you got lynched! IF you didn’t laugh in a barrel and “massa” thought you were laughing at him, you got lynched. IF you were BLACK and was accused of ANY crime against wite power, innocent or not, you get lynched! It is 2018 and we are not kissing any butt in order to save our lives or freedom. “Suspicious” is the word for “Black” and if that wasn’t the case then why wasn’t the wite photographer mentioned? Why didn’t the call say “4 suspicious women” but just 3? Because every since Black People been brought here, against our will might I add to Amerikkka we have been “suspicious” that’s why!