PSA: Support the movement for Black lives: Call Your Councillor and Mayor Mike Savage today!

Tell your Halifax Regional Councillors that you support the call to end police violence against Black people and that council must reverse the purchase of an armoured vehicle for the Halifax Regional Police (HRP).

Mayor Mike Savage is on record saying, “If I thought for a second that that armoured vehicle would be used to break up peaceful rallies or to be used in a threatening way against innocent citizens then I wouldn’t support it.”

It’s time to tell Mayor Savage that that’s exactly how armoured vehicles are used. The increased militarization of the Halifax Regional Police further threatens the lives of Black people in our city.

On Tuesday, June 9, Council will consider a motion to reconsider the purchase of an armoured vehicle for HRP.

In 2019, Council approved the purchase of an armoured vehicle for HRP but the payment and delivery was pushed back to 2021 due to COVID-19 related production delays.

In order to overturn the purchase of the armoured vehicle, a motion at Council must be passed by two-thirds of Councillors. 

We need your help to reverse the purchase of this armoured vehicle. Call and email your local Councillor and Mayor Mike Savage before Tuesday (contact info found below). Help us get the word out about this issue. Please share this information widely! Let’s connect with folks in as many districts of HRM as possible.

Message from Solidarity K’jipuktuk / Halifax and African United Baptist Association.

Talking points to cover with the Councillor and the Mayor:

• We have seen across Canada and US how armoured vehicles and tanks are used against citizens and increase police violence toward Black people.
• We have seen in HRM that police systematically target Black individuals at a disproportionate rate.
• Black members of our communities are fighting for their lives.
• Human and civil rights must be upheld and this includes reducing potential harm where possible.
• Halifax Regional Council has an opportunity to respond to the community outcry to support Black people with concrete action.
• HRM Council has the power to cancel purchase of the armoured vehicle, but if Council allows this purchase to go forward they will have no power over how the armoured vehicle will be used.
• Police violence is institutional not individual therefore Council will be complicit in any violence caused by the HRP’s use of the armoured vehicle.
•  HRM may incur some expenses or face red tape in canceling the purchase the armoured vehicle but these bureaucratic inconveniences can not be weighed against the human and civil rights of Black people in our communities.

f your councillor has publicly advocated or voted against the purchase of the armoured vehicle (councillors Shawn Cleary, Tony Mancini, Sam Austin, Lindell Smith, Lorelei Nicoll and Matt Whitman in 2019 and Tim Outhit and Waye Mason this week) it is still important to email or call to tell them that you support their position against the armoured vehicle.