On October 28, community members gathered at the corner of 34th St. and Parker Ave., where IMPD officer Douglas Correll murdered Gary Harrell, to demand justice for Harrell and the countless other victims of IMPD.
During the rally, organized by several groups like the Hovey St. Church and ANSWER Indiana, speakers updated the community on Harrell’s case, announced new plans for ending IMPD’s mass killing spree, and connected state violence at home to U.S. state violence abroad.
The Black Church Coalition of Faith in Indiana started by calling for the Indianapolis Civilian Police Merit Board to immediately recommend Officer Correll for termination from his position. They also announced their intent to intervene in the 2024 contract negotiations for the Fraternal Order of Police..
Others provided updates on future plans, including continuing their rallies at the Prosecutor’s office and an upcoming court date regarding their lawsuit against Prosecutor Ryan Mears and the property company that manages the building housing the Prosecutor’s office.
Drawing a key yet neglected connection to global politics, Noah Leininger encouraged those listening to appreciate the parallels between the plight of Black people here in the United States and that of Palestinians currently being bombarded in Gaza, the West Bank, and all of Occupied Palestine. In particular, he highlighted the little-known fact that for over 20 years Israeli “Defense” Soldiers and U.S. police, including city, state, and federal agencies have taught each other “best practices” for racial profiling and suppressing dissent at thousands of schools in Occupied Palestine and the U.S., sponsored by right-wing extremist groups.
The Indianapolis Recorder‘s Jade Jackson provided live coverage of the event, and WTHR featured it later that day:
Photo: Missy Williams, Harrell’s little sister, addresses the rally. Credit: Indianapolis Liberator