Berkeley, Calif., resident Anita Gay was shot in the back twice and killed on Feb. 16 by a lone Berkeley police officer, Rashawn Cummings. It was the second time the officer had reported to the scene. He had responded to an earlier call to the residence with another officer.
The police are now trying to cover their backs by claiming that Gay, a 51-year-old African American woman and grandmother, was holding a knife— an allegation that her neighbors vehemently contest.
Gay’s sister, Patricia Johnson, devastated and angered by the murder, is now calling for justice. “We want justice for all—Black, white, Latino, Asian … If this is any indication of how they serve the people, we are all in trouble,” she said.
The Police Review Commission held a public meeting on Feb. 27 to discuss the incident. Community members in attendance expressed their support for Gay’s family and voiced overwhelming indignation at the Berkeley police.
A young Black man testified at the meeting that officer Cummings harassed him on a separate occasion. A woman gave testimony on how she was terrorized by police who invaded her home unannounced, wielding their weapons and giving no reason for the intrusion. She repeatedly begged for her life.
ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) activist and Party for Socialism and Liberation member Forrest Schmidt described the police’s connivance with right-wing racists who descended on Berkeley to harass anti-war protesters on Feb. 12. Schmidt described how a 200-pound man threatening youth and others with a knife was calmly escorted away by the Berkeley police.
Apparently, Berkeley cops find a Black grandmother to be a greater threat than racist right-wing men bearing knives.
Following the community’s testimony, the Police Review Commission proceeded to spew apologies for the cop’s appalling behavior. Commissioner Jonathan Huang presented a motion calling for an investigation of the incident. Many of the other commissioners, who had made casual statements about the need to look into the incident, proceeded to make excuses for why they could not support such a strong-worded motion once it was formally presented.
Eventually, after much debate, the commissioners voted to launch an investigation. However, they failed to create a subcommittee that would include members from the community.
One of the community members present challenged the commission: “The police are agents of the state, and the PRC has a responsibility to the community. As commissioners, you will be faced with great pressure to side with the police. I challenge you to take a risk and side with the community and bring justice for the family.”
Two of the commissioners responded to this comment, attempting to convince themselves and the community that they were under no pressure to comply with the police. Decisions by police review boards such as the PRC very rarely, if ever, lead to meaningful disciplinary actions or firings and often serve as a cover for the police department.
The murder of Anita Gay is yet another example of police repression and violence. Police officers owe allegiance to the capitalist state and use violence freely to maintain control over working-class communities.
The fact that Cummings is a Black police officer makes this shooting no less racist—not because of the color of the skin of the shooter, but that of the victim. The African American community falls victim to police brutality at disproportionate rates—a testament to the racist character of the police
