Marching through downtown Memphis on Ash Wednesday, faith leaders and activists called for justice and reform of the Memphis Police Department (MPD). The movement was sparked by a Department of Justice report which, among other things, highlighted the use of excessive force within the department.
According to WREG, protestors, including members of Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH), carried signs with quotes from the DOJ's report, emphasizing the need for accountability. With the ashes of Ash Wednesday spread across city hall, faith leaders like Reverend Keith Caldwell deemed the convergence with the religious day as a moment to turn away from wrongful behaviors, echoing the sentiments of MICAH's Vice President Tyler Foster, who underscored the cost of not implementing reforms promised by the DOJ.
The overarching sentiment was further echoed across various organizations, including a nonprofit named Just City, whose representative Josh Spickler highlighted the need for transparency in data collection regarding police practices. This unified call for reform and accountability was documented by Local Memphis, as they reported chants of "No justice, no peace," reverberating through the streets, from Beale St. to Main St., with protestors demanding a seat at the table in the reformation process.
FOX13 Memphis noted the presence of Amber Sherman, a member of the city's police reform task force, during the march. Many in attendance while creating crosses on the ground outside City Hall with charcoal were ashed, linking the act to the sacred tradition. The newly formed task force, led by a retired federal judge and composed mainly of faith leaders and academics, was deemed insufficient by the demonstrators, with Foster advocating for actual power to instigate changes in MPD's policies.
