We, the people and community organizers of Akron and those who stand in solidarity with us, are not here to have a conversation while we are under militarized occupation, while there are guns pointed at us, tear gas and pepper spray choking us.

We are here to seek accountability. Residents of Akron and surrounding communities are being hurt and are dying.

The local police have waged war on peaceful protesters and innocent neighbors. It is the police who have escalated at every step.

Disarm and demilitarize all local police entities and forces.

We cannot have negotiations or conversations until there is immediate and long-lasting accountability.

We demand:

1) The Establishment of an Independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate Jayland Walker’s murder and others killed by the Akron Police Department.

1a) This commission will be composed of independent investigators, residents of Akron, and other individuals agreed upon by the community.

2) Release the names of all officers involved in the murder of Jayland Walker.

2a) Cut their administrative leave.

2b) Fire them.

2c) Prosecute them immediately.

3) Abolish the deployment of tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets in City Code Section 35.17.

4) Disarm any police or security forces deployed to meet protests or assemblies.

5) Release all memorandums of understanding and current, in-place contracts between the City of Akron and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 and Regional Branch of the Fraternal Order of Police.

5a) Legislate that future contract negotiations of FOP Lodge 7 will be public.

6) Release a financial breakdown of all expenditures of dollars and contracts executed to meet protesters and assemblies over the last week.

7) Legislate the abolition of curfews.

8) Legislate the abolition of police chases.

8a) Eliminate traffic stops for all traffic violations.

9) Legislate the immediate release of officer-involved incidents.

10) Stop arresting peaceful protesters.

10a) Immediately release all protesters from all jails and holding institutions.

10b) Expunge the records and clear the bail and fines of all those arrested for protesting over the last week.

11) Create a Citizens Review Board for the police, with power to subpoena and members selected strictly by local organizations.

12) Create a Citizen-led Commission to study and strategize the defunding and abolition of the Akron Police Department, municipal holding centers, and jails, with the consideration of the following:

12a) Strategize the creation of a participatory budget within the City of Akron Operating and Capital Budget processes. These budgets should directly reinvest funds into reparations, housing, public transportation, food security, physical and mental health care, and community-controlled public safety alternatives.

12b) Members must be selected strictly by local grassroots organizations, including those listed below.

12c) The funds appropriated from the Akron Police Department should be democratically controlled by the people of Akron through said participatory budget.

Failure to negotiate on these terms will likely escalate community unrest and, unfortunately, will perpetuate a culture of violence by local police forces.

A coalition of members from The Freedom BLOC, Akron Democratic Socialists of America, and Serve the People Akron composed this letter in response to a representative from the U.S. Department of Justice seeking negotiations between local leadership and on-the-ground organizers. We do not feel said negotiations were in good faith and were merely lip service.

Therefore, if further conversations occur, representatives from The Freedom BLOC, Akron Democratic Socialists of America, and Serve the People Akron will lead the next negotiation meeting. This meeting will take place at the Akron Summit County Public Library at 60 S High St, Akron, OH 44326 at an agreed upon time.