As more details emerge regarding Thursday's attack on police officers and protesters in Dallas, some have recklessly chosen to blame activist groups such as #BlackLivesMatter for the actions of what appears to be a lone gunman. The group has now released a statement calling the readiness to blame activists for the deaths of police officers "dangerous and irresponsible," while also promising to continue their efforts toward accountability on all fronts.
The statement reinforces the group's advocacy for dignity, justice, and respect before expressing sorrow for both the recent police killings and the Dallas attack victims. "As we have done for decades, we marched and protested to highlight the urgent need to transform policing in America, to call for justice, transparency and accountability, and to demand that Black Lives Matter," the group said of the "recorded murders" of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
Speaking on the protests in Dallas, the statement condemns the "tragedy" as not in any way a reflection of, or affiliated with, their efforts toward equality. "This is a tragedy—both for those who have been impacted by yesterday's attack and for our democracy," the statement said. "There are some who would use these events to stifle a movement for change and quicken the demise of a vibrant discourse on the human rights of Black Americans. We should reject all of this." Read the full #BlackLivesMatter statement here.
#BlackLivesMatter co-founder Opal Tometi previously called for a rejection of this "dangerous" narrative in 2014, penning a blog for the Huffington Post following the shooting deaths of two NYPD police officers. "This is a challenging moment, but we must maintain the integrity of our message and moral movement," Tometi said at the time. "We still have the moral high ground, and we cannot allow for it to be undermined."
