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SATURDAY AT 1:30 PM – 4 PM Sept 5th 2020

Love America & Law Enforcement Rally

Front Street, Lynden, in front of the Fairway Shopping Center


Bellingham is home to several organizations asking for defunding of our police:

“This Friday, September 4th at 6:00pm, gather with us for a People’s Budget Assembly! Gather at 1101 Harris Avenue and march to the mayor’s house.”

Here is an article from a facebook post describing the coalition in Whatcom County that appears on the Alternative Library’s facebook page here.  Defund Bellingham Police is the main goal and they have been active since June. A partial list of coalition members and links are listed at the bottom of this post.

Whatcom Democratic Socialist of America plan protest at Mayor Fleetwood’s house to Defund Police. County Executive Sidhu and City Councilman Knutson both do not want the organization’s protest to occur at the Mayor’s home. Here are their pleas to the organization.

 

County Executive and City councilman Ask “Whatcom DSA”(Democratic Socialist of America)Executive Satpal Sidhu sent the following plea to the Whatcom DSA in an effort to stop the protests scheduled for Friday Sept 4th starting at 6:00PM.

From: Satpal Sidhu <SSidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us>
Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2020 12:47 PM
To: whatcomdsa@gmail.com
Cc: Fleetwood, Seth M. <smfleetwood@cob.org>; Council <Council@co.whatcom.wa.us>; CC – Shared Department <cc@cob.org>; Dana Brown-Davis <DBrown@co.whatcom.wa.us>; Tyler Schroeder <tschroed@co.whatcom.wa.us>; Heinrich, Brian M. <bmheinrich@cob.org>
Subject: Planned Protest at Mayor Fleetwood’s Home

Dear Members of Whatcom DSA

As I understand, your group is organizing a protest march this Friday to the home of Mayor Seth Fleetwood. I fully agree and respect your first amendment rights and your desire to express your views of satisfaction or dis-satisfaction with your governments / civic leaders at all levels. However, this in an unprecedent and redundant tactics, because Mayor Fleetwood is and has been very accessible to residents of Bellingham. There are proper and civil ways to express your grievances or opinions about your civic leaders.  Such a move to go to his home is unwarranted. I don’t think Mayor has ever refused to meet with your group in a formal manner. I just wanted to share my feeling with you on this march.

Thanks!

Satpal Sidhu


Bellingham City Councilman Gene Knutson concurred writing the following to the Whatcom Socialist.

“From: “Knutson, Gene R.” <gknutson@cob.org>
Date: September 3, 2020 at 3:22:38 PM PDT
To: “whatcomdsa@gmail.com” <whatcomdsa@gmail.com>
Cc: CC – Shared Department <cc@cob.org>, “SSidu@co.whatcom.wa.us” <SSidu@co.whatcom.wa.us>, “Fleetwood, Seth M.” <smfleetwood@cob.org>, Council <Council@co.whatcom.wa.us>
Subject: Planned Protest at Mayor Fleetwood’s Home         

Councilman Knutson

Dear DSA, I totally agree with Executive Sidu’s comments. Mayor Seth is doing a great job,  he does not deserve this at all.  Yes we are public officials, but our homes and neighbors homes are off limits. Please reconsider this action, this will set a horrible example. We all are trying to address your issues. We have held listening sessions, started working on a lot of these issues in our committees and much more. Please think about this no Mayor in our history has started out with as much as he has on his plate and he keeps moving forward. I have known Seth for twenty years he loves this city and is working with us all. Please hold a forum and invite him. We already are getting e-mails from people who are scared and upset about this.

Sincerely,

Gene Knutson Bellingham City Council”

The Whatcom County Defund the police coalition organization

  1. Whatcom County Democratic Socialist of America
  2. Alternative Library.   Facebook
  3. Ink- Imagine No Kages
  4. Stand Speak Listen. Facebook
  5. SURJ Whatcom (Showing Up Racial Justice)   Facebook
  6. Socialist Alternative Bellingham & Whatcom   Facebook
  7. Sunrise Bellingham  Facebook
  8. Whatcom Human Rights Task Force
  9. Whatcom-Skagit General Defense Committee. Facebook
  10. Whatcom Peace and Justice

Mostly 501C3 Nonprofit organizations, many without a local web page but facebook presence.