On Wednesday afternoon a Grand Jury in Kentucky handed down a decision that completely cleared three white police officers in the murder of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor. This outrageous whitewash by authorities in Louisville is sending the clear message once again that Black Lives Do Not Matter.

Let us be clear, the message from President Donald Trump to the Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and beyond is that justice does not apply to Black People!

All three Louisville police officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her apartment while she was asleep, will be walking free today. So, once again justice is denied in a legal system rampant with systemic racism.

The Grand Jury did indict former Louisville officer Brett Hankinson on the minor charge of “wanton endangerment.” Outrageously, his charge was not related to Taylor’s death, but instead for bullets that were fired into her neighbor’s apartment. All evidence points to the fact that Breonna was killed when police fired indiscriminately some 20 shots into her apartment during a no-knock raid over six months ago.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar tweeted in response to the Grand Jury: “Once again, the law says that property is more valuable than Black life. We cannot let up in our fight for justice for Breonna Taylor and every Black and brown person murdered at the hands of police. We will fight to end qualified immunity.”

All day and late into the night on Wednesday protesters staged demonstrations, justifiability angry and frustrated about the lack of justice for Breonna. As thousands protest in Louisville and in several other cities across the country we all need to remember, violence (by police) is exactly what we’re protesting against. As we hear reports of shots being fired in Louisville we certainly encourage and support non- violent protests.

Activist and Congressional candidate, Cori Bush from St Louis put it this way in a recent statement: “Take a moment to learn the difference between ‘peaceful’ and ‘non-violent.’ There is no such thing as ‘peaceful’ protest. Protests are supposed to be disruptive, even as we remain steadfastly committed to non-violence.”

We progressive activists are outraged and sickened by the authorities in Kentucky for not indicting the three police officers for murder. We demand that all three police officers responsible for Taylor’s death be fired, arrested, and charged with murder.

Progressive Democrats of America stands with the community in Louisville. Activists have for months staged peaceful marches, protests, and phone banks organizing and demanding justice for Breonna Taylor. We support BLM Louisville and others in their demands that Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Mitch McConnell protégé Attorney General Daniel Cameron be fired.

We will not stop until the day in this country that Black Lives truly matter in America.