One year after Breonna Taylor’s death, Santa Cruzans — and a nation — remember
Quick Take
A group of Santa Cruz area residents gathered at the city’s clock tower Saturday to rebuild a Black Lives Matter “altar” exactly one year after Taylor was killed by police in Louisville. Other memorials took place nationwide.
They gathered in Louisville, where 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police on March 13, 2020, during a search warrant gone awry.
And they also gathered Saturday in Santa Cruz to remember not only Taylor, but also George Floyd and other Black Americans who have lost their lives because of police misconduct.
A memorial known as “the altar” was rebuilt by several Black Lives Matter activists, who had a simple mission:
“In the span of the year since the passing of Breonna Taylor, the altar has come down, so we came down on the one-year anniversary of her passing, her murder, to honor her life and her story — and also uplift the voices again of the other people who passed,” said Breanna Byrd, 24, a second-year doctoral student in feminist studies at UC-Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz event coincided with others across the country, from Louisville to Atlanta to New York, USA Today reported.
President Joe Biden paid his respects on Twitter.
Breonna Taylor’s death was a tragedy, a blow to her family, her community, and America. As we continue to mourn her, we must press ahead to pass meaningful police reform in Congress. I remain committed to signing a landmark reform bill into law.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 13, 2021
Taylor, a hospital emergency room technician, was in her apartment with her boyfriend when police said that they announced themselves before forcing their way in. Taylor’s boyfriend said he didn’t hear them, thought they were intruders and fired a gunshot. That led to officers firing back, and killing Taylor.
While criminal charges have been filed in the case, none of the officers have been charged with murdering Taylor.
Some other images from Saturday’s event in Santa Cruz.
