HOUSTON – Late yesterday, community activists celebrated the move to dismiss the Southlawn Gang Injunction lawsuit by Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan and District Attorney Devon Anderson. The ACLU of Texas, Truth 2 Power, the Texas Organizing Project, The People Hold the Purse, St. Mary’s United Methodist Church, and Southlawn residents spent months mobilizing to force the injunction’s withdrawal, paving the way for educational and job-training programs that will actually revitalize, rather than harm, the Southlawn community.
“Vince Ryan and Devon Anderson did their best to keep the residents of Southlawn from learning their community had been targeted for a gang injunction,” said Caroline Duble, Community Organizer for the ACLU of Texas. “This victory is not only a testament to the mettle of Southlawn’s residents, but also to the undeniable power of grassroots community organizing. We won’t allow government officials to operate in secret and target communities of color for harm.”
“The Southlawn gang injunction is just one example of discriminatory policing in Harris County,” said Biko Mandela Gray of Truth 2 Power. “While it is a victory that county authorities have decided to work with the community on violence prevention, it's also a shame that it took so many months of community pressure. Pleas from black and brown communities decimated by heavy-handed policing strategies like gang injunctions have long fallen on deaf ears, but this time, Southlawn refused to be ignored.”
“Gang injunctions like this one ignore our constitutional rights, which are essential to preserving quality of life,” said Loretta Brock of The People Hold the Purse. “The people of Southlawn have spoken, and thankfully Mr. Ryan and Ms. Anderson had the good sense to listen.”
“We applaud the decision by the district and county attorneys to dismiss the lawsuit that threatened to destroy the families of Southlawn and deprive the rights of long-time property owners,” said Pastor Keith Bell, St. Mary's United Methodist Church. “While this is a great first step we will continue to pursue common-sense, innovative programming and funding to impact this great community in ways we all know are necessary for the viability and sustainability of its inhabitants.”
“As a resident of Southlawn myself, I know that injunctions such as this do not address the root problems of crime and violence” said Eric R. Johnson of the South Union Proud Civic Club. “Let's move from prosecution to preventative programs that promote healthy relationships, workforce readiness and financial self-sufficiency.”