“The guilty verdict of Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan Jr. is a rare occurrence in a system that seldom holds those committing racist violence, often sanctioned by the state, accountable. While this is a milestone that provides a measure of accountability for the community and some relief for Ahmaud Arbery’s family, there is so much more work to be done to dismantle white supremacy and overhaul the systems that allow for racist police and vigilante violence against Black and Brown people.
“One of the main points of discussion during the trial was a racist, Civil War-era statute historically used by white citizens to justify the apprehension and killing of Black people in Georgia. Ahmaud Arbery’s killers’ heinous actions, and the public outcry that followed, were ultimately responsible for lawmakers gutting the law and passing Georgia’s first-ever hate crimes law.
“The environmental community must speak out with outrage in the face of white supremacy, systemic injustice, and their fatal consequences. We can’t have racial justice without accountability for this ongoing epidemic of vigilante and police killings. We will continue to act and speak in solidarity with the Black community and the Movement for Black Lives. Fighting for a green and peaceful future includes speaking out against the unjust, racist, and systemic violence facing Black people in the US.”
“Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of Ahmaud Arbery and the many others killed at the hands of racist vigilantes and police.”
