More Buffalo residents sue over discriminatyr traffic ticketing

On Thursday, five Black residents of Buffalo joined a lawsuit against the City over its racially discriminatory traffic ticketing practices. The lawsuit, Black Love Resists in the Rust , et al. v. City of Buffalo, alleges that for seven years the City of Buffalo has targeted Black and Latinx drivers and neighborhoods for aggressive traffic enforcement to generate revenue and make up for budget shortfalls.

“The checkpoints and over-ticketing are radicalized criminalizations that are painted as public safety measures, but that’s not the truth,” said Marielle Smith, a community organizer with Black Love Resists in the Rust, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “This case is a huge narrative shift from the status quo that the mayor and council say is needed to ensure public safety. It’s powerful when we are able to collectively say, ‘no, this is not keeping us safe.’”

“As a Buffalo native, I’ve been horrified to see how Black and Brown motorists are being profiled and ticketed by the police for financial gain, with Mayor Byron Brown’s blessing. Buffalonians already crushed by COVID-19 are being dragged further into debt by the City and losing access to the vehicles they need to survive,” said Staff Attorney Chinyere Ezie. 

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Online event: Racial Justice, Restoration, and Inclusion: Human Rights Principles and Local Practice

This year's annual Human Rights in the U.S. Symposium/CLE will explore the relevance of human rights norms in efforts to advance racial justice and address historical and ongoing racism, discrimination, and intolerance. The day will highlight ways to ensure dignity, equality, and accountability in advocacy and decision-making. Advocacy Director Nadia Ben-Youssef will moderate the opening panel on human rights strategies that shape effective remedies and reparations for racial injustice, with panelists drawing from international, national, and local examples.

Register for the symposium on Columbia’s website.