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Protesters pledge to camp outside DPD until they get investment they want

A group of protesters says they will camp outside the Durham Police Department headquarters until the city shifts funding away from police and to community programs.

Posted Updated

By
Lora Lavigne
, WRAL Durham reporter
DURHAM, N.C. — A group of protesters camped out overnight under canopies at the Durham Police Department following the approval of the city budget, which includes funding for police.
Skip Gibbs, who leads the Other American Movement, or OAM, said the group is upset about the additional funding approved for police and feel that the new budget does not reflect what the community really needs.

The group wants to see more invested in undeserved communities, programs and public housing.

“You can not vote on and place the burden on an already burdened community and give us nothing,” said Rafiq Zaidi.

“The only the thing we got was to be boondoggled and hoodwinked all over again. So we’re letting the city know: You haven’t seen a protest yet.”

The City of Durham responded, saying the police budget this year includes no new positions and no new programs.

Councilman Mark-Anthony Middleton explained the increase in funding is to maintain resource levels. However, he stands with the protesters and wants to find a workable middle ground.

“Do you take the money from police now and put it into programs? Or do you fund the programs, while funding the police and as those programs have effiicacy, you can start to ramp down how much you put into policing? That’s kind of where I am,” he said.

On Monday night, the Durham City Council voted to put $1 million toward a Safety and Wellness Task Force, but protestors say that’s not enough.

The group said they plan to protest peacefully in front of the Durham Police Department until more funding is given to those communities.

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