Northwestern Community Not Cops issued a statement Wednesday addressing Evanston residents’ protest-related concerns and supporting the work of Evanston Fight for Black Lives.

As a result of portrayals from local media which rely heavily on police sources and a lack of context in reporting, many residents have not been informed of the movement’s motivations, the statement said. Organizers sought to clarify NUCNC’s history, going back to the June 3 petition sent to administrators calling for divestment from law enforcement and investment in Black students’ well-being.

Additionally, the statement said NUCNC organizers are seeking ways to support Evanston’s Black community, including through the abolition of Evanston Police Department and University Police. Both EPD and UP have disproportionately impacted the Black communities in Evanston and at NU, with police stops for both departments reflecting racial disparities.

It is important for NU organizers to collaborate with Evanston residents to achieve their end goals, organizers said in the statement. As a result, they said NUCNC stands with EFBL and the work the group is doing within the city, as the two groups both look to defund and dismantle police departments.

“While we are inspired by the history of organizing on our campus, we also recognize that there is a rich history of organizing in Evanston and of Black Evanstonians supporting Black Northwestern students,” organizers wrote in the statement. “We recognize the power of building coalitions as we work towards shaping the future of our most radical dreams; a future built on the absence of harm and the presence of communities of care.”

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