As protests against police shootings grow into official demands for police reform, the music industry has gotten involved with an open letter to Congress showing support for the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The three major record labels, Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, joined with their artists, such as Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Lizzo, Post Malone, Rihanna, and more, to call for tangible reform in the way justice is enacted in the United States. More than 450 artists, actors, and organization executives have signed the letter.
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 is a bill currently being considered in the House Of Representatives with the aim, “To hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies.” It would establish federal oversight of police, restrict qualified immunity protections (which prevent individual officers from being sued in civil court for wrongful death in the course of executing their duties), restrict the militarization of municipal police, and prohibit no-knock warrants of the type that led to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, among other things.
The letter reads:
Since the killing of George Floyd just one month ago, our country has seen protests grow, attitudes shift, and calls for change intensify. We in the music and entertainment communities believe that Black lives matter and have long decried the injustices endured by generations of Black citizens. We are more determined than ever to push for federal, state and local law enforcement programs that truly serve their communities. Accordingly, we are grateful for movement of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in the U.S. House of Representatives and urge its quick passage.
The Justice in Policing Act is not about marginal change; it takes bold steps that will make a real, positive difference for law enforcement and the communities they serve. ‘We celebrate the long-overdue rejection of qualified immunity, emphasising that law enforcement officers themselves are not above the law – that bad cops must be held accountable and victims must have recourse.
Our communities and nation look to you to take a stand in this extraordinary moment and we respectfully ask that you vote YES on the Justice in Policing Act of 2020.
Many of the same artists previously signed another letter pushing the state of New York to repeal its 50-A statute which prevents public access to officers’ disciplinary records.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
