SARATOGA SPRINGS – A comprehensive report was unveiled by the New York Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday, shedding light on the controversial arrests of Black Lives Matter protestors in Saratoga Springs in 2021. The report revealed a disturbing “official policy of retaliation” against the BLM activists by the city officials and the police department.
Here are some key findings from the Attorney General’s Office’s detailed 30-page report:
1.) In 2021, text messages from city officials to Police Chief Shane Crooks revealed repeated calls for the arrest of Saratoga Black Lives Matter protestors.
2.) Meg Kelly, who was the Mayor at the time, requested Crooks to involve Child Protective Services to investigate Saratoga BLM co-founder Lexis Figuereo and the mother of his children.
3.) The Saratoga Springs Police Department employed a surveillance team to identify BLM activists, which included unjustified traffic stops of a protestor’s vehicle.
4.) Robin Dalton, the then-Public Safety Commissioner, used aggressive language in her text messages about BLM protestors, expressing a desire to physically harm two of the activists.
5.) The Attorney General’s Office has put forth eight recommendations for the city and police department to better handle demonstrations and protestors in the future.
More to follow:
Disagree with the findings. #JusticeForProtesters.