Opening Statement

VAARPR is a branch of NAARPR, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. We are an abolitionist organization, but you do not have to be a full abolitionist to join us and our work, just share in our goals and treat everyone with care. On the road to abolition, our goals include:

1. Support community CONTROL over police. Fairfax County, for example, has a civilian review panel: an unelected group of people who can review when the police investigate themselves. There is no power in this group at all: they cannot fire officers, they cannot investigate misconduct, and they cannot create policy.
2. Increasing connection between people inside and outside prisons. We do this through solidarity events, writing articles to increase awareness of the conditions of Virginia’s prisons, and by maintaining a pen-pal program.
3. Supporting victims of police brutality. We stand with the families and victims of police brutality, like Timothy McCree Johnson’s family who was murdered by Fairfax police officers, one of whom remains on the force and on our streets.