Black Lives Matter vows to ‘redouble’ fight, defund police as movement marks 10th anniversary

July 13, 2023

Black Lives Matter celebrated their 10th anniversary on Thursday by calling for a national day to mark the movement’s inception.

The criminal justice reformers vowed to “redouble” the fight for equality and left-wing political causes, including a renewed push to defund the police.

“Today is our movement’s 10-year anniversary!” the organization tweeted along with a party emoji.

The group called for July 13 to be formally designated “Black Lives Matter Day” and vowed that “10 years later, our vision hasn’t changed. Defund the police. Invest in our communities.”

“We are calling to make July 13th National #BlackLivesMatterDay to honor the countless Black folks who have been injured, attacked, murdered, and impacted by police and vigilante violence,” the group tweeted.

BLM also shared the slogan’s initial tweet on July 13, 2013, the day Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Trayvon Martin, 17, who was shot dead by George Zimmerman. — BLM was founded the day George Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, pictured.

“Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter,” tweeted Alicia Garza, one of the three founders, had tweeted

Fellow founder Patrisse Cullors, the longtime leader who was later booted over a series of scandals, also used the #blacklivesmatter hashtag for the first time while declaring that “black bodies will no longer be sacrificed for the rest of the world’s enlightenment.”

The tweets sparked a slogan that became ubiquitous at protests across the country.

Tweets of initial tweets about how black lives matter. — BLM shared the initial tweets referring to Black Lives Matter on July 13, 2013.

BLM’s leadership said its work was ongoing despite the series of controversies — including scrutiny over $90 million in funds raised — that saw Cullors and quitting in disgrace.

“This National Day in conjunction with our 10-year anniversary is a reminder that not only will our work never stop; but that it’s constantly evolving,” the group said Thursday.

Local groups plan to take it even further.

“What this movement moment means is that we have to absolutely redouble our efforts and redouble our commitment to making black lives matter,” said Melina Abdullah, director of BLM Grassroots Inc, a collective of organizers across the country.

BLM Grassroots director Melina Abdullah speaking at an earlier event. — BLM Grassroots director Melina Abdullah, pictured, called it a moment “to absolutely redouble our efforts.”

“Ten years in, we’re getting a glimpse at what would happen if there were no Black Lives Matter,” she said.

“We’re not just going to fight when it’s popular, but we’re going to fight because we need to fight.”

BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors posing for portrait in T-shirt reading: "You can't play with black lives." — The #blacklivesmtatter hashtag was first used by controversial co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who later quit amid ongoing scandals over money and her leadership.

As well as trying to make July 13 “Black Lives Matter Day,” the group called this week the “Defund the Police Week of Action.”

“As we continue our push to defund the police, invest in Black communities and reimagine safety in our communities, we need our elected officials to focus on the people, not police,” BLM foundation board member D’Zhane Parker said.

“The safest places around the world don’t have more police, more jails, more prisons, or harsher sentences,” she said.

“They have better access to economic opportunities, quality education, stable housing, and health care.”

With Post wires