Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
SAARPR is an organization focused on fighting police racism and violence in all its forms. SAARPR is the Seattle Chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Follow us on Instagram or Twitter, or get in touch with us below.
Our weekly meetings and upcoming events are on the calendar below. Join us!
Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
About Us
SAARPR is the Seattle Chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
The National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression began in 1973 in Chicago, Illinois. Its initial aims were centered on freeing individuals unfairly targeted for their race and political beliefs, including Angela Davis, George Jackson, and the Soledad Brothers.Today, NAARPR and its chapters throughout the United States including SAARPR, are working to continue the fight against injustices in our communities by building to movements and demands for:Establishing Civilian Control of the PoliceFreeing Political Prisoners and The InnocentStopping Police TortureAbolishing the Death Penalty (including “Other Death Penalties” Including Life without The Possibility of Parole)Fighting all Forms of Bigotry, Including Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, and Religious DiscriminationDefending Labor RightsDefending Civil LibertiesExposing the Prison Industrial Complex and the War on Drugs as the Root of the New Jim Crow and Cradle to Prison Pipeline for People of ColorSecuring Health Care for PrisonersSupporting Affirmative Action
Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
Below are some stories from people that have experienced police violence. These people are the reason we fight - to get justice for them and prevent these atrocities from happening to anyone else.If you have a story you would like to share, please contact us below.
Jaahnavi Kandula
On January 23, 2023, Officer Kevin Dave killed 23 year old Jaahnavi Kandula by speeding 74mph through Dexter & Thomas in what is supposed to be a 25mph zone.Kandula was walking through a lit crosswalk and had the right of way - she was not breaking any laws.
Dave did not have his full sirens on, instead only “chirping” them occasionally, meaning that Kandula was not able to hear his car coming.The King County Prosecutors declined to charge Kevin Dave with driving over the limit, negligent manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, or any other crimes, recommending instead no charges whatsoever.As per the investigators, if Dave had been driving just 2 times the speed limit instead of three times, Jaahnavi Kandula would still be alive.The Seattle Police drug tested Kandula when she died, even though she’d broken no laws and had the right of way in the crosswalk.Seattle Police attempted to conceal Kevin Dave’s identity for as long as possible, as well as suppressing Kandula’s name for weeks, instead of immediately coming clean to the public that one of their officers had unjustly killed a civilian.Eight months later, bodycam footage has been released of one of Kevin Dave’s fellow officers and the Vice President of the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild, Daniel Auderer, laughing about Kandula’s death and describing her life as having “limited value” the morning after the incident occurred.Auderer claimed that these comments were made to mock how lawyers would view this case, which - beyond the fact that there’s no way to verify this - shows that he views the legal systems in place to hold police accountable as a joke.The King County Prosecutor has hired a group - 3 months after they said they would hire one, and just shy of 9 months after Kandula's death - to investigate what happened, and the team they hired, Aces Inc, includes ex officers.
(Story compiled by SAARPR)
Roger Wright
"In the morning hours of Saturday, October 9, 2004, I had gone to visit my father, who lived in South Seattle. It was around 10am or so, and I spent time with him as we usually did, discussing the latest sports news of the day. Later in the afternoon on the same day, I left my father’s house and met up with my girlfriend (at the time). My girlfriend picked me up in her car, and we had dinner together at her house, which was also in South Seattle. After dinner, I asked my girlfriend to drop me off at my grandmother’s house on Beacon Hill. My mother and my older brother were both there at my grandma’s house, and I had a chance to visit with all of them that evening.Approximately 9:30pm that same evening —October 9th — I walked down the hill to the QFC grocery store, in the Mt. Baker area of Seattle. When I first came into the parking lot, I saw a guy who I knew from Wendy’s. He appeared to be leaving his job and we recognized each other because I often stopped at Wendy’s for a bite to eat. We spoke briefly—just ‘hello and how’s it going’ — not much more than a quick, friendly conversation. I didn’t know his name, but he recognized me.After he left the parking lot, I was still standing there outside the QFC store, when multiple police officers suddenly pulled up in squad cars and closed in on me. I had no idea what they were doing there, but it was evident they were approaching me. Strangely, the cops said nothing to me as they got out of their cars and surrounded me.Without any explanation, they proceeded to apprehend me. I still have no idea why they were there. I remember being pushed to the ground by several officers. I was completely confused. They began to punch me and knee me as they wrestled me to the ground— still with no explanation as to what I had done. The sudden appearance of the officers, and the violence which they used against me, had me confused and reeling.Everything happened really fast after they arrived. The officers— who were all white men— held me face down on the ground while I was put in handcuffs without being told that I was under arrest. No one read me my Miranda rights. My head was lifted up by one police officer, while another officer choked me until I was unconscious.
My next memory of that same night— when I came to consciousness— I was on the I-90 bridge onramp. I remember walking, but I was totally disoriented. I realized that I was completely naked, which freaked me out because I had no recollection of taking off my clothes, and it’s important to note that my clothes were never found or returned to me.I continued to fade in and out of consciousness while I drifted or stumbled onto the shoulder of I-90. I assume someone called the police because my next memory was that of being tasered by law enforcement. I felt pain in my whole body, and I also remember being manhandled again. I was still fading in and out of consciousness, and I’m sure this was because I had been beaten so badly at the parking lot earlier in the evening. I remember being put into an ambulance while I was on the shoulder of I-90 bridge and when I arrived at the hospital (Harborview Medical Center) the Seattle Police were already there. They told the ambulance medics that I had taken PCP and that I had been “subdued” —In other words, they had tasered me. They also told the medics that I had wandered onto the I-90 bridge freeway, and alleged that it was due to PCP.There was no accounting for why I had been severely beaten in the parking lot, or how I had gotten to I-90. The time between the QFC parking lot and arriving on the bridge was a mystery to me, because I was unconscious after the beating."