Four months after Breonna Taylor’s tragic killing on March 13, signers from all 196 UN registered countries call for Justice for Breonna
Today, on Sunday, July 19th, student Loralei HoJay’s viral Change.org petition calling for Justice for Breonna Taylor officially hit 10 million signatures. Change.org confirms the petition as the second largest in Change.org history, behind only the viral George Floyd petition, which currently has over 19 million signatures. The petition has been signed by residents of all 196 UN registered countries.
This milestone occurs four months after Breonna Taylor’s tragic killing by Louisville MPD, and amidst recent news that over 435 Breonna Taylor protesters have been arrested (including Texans WR Kenny Stills, who was charged with a felony) while the officers who killed Breonna Taylor remain free.
Earlier this week, Change.org and petition starter Loralei HoJay activated a full-page ad in The Louisville Courier-Journal (press photo) directing Kentuckians to “raise their voice” and call their legislators with the petition’s call tool, including KY Gov. Beshear, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Majority Leader McConnell and Sen. Paul.
As of Friday, July 17th, 44,258 petition signers have already used Change.org’s call tool, CallforBreonna.com, to connect with Kentucky legislators, resulting in 755.4 hours of total phone call duration. This week, over 1,000 calls have been made to legislators each day. Attorney General Cameron’s office told reporters yesterday that his office is being inundated with phone calls.
Loralei started her petition after Louisville police officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor during a late-night investigation in March, using a controversial “no-knock” warrant. The petition urges Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY), who has already called Breonna’s case “troubling,” to arrest all of the officers involved in Breonna’s death, payment from LMPD to Breonna’s family for wrongful death and negligence, a statement from Gov. Beshear in support of Breonna, appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the Louisville Police Department, and an end to “no-knock” warrants through federal legislation. Loralei HoJay released a video speaking about her petition (here – for use by media).
“Breonna did not deserve to die. She should still be with us,” starter Loralei HoJay said in a recent update to her viral petition. “Please keep calling and emailing — I will continue to work to the best of my ability to get justice for Breonna.”
“We are proud of starter Loralei and the millions of signers that have supported this petition,” said Ansa Edim, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Change.org. “While we celebrate the progress and awareness that viral petitions like ‘Justice For Breonna’ have created, we know that this is not the end of the hard work that must be done to see racial justice in our country.”
The viral petition calling for justice for Breonna Taylor joins the petitions for George Floyd (which currently has over 19 million signatures, the largest petition in Change.org history), Ahmaud Arbery, Elijah McClain, David McAtee, and Tony McDade.
“We unite in solidarity with signers, petition starters, our members and Black colleagues,” said Nick Allardice, Acting CEO of Change.org. “We join their call for justice and accountability. The lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor and so many more mattered. Black lives matter.”