A Year Later, Petition Starter of Viral Justice for Breonna Taylor Campaign with 11.4 Million Signatures Calls for Passage of Justice for Breonna Taylor Act
Signers from all 196 UN registered countries call for Justice for Breonna in second-largest petition in Change.org history
Washington, D.C.— A year after 26-year-old Breonna Taylor’s murder on March 13, 2020 by LMPD, Loralei HoJay, student and petition starter of the 11.4 million signature strong viral Change.org petition calling for Justice for Breonna Taylor calls for passage of the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act as the next steps in the fight for justice for Breonna. Over 65,000+ people have made calls through a Change.org call tool (CallforBreonna.com) in support of the bipartisan legislation, which would ban no-knock warrants nationally.
Through protests, petitions and ongoing investigations, there have been steps forward in the fight for Justice for Breonna Taylor. Louisville banned the controversial “no-knock” warrants at the center of this tragedy, hired a new police chief, and paid a multi-million dollar settlement to Taylor’s mother. A federal investigation is ongoing. While two of the officers were dismissed from LMPD, including the detective who sought the warrant, the officers have yet to be arrested. Petition starter Loralei HoJay won’t consider her petition a victory until federal legislation is passed to ensure that what happened to Breonna Taylor will never happen to another person again.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic surged, it became clear that the current priority of the administration is to vaccinate as many Americans as possible to achieve herd immunity, as well as passing a stimulus bill — and understandably so,” said Loralei Hojay in an update to her Change.org petition. “However, this does not mean that police brutality is a topic to be pushed aside. There still has not been justice for Breonna Taylor, let alone federal legislation addressing police brutality.”
Loralei’s petition is confirmed 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. Past actions for the campaign include a billboard campaign across Kentucky, television ads during the NFL’s opening season game, and 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.
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).
The viral petition calling for justice for Breonna Taylor joins the petitions for George Floyd (which currently has over 19.6 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.”
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