Police Brutality’s Relationship with Disability and Race

Police brutality has been an urgent topic in the United States in recent months – especially its disproportionate effect on Black and Brown people. When discussing disability rights advocacy, we often overlook how police brutality affects people with disabilities in addition to communities of color – and especially people of color with disabilities.  

Up to half of people killed by law enforcement officers in the United States have a disability, but the news media will often look at cases of police brutality through the lens of able-bodied people of color and ignore the lived experiences and voices of those with disabilities who have experienced police brutality in some form or another.  

Five days after George Floyd’s death, thirty-two-year-old Palestinian Eyad Hallaq was walking back with his carer to the rehabilitation center where he lived in Jerusalem’s Old City. He was shot twice in the chest by Israeli security officers, while his caregiver screamed in the background that Hallaq had a disability. Hallaq did not understand the officers’ instructions due to limited communication and social comprehension issues related to his autism. 

I highlight this incident not only because this happened around the time of the death of George Floyd, but, put simply, this is an incident that does not just happen in the United States - misunderstanding with the police based on disability-related social difficulties happens far too often in many countries around the world. 

How can you advocate? 

The experiences of people with disabilities, people on the autism spectrum, and family members of people with disabilities are important to share with nonprofit advocacy organizations and all levels of government: local, state, and federal. Advocacy for people with disabilities, as well as other minority groups and people of color, is more important now than ever before.  

As an advocate for yourself, or another family member, or as someone who cares about these issues, my recommendation is to ask yourself this question: 

What are the issues that you care about the most in your community? 

After answering this question, move toward action: 

1. Write down as clearly as possible what you would like to express to your representatives or senators. It can range from any of the issues you and your family care about the most, from focusing tax payer funding toward social services such as affordable housing and more counselors in schools, to suggestions of how your representatives or senators can play a big role in the causes you care about in terms of disability advocacy. 

2. Call their offices and make your voice heard. You can also request a district office meeting and contact a member of their staff. Click here to find your legislators. 

3. Check out our 5 Action Steps page for further ways you can advocate for children and youth with disabilities in Massachusetts.  

In this chaotic time, it is incumbent on all of us to do our part to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities and other minority groups are protected and that legislation to support them is advanced. All of us who care about these issues must use our voices in order to be seen, heard, and to use our influence for the greater good of our families and our communities. 

Evan Gabovitch is a disability rights advocate, on the autism spectrum, who has previously volunteered working alongside many disability related nonprofit organizations such as the Institute for Human Centered Design, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, and Massachusetts Advocates for Children. He has also had Massachusetts state government experience as an Advocate at the Massachusetts Office on Disability working alongside his colleagues to provide information and referral on disability related issues.