(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) About 75 people rallied for the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) About 75 people rallied for the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Protesters tape flyers to the entrance to West Valley City Hall as part of the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Wearing a t-shirt with a photograph of Zane James, Angela Johnson tapes a flyer of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal during the People's Council rally to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall and the police station, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) About 75 people rallied for the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) A protester wears pins of people who have been killed by police in Utah. About 75 people rallied for the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mani Hill and fellow protesters tape flyers to the West Valley Police Department building during the People's Council rally to defund the police force, Aug.8, 2020. Over a dozen of police officers dressed in riot gear could be seen standing inside the building. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Protesters walk from the West Valley Police Department during the People's Council rally to defund the police force, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Protesters walk to the West Valley Police Department during the People's Council rally to defund the police force, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) About 75 people rallied for the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) About 75 people rallied for the People's Council to defund the West Valley Police Department outside West Valley City Hall, Aug.8, 2020. Saturday's rally was hosted by the Salt Lake chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Protesters led by the Salt Lake City chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) called for a West Valley City budget that reflects its citizens needs as the largest minority majority city in Utah.
“Most of what people call crime is a lack of resources and people’s material needs not being met,” said PSL member Amanda Peterson, who advocated re-appropriating funds from the city’s $28 million police budget to fund the needs of its low-income communities.
The group said 34% of West Valley City’s budget goes to fund policing, despite the lack of statistics on the police department’s effectiveness. Money should be spent improving the community’s well-being by funding resources including mental health counseling, affordable housing, job training, health care, sustainable foods, fair employment and education, said Peterson.
The group of about 75 people rallied on the steps of West Valley City Hall, taping flyers to the front windows demanding police reform and later marched to the new $25 million police headquarters building, where they taped more flyers at the entrance. Protesters chanted, “No good cops in a racist system,” and peered into the windows of the station to see over a dozen officers dressed in riot gear standing in the foyer watching them.
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Leah has been a photographer for The Tribune since 1998 and, more importantly, the chauffeur for the paper's mascot, Toby, a tri-colored border collie who has outshined his human. Toby enjoys outdoor sporting events, people and squirrel-watching and all assignments for the food section.
Leah Hogsten
Leah has been a photographer for The Tribune since 1998 and, more importantly, the chauffeur for the paper's mascot, Toby, a tri-colored border collie who has outshined his human. Toby enjoys outdoor sporting events, people and squirrel-watching and all assignments for the food section.