Black Lives Matter Birmingham co-founder arrested while demanding answers about jail deaths
By Ayron Lewallen, Michal Higdon
Click here for updates on this story
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — Black Lives Matter Birmingham co-founder Eric Hall was arrested Tuesday after occupying Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office while demanding answers about recent deaths at the Birmingham City Jail.
Hall, who was livestreaming the encounter on social media, was charged with disorderly conduct and physical harassment following a confrontation inside city hall that ended with officers taking him to the ground.
Hall said he went to Woodfin’s office seeking a meeting about what he described as failures by city leadership following the deaths of inmates Kalena “Peaches” Croskey, 32, and Kendall Sweazer, 35.
“Those individuals that were in the Birmingham City Jail were in the custody and care of the city leadership, and it’s the city leadership that was neglectful, and they failed these individuals whose lives were taken,” Hall said.
Video recorded inside city hall shows Hall speaking with staff members before tensions escalated. Hall said he was attempting to secure a meeting with the mayor when he was met by several men in suits.
“The leadership always talks about where organizers need to give solutions, but we’re not at the table to provide those solutions,” Hall said. “And so I went there with the intentions and the demands to pull up a seat to the table.”
Hall acknowledged he expected the situation could lead to his arrest.
“I knew that things were going to escalate and that I would probably go to jail, but I couldn’t let that stop me,” he said. “Because it’s bigger than just me.”
Following his arrest, Hall said he’s still committed to advocating for what he views as accountability in cases involving police violence and deaths in custody.
“I’ve been labeled a loud activist,” Hall said. “Well, I’ll continue to be loud when it comes to our people, when it comes to fighting for Black lives, when it comes to police violence and systemic injustice.”
Hall said he wants city leaders to invest more resources in rehabilitation and support services within the jail.
“The jail deserves a social worker. The jail deserves a chaplain. The jail deserves wraparound services so that those who do not have, they can at least come out rehabilitated,” he said.
Hall said he has a court date scheduled for Aug. 25. As of Tuesday, he said he had not heard from Woodfin.
In a social media post, Woodfin said both inmates had previously attempted suicide while in custody. He said jail staff intervened in both cases and both inmates were transported to UAB Hospital for evaluation before being released back to the jail.
Woodfin said jail personnel followed established procedures and that the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office found no signs of foul play. He said both deaths were ruled suicides.
The mayor said community members have a right to be concerned about deaths at the jail and promised additional information as investigations continue.
Woodfin concluded his post by encouraging anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts to seek help through Crisis Center Birmingham.
Take Resource Center, a Birmingham organization serving transgender people of color, plans to honor Croskey during its Juneteenth celebration Saturday afternoon.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.