Haiti, france, reparation, Haitians, Haitian Heritage Month

by Daniel Johnson

April 20, 2025

France Confronts Haiti’s Colonial History—But Reparations Still Off The Table

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the formation of a joint commission with Haiti to examine their intertwined history

On April 17, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the formation of a joint commission with Haiti to examine their intertwined history, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the original agreement that forced Haiti to pay France 150 million francs in reparations to former slaveholders following the Haitian Revolution.

According to The Guardian, Macron acknowledged the inequity involved in the arrangement.

“That decision put a price on the liberty of a young nation, which from its birth thereby confronted the unjust force of history,” Macron said in his announcement.

Fritz Deshommes, president of the Haitian National Committee on Restitution and Reparations (HNCRR), indicated that the joint commission is a “very small step” in the right direction, calling it a “move that buys time and allows for a wait-and-see approach.”

Deshommes continued, “In reality, France has shown no intention of addressing the issue of restitution in a direct and determined way. Granted, there is acknowledgment of the original injustice and the need to build a better relationship between our two people–but nothing more. In the same way, France has recognized slavery as a crime against humanity, yet refuses to make reparations for that crime. The struggle for the restitution of the triple ransom of independence must therefore continue and intensify.”

During his address Macron said that France is ready to accept “its share of truth in the creation of memory, a painful one, for Haiti, which began in 1825. Today, on this bicentennial, we must, here as elsewhere, face this history squarely…Haiti was born of a revolution, faithful to the spirit of 1789, which brilliantly affirmed the universal principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.”

Others, like CARICOM secretary general, Dr. Carla Barnett, joined Deshomes in calling for more concrete measures from France. Barnett used April 14th’s opening of the UN’s Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to make her case.

“The negative economic and social effects of this historical injustice are painfully clear, with arguable links to the situation in Haiti today,” Barnett said. “This anniversary presents an opportunity to bring global attention and a deeper understanding of the situation in Haiti and serves as a call to action to address the ongoing security, humanitarian, and governance crises in the country.”

Deshommes’ fellow HNCRR member Jean Mozart Feron described the original agreement as an unjust ransom in his remarks to The Guardian.

“This ransom plunged Haiti into a spiral of economic dependency from which it has never fully recovered and … strangled the young nation, stifling its development and diverting precious resources that could have been invested in education and infrastructure,” Feron said.

The debt also affected “the way Haiti is perceived and treated on the international stage without due consideration for this history of economic exploitation.”

by Daniel Johnson

April 19, 2025

Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic Moves To Montgomery

Although Morehouse and the mayor of Montgomery celebrated the move, residents of Columbus, Georgia, were less than pleased

The Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic, one of the oldest HBCU football rivalries, will move from Columbus, Georgia, to Montgomery, Alabama, for its 85th iteration.

Although Morehouse and Steven Reed, the mayor of Montgomery, celebrated the move, residents of Columbus are less than pleased about the—and its lost revenue for the city.

“Understand the backdrop of Montgomery as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement,” Reed, a Morehouse alumnus, told WVTM. “Understand the type of educational opportunities it’ll have for the student athletes as well as the fans who are coming. It was a business decision from the standpoint of what we were prepared to offer to bring the game to Montgomery versus what they were being offered in other cities in particular Columbus where they played last year.”

Columbus resident Terrance Flowers hinted that a potential reason for the game’s relocation could be a lack of attendance.

“I don’t know why they left but I know it’s something that’s going to hurt this city. It reminds me of one of those things, if you really like something you have to pour into it,” Flowers told WVTM.

According to Al.com, the game’s history in Columbus stretches back to 1936. Every game since has been played there except from 2020 to 2023.

Lisa Goodwin, chairperson for The Classic, as the game is known, told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer that Harold Ellis, Morehouse College’s athletics director, informed her that the game was moved due to financial considerations.

Goodwin also noted that the home team has the right to decide where the game is played.

“The game here in Columbus has historical significance,” Goodwin said. “And we hope that one day Morehouse College recognizes that, as Tuskegee University does.”

Goodwin also noted that attendance was down last year, something she attributed to the move from Birmingham back to Columbus.

“There has to be consistency for people to (go) all-in and believe that it’s going to be here,” she said. “So this year, in 2025, the fact that they are leaving again makes it disappointing for us.”

Ellis, meanwhile, is hopeful that Alabama’s capital city will turn out for the game.

“I have no doubt they will show up and show out for this Classic!” Ellis said in an April 18 release. “Beyond the excitement on the field, this is an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes, band members, and students to experience the rich civil rights history embedded in the city. Morehouse’s legacy runs deep in Alabama.”

by Daniel Johnson

April 19, 2025

Despite Trump’s Crackdown, Some Colleges Rebrand DEI Programs Instead Of Eliminating Them

The Trump administration has not demonstrated that DEI college programs are violating the law, causing confusion

As the Trump administration intensifies its campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education, it has yet to substantiate claims that these programs violate federal law.

The lack of clear legal justification has led to widespread confusion and inconsistency across academic institutions. Many institutions have not gotten rid of DEI.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, there have been changes at 324 college campuses across 39 states, with many of those universities opting to fold their DI departments into other departments instead of dismantling them completely.

Justin Driver, a professor at Yale Law School and a Constitutional and education expert, told The New York Times that the Trump’s administration’s desire to make colleges and K-12 school districts submit to its desires is alarming.

“The Trump administration is trying to use a relatively narrow decision and turn it into a broad holding that brings about whatever it wishes,” Driver told the outlet.

Although the administration has argued that some diversity programs violate federal civil rights law, they have not, according to legal experts, been able to cite a clear violation of existing law.

According to Politico, 27 of 31 flagship universities in red states have made changes to their diversity offices since 2021, and the response to Trump in particular from higher education has been captured by the responses from Harvard University and Columbia University.

Columbia capitulated. Harvard refused to comply, which resulted in a declaration from the Trump administration that the letter Harvard received was from rogue actors.

Tabbye Chavous, the vice provost for Equity and Inclusion at the University of Michigan, said that there is no plan from universities on how to address the needs of historically marginalized students without diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

“If we just dismantle things and don’t replace it with anything else, then we actually are not just dismantling an office—we’re actually turning our back on the goal,” Chavous told Politico. “We’re saying we don’t care about increasing our Black enrollment; we don’t care about increasing our Latino enrollment; we don’t care about increasing our Asian enrollment; we don’t care about efforts that support our disability community. None of these goals are illegal.”

Like colleges and universities, companies have also rebranded their DEI programs, although they technically can’t have funds pulled or don’t actually have to comply with the unclear executive order unless they’re government contractors.

According to CNBC, this is exemplified by the work of Paradigm, a consulting firm which post-George Floyd, said that it helped its clients “harness the power of diversity and inclusion to create a culture where everyone can do their best work and thrive,” the company’s website now says that its solutions “create an inclusive, high-performance culture where everyone can do their best work and thrive,” a subtle change which its CEO, Joelle Emerson explained to the outlet.

“We started using that a lot on our websites so that companies searching for ‘DEI’ could find us,” Emerson said. “Pre-election, as we were seeing a lot of the backlash, we reduced our use of the acronym because I didn’t think it would be the best description of what we do.”

Fran Harris, an entrepreneur based in Austin, told CNBC that moving away from using DEI or its acronym isn’t necessarily the solution either.

“DEI means everybody has a fair and equitable opportunity to succeed. We have to remind people what DEI is–it is the work. It’s not just an acronym. It’s the work of creating equal opportunities, period,” Harris said.

Diddy, delay, trial, judge Prison, Sean combs

by Mary Spiller

April 19, 2025

Judge Denies Diddy’s Request To Delay Sex Trafficking Trial

Judge Arun Subramanian told Combs' defense team, 'It is unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare' during his ruling.

Federal Judge Arun Subramanian has denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ request to delay his sex trafficking trial on April 18. As reported by CNN, the New York judge said there was no reason to give the 55-year-old producer’s attorneys two more months to prepare their defense.

Judge Subramanian affirmed that jury selection for the trial will begin next month on May 5 as scheduled. Judge Subramanian said during the decision, “It is unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare.”

Earlier this month, two additional charges were added to Combs’ case, prompting his attorneys to request extra preparation time despite the prosecutors’ pushback on delaying the trial.

Judge Subramanian made several other significant rulings regarding Diddy’s trial on Friday.

He decided that the alleged victims of Combs would be allowed to testify at trial under pseudonyms during the course of the case, except for Combs’ former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who is anticipated to testify. Ventura has been at the forefront of Combs’ case.

Judge Subramanian also ruled that much of the evidence about prior sexual assault allegations against Combs that were not formally charged in the indictment would not be allowed to be brought up at trial.

Combs has pleaded not guilty and maintained that he is innocent in the face of five charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy. Prosecutors claim that the behavior related to the charges took place over two decades.

As previously reported, prosecutors and many women have accused Combs and others in the industry of coercing several women to engage in sex acts with him against their consent. The incidents in which Combs allegedly subjected these women to sexual violence under the use of drugs were referred to as “Freak Offs.”

Combs reportedly controlled his victims by leveraging financial and career opportunities for them and utilizing threats of violence if they did not comply.

Authorities investigating the case have alleged that Combs recorded some of the sex acts.

Diddy is currently being held in federal detention in New York City following his arrest last September.

by Daniel Johnson

April 19, 2025

George Levi Russell Jr., Groundbreaking Baltimore Judge, Dies At 96

In 1966, he became the first Black judge to sit on the Circuit Court of Maryland.

George Levi Russell Jr., who became the first Black judge to sit on the Circuit Court of Maryland in 1966, died on April 12 at 96.

According to The Baltimore Banner, others recalled Russell’s deep legacy in the legal field, which was filled with many firsts, including his becoming one of the first Black candidates to run for mayor of Baltimore.

According to a 2005 interview with The Baltimore Sun, Russell made up his mind in the third grade that he would become a lawyer because his father, a postal worker, always pushed him to be ambitious.

Russell was even more motivated as he became more aware of the injustices visited upon Black people, citing in that Sun interview that he knew that Black students were often handed down used books.

“They had pages that were marked over. Some of the pages were torn,” Russell noted, still disturbed by the understanding that Black students were treated as less than their white counterparts.

Russell attended Lincoln University, an HBCU in Pennsylvania, where he earned his undergraduate degree before earning his law degree from the University of Maryland in 1954. Following that achievement, he joined the Army.

While in the Army, he practiced law and was placed in charge of courts, boards, and special courts-martial. Following his service in the Army, Russell started his legal career as an associate at Brown, Allen, Watts & Murphy, one of the first Black law firms in Baltimore and the first one to have an office downtown.

According to Larry Gibson, a long-time friend and colleague of Russell, “He leaves a legacy of a leader that says that we as a people, as a country, shouldn’t just focus on what is now or what seems to be happening, but on possibilities,” Gibson told the Banner. “So much of what he played a major role in getting done, people had difficulty understanding that it was really possible. I don’t even think he wanted to be a judge. I think he did it just to show that it could happen.”

According to Gibson, this was made clear during the 1971 race for the mayor of Baltimore when Russell’s appearance on the ballot showcased “the potential for a Black vote in the city, because up until then, our politics was pretty much effective, we thought, only in one part of the city.” Arguably, Russell’s candidacy paved the way for the mayorship of Brandon Scott in the present day.

Beyond the courtroom and politics, Russell’s legacy includes leading the charge to establish the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

“Before there was a National Museum of African American History and Culture, there was a Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, and that was because Mr. Russell led the charge that this needed to happen,” Terri Lee Freeman, the president of the Lewis Museum, told the outlet.

She continued, “Had he not had the tenacity that he had, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum probably wouldn’t be standing today. He was determined that this would not just be any throwaway building that they were going to give to the African American Museum, that it was going to be a state-of-the-art building and institution that was representative of the greatness of the contributions of African Americans in the state of Maryland.”

Russell is survived by his son, George Russell III, who, like his father, became a lawyer and currently sits as the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland after being nominated to the federal bench by President Barack Obama in 2012.

by Mary Spiller

April 19, 2025

Viral Video: Woman’s Racist Rant Leads To Hate Crime Investigation

A woman yelled racist slurs out of her car window while sitting in a Pinole, California, parking lot.

A recent video has gone viral of a woman hurling racial slurs during an argument in a public parking lot in Pinole, California. The April 14 incident occurred just north of San Francisco, and you can hear the aggressive woman directing a slew of curses at another woman nearby in the video. The Pinole Police Department has since classified the incident as a hate crime, and an investigation is currently ongoing.

The victim of the alleged hate crime told KTVU that she didn’t do anything to provoke the extended racist rant from the woman in the video.

“It’s quite unfortunate the verbiage she was using. It’s unacceptable,” she said. “I don’t understand why she was using it towards anybody in public at all. She’s obviously not supposed to be using that type of vulgar language.”

The victim’s name has not been officially released to the public, and she does not wish to be identified.

In the video, the shouting woman insulted the victim’s “fake a** eyelashes” and told her to, “Get outta my face, you f***ing n******.”

The viral video shows the woman screaming out the window of a blue Toyota Camry.

https://twitter.com/SeeRacists/status/1912179635124904047?s=19

Although the suspect’s name has also not been officially released, a fellow internet user, Felicia Carr, reposted the video of the argument on her social media and helped to identify the woman using the slurs.

Carr stated, “It’s really disheartening. We’re living in some very trying times. With the tensions that’s going on and racism at an all-time high right now, it was just so much racism and blatant disrespect, it was sad to see.”

She continued to explain that no circumstances made what the suspect said OK.

“It does not matter. It does not matter at all,” Carr explained. “No matter what the context, it was out of line. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what transpired before. She was out of line.”

“It’s not a nice word to use, and it should never be used. She should definitely be educated on it.”

KTVU interviewed the mother of the woman facing a hate crime investigation. She told the news outlet that she had been crying constantly after seeing the viral video released earlier in the week.

Through police reports, KTVU learned the woman accused of using the racial slurs in the parking lot currently has a pending criminal case, and that she stands accused of repeatedly stealing from Ulta Beauty in Concord.

Officers were called to respond to numerous reports about an alleged fight outside the Pear Street Bistro on San Pablo Avenue, and have decided to move forward with the investigation under the jurisdiction of a hate crime.

The Pinole Police Department said, “Due to the nature of the verbal exchange between the involved parties, the incident has been classified as a hate incident and is currently under investigation by the department’s criminal investigation bureau.”

Pinole Mayor Cameron Sasai weighed in on the viral footage as well.

Sasai said, “Seeing the footage, I’m disturbed, I’m outraged. The use of racial slurs, everything from racist anti-Black rhetoric, is not welcome anywhere, especially in the city of Pinole.”

RV, RV park, Josh Grady, Georgia, Warthen RV Park

by Mary Spiller

April 19, 2025

Former NFL Player Josh Gordy Creates Nature Retreat In Georgia For RV Campers

Gordy told news outlets about his park, Warthen RV Park, 'We want you to leave better than you came.'

Josh Gordy, owner of Warthen RV Park in Washington County, Georgia, opened up about what it was like to create an outdoor haven for Black campers looking to connect with the land. National Park Week began on April 19, including a day of free admission to Gordy’s Park. Gordy is a former NFL player who was part of the Super Bowl XLV champions, the Green Bay Packers.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, National Park Week Honors over 400 different national parks in the United States. Warthen RV Park will feature curated playlists to encourage patrons to go on nature walks and other fun challenges to enjoy the untouched beauty of the land.

Gordy’s Park is special, particularly for African Americans, as recreational camping is generally popular across the country, but has not been a space that all Black people have felt welcome in. According to the National Park Service, racially exclusionary practices placed limitations on outdoor recreation in the past based on skin color.

The problem has persisted, prompting Gordy to do something about it.

As reported by CRR Hospitality, a survey conducted in 2024 revealed that at an RV resort and campground management company, only 6% of people who camp identify as Black — a disparity likely stemming from socioeconomic status and cultural attitudes that have made camping seem unavailable to the Black community.

Josh Gordy was inspired for his RV campground endeavor when he was working as a real estate investor and noticed a 27-acre plot of beautiful land for sale near his childhood home. Little did he know that it would grow into a safe haven for Black outdoor life in the future.

“I thought, what a great opportunity to grab some land that would connect right to my mom’s land and sort of where my granddad lives and my uncle lives,” Gordy said, “Sort of, expanding our footprint on the town.”

Gordy continued to explain how buying a plot of land moved from using the space as an RV park to a recreational park.
“There was a social Facebook group, ‘African Americans who RV and camp. That just got the wheels spinning.”

He embarked on the development journey with his wife, Amber.

“Just like four years ago, we started heavily focusing on the recreational side of it. That was another eye-opening moment. You know, it’s a lifestyle,” Gordy recalled.

“What was even more surprising is how many of us, you know, the ‘melanated’ community, take part in it and find peace and refuge in doing it. That was definitely exciting and sparked another level of passion to make the park special.”

Gordy continued to talk about the calming effects of nature on anyone, highlighting the importance of making recreational parks like this accessible for everyone.

Gordy expressed, “Studies are showing, people are just burned out and going through a lot, and if we can be that place to let them come and be themselves, relax with other like-minded folk in the RV community, that’s what it’s all about,” Gordy said. “We want you to leave better than you came.”

Oakland, Barbara Lee, California, race, mayor, hate crime

by Daniel Johnson

April 19, 2025

Barbara Lee Wins Election For Mayor Of Oakland

Lee, 78, was widely viewed as a lock to be named Oakland's next mayor .

Barbara Lee, the long-time Democratic U.S. Representative for California, has won what turned out to be a hotly contested mayoral special election between herself and Oakland city council member Loren Taylor to replace Oakland’s disgraced former mayor, Sheng Thao.

According to SFGate, although Lee herself did not declare victory shortly after 5 P.M. on April 18, the San Francisco Chronicle called the race for Lee at roughly the same time that the former California representative posted on X.

Lee wrote that the results were “encouraging” before she touted the race’s turnout: “We are exceeding expected turnout for this special election because the people of Oakland care deeply about our future. Democracy at work!”

Oakland! This evening’s results are encouraging. I decided to run for Mayor knowing that Oakland is a deeply divided City–and I ran to unite our community. We worked hard every day to earn every vote! Thanks to you, in our 100 day campaign our Faith, Labor and Business… pic.twitter.com/OJqCnsygej
— Barbara Lee (@BarbaraLee_CA) April 19, 2025

The unofficial results from Alameda County, where Oakland is located, listed Lee’s lead as 52.7% to Taylor’s 47.3% after nine rounds of ranked choice voting, which is enough of a margin of victory for Lee to avoid a run-off and claim victory in the mayoral race. Lee will serve as Oakland’s mayor until the next election occurs in 2026.

Lee, 78, was widely viewed as a lock to be named Oakland’s next mayor due to her progressive bona fides as an anti-war and civil rights-minded legislator.

However, this changed when Taylor, who fashions himself as a “pragmatic progressive,” entered the race. It quickly became a race about their respective visions for Oakland’s future rather than their policies, they largely share positions regarding what Oakland needs.

According to The New York Times, Lee, who was largely viewed as an outsider while in Washington, was cast by Taylor as the candidate of the establishment. Meanwhile, Taylor earned an endorsement from the San Francisco Chronicle and repeatedly hammered home his message that “Oakland is broken” on the campaign trail.

Lee, for her part, amassed an impressive array of endorsements from the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, labor unions, four former mayors of Oakland, and seven of the eight members of Oakland’s city council; Jim Ross, a political consultant in Oakland who is not involved in the race, told the outlet that Lee’s endorsements are “the most impressive group of endorsements” that he can recall in a California mayor’s race.

According to The Oaklandside, Oakland’s Interim Mayor, Kevin Jenkins, released a public letter on April 18 congratulating Lee on her victory and saying he looked forward to handing the reins of governing the city over to Lee.

“Your decades of tireless public service have long been a source of pride and inspiration for Oakland. From the halls of Congress to the heart of our neighborhoods, you have championed justice, equity, and opportunity for all. As you step into this new role, we are grateful that your unwavering commitment to our city will continue to shape Oakland’s future,” Jenkins wrote.

According to Dan Schnur, a political analyst who also teaches at the University of California-Berkeley, Lee’s reward for winning this race is dealing with a city filled with resentment and anger.

“Under any normal circumstances, the people of Oakland would be throwing rose petals at Barbara Lee’s feet, but these aren’t normal times,” Schnur told The New York Times. “The level of resentment and anger is off the charts.”

by Kandiss Edwards

April 19, 2025

U.S. Citizen Held In ICE Detention Center Has Been Released

Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez is an American citizen that was held at a Florida detention center, even after he produced a birth certificate.

A U.S. citizen from Georgia was arrested and detained by immigration authorities in Florida despite presenting valid documents confirming his citizenship. He has since been released.

On April 17, around 7 PM, a video surfaced of Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez reuniting with his mother after being wrongfully held in an ICE detention center in Florida.

Gomez, a U.S.-born resident, was pulled over by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper for allegedly driving 78 mph in a 65 mph zone, the Florida Phoenix reported. Gomez, who was traveling with two other men, was taken into custody under a new Florida immigration law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023.

The law makes it a felony for any person over the age of 18 to “knowingly and willfully” enter Florida if they have previously entered the United States unlawfully, even if federal authorities have not deported them. Critics have warned that the law’s vague language could result in the unlawful detention of legal residents and U.S. citizens.

Gomez was born in the United States but spent much of his life outside the country. His first language is Tzotzil, an Indigenous Mayan language spoken in parts of southern Mexico and Central America. Language barriers may have contributed to his arrest, according to advocates.

Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez has been released. This is the moment he reunited with his mom. pic.twitter.com/4ODBw8cGDm
— Jackie Llanos (@LlanosJackie) April 17, 2025

After his arrest, Gomez’s mother brought his birth certificate to the courthouse to prove his citizenship. Leon County Judge LaShawn Riggans confirmed the document’s authenticity during a hearing but said her authority was limited due to an ICE detainer that required Gomez to remain in custody for 48 hours.

“In looking at it, and feeling it, and holding it up to the light, the court can clearly see the watermark to show that this is indeed an authentic document,” Riggans said in court.

Despite verifying his U.S. citizenship, federal immigration officials held Lopez in custody until the ICE detainer expired.

Gomez’s mother, who spoke Spanish, told The Phoenix she felt powerless in the face of the system.

“I wanted to tell them, ‘Where are you going to take him? He is from here,’” she said after leaving the courtroom. “I felt immense helplessness because I couldn’t do anything, and I am desperate to get my son out of there.”

Thomas Kennedy, a spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition who attended the hearing, told NBC News that the case exemplifies the dangers of overly broad state immigration laws.

“It’s like this bureaucratic, dystopian nightmare of poorly written laws,” Kennedy said. “We are living in a time when this man could get sent to El Salvador because, what, is he going to be treated like a stateless person?”

ICE released Gomez after his detainer expired. As of Friday, no criminal charges related to his immigration status had been filed.

by Mary Spiller

April 19, 2025

Crown Heights Resident Levi Kabakov Attacks Disabled Black Man In Wheelchair

Levi Kabakov accused McLeod's dogs of threatening his children before launching into his attack.

Levi Kabakov, a 30-year-old Crown Heights, New York man, has been charged with second-degree assault and aggravated menacing after attacking a man in a wheelchair while he was taking his dogs for a walk. On March 29, Troy McLeod found himself in a violent altercation with Kabakov.

McLeod opened up about the incident to News 12, explaining that the dispute began when Kabakov accused his two dogs of bothering his children. Kabakov ordered McLeod to cross the street, and, attempting to avoid conflict, McLeod obliged despite his dogs being incredibly well-trained. McLeod told News 12 that Kabakov didn’t let it go and instead came out of his Lincoln Place home, approaching McLeod aggressively. Authorities report that Kabakov struck McLeod with a bench from his yard as well as a wooden block before continuing to push him out of his wheelchair.

Multiple bystanders recorded the incident and attempted to calm Kabakov down.

McLeod recalled, “I was scared. I was trying to get back up. I was in shock, and thank God someone was there. It felt like a vengeful vibe to me because, to the extent of the situation, there was no need for it.”

Both of McLeod’s dogs were muzzled during the attack, and even when Kabakov became aggressive, they stayed back and did not act aggressively toward the man.

McLeod added, “My dogs are well trained, and even as he was violating me, you can see they did not involve themselves to hurt him.”

The man who uses a wheelchair has been left with lasting injuries after the attack. He has chronic pain from being forced onto the ground and repeatedly struck in the hands while trying to protect himself.

“I had to block myself when he struck me twice, so I need my hands to get around, so the hills are tough for me right now,” he said.

McLeod expressed his desire for Kabakov to take responsibility for his actions, as he believes there is no excuse for resorting to such violence.

“If you are feeling some way, take a time out, call someone, you have no cause to ever violate someone like that, put your hands on someone,” McLeod said. Kabakov was arraigned in court on March 30 and has since been released without bail to await a court appearance on July 17.

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France Confronts Haiti’s Colonial History—But Reparations Still Off The Table

Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic Moves To Montgomery

​Despite Trump’s Crackdown, Some Colleges Rebrand DEI Programs Instead Of Eliminating Them​

Judge Denies Diddy’s Request To Delay Sex Trafficking Trial

George Levi Russell Jr., Groundbreaking Baltimore Judge, Dies At 96

Viral Video: Woman’s Racist Rant Leads To Hate Crime Investigation

Former NFL Player Josh Gordy Creates Nature Retreat In Georgia For RV Campers

Barbara Lee Wins Election For Mayor Of Oakland

U.S. Citizen Held In ICE Detention Center Has Been Released

Crown Heights Resident Levi Kabakov Attacks Disabled Black Man In Wheelchair

Despite Trump’s Crackdown, Some Colleges Rebrand DEI Programs Instead Of Eliminating Them