BLM rally demands police accountability, sheriff's audit

April 26, 2021 — Black Lives Matter activists rallied in front of the Ukiah courthouse Saturday to demand police accountability after the beating of Gerardo Magdaleno and to request an audit of the sheriff’s department. Troyle Tognoli is a local Black Lives Matter organizer. She is also a member of Ukiah’s recently formed Equity and Diversity committee, which is meeting this Wednesday. The Ukiah Police Department has not released the names of the officers involved in the Magdaleno beating , though according to police logs, Saul Perez, the responding officer, continues to respond to calls. Tognoli talked about the petition, which declares that “the undersigned are horrified at the video of Ukiah Police Department officers beating a naked man in a state of mental health crisis.” The petition addresses the police statement, which uses a euphemism to describe two officers simultaneously punching Magdaleno in the head, by adding, “We do not accept the “distraction strikes” claim, and this situation was dangerously escalated by the officers themselves.” We’ll hear from young rally-goers and longtime activists about what’s important to them, and what they’d like to see next.