Though her family has asked people to “refrain from posting social media messages” about her case, Sandra Bland’s death on July 13, 2015, has sparked a trending hashtag on Twitter that shines light on the fate that befalls hundreds of people each year: #IfIDieInPoliceCustody
The posts range from heartbreaking to revolutionary to biting. Here are a 11 that show just how much #BlackLivesMatter:
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody it isn’t because I talked back or assaulted an officer. pic.twitter.com/aRqSAJPmFR
— malkia a. cyril (@culturejedi) July 17, 2015
#Ifidieinpolicecustody Do not make calls for peace or forgiveness. Do not speculate about my mental state. I’m Black and constantly enraged.
— Charlene Carruthers (@CharleneCac) July 17, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody do not apologize on my behalf. Do not forgive. Do not forget. Express your rage to validate my humanity.
— Captain Africa (@See_Say_92) July 16, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody don’t trust any report of me being aggressive, I put my humanity aside in interactions w/ cops to come home to my kid
— jamilah (@JamilahLemieux) July 17, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody tell the media to use the 1st pic and not the 2nd pic.twitter.com/KIe4pRcnPH
— king fee (@kingfee901) July 16, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody Do not let Don Lemon within 10 feet of whatever State I died in. Do not let him utter my name.
— Laffn@u (@KimShoeCrzy) July 17, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody don’t spend too much time mourning. Know that I died speaking truth to power.
— Zora Neale Baéston (@bdoulaoblongata) July 17, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody Know that I had a feeling I would. We all do. #SandraBland
— TruthBeTold (@Big6domino) July 16, 2015
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody I asked if I was being detained, I asked for my phone call and I asked for my lawyer.
— #JusticeForTamirRice (@essdotX) July 16, 2015
#ifidieinpolicecustody its because these two groups were one in the same. pic.twitter.com/G5syuXxc1H
— Lil Saint (@Kamdranee) July 17, 2015
but, #ifidieinpolicecustody burn this muhfucka down.
— Wave Hollister (@onefiftyone) July 16, 2015