John,
We’re following up because we haven’t seen your name on the petition demanding justice for William McNeil Jr.
As a reminder:
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Officer Donald Bowers of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shattered Will’s car window and punched him in the face.
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The Florida State Attorney’s Office is already brushing it off as “not criminal.” And the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is still “reviewing” whether Officer Bowers acted appropriately.
That tells you everything you need to know. No justice. No accountability. Just business as usual.
But we won’t let them bury this. Not this time. Not again.
We’re mobilizing activists around the country to call for accountability. Add your name and demand Officer Bowers be expelled.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll keep saying it:
Black lives will never be safe under the current system of carceral punishment and policing — especially if we let lawless cops like Officer Bowers get away with unprovoked violence.
This isn’t just about one case. It’s about every Black person who has to live with the threat of police violence. Abolition is the only way forward. Until then, we keep fighting like hell.
In solidarity,
Black Lives Matter
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Black Lives Matter HQ [[email protected]]
Date: July 22, 2025
Subject: 🚨Police brutality alert in Jacksonville, FL 🚨
To: John [[email protected]]
Trigger warning: police violence
John, enough is enough. Officer Donald Bowers (#6991) of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office assaulted a peaceful motorist on camera – and we’re demanding justice.
Watch the cellphone camera footage, then contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to demand justice »
William Anthony McNeil, Jr. (@904Will on Instagram) was brutally assaulted during a traffic stop in Jacksonville, Florida, allegedly for not having headlights on due to "inclement weather," despite clear daylight.
When McNeil calmly asked for a supervisor, Officer Bowers escalated the situation violently. Body camera and cellphone footage clearly show Officer Bowers shattering William McNeil’s car window and punching William in the face multiple times, despite McNeil sitting with his hands at his side.
As a result of the beating, McNeil suffered severe injuries:
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A concussion
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Short-term memory loss
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Over nine stitches in his lips
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And a chipped tooth
The Florida State Attorney’s Office has already declared these violent actions "not criminal." Typical.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s office is reviewing whether Officer Bowers “acted appropriately" – as if the video doesn’t clearly show an unprovoked beating of a Black man by one of their officers.
We cannot let this stand.
Black lives remain at risk each day we allow officers like D. Bowers to operate without accountability.
📢 We’re flooding the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to demand accountability. Take a moment right now to send them an email and demand the immediate expulsion of Officer Bowers »
Our collective voice is our power. Let’s demand justice, because Black lives depend on it.
Will’s story isn’t rare.
It’s the result of centuries of white supremacy, where Black people are criminalized for simply existing. Until we divest from the police and invest in our communities, we will not know freedom from police brutality.
Abolition is the only way forward.
Until we get there, we’re letting EVERYBODY know: the world is watching, and we won’t be silent.
Add your voice by emailing the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. All you have to do is add your name and hit send to demand the expulsion of Officer Bowers.
We can’t undo the harm that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office unleashed on Will. But we can fight like hell to hold cops like Officer Bowers accountable for their lawless, racist violence.
Together,
Black Lives Matter
Our grassroots movement is pushing for Black liberation every single day. We are striving to create a world where Black people do so much more than just survive. It’s time we thrive.
As an organization one of our biggest hurdles is consistency.
A recurring contribution of anything you can afford goes a long way as we plan for the months, years, and even decades ahead. This is the most effective way for small-dollar donors (like you) to power our Black liberation work.
Will you make a recurring contribution of $5 or more today so that we can keep building momentum for our movement?
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