ACLU of Illinois’ Edwin Yohnka Scheduled to Speak at DACC on Traffic Stop Issues; Sat March 4th, 3 PM

News story here.

ABOVE: Director of Communications and Public Policy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois Edwin Yohnka; coming to speak at 3 PM Saturday, March 4th at the Danville Area Community College Bremer Center.

American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois spokesperson Edwin Yohnka will be in Danville this Saturday, March 4th, to speak on the issue of disparities in traffic stops.

It was earlier this year that former Danville Alderman Lloyd Randle brought forth an issue before the Danville City Council, stating that Veteran Derek Cooper had been pulled over by police officers nine times since 2018.

Danville Police Chief Christopher Yates showed video of stops of Mr. Cooper during a subsequent Danville City Council meeting, stating that the videos showed nothing out of the ordinary as well as nothing improper by the officers.

Randle, however, says this is an issue that left out, left behind, and marginalized communities throughout the country often deal with, and that’s why someone like Edwin Yohnka, who has worked with numerous civil rights organizations, can offer his expertise.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Veteran Derrick Cooper addresses Danville City Council about traffic stops during January meeting; DACC Bremer Center, the location of Sat March 4th 3 PM Event; Former Danville Alderman Lloyd Randle addresses City Council during same January meeting.

AUDIO: You have a premier representative of the American Civil Liberties Union coming to our community to talk about an issue that has been on the front page of every civil rights agenda for probably the last 50 years.

Randle explained the intent of Yohnka’s visit.

AUDIO: And Mr. Yohnka, with his 25 years of experience with the American Civil Liberties Union, will come in; he will tell us exactly what we should be looking at in terms of how collectively we can address this issue; of in this case, the disparity in traffic stops.

Saturday (March 4th) afternoon’s program begins at 3 PM in DACC’s Bremer Center.  The event is free to the public.