It was like waiting to see Santa at the end of a Christmas parade, and there was no Santa in the sleigh at the end.

After an hour of standing in the muggy weather at Government Plaza the master of ceremonies Craig Lee announced that Shanerika Fleming would not appear... Lee explained that she was "traumatized" and that her attorney did not want her making any public statements because of her condition. Lee did not know the name of her counsel.

Lee read the attached Purpose Statement and Our Demands. Lee along with several other African-Americans spoke.

Lee encouraged the crowd of about 25 (plus media) to pack the chambers at Government Plaza on this coming Monday. He asked citizens to repeat the demands set forth below when they spoke. He encouraged them to be in the chambers by 2:30 p.m.

Lee chastised the Council for not going into executive session to discuss the termination of Fleming.

Presumably his remarks applied to all council members, including the chair James Green, vice chair Tabatha Taylor, and Alan Jackson. He also strongly rebuked council members Ursula Bowman, Gary
Brooks, Grayson Boucher and Jim Taliaferro for their votes to fire Fleming.

The press event can be viewed on the Love Shreveport Bossier Facebook page.

THE LABOR JUSTICE RALLY for ATTY. SHANERIKA FLEMINGS

Purpose Statement

This Labor Justice Rally is being held today to respond to the WRONGFUL TERMINATION of the Clerk for the Shreveport City Council - Attorney Shanerika Flemings on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, by a 4 to 3 YES VOTE of the Shreveport City Council; with council members: Brooks, Bowman, Taliaferro and Boucher voting to terminate. Though Louisiana is an AT-WILL/RIGHT-to-WORK state, there are laws and policies that govern the firing of employees. And NO EMPLOYEE can be fired based on: RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, GENDER DISCRIMINATION, RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION and DEFINITELY NOT THEIR REFUSAL to SEXUAL ADVANCES.

Our Demands

1. The IMMEDIATE RESIGNATIONS of: Council members - Gary Brooks and Ursula Bowman.

2. The IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION of Ralph Johnson as the Public Relations Director for the Shreveport City Council.

3. A local, state and federal investigation of Gary Brooks regarding the allegations made by Atty. Shanerika Flemings that she was asked to draft legislation that would adversely impact an African-American business, Club Haze, to benefit his white business associate - Tim Huck, owner of the Sandbar. And, to undercover details as to Atty. Flemings' other allegation concerning Gary Brooks' business dealings with drug dealers in his business venture, Styles Bar. A federal investigation resulted in the arrest.