Residents of Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District needed leadership from U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly last weekend. Protests against police brutality — following the death of black Minneapolis, Minn., resident George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin — have engulfed cities across the nation, including in Kelly’s own congressional district. And yet, no meaningful leadership from Representative Kelly was to be found.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have taken to their cities’ streets to protest pervasive police brutality that has for too long terrorized black communities. And yet, on Sunday morning, Americans woke to videos of peaceful protesters and journalists defending themselves from further unjustified acts of violence carried out by law enforcement.

On Sunday morning, a video of such an act of violence against a peaceful, defenseless protester in Erie, Pa. went viral. The protester sits on the ground with her hands covering her head in self-defense; she is surrounded by at least six riot gear-adorned officers. Though the protester clearly represented no danger, one officer approached the protester and violently kicked her in the head, while his colleagues watched.

Throughout the week, I’ve looked to Congressman Kelly for his leadership, in hopes of hearing his reassurance that he’d work to, first, address the pervasive police brutality against black communities and, second, ensure that his constituents could peacefully protest without the fear of further police-sponsored violence. Finally, after two days of protesting, on Sunday afternoon, Kelly’s office released a lackluster statement on Twitter and Facebook. His statement lacked any real recognition of the crisis of state-sponsored violence against black communities. Instead, Congressman Kelly stated that “Riot prevention is justice for all.”

What does this mean? Does Congressman Kelly believe that the “riot prevention” of Erie police officers kicking a protesting constituent in the head was justified? Kelly’s constituents deserve more. We deserve a congressperson who is brave enough to speak their mind, to call out injustice — whether in Minneapolis, Minn., or Erie, Pa. Through his lackluster and evading statement, Kelly condoned the police brutality that is rocking our nation and our district. The solutions to the deep-seated problems of American racial injustice are complex, but the solution to Kelly’s leadership failures are simple: vote him out this November.