BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Eric Hall, 43, co-founder of Birmingham’s Black Lives Matter chapter and prominent local activist, was arrested Tuesday night on a misdemeanor domestic assault charge, according to Birmingham City Jail records.
Hall was booked into Birmingham Jail at 11:41 p.m. on December 16 on one count of Assault — Domestic — Simple Assault — Family and processed with a standard bail/bond fee. No further details about the alleged incident have been released by authorities.
Hall has been a visible figure in Birmingham activism. He co-founded the city’s BLM chapter and ran for Birmingham Board of Education District 9 in 2025, advancing to a runoff before losing to Yakima Foy.
The arrest comes just weeks after Hall publicly criticized Birmingham’s policing practices in an open letter addressed to Mayor Randall Woodfin, city leaders, and the Birmingham Police Department. In the letter, written on behalf of a coalition of clergy, organizers, and community members, Hall condemned the city’s response to recent officer-involved shootings. He argued that systemic failures are leading officers to respond with deadly force, noting the deaths of Vanessa Ragland, 36, and Jamal D’Angelo Williams, 26 as examples.
The coalition urged expanded mental-health crisis training, formal apologies to families of those killed by police, and a redirection of resources toward poverty reduction and social services.
As of Thursday, Hall remained in jail. Birmingham Police have not released additional information regarding the domestic assault allegation.
