Peoples' Justice For Community Control and Police Accountability
UPDATE: RALLY AND MARCH AFTER THE VERDICT
Brief summary of Friday April 25th
* Peoples Justice Rally for Justice for Sean Bell & All Victims of Police Brutality
* 2 arrests following formal march
Following yesterday morning's announcement of Judge Cooperman's "not guilty on all counts" acquittal verdict of 3 of the 5 NYPD officers involved in the murder of Sean Bell, hundreds gathered in Queens to express their outrage. Disgusted by the trial process (determined by 1 judge rather than a jury), the and the unjust outcome, Peoples Justice held a rally at 5:30pm by the Queens DA's office, with family members speaking of having lost loved ones to police brutality, and others speaking of personal experiences being victimized by law enforcement violence, including: Nicholas Heyward, Sr. spoke of his son - Nicholas Heyward, Jr. - murdered by the NYPD; members of Jayson Tirado's family; Juanita Young, mother of Malcolm Ferguson and founder of Parents Against Police Brutality; representatives of the Bushwick 32 case; Desis Rising Up & Moving, linking the struggle against police brutality to the struggle against the criminalization of immigrants. In addition to justice for Sean Bell and other specific cases, Peoples Justice is calling for an end to racist & militarized policing of our communities; the creation of a permanent independent prosecutor for all cases of police brutality in NYC; and increased efforts for community control of our safety through creation of community Cop Watch patrols and Know Your Rights work.
Peoples Justice moved the rally from the Queens DA's office with a march to Liverpool, the site of the 50-shot murder of Sean Bell and injuries to his friends Trent Benefield & Joseph Guzman. The unpermitted march, growing to 1,500 on Queens Boulevard, stopped traffic and was greeted by enormous support from community members along the way -- many joined the march; others honked their support from their cars, not seeming bothered to be stopped in traffic; others cheered from rooftops, apartments, stores, and buses.
At the closing rally on Liverpool (site of the shooting), about 500 vowed to continue the struggle for justice for Sean Bell & all victims of police brutality. Co-MC's Jessica Sanclemente (from the Justice Committee) and Thenjiwe McHarris (Malcolm X Grassroots Movement) reminded community members of the need to demand accountability of the police while also taking steps towards community control through Know Your Rights education and Cop Watch patrols. Those interested in developing their own Cop Watch patrols can contact the Justice Committee or Malcolm X Grassroots Movement for more information, and Peoples Justice can be contacted for more information about Know Your Rights training.
Following the close of the formal Peoples Justice march & rally, some continued with an impromptu march through parts of Jamaica, Queens. According to updates Peoples Justice received, at about 11:30pm, following the dispersal of one group at the 103rd Precinct, a protester was arrested as he was leaving, and a legal observer who tried to get badge information of the arresting officers was also arrested. After getting the news last night, Peoples Justice organizers secured an attorney to work w/the 2 who were arrested, and also had several Peoples Justice organizers go to the 107th precinct where they were being held before being transported to Central Booking. The attorney attempted to have them released with DAT's (desk appearance tickets), which is often protocol in such cases. The NYPD refused. We expect that the 2 will be released today, and will post additional updates if community mobilization is required.
Endorsers of Friday's rally: Al Awda NY, Alianza Dominicana, Audre Lorde Project (ALP), Black Radical Congress-NY, Black Women's Leadership Caucus, Brooklyn For Peace, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for Immigrant Families, Congress for Korean Reunification, Critical Resistance, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), DJ Chela, Domestic Workers United (DWU), El Puente, FREE! Families Rally for Emancipation and Empowerment, Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE), FIERCE, Fr. Luis Barrios – St. Mary's Episcopal Church (West Harlem, Manhattan), Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC), Harlem Tenants Council, Hasan Salaam, Hip Hop Caucus, Human Rights Project at the Urban Justice Center, I.F.A RECORDINGS/ BlackTone Music Group, Immigrant Justice Solidarity Project, Iglesia San Romero de Las Americas, International Action Center, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ), Justice Committee, Lynne Stewart Organization, Mahina Movement, Make the Road by Walking, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Mano a Mano, May 1st Coalition, Million Worker March Movement, National Hip Hop Political Convention, New Abolitionists, New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW), New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, NYC United for Peace and Justice, NY Solidarity Coalition with Katrina/Rita Survivors, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, October 22nd Coalition, Parents Against Police Brutality, Party for the People, Picture the Homeless, R.E.A.C.Hip Hop Coalition, Rebel Diaz, Regeneracion, Resistance in Brooklyn, Revolting in Pink (R.I.P), Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities (RIPPD), Sylvia Rivera Law Project, VAMOS Unidos. War Resisters League, Where We Live Radio Program/WBAI-FM NY.
*******************************************
Join the Fight to STOP NYPD ATTACKS on OUR Communities
These are just a few examples of the NYPD attacking and murdering community members:
1. Juanita Young: Juanita has been the target of NYPD violence since she became an outspoken organizer and leader in the movement against police violence after the murder of her son, Malcolm Ferguson, by the NYPD in 2000. Juanita has successfully contested two false arrest by the NYPD and she is now facing her third: In November 2006, claiming they needed to check on the welfare of her children, police officers broke down the door to Juanita's home and arrested and assaulted her, resulting in her hospitalization.
2. Cory Mickins: Cory was shot 27 times and killed by plain clothes detective in March 2007 while eating at one of his favorite restaurants. The Detectives claim Cory had a gun and shot and officer in the ankle yet there are no finger prints on the gun they said belong to Cory and no gun powder on him or his clothing. Eye witnesses support the fact that Cory did NOT have a gun. A year later NO charges have been brought against the detectives for his murder.
3. Timur Person: Timur was a 19-year-old man who was shot four times in the chest and once in the neck by plain-clothes detectives in December 2006. When Timur was killed his hands were in the air and he was lying face-up on the floor. There has been no investigation into his murder, the DA's office refuses to investigate and convene a grand jury.
4. Bracero Family: In May 2007 56-year-old Mr. Bracero was attacked by NYPD officers while dropping his 15-year-old daughter off at school. When his wife and children arrived at the precinct to check on his condition, the officers were rude and violent, throwing Mrs. Bracero across the room and falsely arresting their son. Mr. Bracero's trial is scheduled to begin in June 2008.
5. Puerto Rican Day Parade: In June 2007, 208 people, mostly youth, were arrested because they were wearing black and gold clothing and/or beads around their necks. According to the officers involved, the arrests were justified because the colors and beads worn by the parade-goers signified membership in the Latin King and Queen Nation. To add insult to injury, some of the arrests targeted people who were wearing beads as part of their religious practice. Many of the charges have since been dropped and a few lawsuits against the NYPD have been paid out, others are pending.
6. Jayson Tirado: Jayson, 25 year old, farther of two, was shot and killed by NYPD officer Sean Sawyer on Oct. 2007. After shooting Jayson the officer fled the scene. He turned himself in 19 hours later. Sean Sawyer has yet to be charged for murdering Jayson.
7. Khiel Coppins: In November 2007, NYPD officers shot 20 bullets at Khiel Coppin a mentally ill 18-year-old from Bedford-Suyvesant Brooklyn striking him eight times. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly claims the officers were provoked by Coppin when he pointed an object at them that looked like a gun. After police ceased fire, they found the object he was holding was a black hairbrush. An eyewitness named Sanchez said Officers told Coppin to put his hands up. When Coppin did he dropped the brush and the officers began to shoot.
8. Six Youth Attacked in Washington Heights: In November 2007 police officers attacked six young men with nightsticks and mace while they were eating at a McDonald's restaurant on 181st street and Broadway. Ryan, 16, was hospitalized as a result of his injuries. He is currently being charged as an adult. Justin Cabrera, another teenager who was badly beaten is also facing charges.
*******************************************
PEOPLES' JUSTICE FOR COMMUNITY CONTROL AND POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY was initiated by the NYC Coalition Against Police Brutality (CAPB) and allies. We are a coalition of NYC-based grassroots organizations that have joined forces to win community control and police accountability.
Peoples' Justice includes the following groups:
Audre Lorde Project (ALP)
CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities (CAAAV)
F.I.E.R.C.E.
Immigrant Justice Solidarity Project (IJSP)
Justice Committee
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM)
National Hip Hop Political Convention
Nodutdol for Korean Community Development
*******************************************
Papoose - 50 Shots
Who I'd like to meet: Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Livers, Lovers, Hustlers, Fighters, Gangsters, Players, Movers, Shakers, Workers, Teachers, Learners, Students, Rappers, Actors, Activists, Organizers, Doers, Seekers, Makers, Takers, , Politicians, Musicians, Technicians, and everyone in between~!
Protest Italian right-wing mis-use of Indigenous peoples
It has come to our attention that the right-wing/fascist forces in Italy have come out with an anti-immigrant campaign, making use of (without permission) of an image of indigenous peoples/american indian/first nations/aboriginal person by misusing the analogy of what happened to native peoples with european settlement in the Americas.
While it is true that the indigenous peoples of the Americas were negatively impacted by the European colonization, it was not because they were "foreigners", it was because they came to subjagate us who had welcomed them initially with open arms. We identify with all those oppressed by colonialism/imperialism; and a major reason for immigration to Europe and North America is because the capitalist-imperialist powers (EU, US. et. al) have exploited and oppressed both the peoples and the countries of the third world. Those who immigrate to Europe and North America simply are trying to survive; a basic universal human right, and should not be attacked for it, but should be allied with, to end capitalist-imperialist oppression.
Yes to Indigenous Sovereignty, Yes to Immigrant Rights No Human Being Is Illegal; To end poverty, end capitalist-imperialist oppression.
The SUNY Social Justice Conference, November 7-9 at SUNY-Binghamton, will be a staging grounds for organizers and allies to build a united movement in our diverse communities. Budget cuts and privatization close doors to public higher education, but the state's prison system drains away funds into an ever-expanding industrial complex. As more young people of color enter penitentiaries than enroll in the SUNY system, campuses reap the benefits of forced prison labor. As educators and students fight to be heard, the state suffocates the power of unions to organize and negotiate. And as endless wars rage overseas, vital resources are wrested from communities back home. Drawing upon the rich history of vital student participation in struggles for social change, we will gather in November to build new movements for justice. Join us for a weekend of organizing, learning, networking, and connecting, feauturing workshops, strategy-sessions, discussions and a keynote address by people's historian Howard Zinn.
What We're Looking For:
We're looking for organizers and activists to host workshops on a wide range of social justice projects at the conference. These can range from updates on ongoing campaigns, movement strategy, anti-oppression trainings and more. To propose a workshop or get more info, contact sunysocialjustice@gmail.com
Through prison walls and continents, poet and prisoner Marilyn Buck translated "State of Exile," the writings of Cristina Peri Rossi, whose deeply personal poems went unpublished for 30 years. Join Asha Bandele, Laura Whitehorn, and attorney Soffiyah Elijah for celebratory reading and discussion.
Bluestockings is located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan at 172 Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington - which means that we are 1 block south of Houston and 1st Avenue.
By train: We are 1 block south of the F train's 2nd Avenue stop and just 5 blocks from the JMZ-line's Essex / Delancey Street stop.
By car: If you take the Houston exit off of the FDR, then turn left onto Essex (aka Avenue A), then right on Rivington, and finally right on Allen, you will be very, very close.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) CLICK ON THE FLYER BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION. THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:
Brand New Social Community. 100 people needed to Jump Start this Community by becoming a member, adding music, photos, videos and even your own blog. This website officially launches July 3rd, 2008. Become one of the first members today, right now....
Saturday June 14 da Bronx/NYC Hostos Community College/CUNY 9AM-5PM Free the Cuban Five (held in U.S. prisons) regional conference http://www. freethecuban5conference. com/
Housing Works 1st Annual LGB&T Celebrating Diversity & Change
Join us for a discussion about the LGBT communities.
Topics include: Advocacy, harm reduction, healthcare, HIV/AIDS, housing, legal issues, mental health, spirituality and substance use. RSVP at 718-827-8700 x130 or email Guaylupo@housingworks.org Location: 2640 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11208 Take the A train to Euclid Ave. Site is between Crystal & Fountain
ALSO SEE THE NEW BOOK WHERE MY WORKS ARE FEATURED WHICH HAS GANG MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES, POETS OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN IT "THE BANDANA REPBUBLIC" AT THE GOD'S WATER SITE:
TODAY IS PANGEA DAY!! THIS SHOULD BE COOL:D (please paste the links to browser, i can't fix 'em right now) PANGEA DAY is: http://www. pangeaday. org/
Check out the global lineup: http://www. pangeaday. org/musicians. php
Try to catch it, here’s how to watch: (its going on 11am-3pm PST) http://www. pangeaday. org/howToWatch. php
The Pangea Day Mission & Purpose Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film.
Why? In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.
The Pangea Day Event Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.
The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person's eyes. Details on the Pangea Day films can be viewed here.
Big-up 2 all di youth 'dem. "Get Up & Stand-up" for All the fallen... and check wi new "50 Bullets" hit video (on myspace/YouTube). Maximum Respect, Yardmon50
FUCC DA POLICE DA JUSTICE SYSTEM DA LAW I GOT SO MUCH LOVE FOR SEAN AND HIS FAM. ITS SAD TIME WHEN U STAY IN A COUNTRY THAT ALLOW YOUNG BLACK MALES TO GET KILLED FOR NO REASON BY A MUTHAFUCCER AND SAY THAT HE IS NOT GUILTY CAUSE HE WHERE A UNIFORM THAT SAYS SOME BULLSHIT ABOUT PROTECET AND SERVE!! SHIT FUCC DAT MANE I'M BOUT TO GET A GODDAMN UNIFORM (CAUSE THATS ALL IT IS) FOR ME AND MINE AND FIE 50 SHOTS ON DEM BITCH ASS NIGGA AND ON DA HEADLINE IT BETTER READ " BLACC CARTEL MEMBERS R FOUND NOT GUILTY ON THE DEATH OF A UN-ARMED POLICE FUCC BOI" THEN MAYBE THE PEOPLE AND THE STREETS WILL HAVE JUSTICE
There can be no peace so long as there is no justice in this country. Clearly, justice has NOT been served in the case of the brutal murder of Sean Bell. We will NOT accept this. Enough is enough already. Too many have suffered at the hand of the cops and they are never held accountable. Time for the people to demand action be taken...
