from the New York chapter of World Can't Wait
The synergy created by the Fathers Day Silent March against "Stop and Frisk," the Center for Constitutional Rights' class action lawsuit against the NYPD, and advocacy by other groups who challenge the NYPD policy is powerful. Indeed the Bloomberg administration and Ray Kelly have been very much on the political defensive because of all the protest, but so far they've gotten away without changing anything substantial on the policy of "stop and frisk." No action can substitute for people directly confronting an abuse that is immoral and illegal. The Stop Mass Incarceration Network called for non-violent actions at police precincts in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens where people directly confronted the NYPD. This led to arrests of 83 people who demanded an end to Stop and Frisk policies. Despite demands to "drop the charges" the trial of activists arrested in Manhattan resulted in a conviction for disorderly conduct but no jail time. Now the prosecutors have upped the ante. Those arrested in Brownsville and Jamaica face misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and obstruction of governmental administration and possible jail time. One of the protestors is “Noche” Diaz, who is also a member of the People's Neighborhood Patrol of Harlem (whose aim is to prevent law enforcement from violating the peoples' rights and brutalizing them under the color of authority). Noche has been arrested 5 times and faces 11 charges which prosecutors are attempting to combine into one trial: (charges from the 'Stop & Frisk' protest in October 2011, and an arrest in March 2012, when they arrested Noche during a youth protest around Trayvon Martin; he also faces charges in the Bronx where he witnessed a police attack on a Black motorist). Clearly Noche has been targeted for his activism and faces serious jail time if this combination of charges is allowed to stand and charges are not dropped. See Noche on video here. WHAT YOU CAN DO to SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO DROP THE CHARGES 1. Donate to the Freedom Fighters Defense Fund: Contributions are tax deductible--indicate Defense Fund 2. Sign the Resolution here as a individual or organization 3. Ask any groups/organizations you belong to sign on to the Resolution 4. Forward this e-mail to friends and family and speak to them about signing the Resolution 5. Ask anyone you know who has been stopped and frisked to tell the story at Bear Witness. 6. Join the Defense Committee: Meetings Mondays at 7 pm every two weeks (July 16 and beyond) at the Riverside Church--enter on Claremont between 120th -121st. 
IN THE NEWS:
7/3/12 NYCLU Calls NYPD 'Wanted' Poster of 'Professional Agitators' 'Disgusting' (DNAinfo) 7/2/12 NYPD brands Occupy Wall Street couple as professional agitators and plaster their photos on flyers (NY Daily News) 7/2/12 Harlem Couple Branded 'Professional Agitators' in NYPD 'Wanted' Poster (DNAinfo) |
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