#ShutDownA14 day of a mass rally and march against Police killings this time, not just Police brutality. Over 500 protestors or more gathered in NYC at Union Sq yesterday to hear speakers such as Eve Ensler, Carl Dix, Dr. Cornel West and the families of those killed by Police like, Nicholas Heyward Sr. who’s 13 year old, Honor student, son was shot by NYPD in 1994. Nicholas spoke about reaching out to Political “officials” for years only to fall on deaf ears. He said he even had 2 appointments to meet with the Governor and both times the Gov canceled the meeting.
Protesters participated in Die-In’s at the intersections of Houston & Bwy, then again at Canal & B way.
Eve Ensler mentioned the names of those killed by Police saying,, “I refuse the 8 bullets in Walter Scott’s back, the chokehold around Eric Garner’s neck, the 12 bullets in Michael Brown’s chest, the 23 bullets in Melissa Williams”. I refuse the bullets of a Police state used to murder the oppressed rather than lifting their conditions”.
Rev Calvin Butts, “Black, white, rich, poor we must all stand together and demand justice in the killing of our children no matter who they are, no matter where they come from. Shut it down, Shut it Down!” “We demand that the officer that did the killing of Eric Garner, Daniel Pantaleo, be dismissed from the NYPD immediately”, was followed by cheering and loud applause from the crowd.
“We say to the Police, “If you don’t respect us you can’t protect us, if you don’t respect us you can’t protect us”, repeated 5 times.
“we must shut it down, we Must stand together, because power is the only thing power understands, Shut it Down, Shut it Down”.
Dr. Cornel West spoke next saying,, “It’s a New day in the country.” “When stone cold everyday people ?? (unsure of exact words) straighten their backs up are going somewhere cause Folks can’t ride your back unless it’s bent. “When you’re willing to take a stand, when you’re willing to take a risk and tell the truth and the condition of truth is always to allow suffering to speak and when suffering speaks the PTB have to respond in some way”. “Too many people not just murdered, not just killed but systematically disrespected and we reached the point WE CAN’T TAKE IT ANY LONGER”, in his vibrant, powerful voice. “where I come from people have been terrorized for 400 years. We’ve been traumatized for 400 years”. “Aretha Franklin ain’t no joke, Bob Marley ain’t no joke, Curtis Mayfield ain’t no joke”.
“We love those oppressed in the Middle East, 500 Palestinian babies in 50 days, We Love the People!”
“Don’t confuse the Jazz orchestra with the Military band. In the Military band everybody got to hit the note the same way at the same time, I come from the Jazz people, we want everybody to raise your own voice, we don’t want Full agreement, we don’t want full unanimity, Just Raise your Voice and get on the Love Train and take a stand, that’s why I work with a Revolutionary Communist like Carl Dix”.
“Carl Dix”, “We gotta shout out the parents who lost their loved ones at the hands of the NYPD. We gotta shout them out for enduring the pain of their loss but, becoming people who stood up for justice”. “I want to shout out the youth who are tired, black & brown youth who are tired of going through life with a target on their backs who refuse to accept that anymore”. “The police are doing exactly what they system has them out here to do, beat us down, pen us in and even kill us all.”
“This is a country that’s founded on white supremacy, dragging African people to these shores in slaves chains. Stealing the land and carrying out a Genocide against the native inhabitants”. “they go around the world suppressing people. They’re at war with people around the world and they’re at war with us right here, sisters and brothers”. “We gotta know that’s what’s going down”. “They have no way to Profitably exploiting a lot of young black and latino folks in the inner cities. Their approach to that is a program of suppression, police courts, jails, beating us down penning us in, killing us all”.
Before sending of to march Sunsara Taylor read the brief statement that was emailed to me by Frank Serpico.
The march was high energy with protesters blowing the whistles that were handed out. Things got hairy when the marchers reached Broadway near Worth St. when NYPD moved into position to block B way with their scooters. After a few minutes of confusion the marchers made a left towards Foley Sq then continued on. The NYPD moved to block the Brooklyn Bridge since that was the direction they forced the protesters to go in but, the people eventually made their way to the footpath then the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge. AS many as 14 or so were arrested on the Brooklyn side. Some, myself included, avoided arrest by climbing the 10 or so feet up to the footpath from the roadway.
Pictures and videos can be seen at the StopMassIncarceration YouTube and website.
Photos by Cat Watters:
Leave a Reply