Statement in Solidarity with (Un)Occupy Together Protestors in Oakland, NYC and Around the World

Peoples’ Justice for Community Control and Police Accountability (Peoples’ Justice or PJ) stands in solidarity with (Un)Occupy¹ protests in New York City, Oakland, throughout the country and around the world, and with all others who struggle against capitalism, the severe economic inequality it causes, and the unjust systems of oppression (e.g. white-supremacy/racism, patriarchy/sexism, heterosexism/homo- and trans-phobia, xenophobia etc.) that co-arise with it. Furthermore, we stand for the rights of protestors to make their voices heard without fear of repression by police departments that use our tax dollars to protect and defend the wealthy elite (the 1%). These departments do not serve our communities and never have.

In recent weeks, in cities across the US, the police have been deployed to silence and violently suppress protestors and evict encampments.  The tear gas, “non-lethal rifles”, and concussion grenades used against Oakland protestors last week were perhaps the worst attack so far, but sadly, not the first and probably not the last.  Here in New York City, over the past forty-plus days, we have repeatedly witnessed the New York Police Department (NYPD) attacking people exercising their right to assemble. They have used pepper spray, batons, fists and unjust arrests against protestors since the beginning of Occupy Wall Street, most recently severly beating several protestors who were marching in solidarity with Oakland.  Through these actions the police in Oakland and New York have only demonstrated that they do not serve the people.

Peoples’ Justice Know Your Rights Training Series

Wed. 11/9, 6:30-9pm: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:  Practical information on your rights when dealing with the NYPD and how to exercise them safely.  This training is open to anyone.

Wed. 11/16, 6:30-9pm:  KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING 4 TRAINERS: How to facilitate PJ Know Your Rights Trainings for your community.  This training is open to those who have attended the 11/9 training or any other PJ Know Your Rights Training.  

Location for both trainings: 105 East 22nd St. rm 4A.  (Take the 6 or N/R to 23rd St. stop in Manhattan.)

Who should attend: Folks who are tired of watching police violence in their neighborhoods;  Folks who wanna learn their rights when dealing wtih the cops (esp. poc, youth, immigrants, trans and queer folks.);  Folks interested in facilitating PJ Know Your Rights Trainings and/or conducting Cop Watch team in their communities.

**To rsvp for either email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and specify which training(s) you wish to attend.**

http://www.nyclu.org/

CONTACT:  Jennifer Carnig, 212.607.3363 / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

NYCLU: New NYPD ‘Enforcement Goals’ Seem Like Quotas 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

October 27, 2011 – The New York Civil Liberties Union today expressed concern about a new operations order issued by NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly that appears to establish a formal quota system for arrests, summonses and street stops. 

The order, issued on Oct. 17 and made public today by The Village Voice, requires setting “performance goals” for police officers that will measure “enforcement activity,” including making arrests, issuing summonses and conducting stop and frisk encounters. 

“This sounds like management-speak for a quota system,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “Enforcement quotas threaten basic rights and undermine trust between police and residents, which is why the State Legislature passed legislation outlawing them last year. Commissioner Kelly must provide details on these new performance goals and explain how they are different than quotas.”

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY!!! PLEASE COME HELP MOBILIZE OWS FOR ACTION!!!
Tell District Attorney Cy Vance to end his silence: No more NYPD violence against #OccupyWallStreet, LGBT New Yorkers and Communities of Color!

TODAY, 10/18 AT 5PM

MARCH FROM ZUCCOTTI PARK

On Friday morning, a senior NYPD officer sucker-punched Felix Rivera-Pitre in an unprovoked attack during an #OccupyWallStreet march. Now the police say they are looking for him and threatening multiple charges to cover up the assault.

Felix is a grassroots leader in the community group VOCAL-NY and has participated in #OWS solidarity actions during the past several weeks, including arriving early on Friday morning at Zuccotti Park to help resist the eviction.

Demand District Attorney Cy Vance Hold the NYPD and Deputy Inspector Johnny “Fists” Cardona Accountable for Violence Against #OccupyWallStreet!

10/18: March from Liberty Plaza / Zuccotti Park at 5pm

Felix grew up in the Bronx and Puerto Rico, is openly HIV-positive, and believes the police may have targeted him because he is gay.  He is one of thousands of low-income and working class New Yorkers who have joined #OWS since it began, first becoming involved because he lives in a homeless shelter and cannot afford to move into his own place.

Violence and harassment by the NYPD is an everyday occurrence in communities of color, especially for people of color who are LGBT. There were over 600,000 stop-and-frisks by police in 2010, mostly among Black and Latinos and the highest number on record.

The NYPD officer who assaulted Felix has been identified as Deputy Inspector Johnny “Fists” Cardona. Inspector Cardona also tackled a female protestor during an Occupy Wall Street march to Union Square a couple weeks ago, at the same time another group was peppered spray out of nowhere by fellow coward Deputy Inspector Anthony Balogna.

10/18 at 5pm: Meet in Zuccotti Park at the corner of Broadway and Liberty St. for a march to D.A. Vance’s office at 1 Hogan Place (corner Center St. and Worth St. nearby Foley Square)