Track #2: United Nations
May 18th 2021: Free Palestine
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Composed and produced by Michael Genese. Photo courtesy of Sean Waltrous.
On May 18, 2021, in Midtown Manhattan, protesters demonstrating for a free Palestine were met with unnecessary force from both Strategic Response Group and Counterterrorism officers.
“We should just f****ng hit ‘em with a stick and when they fall back and leave, call it a day.” “Yeah, that was the old days.”
Protest photographer Sean Waltrous was amongst the arrests. Waltrous, who had been live-streaming the demonstration to Instagram, was able to put his phone in his bag before being cuffed. The live-stream continued for nearly an hour, allowing viewers to overhear and record SRG officers chatting in the prisoner van.
In their conversation, officers can be heard trying to get their story straight to justify their arrests. They can also be heard reminiscing about the “old days” where they could “hit [protesters] with the stick” and “just call it a day.”
NYCLU protest monitors witnessed an SRG officer punching a protester in the face, and 14 demonstrators, most of which Palestinian youth, were brutally arrested.
Just Press Send:
Pre-Written messages asking Julie Menin (District 5) and 30+ elected officials to disband the SRG:
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Call Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan:
(718)-748-5200
(212)-788-7363
"I'm calling to urge the Council Member to support the campaign to disband the NYPD's Strategic Response Group and reinvest its estimated $133 Million in funds back into our communities. As services across the city are facing unprecedented budget cuts, it is unacceptable for our leaders to continue to fund a notoriously violent, racially biased unit that operates with impunity. New Yorkers need housing, libraries, and fully funded city services. We do not need militarized police units who brutalize us with impunity.
Last year, more than 500 New Yorkers testified to City Council about the harm and trauma that this unit has inflicted on our community members. Since then, the SRG has continued to violently police protests across New York City.
As Finance Committee Chair, will the Council Member join 24 of his colleagues in signing onto a statement of support of disbanding the SRG, and commit to disbanding this violent unit during the 2025 budget cycle?"
Call Members of the Finance Committee:
Diana Ayala: (212)-828-9800 [East Harlem Office], (347)-297-4922 [BX Office], Kamillah Hanks: (718)-556-7370, Julie Menin: (212)-860-1950, Linda Lee: 718-468-0137, Mercedes Narcisse: 718-241-9330, Eric Dinowitz: 718-549-7300, Keith Powers (212)-818-0580, Francisco Moya: (718)-651-1917, Darlene Mealy: (718)-953-3097
"I'm calling to urge Councilmember _____ to support the campaign to disband the NYPD's Strategic Response Group and reinvest its estimated $133 Million in funds back into our communities. As services across the city are facing unprecedented budget cuts, it is unacceptable for our leaders to fund a notoriously violent unit that perpetuates cycles of racial injustice and daily trauma with impunity.
Last year, more than 500 New Yorkers testified to City Council about the harm and trauma that this unit has inflicted on our community members. New Yorkers need housing, libraries, and fully funded city services. We do not need militarized police units who brutalize us and threaten our First Amendment rights.
As a member of the Finance Committee, will Councilmember _______ join [his/her/their] colleagues in signing onto a statement of support of disbanding the SRG, and commit to disbanding this violent unit during the 2025 budget cycle?"
Hundreds of New Yorkers are speaking up.
A campaign to disband the SRG is about making the real strategic decisions to give our communities the healing and resources they deserve.
Do you work in education or healthcare? Do you take public transit? Do you want to see your community thriving? We are all stakeholders in where the SRG’s millions of dollars go once they are disbanded. New York is worth fighting for, and we need you.
