On Sept. 15, the New York Police Department assaulted the Freedom Fighters’ Contingent of the African American Day Parade. The unprovoked police attack, which resulted in five arrests, was the fourth such attack on the parade in as many years. The state’s blatant disrespect stoked indignation throughout the Black community.
In response, on Oct. 4, several organizations came together to hold a street meeting at the exact location of this year’s assault to address the epidemic of police brutality. The street meeting included powerful loudspeakers blasting the message and music of resistance.
Shaka Shakur of the New Black Panther Party called on community members to not be afraid of the police, and to get organized in the face of continuing brutality. Brother Shep of the Universal Zulu Nation called for community control of the police. PSL members explained that the La Riva/Puryear campaign has initiated a project to collect testimony from those who have suffered from police harassment and abuse, and use the electoral arena to put a spotlight on the severity of the crisis. The three organizations co-sponsored the Oct. 4 street meeting.
As community members gathered around the speakers and literature tables, a dozen police officers assembled across the street and looked on with the intent of intimidating those who participated. This tactic failed.
Elder members of the community who witnessed the police attack thanked and embraced the organizers for providing a message of unity. One community member said, “I haven’t felt like this since Malcolm and the old Black Panthers were around.” He looked around, and called it “just beautiful” to see organizers of all ages and nationalities uniting against police brutality.
The street meeting revealed the potential strength of a united people’s movement. Clearly such a movement is needed. Just a week after the African American Day Parade, Brooklyn police tasered and killed an emotionally disturbed man, Iman Morales.
The epidemic of racist police violence bears down on oppressed community on a daily basis, and the PSL hopes to continue to build unity with those forces willing to step up to challenge it.
