Mar 14, 2013
Sophie Lewis at In These Times reports that the "whole of East Flatbush is becoming a so-called Frozen Zone: an unofficial NYPD tactic of totally excluding the media from an area."
Lewis reports on the scene Wednesday night:
Scores of police squads have descended upon the growing vigils on Church Avenue. Last night, hundreds of protesters faced off with police, contesting efforts to net and mass-arrest them throughout the evening. Council member Charles Barron told Democracy Now: 'This is the least that the community could do is to respond and resist.'
Late in the night, police arrested Kimani Gray's sister and an estimated 46 others--mainly local young people, and some outside supporters--who remain detained at several precincts.
Local reports have said that a heavy police presence has remained in the area throughout the day.
Carol Gray, the mother of Kimani Gray, spoke out for the first time on Thursday afternoon from the office of City Councilman Charles Barron. She said that her son was slaughtered and she wants to know why.
"I'm asking for justice," she said, telling reporters her unarmed son was killed in front of his best friend's house after a birthday party.
Reports have differed greatly between police and local residents over how and why police shot up to 11 rounds at the young man, who was adjusting his waistband in what the police said was a "suspicious manner." While police say Gray was armed, eyewitnesses have said he was "running for his life" when he was shot dead.
Lewis continues:
Kimani's killing was the latest in an unrelenting stream of similar incidents across New York City and the United States. There have been 79 killings by law enforcement officers in the U.S. in 2013 alone. Present at last night's demonstrations were Bronx community activists Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham, the parents of Ramarley Graham, whom the police slayed in his grandmother's bathroom at close range slightly over a year ago. [...]
Activists are up against not just the police, but also the very logic that normalizes police violence and permits the public to rationalize Black deaths.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
Sophie Lewis at In These Times reports that the "whole of East Flatbush is becoming a so-called Frozen Zone: an unofficial NYPD tactic of totally excluding the media from an area."
Lewis reports on the scene Wednesday night:
Scores of police squads have descended upon the growing vigils on Church Avenue. Last night, hundreds of protesters faced off with police, contesting efforts to net and mass-arrest them throughout the evening. Council member Charles Barron told Democracy Now: 'This is the least that the community could do is to respond and resist.'
Late in the night, police arrested Kimani Gray's sister and an estimated 46 others--mainly local young people, and some outside supporters--who remain detained at several precincts.
Local reports have said that a heavy police presence has remained in the area throughout the day.
Carol Gray, the mother of Kimani Gray, spoke out for the first time on Thursday afternoon from the office of City Councilman Charles Barron. She said that her son was slaughtered and she wants to know why.
"I'm asking for justice," she said, telling reporters her unarmed son was killed in front of his best friend's house after a birthday party.
Reports have differed greatly between police and local residents over how and why police shot up to 11 rounds at the young man, who was adjusting his waistband in what the police said was a "suspicious manner." While police say Gray was armed, eyewitnesses have said he was "running for his life" when he was shot dead.
Lewis continues:
Kimani's killing was the latest in an unrelenting stream of similar incidents across New York City and the United States. There have been 79 killings by law enforcement officers in the U.S. in 2013 alone. Present at last night's demonstrations were Bronx community activists Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham, the parents of Ramarley Graham, whom the police slayed in his grandmother's bathroom at close range slightly over a year ago. [...]
Activists are up against not just the police, but also the very logic that normalizes police violence and permits the public to rationalize Black deaths.
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
Sophie Lewis at In These Times reports that the "whole of East Flatbush is becoming a so-called Frozen Zone: an unofficial NYPD tactic of totally excluding the media from an area."
Lewis reports on the scene Wednesday night:
Scores of police squads have descended upon the growing vigils on Church Avenue. Last night, hundreds of protesters faced off with police, contesting efforts to net and mass-arrest them throughout the evening. Council member Charles Barron told Democracy Now: 'This is the least that the community could do is to respond and resist.'
Late in the night, police arrested Kimani Gray's sister and an estimated 46 others--mainly local young people, and some outside supporters--who remain detained at several precincts.
Local reports have said that a heavy police presence has remained in the area throughout the day.
Carol Gray, the mother of Kimani Gray, spoke out for the first time on Thursday afternoon from the office of City Councilman Charles Barron. She said that her son was slaughtered and she wants to know why.
"I'm asking for justice," she said, telling reporters her unarmed son was killed in front of his best friend's house after a birthday party.
Reports have differed greatly between police and local residents over how and why police shot up to 11 rounds at the young man, who was adjusting his waistband in what the police said was a "suspicious manner." While police say Gray was armed, eyewitnesses have said he was "running for his life" when he was shot dead.
Lewis continues:
Kimani's killing was the latest in an unrelenting stream of similar incidents across New York City and the United States. There have been 79 killings by law enforcement officers in the U.S. in 2013 alone. Present at last night's demonstrations were Bronx community activists Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham, the parents of Ramarley Graham, whom the police slayed in his grandmother's bathroom at close range slightly over a year ago. [...]
Activists are up against not just the police, but also the very logic that normalizes police violence and permits the public to rationalize Black deaths.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.