All Things Harlem & Beyond - news, info and newsworthy links
Entries from June 1, 2012 - June 30, 2012
Franco The Great: Artist Wants To Preserve Murals Painted On Harlem Security Gates
thestandouters - With rolling steel gates as his canvas, artist Franco the Great changed the face of Harlem--his murals range from the historic, the uplifting, to the whimsical.
However, in the past decade, soaring rents priced many small mom and pop stores out of the area, and many of the new business coming in threw out Franco's work. Plus, In 2008, new zoning laws required store owners switch over to the "see thru" gates, putting Franco's work in danger of disappearing all together.
Over a 30 year period, Franco painted over 200 murals.
Today, only 25 remain.
Franco and a community of supporters are working to save the rest.
For more great stories like this, "Like" The Standouters page on Facebook or check out the Youtube Channel.
Silent March to End Stop and Frisk - New York City - Father's Day
Voices from the Silent March to End Stop and Frisk in New York City on Father's Day, June 17, 2012. All Things Harlem spoke to a diverse group about the march and the NYPD's policy of stop and frisk.
Video From the Event
This video is of the diverse voices you wont see in mainstream media discussing the issue of stop and frisk and the NYPD in New York City.
Full Jeremy Scahill interview with Jazz. Jeremy Scahill says that NYPD's policy of Stop and Frisk should be one of the premiere civil rights issues of the city. He also relates the issue to the global perspective and how our police have become militarized and resemble the oppressive regimes around the world that the United States criticizes.
Scahill's daughter a 5th grader successfully got her entire 5th grade class to sign a petition against stop and frisk. She says that her classmates as young as 12-years-old have been stopped and frisked while just hanging out with their friends.
Jeremy Scahill is national security correspondent for The Nation, and author of Blackwater.
Interview with John Liu. John Liu is the Comptroller of New York City and the only potential Mayoral candidate currently calling for a complete end to stop & frisk, and not just a reform of the policy.
Arrests were made as the the Silent March to end stop and frisk wound down outside Mayor Bloomberg's home in New York City. As some of the remaining groups and people continued to protest and began changing their silence into noise, the massive presence of the NYPD formed up quickly in attempts to stamp out what remained of the march.
With orders coming over the phone from their bosses the chain of command took over and the NYPD management, (the guys in the suits on their phones) informed their captains (the guys in white shirts) to instruct their minions (the foot soldiers in blue) to begin to to clear 5th Avenue and push people onto the sidewalks and in between the barricades surrounding Mayor Bloomberg 's home. They did this by using their normal military apparatus of Motor Scooters, vans, batons, big orange netting, tons of zip tied handcuffs, police camera crew (TARU) etc.
With these tools they still relied on what they know best, brute force and intimidation along with a few arrests in hopes that this would disperse the crowd. In this situation they chose to arrest the biggest baddest most intimidating people of the group first - (young women).
All the while members of crowd chastised the police for their actions and challenged them to think about what they were doing and what they were supporting in their actions.
NAN and NAACP Prepare Harlem for Silent March against Stop & Frisk
Jazz marched along with Leaders of The National Action Network, the NAACP, ans Harlem community members to raise awareness about the upcoming silent march against stop & frisk on Fathers Days in Harlem.
Tamika D. Mallory is National Executive Director of National Action Network
Marvin Bing is Northeast Regional Director for the National NAACP
Uptown Street Workout - "Preparing for Greatness"
Jazz observed this young man, named Johnny, Washington Heights, New York City doing this creative and unique exercise routine. His creativity was amazing to behold. The reason Johnny given for his workout was that he was "preparing for greatness".
NYPD Officer Indicted in Killing of Ramarley Graham
NYPD officer Richard Haste was indicted in the killing of Ramarley Graham and is being charged with manslaughter. Haste is to turn himself in on Wednesday morning, June 13, 2012.
ATH considers this to be only a small step in the right direction, but far from justice. We are seeking a conviction of officer Haste. We also believe that other members of the NYPD need to be held accountable. What of the officers who falsely reported over the radio to Officer Haste that Ramarley had a gun? How can they make this kind of accusation without knowing it for sure? What of all the officers and commanding officers who were part of this "Street Narcotics Unit" that we saw on the scene in the surveillance footage outside Ramarley's Grahams house? Who gave the call that it was ok to kick down his door to pursue him? Is is standard police procedure to kick in peoples doors who are thought to have a gun? Considering they had the entire house surrounded couldn't they have asked for Ramarley Graham to come out with his hands up? These are just some of the questions that need to be asked. Others are responsible for Ramarley's death, not solely officer Richard Haste.
Jose LaSalle, an organizer of the group Stop Stop-and-Frisk informed All Things Harlem that the Graham family would like for the court house in the Bronx to be full of Brothers and Sisters who believe this system isn't designed to protect those who commit crimes against the Human Family. Richard Haste will be at the court house on Jun 13, the court house is going to be full of police officers supporting the murderer Richard Haste. For all those who can make it, we ask you to be at the Bronx Criminal Court at 8:30 Am, there is going to be a conference outside and then we are going into court house to watch Richard Haste get indicted. Lets occupy the courts.
Location: The Bronx Criminal Division is located at 215 East 161st Street, between Sherman & Sheridan Avenues.
Public Transportation: Directions Take the C, D or 4 train to Yankee Stadium/161st Street Station. Take the BX 6 or BX 13 to East 161st Street & Sheridan Avenue; the BX 1 to East 161st Street & Grand Concourse.
Stop & Frisk Smartphone APP released by the New York Civil Liberties Union
NYCLU - 'Stop & Frisk Watch' is an easy and convenient way to hold the NYPD accountable for its actions. You can download it for free at www.nyclu.org/app The app has three main functions: Record, Listen and Report. The 'Record' function initiates your phone's camera. When you are finished recording, the app prompts a survey that you can fill out with any pertinent information regarding the police interaction you witnessed. This file, the video, audio and/or report are sent immediately to the New York Civil Liberties Union. The 'Listen' function turns on your phone's GPS and will alert you if any other 'Stop & Frisk Watch' users have started to film a police interaction in your vicinity. The 'Report' functions prompts the survey even if you didn't film the police interaction. 'Stop & Frisk Watch' also contains 'know your rights' information regarding your rights when you are stopped by police, and your rights to film police. For more information about what you can do to hold the police accountable or to see what the NYCLU has been doing for decades, go to www.nyclu.org
New York State Supreme Court Judge Claims He was Hit by NYPD Officer
ATH - Yet another case of the NYPD out of control. Even this 69-year-old white Judge couldn't escape this dysfunctional police force that believes it can do anything it wants and get away with it. If this Judge was just a regular citizen he would likely be facing charges of disorderly conduct of trying to assualt an officer.
Governor Cuomo Proposes Legislation to End NYPD Practice of Minor Marijuana Arrest
The struggle will not end with this incremental change, it will only end when we have control over what happens in our communities by having control and accountability over those that claim to represent our interest. We cannot wait decades for tweaking of abusive policies. We need structural change. The police are our servants, not our masters. This is the official report of the pending reform.
NY Times - Cuomo Seeks Cut in Frisk Arrests
By THOMAS KAPLAN
Wading into the debate over stop-and-frisk police tactics, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo plans to ask legislators on Monday for a change in New York State law that would drastically reduce the number of people who could be arrested for marijuana possession as a result of police stops.
The governor will call for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana in public view, administration officials said. Advocates of such a change say the offense has ensnared tens of thousands of young black and Latino men who are stopped by the New York City police for other reasons but after being instructed to empty their pockets, find themselves charged with a crime.
Reducing the impact of the Bloomberg administration’s stop-and-frisk policy has been a top priority of lawmakers from minority neighborhoods, who have urged Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, to pay more attention to the needs of their communities. The lawmakers argue that young men found with small amounts of marijuana are being needlessly funneled into the criminal justice system and have difficulty finding jobs as a result.
By deciding to get involved in the biggest law enforcement issue roiling New York City, Mr. Cuomo is again inserting himself into the affairs of the city in a way that has been welcomed by some and resented by others. He previously brokered the resolution of a dispute over legalizing street hails of livery cabs, and he ordered the city to stop requiring that food stamp applicants be fingerprinted.
In this case, the governor would be acting against the wishes of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and in spite of a September directive from the police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, who instructed officers not to arrest people who take small amounts of marijuana out of their pockets or bags after being stopped by the police.
The Drug Policy Alliance, an advocacy group critical of the Police Department’s marijuana arrest policies, found that only a modest decline in the arrests followed Mr. Kelly’s memorandum.
Though the governor’s legislation does not address the high number of stops by the police, it would take aim at what many black and Hispanic lawmakers as well as advocacy groups say has been one of the most damaging results of the aggressive police tactics: arrest records for young people who have small amounts of marijuana in their pockets.
“For individuals who have any kind of a record, even a minuscule one, the obstacles are enormous to employment and to education,” said Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “When it’s really a huge number of kids in the community who go through this, and all have the same story, the impact is just devastating.”
The police in New York City made 50,684 arrests last year for possession of a small amount of marijuana, more than for any other offense, according to an analysis of state data by Harry G. Levine, a sociologist at Queens College. The arrests continued — one in seven arrests made in the city was for low-level marijuana possession — even as Commissioner Kelly issued his directive.
Mr. Bloomberg has opposed ending arrests for the possession of small amounts of marijuana. His administration has argued that the arrests serve to reduce more serious crime by deterring drug dealing and the violence that can accompany the drug trade.
All prior convictions under Bloomberg and Kelly's racist policy and practice should be expunged and the "victims" compensated and apologized to by the City.