Video

Did you know that New York City students are being criminalized for being late to school?  This process takes place when the NYPD sets up checkpoints at subway exits that are in close proximity to public schools.  They stop the students and ask them a series of personal questions and record that information.  This video took place in Harlem, NY at the 135th street station. 

Below are a few questions we had and posed in the video.  Let us know what your thoughts and feelings are on this NYPD practice.  Share your thoughts in the comments section or twitter #schooltoprisonpipeline.

Why are cops stopping students on their way to school when in all public schools there is an officer at the front desk?

This stop took about 10 minutes. Doesn't this practice make students later for school?

Could these stops deter students  from attending on days that they are running late?

What is being done with the information collected by the NYPD?

How do parents feel about their children being stopped and questioned without their consent?

Are these students commuting by train because there isn't a good school in their neighborhood?

One of the most disturbing parts of this video is that the students appear unfazed. These police abuses have become Normalized. But this is not normal!

If young suburban students were stopped by police on their way to school you would likely see fear and tears in their eyes. Followed up by outrage from parents and the school board.

Operation S.N.U.G. (“guns” spelled backwards) is a multi-faceted, community empowerment
and youth development approach in response to the increase in gun and gang violence by youth
and young adults throughout New York State.

They held a panel discussion on Malcolm X Blvd on youth violence, police community relations, and Jim Crow.  Here is video from the event.

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Coverage on NY1

Jazz Speaks to NY1's Natasha Ghoneim outside Manhattan Criminal Court

Jazz Hayden along with a large group of supporters packed Manhattan Criminal Courthouse inside and out on the morning of July 31, 2012.  They were there demanding that District Attorney Cyrus Vance drop the charges against Jazz Hayden.  The charges against Jazz are seen to be retaliation for his filming and scrutiny of police activities in the Harlem community.  

The Judge set another date for Jazz's case on October 11, 2012 in anticipation of a grand jury indictment.  The grand jury will be convened sometime during September (TBA).  The supporters plan to mobilize around both events of these dates.    

To keep up with Jazz's case or get involved go to
www.freejazzhayden.wordpress.com

also

Sign the petition

David Galarza speaks to the importance of filming police activities in our communities to show the truth in whats going on.  He describes a recent video he shot of an NYPD officer fondling and body slamming a young teenager.  He tells of how the news reported it as a good job by the officer while his video tells a different story.  

While David is speaking you will notice that one of the court officers behind him is filming him and the group of supporters.  Why? And what will they do with this tape we don't know.

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On April 18, 2012 supporters, community members and activists came out to support community leader Shaka Shakur in court. The result was that Shaka's case was postponed until May 3, 2012. Please come out and support him for his next court date.

Also as supporters were leaving the the court, court officers attempted to intimidate them by harassing them and issued a disorderly conduct summons to Brother Shep of the People's Survival Program and Universal Zulu Nation while he was trying to leave.

On April 17, 2012 supporters, community members and activists came out to support Joseph "Jazz" Hayden in court. Before heading into court there was a press conference that included speakers, Sarah Kunstler, Robert Gangi, Johanna Fernandez, King Downing, Laura Whitehorn, Lewis Webb and Joseph "Jazz" Hayden.

This was Jazz's third time in court for felony charges he is facing in an attempted retaliation by the NYPD to stop his activist work, which entails filming the police in the Harlem community. Full details here, http://bit.ly/AmEj6y

After only a few minutes in court Jazz's case was postponed to July 31, 2012.

Supporters headed back outside and recapped what happened and whats the next step. They also addressed the long line of people who were heading into court that day. Letting them know that "they are not the criminals" and that its really the system that is criminal.

A man who was heading into court stepped out of the line to tell us his story of how he was wrongfully arrested for carrying his work tools and being stopped and frisked and accused of Felony Possession of a Weapon.

Shaka Shakur another one of our community leaders who is facing retaliation from the NYPD with a case of his own also spoke along with Brother Shep of the Universal Zulu Nation. They further elaborated on the bigger picture of this unjust and racist system that is being used to destroy our communities. Brother Shep urged the audience to go to Washington D.C. next week to Occupy the Justice Department. See occupythejusticedepartment.com for details.