[Racial Justice Day Addresses Police Brutality] Azn-Extension by Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority

* * WHAT IS THE RACIAL JUSTICE DAY * *

Traditionally organized by the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights (NCPRR) to commemorate the anniversary of a Dominican youth, Manuel Mayi, who was killed by a white racist gang in Corona, Queens in 1991, Racial Justice Day is being organized by the Coalition Against Police Brutality -- a multi-racial coalition that organizes communities of color to protest Giuliani's policing policy that is directly responsible for the single greatest form of racist and homophobic violence in our city: police brutality.

RJD is based on the platform of equality of life for all communities that face racist, sexist and homophobic violence at the hands of the police.

As in previous years, the Racial Justice Day march will be led by the families of victims, including the families of Anthony Baez, Anthony Rosario & Hilton Vega, Frankie Arzuega, Yong Xin Huang, Anibal Carrasquillo, Nicholas Heywood, Jose Santos, Manuel Mayi...

Here's what you can do to help!

Attend the final organizers' meetings. They are held every Wednesday at 7 pm, United Charities Building, 105 E. 22 St. (between Park Ave. South & Lexington Ave.)
Attend security training on Monday, March 23rd at 6:30 at 105 East 22nd Street.
Pick up and distribute flyers (at the meetings or call 212 473-6485 x105)
Spread the word to your friends and neighbors.
Participate in Racial Justice Day!!!

WHY YOU SHOULD HELP

Our community's struggle for justice has made some important advances in the last years:

The cop who killed Anthony Baez has been fired and is facing a federal civil rights trial.

There are three federal grand juries investigating the police killings of Anthony Rosario and Hilton Vega, Frankie Arzuega, and Anibal Carrasquillo. (Contacts within the federal government have told us that the primary consideration in the convening of these grand juries was the militant street presence of protestors.)

In the racial murder of Manuel Mayi, we have been able to keep the case alive for 6 years. This year, a Queens street was renamed "Manuel Mayi" corner. We also succeeded in pressuring the mayor to reinstate a $10,000 reward in the Mayi case.

In the racial attack against Jovan Gonzalez, we were successful in forcing the Bronx DA to re-open the case.

Our demand for elimination of the 48-hour rule has been taken up widely by community groups and elected officials.

Other systemic changes that we have advocated (i.e., special prosecutor in police abuse cases) continue to be the focus of public debate.

New forces have been brought into the movement. Most significant are the families of victims, who now have their own organizations and networks and play an active part in the planning and implementing of all justice campaigns. Two years ago, it took families weeks, and even months, to hook up with each other and the broader movement. Today, this is occuring overnight.

New tactics are being developed and fine-tuned: sit-ins at the DA's offices; disruptions of the Mayor's town-hall meetings; the combination of voter registration, lobbying of elected officials, and direct action.

Hundreds of activists, including the families of victims, are being trained in the planning and implementation of multi-faceted justice campaigns.

A working coalition of Latino, Black and Asian groups has developed. This year's Racial Justice Day, targeting racist/homophobic violence and police brutality, is being coordinated by: Audre Lorde Project, Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence, Forever in Strugle Together (FIST), and the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights.

The media deals with us as a credible, consistent, genuinely-grassroots movement.

Government and the NYPD know who we are and take us seriously. We have met with Justice Dept. officials in NY and Washington, DC and held a Congressional hearing that brought out 6 Congressional representatives.

When it comes to police abuse and racial crimes, we are no longer invisible and voiceless. BUT MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE... Every day the importance of organizing against racial violence -- by both police and local racists -- becomes more clear. In just the last 3 months, we have seen new incidents and new cover-ups:

On Dec. 17, 1997, a black cop in a Brooklyn buy-and-bust operation was beaten by a white cop who was part of his undercover team. The team had worked together for 6 months. The black cop needed stitches to close 2 head wounds. The first report filed by the white cop, the sergeant in charge of the operation, and the squad's lieutenant made NO mention of the attack. (Daily News, 1/8/98, p. 4)
Reginald Bannerman, 35, was kicked, beaten, and shot at by 6 off-duty cops outside a Brooklyn restaurant on Dec. 19, 1997. 2 hours later, he was killed by a train at the Sterling Ave. station. His family charges he was chased onto the tracks by the cops. The NYPD says he committed suicide. No one has been punished for beating, kicking, and shooting at him. (New York Times, 14/98, p. 19)
William Whitfield was shot to death on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1997 by cops in Canarsie who said they were looking for a sniper. Whitfield, a 22-year old African American was NOT the person they were looking for. Unarmed, he was shot and killed in a grocery store by PO Michael Davitt. Davitt has fired his gun a total of 9 times in 13 years, more than any other cop on the force. A grand jury did not indict him. (Newsday, 1/9/98, p. 3)
On Dec. 30, 1997, Rafael McKenzie died of injuries he sustained while in police custody. He suffered a severed spine and other injuries that left him paralyzed and in a coma before he died. Police say the 28-year old Dominican was injured when he ran into a plexiglass wall at the hospital while trying to escape. He had originally been arrested on charges of "unauthorized use of a vehicle." (El Diario, 1/8/98, p.2)
Raheem Davis, 16, tried to help an off-duty cop who was fighting with an attacker on the train, January 1, 1998. Seeing the cop's badge around his neck, the teenager, who volunteers at the 73rd Precinct,jumped in to help--and was shot by PO Michael O'Shea. (Daily News, 1/9/97)
Luciano Lazcano was beaten and arrested after he got into a verbal altercation with a man near his job on January 1, 1998. Words turned to blows; and three other unidentified whites joined in beating him. Some of the Mexican immigrant's friends jumped in; and all of them were arrested when the whites pulled badges. (El Diario, 1/6/98, p.3)
The Justice Department reported that in 1996 it received reports of 8,759 hate crimes. Of these, 4,600 were racially-motivated attacks against Blacks. (Newsday, 1/9/98, p. A20)
Last Feb. 13, 1997, Robert Reynoso, then 18, and his friend Juval Green, then 17, were shot by police as they walked in Manhattan. 13 shots were fired. Reynoso survived after being shot in the chest and critically wounded. Green, shot in the leg, asked why he had been shot and was told: "Shut the fuck up or I'll shoot you again." Cops claim they got a gun call; and the teenagers "menaced" them when confronted. Reynoso and Green were initially charged with weapons possession and menacing. When no weapons were found, the charges were dropped the next day. 11 MONTHS LATER, no cops have been punished for the shootings and cover-up. The Manhattan DA says his investigation is "nearing the end." (Daily News, 1/14/98) (Note: Both young men testified at the Congressional hearings we organized at Medgar Evers College this year.)
Mayor Giuliani stepped up his push to have the NYPD take over security in the city's pubic schools. (NY Post, 2/6/98, p. 16)
PO Antonio Velazquez, of the 83rd Precinct, was indicted for beating Duken Kernisant after on argument while both men were on line at the Coney Island motor vehicles office last Dec. 17 (1997). The 23-year old Haitian needed metal screws and plates to repair his shattered eye socket. Velazquez is still working -- on "modified duty." (Daily News, 2/6/98, p. 8)
3 Manhattan cops were indicted for the Sept. 18, 1997 beating of Norman Bautista. The 52-year old Domican suffered 7 broken ribs and injuries to his cheek, testicles, and knees after the cops, looking for drugs, busted into an Washington Heights apartment he was visiting. Initially, Bautista and the apartment's owner were charged with drug possession; but these charges were dropped a month later. Officers Olga Vazquez and Richard Thompson were charged with assault; and PO Catherine Mylott was charged with lying under oath about what happened in the apartment. (NY Post, 2/12/98, p. 20) This happened one month after the Abner Louima assault.
Francis Livoti, the former cop who was fired for using an illegal chokehold to kill Anthony Baez, is still active in the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. Livoti spoke at a PBA delegate's meeting, attended by hundreds, on Feb. 17. During his 20-minute speech, he called Manhattan U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, who is prosecuting him on charges of violating Anthony Baez's civil rights, a "dyke." He also defended the law firm of Lysaght, Lysaght, and Kramer which used to represent all PBA members, and is STILL paying Livoti's lawyer, and is now facing federal bribery land racketeering charges. (Daily News, Feb. 20, 1998, p. 8)
Cops on narcotics and fugitive raids have broken down he wrong door so many times that the NYPD is now setting up 24-hour police maintenance crews to repair broken doors, locks, and windows. Civilian complaints about wrongful searches jumped from 299 in 1993 to 655 in 1996. (Daily News, 2/23/98)