Assemble at the corner of Wellesley & Bleecker Streets
SUNDAY, JULY 16 @ 4:30 PM
Earlier this week community activist and educator Murphy Brown was physically and verbally assaulted by an officer assigned to 51 division of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Services. Brown a mother of two teenage children, and an outspoken activist from the African-Canadian community was viciously assaulted after she observed an incident of police harassment against two youths. This attack occurred in the St. Jamestown neighbourhood on the evening of Saturday July 8, 2000.
Mrs. Brown is critical of the training police officers receive while dealing with ethnic communities. " The police, especially the members of 51 division need extensive and ongoing anti-racist and anti-oppression training since they work within the diverse communities of St. Jamestown and Regent Park." While there is grave concerns around the way Murphy has been treated by the police. Unfortunately the police have engaged in this behaviour in the past. Brown says "this is not the first incident of police brutality against people of colour by police from 51 division. There is quite a history of this kind of abuse.
The community has responded with outrage and anger by this increasing display of police brutality. Community groups ranging from the Black Action Defence Committee, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, the Free University of Toronto and the United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO (Canadian chapter), have supported Mrs. Brown in her quest for justice. Dudley Laws from the Black Action Defence Committee states that " the act of police brutality is a continuing problem in this city. I call upon all the communities in Toronto to come together to deal with this very serious issue."
We ask that if you are concerned about the excessive use of force which the police continue to display, please join us on Sunday, July 16, 2000 at 4:30 p.m. We will be meeting at the intersection of Wellesley and Bleeker streets. From that intersection we will be marching down to 325 Bleecker Street where the assault took place. Mrs. Brown and her supporters are demanding that the police officer involved in the attack be immediately removed from the police force. The quest for justice will continue until there is a appropriate action taken to deal with ending violence by the police against the people of this city.
It's time to stand up and challenge their abuses. Join us for Sunday's March and rally in this community to stop police violence.
We ask that if you are concerned about the excessive use of force which the police continue to display, please join us on Sunday, July 16, 2000 at 4:30 p.m. We will be meeting at the intersection of Wellesley and Bleeker streets. From that intersection we will be marching down to 325 Bleecker Street where the assault took place. Mrs. Brown and her supporters are demanding that the police officer involved in the attack be immediately removed from the police force. The quest for justice will continue until there is a appropriate action taken to deal with ending violence by the police against the people of this city.
For more information call:
Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) at (416) 656-2322 or
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) at (416) 925-6939
Chris Ramsaroop at 416-832-4932