Yesterday, the New York City Law Department released a report on the factors influencing the George Floyd protests earlier this year. Below is a statement on the report from Kesi Foster, spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform.
“The Law Department report reads like a high school book report that makes excuses for the NYPD to once again absolve them of blame for their brutality and violation of rights during the George Floyd protests earlier this year,” said Kesi Foster, spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform. “The report blames the pandemic, the size of the protests, and a lack of appropriate training for the police response to the protests but makes zero recommendations to hold Mayor de Blasio accountable for exponentially bloating the police budget during his tenure, which enabled massive and unnecessary police presence at protests. The report makes no recommendations about holding officers or NYPD commanders accountable for brutalizing New Yorkers who were attempting to exercise their First Amendment rights. New training and reviews will do nothing, especially while officers continue to be emboldened to suppress First Amendment rights and act with violence and impunity. The only systemic solution is to shrink the outsized budget, scope and power of the NYPD and invest in our communities."
About Communities United for Police Reform
Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end abusive and discriminatory policing practices in New York, and to build a lasting movement that promotes public safety and reduces reliance on policing. CPR runs coalitions of over 200 local, statewide and national organizations, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those most unfairly targeted by the NYPD.