![Hundreds of NYPD Officers wearing riot gear are seen on...]()
Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News
Hundreds of NYPD Officers wearing riot gear are seen on New York Times Square on June 1, 2020, near the NYPD booth during a protest the death of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City.
![A child holds a sign as families participate in a...]()
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
A child holds a sign as families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and national protests against police brutality on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![A silent vigil held in McCarren Park in the wake...]()
Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News
A silent vigil held in McCarren Park in the wake of the death of George Floyd, against police brutality, in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Protesters denouncing systemic racism in law enforcement march in defiance...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Protesters denouncing systemic racism in law enforcement march in defiance of a citywide curfew on June 5, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters with the Black Lives Matter movement argue with police...]()
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Protesters with the Black Lives Matter movement argue with police during a demonstration on Sept. 3, 2020 in Manhattan. Dozens of people gathered in the rain in Times Square to show their anger at the most recent incident involving a white police officer and the death of a Black man in Rochester, New York. Rochester mayor Lovely Warren announced on Thursday that the seven police officers involved in the March arrest of Daniel Prude have been suspended.
![Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death...]()
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 28, 2020 in Union Square in New York City. Floyd's death was captured in video that went viral of the incident.
![Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Manhattan on...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Manhattan on Madison Avenue to protest the death of George Floyd, on Saturday, May 30, 2020.
![Demonstrators at Duffy Square, in Times Square, protest Daniel Prude's...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators at Duffy Square, in Times Square, protest Daniel Prude's death while in police custody in Rochester, New York, on Sept. 3, 2020.
![NYPD stand on the Brooklyn Bridge as Black Lives Matter...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
NYPD stand on the Brooklyn Bridge as Black Lives Matter protesters march on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York.
![A group of protesters briefly attempts to enter the Brooklyn...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
A group of protesters briefly attempts to enter the Brooklyn Queens Expressway at Tillary Street in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
![Protesters gather outside the Stonewall Inn in the West Village,...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protesters gather outside the Stonewall Inn in the West Village, Manhattan, New York City for a protest against police brutality on Monday, June 1, 2020.
![Protesters take over the roadway of the Manhattan Bridge in...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protesters take over the roadway of the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Protesters demand an end to systemic racism and police-related deaths...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Protesters demand an end to systemic racism and police-related deaths of black men and women during a block party and march led by musician and New York congressional candidate Paperboy Prince in Brooklyn on June 12, 2020.
![Thousands of protesters are seen seated during a protest on...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Thousands of protesters are seen seated during a protest on 9th ave. on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.
![A group of Guardian Angels engaged in a series of...]()
Obtained by Daily News
A group of Guardian Angels engaged in a series of battles with looters who flooded the East Village and broke in to a Foot Locker on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Manhattan on...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Manhattan on West Street to protest the death of George Floyd, on Saturday, May 30, 2020.
![A father carrying his son on his shoulders marching out...]()
Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News
A father carrying his son on his shoulders marching out of McCarren Park in protest for justice for the death of George Floyd despite a new curfew, in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![Police and demonstrators clashed at Union Square Park on Thursday,...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Police and demonstrators clashed at Union Square Park on Thursday, May 28, 2020. The protest was held over the outrage of a Minnesota man, George Floyd, who died on May 25 at the hands of police.
![NYPD officers arrest a protester during a "Black Lives Matter"...]()
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
NYPD officers arrest a protester during a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on May 28, 2020 in New York.
![Demonstrators hold their arms up in protest outside Gracie Mansion...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators hold their arms up in protest outside Gracie Mansion during a march led by Black Women of Strategy for Black Lives on June 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge after a memorial for Floyd...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge after a memorial for Floyd George on Thursday, June 4, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Approximately 5000 people march against police brutality and the death...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Approximately 5000 people march against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Lafayette Street in Manhattan, New York City on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![Protesters block the street while holding makeshift shields near the...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Protesters block the street while holding makeshift shields near the Stonewall Inn during the "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![A Black Lives Matter protester and NYPD officers scuffle on...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
A Black Lives Matter protester and NYPD officers scuffle on the Brooklyn Bridge during a demonstration on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York.
![Hundreds of protesters march in downtown Brooklyn over the killing...]()
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Hundreds of protesters march in downtown Brooklyn over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police officer on June 5, 2020.
![A crowd of approximately 2500 protesters march down Atlantic Avenue...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
A crowd of approximately 2500 protesters march down Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City on Friday, June 5, 2020.
![Protesters at Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters at Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters demand an end to systemic racism and police brutality...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Protesters demand an end to systemic racism and police brutality during a march through Brooklyn on June 11, 2020.
![People inspired by a speaker raise their hands during a...]()
Kathy Willens/AP
People inspired by a speaker raise their hands during a Caribbean-led Black Lives Matter rally at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza on Sunday, June 14, 2020, in New York.
![Demonstrators gather at Barclays Center after marching down Flatbush Avenue,...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators gather at Barclays Center after marching down Flatbush Avenue, Saturday, June 6, 2020.
![Black Lives Matter protesters gather in Times Square for a...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Black Lives Matter protesters gather in Times Square for a March for Breonna Taylor on Aug. 9, 2020.
![Police guard a NYPD van that was attacked by protesters...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police guard a NYPD van that was attacked by protesters on 4th Avenue in Manhattan, New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![A protester is arrested for violating curfew near the Plaza...]()
John Minchillo/AP
A protester is arrested for violating curfew near the Plaza Hotel on June 3, 2020.
![Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and "See our Truths," a group of protesters all dressed in black were seen marching west on Fulton St. before heading north on Broadway then Park Row to end in front of Pace University at 1 Pace Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.
![Protestors pose for photos in front of a garbage fire...]()
Wes Parnell/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Protestors pose for photos in front of a garbage fire Broadway and 9th St. in Manhattan on the third day of protests in New York City sparked by the death George Floyd. In New York, NY on Sunday May 31, 2020.
![A pastor leads a group of demonstrators in prayer at...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
A pastor leads a group of demonstrators in prayer at Barclays Center after marching down Flatbush Avenue, Saturday, June 6.
![Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the...]()
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and national protests against police brutality on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaks with NYPD...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaks with NYPD officials to deescalate a standoff between law enforcement officers and a crowd of protesters during a march that violated a citywide curfew on June 4, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City. Protesters took to the streets to demand the arrest of the officer responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor on March 13, 2020, in Louisville, Ky.
![Demonstrators at Bedford Avenue and Church Avenue, on Saturday, May...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators at Bedford Avenue and Church Avenue, on Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Fulton Street from Marcy Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue is painted...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Fulton Street from Marcy Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue is painted yellow with the words "Black Lives Matter" and includes names of deceased persons painted on yellow rectangles in Brooklyn on Sunday, June 14, 2020.
![Protesters sit with their eyes closed while demanding an end...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Protesters sit with their eyes closed while demanding an end to systemic racism and police-related deaths of black men and women during a block party and march led by musician and New York congressional candidate Paperboy Prince in Brooklyn on June 12, 2020.
![A group of approximately 15,000 demonstrators rally at Brooklyn Borough...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
A group of approximately 15,000 demonstrators rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall, Saturday, June 6, 2020.
![Several hundred protesters kneel on Fifth Ave and 40th Street...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Several hundred protesters kneel on Fifth Ave and 40th Street for approximately 30 minutes on June 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters march across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of a...]()
Frank Franklin II/AP
Protesters march across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of a solidarity rally on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the...]()
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and national protests against police brutality on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Protesters are seen here at Columbus Circle across the street...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Protesters are seen here at Columbus Circle across the street from the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday, July 4, 2020.
![Police look on as protesters cross into Brooklyn on the...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police look on as protesters cross into Brooklyn on the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![A protester is detained by police during a rally against...]()
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
A protester is detained by police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 28, 2020 in Union Square in New York City. Floyd's death was captured in video that went viral of the incident.
![Protesters are seen outside the Tweed Courthouse in Lower Manhattan...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Protesters are seen outside the Tweed Courthouse in Lower Manhattan on Thursday, May 28, 2020. The protest was held over the outrage of a Minnesota man, George Floyd, who died on May 25 at the hands of police.
![Protesters kneel in front of New York City Police Department...]()
John Minchillo/AP
Protesters kneel in front of New York City Police Department officers before being arrested for violating curfew beside the Plaza Hotel on 59th Street on June 3, 2020.
![Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge after a memorial for Floyd...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge after a memorial for Floyd George on Thursday, June 4, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Demonstrators defy an 8pm curfew to march on Atlantic Avenue...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators defy an 8pm curfew to march on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
![A sign showing Donald Trump with the slogan, "Topple This...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
A sign showing Donald Trump with the slogan, "Topple This Confederate Monument," is seen at Columbus Circle across the street from the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday, July 4, 2020.
![Cyclists gather for a mass ride in protest of systemic...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Cyclists gather for a mass ride in protest of systemic racism in policing and the May 25th killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Department officer on June 10, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City.
![NYPD officers arrest a photographer on the Brooklyn Bridge during...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
NYPD officers arrest a photographer on the Brooklyn Bridge during the clash between officers and Black Lives Matter protesters on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York.
![Police block intersections in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City on...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police block intersections in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 to prevent looting.
![Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased...]()
Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News
Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased Eric Garner, was joined by John Liu, Rachael Noerdlinger and hundreds of supporters, as they demanded full justice for Eric Garner and George Floyd in Staten Island on Saturday May 30, 2020.
![Fulton Street from Marcy Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue is painted...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Fulton Street from Marcy Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue is painted yellow with the words "Black Lives Matter" and includes names of deceased persons painted on yellow rectangles in Brooklyn on Sunday, June 14, 2020.
![Protesters march across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of a...]()
Frank Franklin II/AP
Protesters march across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd and to highlight police brutality nationwide on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![A crowd of about 200 people defied the curfew and...]()
Marco Poggio/Marco Poggio for New York Daily News
A crowd of about 200 people defied the curfew and began marching down Flatbush Avenue heading north in Brooklyn on Monday, June 1, 2020.
![Police and firefighters respond after protesters set a large fire...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police and firefighters respond after protesters set a large fire on East 12th Street and Broadway in Manhattan, New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Police and demonstrators clash at Union Square Park and at...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Police and demonstrators clash at Union Square Park and at 14th Street and 5th Ave.
![Demonstrators protesting police brutality and racism burn American flags at...]()
Jeff Bachner for New York Daily News
Demonstrators protesting police brutality and racism burn American flags at Columbus Circle during a protest on Saturday, July 4, 2020, in New York City.
![Demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd at Bedford Avenue...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd at Bedford Avenue and Church Avenue, on Saturday, May 30, 2020.
![A woman holds a sign calling for the defunding of...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
A woman holds a sign calling for the defunding of the NYPD at a march denouncing systemic racism in law enforcement in Brooklyn on June 5, 2020
![Protesters dance during a block party and march led by...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Protesters dance during a block party and march led by musician and New York congressional candidate Paperboy Prince in Brooklyn on June 12, 2020.
![Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black...]()
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on May 28, 2020 in New York City, in outrage over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota who died at the hands of the police.
![Police stand in front of several protesters handcuffed and awaiting...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Police stand in front of several protesters handcuffed and awaiting transportation on June 3, 2020.
![Protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd continue in Manhattan on Monday, June 1, 2020.
![Protesters march on June 16, 2020, in New York City.]()
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Protesters march on June 16, 2020, in New York City.
![Protesters are seen here at Columbus Circle across the street...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Protesters are seen here at Columbus Circle across the street from the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday, July 4, 2020.
![Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black...]()
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on May 28, 2020 in New York City, in outrage over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota who died at the hands of the police.
![A crowd gathers at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn after...]()
Kristian Winfield/New York Daily News
A crowd gathers at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn after moment of silence and prayer in Arabic on June 3, 2020.
![Demonstrators at Duffy Square, in Times Square, protest Daniel Prude's...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators at Duffy Square, in Times Square, protest Daniel Prude's death while in police custody in Rochester, New York. Two hundred protesters attended the event, armed with signage and slogans on Sept. 3, 2020.
![Police arrest a protester at City Hall in Manhattan on...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Police arrest a protester at City Hall in Manhattan on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
![Protesters light garbage fires on Broadway and 10th St. in...]()
Wes Parnell/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Protesters light garbage fires on Broadway and 10th St. in Manhattan on the third day of protests in New York City sparked by the death George Floyd. In New York, NY on Sunday May 31, 2020.
![Protestors enter Washington Square Park on Saturday, June 6, in...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protestors enter Washington Square Park on Saturday, June 6, in Manhattan, New York.
![Approximately 1,000 protesters attend a Black Lives Matter rally outside...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Approximately 1,000 protesters attend a Black Lives Matter rally outside Brooklyn Borough Hall in Brooklyn, New York City on Monday, June 8, 2020.
![Protesters march past onlookers at a restaurant on Aug. 9,...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters march past onlookers at a restaurant on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City, demanding the arrest of the officers who killed Breonna Taylor.
![Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased...]()
Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News
Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased Eric Garner, was joined by John Liu, Rachael Noerdlinger and hundreds of supporters, as they demanded full justice for Eric Garner and George Floyd in Staten Island on Saturday May 30, 2020.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City.
![A crowd of about 200 people defied the curfew and...]()
Marco Poggio/Marco Poggio for New York Daily News
A crowd of about 200 people defied the curfew and began marching down Flatbush Avenue heading north in Brooklyn on Monday, June 1, 2020.
![Protesters leave Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters leave Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the...]()
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and national protests against police brutality on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased...]()
Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News
Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased Eric Garner, was joined by John Liu, Rachael Noerdlinger and hundreds of supporters, as they demanded full justice for Eric Garner and George Floyd in Staten Island on Saturday May 30, 2020.
![A New York Police Department officer uses a stun gun...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
A New York Police Department officer uses a stun gun on a demonstrator during a "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![Protesters block a New York Police Department vehicle during the...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Protesters block a New York Police Department vehicle during the "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![NYPD bicycle officers monitor a protests against police brutality and...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
NYPD bicycle officers monitor a protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Manhattan on Monday, June 1, 2020.
![Protesters with "Justice for Breonna" posters gather at Times Square...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters with "Justice for Breonna" posters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City.
![Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives...]()
Byron Smith/Getty Images
Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives Matter march around McGolrick Park on July 3, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
![Demonstrators chant slogans against the police and Trump administration during...]()
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP
Demonstrators chant slogans against the police and Trump administration during a solidarity protest for George Floyd on Saturday, June 13, 2020, in West Point, New York.
![Hundreds of NYPD Officers wearing riot gear are seen on...]()
Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News
Hundreds of NYPD Officers wearing riot gear are seen on New York Times Square on June 1, 2020, near the NYPD booth during a protest the death of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police.
![A person holds up a sign referencing the Stonewall Inn,...]()
Kathy Willens/AP
A person holds up a sign referencing the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar that was the site of a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, during a queer liberation march for Black Lives Matter and against police brutality on Sunday, June 28, 2020, in New York City, as marchers celebrated the 50th anniversary of the gay rights movement.
![Protesters with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement block traffic...]()
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Protesters with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement block traffic during a demonstration on Sept. 3, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City. Protesters took to the streets to demand the arrest of the officer responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor on March 13, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky.
![Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black...]()
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on May 28, 2020 in New York City, in outrage over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota who died at the hands of the police.
![Thousands of protesters kneel in the streets of Manhattan on...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Thousands of protesters kneel in the streets of Manhattan on June 3, 2020 during a demonstration against police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
![Police officers and protesters face off near the 88th Precinct...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police officers and protesters face off near the 88th Precinct station house in Brooklyn, New York on Friday, May 29, 2020 during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
![A protester holds up a sign that reads "Accountability for...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
A protester holds up a sign that reads "Accountability for police brutality" during a March for Breonna Taylor demonstration in Midtown Manhattan on Aug. 9, 2020.
![Vanetta Harris prays as she successfully discourages protesters from attempting...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Vanetta Harris prays as she successfully discourages protesters from attempting to confront police and enter the Brooklyn Queens Expressway at Tillary Street in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
![A group of several thousand demonstrators march on Tillary Street...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
A group of several thousand demonstrators march on Tillary Street in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
![Damaged glass at the bus stop at 49th street and...]()
Clayton Guse/New York Daily News
Damaged glass at the bus stop at 49th street and 3rd avenue in Manhattan on June 1, 2020.
![Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the...]()
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Families participate in a children's march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and national protests against police brutality on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Black Lives Matter protesters march into Brooklyn over the Brooklyn...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Black Lives Matter protesters march into Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge on Aug. 24, 2020.
![New York Police Department officers walk down a street with...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
New York Police Department officers walk down a street with shields during a "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![Demonstrators defy an 8pm curfew to march on Court Street...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators defy an 8pm curfew to march on Court Street in Brooklyn, New York City on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
![Police block the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police block the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Protesters take a knee in prayer outside of Barclays Center...]()
Kristian Winfield/New York Daily News
Protesters take a knee in prayer outside of Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 2, 2020.
![Jon Batiste leads a Black Lives Matter rally outside the...]()
Andrew Schwartz/for New York Daily News
Jon Batiste leads a Black Lives Matter rally outside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 12, 2020. Batiste, the band leader for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbertm" sang, played the piano and the melodica at the event.
![Protesters stop a rally in the intersection of East 86th...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters stop a rally in the intersection of East 86th St. and East End Ave. on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Protesters attend the "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Protesters attend the "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![NYPD look over damage to a building near City Hall...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
NYPD look over damage to a building near City Hall Park on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York.
![Black Lives Matter protesters scuffle with an NYPD officer on...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Black Lives Matter protesters scuffle with an NYPD officer on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York during a demonstration on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
![New York Police Department officers clash with demonstrators during a...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
New York Police Department officers clash with demonstrators during a "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![A group of protesters marches up Centre Street in Manhattan,...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
A group of protesters marches up Centre Street in Manhattan, New York City in violation of the 8pm curfew on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![Black Lives Matter protesters surround a police car on Tillary...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Black Lives Matter protesters surround a police car on Tillary Street in Brooklyn, New York on Aug. 24, 2020.
![32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg kneels down to support of...]()
JEENAH MOON/Getty Images
32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg kneels down to support of Black Lives Matter and to mark the 30th anniversary of the Justice for Janitors movement near Rockefeller Center on June 16, 2020, in New York City. Members of 32BJ SEIU took a knee in support of Black Lives Matter and to show that their struggles for justice are bound up together.
![Black Lives Matter protesters march into Brooklyn over the Brooklyn...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Black Lives Matter protesters march into Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge on Aug. 24, 2020.
![Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and "See our Truths," a group of protesters all dressed in black were seen marching west on Fulton St. before heading north on Broadway then Park Row to end in front of Pace University at 1 Pace Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.
![A large group of protesters was prevented from entering Manhattan...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
A large group of protesters was prevented from entering Manhattan on the Manhattan Bridge by the massive NYPD response on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. The group walked back to Brooklyn.
![Protesters take over the roadway of the Manhattan Bridge in...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protesters take over the roadway of the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Protesters are seen marching at Columbus Circle across the street...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Protesters are seen marching at Columbus Circle across the street from the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday, July 4, 2020.
![Thousands of Black Lives Matters activists are seen marching on...]()
Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News
Thousands of Black Lives Matters activists are seen marching on downtown Broadway Tuesday on June 2, 2020. The crowd marched from Foley to downtown Financial district and then north towards Washington Square Park.
![Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and "See our Truths," a group of protesters all dressed in black were seen marching west on Fulton St. before heading north on Broadway then Park Row to end in front of Pace University at 1 Pace Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.
![A protester kicks a police vehicle in an attempt to...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
A protester kicks a police vehicle in an attempt to break its side mirror during a "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City. Protesters took to the streets to demand the arrest of the officer responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor on March 13, 2020, in Louisville, Ky.
![Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased...]()
Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News
Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased Eric Garner, was joined by John Liu, Rachael Noerdlinger and hundreds of supporters, as they demanded full justice for Eric Garner and George Floyd in Staten Island on Saturday May 30, 2020.
![Members of the Revolutionary Communist Party and supporters burn flags...]()
Barry Williams for New York Daily News
Members of the Revolutionary Communist Party and supporters burn flags in Columbus Circle during a protest on Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Manhattan, New York.
![Thousands of protesters are seen as they march on Centre...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Thousands of protesters are seen as they march on Centre Street and Chambers Street from Foley Square.
![Looting on Broadway and 13th Street in Manhattan on Monday,...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Looting on Broadway and 13th Street in Manhattan on Monday, June 1, 2020.
![Anti-trump and anti-racism signs are seen at a protest in...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Anti-trump and anti-racism signs are seen at a protest in Columbus Circle across the street from the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday, July 4, 2020.
![Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death...]()
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Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 28, 2020 in Union Square in New York City.
![Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives...]()
Byron Smith/Getty Images
Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives Matter march around McGolrick Park on July 3, 2020. in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
![NYPD officers block the Brooklyn Bridge after the clash between...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
NYPD officers block the Brooklyn Bridge after the clash between officers and Black Lives Matter protesters on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York. Several New York City police officers were attacked and injured Wednesday on the Brooklyn Bridge during a protest sparked by the death of George Floyd. Police say at least four officers were hurt, including the department's chief, and more than a dozen people were arrested.
![Protesters march on June 16, 2020, in New York City....]()
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Protesters march on June 16, 2020, in New York City. Protests erupted around the world after the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25th. Former police officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder, with the three other officers involved facing other charges.
![Protesters leave Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters leave Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Manhattan
![Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased...]()
Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News
Reverend Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr, the mother of deceased Eric Garner, was joined by John Liu, Rachael Noerdlinger and hundreds of supporters, as they demanded full justice for Eric Garner and George Floyd in Staten Island on Saturday May 30, 2020.
![Protesters march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug....]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City to demand justice for Breonna Taylor.
![Black Lives Matter protesters surround a police car on Tillary...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Black Lives Matter protesters surround a police car on Tillary Street in Brooklyn, New York on Aug. 24, 2020.
![Demonstrators protest against police brutality and racial inequality in the...]()
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Demonstrators protest against police brutality and racial inequality in the aftermath of George Floyd's death on Fifth Avenue at Trump Tower on June 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Shima Ge, left, and One Aguluce listen to speakers during...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Shima Ge, left, and One Aguluce listen to speakers during a rally Washington Square Park Saturday, June 6, 2020 in Manhattan, New York.
![Protesters gather at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 2,...]()
Kristian Winfield/New York Daily News
Protesters gather at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 2, 2020. Protesters march from Barclays Center to the 77th Precinct.
![Demonstrators crossing the Brooklyn Bridge during the third day of...]()
Wes Parnell/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Demonstrators crossing the Brooklyn Bridge during the third day of protests in New York City sparked by the death George Floyd. On Brooklyn Bridge in New York, NY on Sunday May 31, 2020.
![Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death...]()
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 28, 2020 in Union Square in New York.
![Black Lives Matter protesters and NYPD officers have a confrontation...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Black Lives Matter protesters and NYPD officers have a confrontation near City Hall Park on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York.
![Demonstrators in Downtown Brooklyn on the third day of protests...]()
Wes Parnell/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Demonstrators in Downtown Brooklyn on the third day of protests in New York City sparked by the death George Floyd. In Brooklyn, NY on Sunday May 31, 2020.
![Protesters gather at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, New York...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protesters gather at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, New York City on Sunday, June 28, 2020.
![New York Police Department officers subdue a demonstrator during a...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
New York Police Department officers subdue a demonstrator during a "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and "See our Truths," a group of protesters all dressed in black were seen marching west on Fulton St. before heading north on Broadway then Park Row to end in front of Pace University at 1 Pace Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.
![Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
Repeating chants of "Pace is Racist," "Black Lives Matter" and "See our Truths," a group of protesters all dressed in black were seen marching west on Fulton St. before heading north on Broadway then Park Row to end in front of Pace University at 1 Pace Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.
![Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge with NYPD headquarters in the...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge with NYPD headquarters in the background after a memorial for Floyd George on Thursday, June 4, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black...]()
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters shout in front of NYPD officers during a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration on May 28, 2020 in New York City, in outrage over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota who died at the hands of the police.
![New York Police Department officers follow a group of protesters...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
New York Police Department officers follow a group of protesters during a "Solidarity with Portland" protest on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in New York.
![A group of protesters marches up Centre Street in Manhattan,...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
A group of protesters marches up Centre Street in Manhattan, New York City in violation of the 8pm curfew on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![A large group of protesters was prevented from entering Manhattan...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
A large group of protesters was prevented from entering Manhattan on the Manhattan Bridge by the massive NYPD response on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![A group of Guardian Angels engaged in a series of...]()
Obtained by Daily News
A group of Guardian Angels engaged in a series of battles with looters who flooded the East Village and broke in to a Foot Locker and tried to get into a McDonald's Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Angels founder Curtis Sliwa suffered an injured jaw after being struck with a hammer and a white particle board in the melee on Broadway near Washington Place, and one of his members, Aram Sabet, was struck hard in one eye with a metal device used to break window.
![Protesters at Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters at Washington Square Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Cyclists embark on a mass ride in protest of systemic...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Cyclists embark on a mass ride in protest of systemic racism in policing and the May 25th killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Department officer on June 10, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City.
![Protesters join a rally against police brutality and the death...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protesters join a rally against police brutality and the death of George Floyd outside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, center, leads protesters...]()
Frank Franklin II/AP
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, center, leads protesters on a march across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd and to highlight police brutality nationwide on June 9, 2020 in Brooklyn.
![Police stand guard outside the NYPD 5th Precinct station house...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police stand guard outside the NYPD 5th Precinct station house in Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City as a large group of protesters approaches on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![Police block intersections in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City on...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Police block intersections in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 to prevent looting.
![Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives...]()
Byron Smith/Getty Images
Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives Matter march around McGolrick Park on July 3, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
![A group of approximately 15,000 demonstrators march to the Brooklyn...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
A group of approximately 15,000 demonstrators march to the Brooklyn Bridge before crossing into Manhattan, Saturday, June 6.
![Black Lives Matter protesters hold an American flag near City...]()
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Black Lives Matter protesters hold an American flag near City Hall Park on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York.
![Protesters loot a liquor store on Broadway and 8th Street...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Protesters loot a liquor store on Broadway and 8th Street in Manhattan, New York City during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Holding a sign that reads, "The American system is rigged,"...]()
Kathy Willens/AP
Holding a sign that reads, "The American system is rigged," a woman amplifies her voice as she implores protesters to rise to the occasion and become activists during a Caribbean-led Black Lives Matter rally at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza on Sunday, June 14, 2020, in New York.
![Protesters demonstrate in front of NYPD officers in front of...]()
Barry Williams/for New York Daily News
Protesters demonstrate in front of NYPD officers in front of Manhattan Federal Court after walking from a memorial service for Floyd George in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
![A protester holding a sign during a peaceful protest at...]()
Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News
A protester holding a sign during a peaceful protest at the Barclays Center in the wake of the death of George Floyd, against police brutality, in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
![Protesters march on Park Ave. South and East 21st street...]()
Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News
Protesters march on Park Ave. South and East 21st street in Manhattan on Thursday, June 4, 2020 .
![Protesters demand an end to systemic racism and police-related deaths...]()
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Protesters demand an end to systemic racism and police-related deaths of black men and women during a block party and march led by musician and New York congressional candidate Paperboy Prince in Brooklyn on June 12, 2020.
![Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Manhattan on...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Manhattan on Madison Avenue to protest the death of George Floyd, on Saturday, May 30, 2020.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City. Protesters took to the streets to demand the arrest of the officer responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor on March 13, 2020, in Louisville, Ky.
![Approximately 5000 people march against police brutality and the death...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Approximately 5000 people march against police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Lafayette Street in Manhattan, New York City on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
![A police officer has red paint thrown on him outside...]()
Gardiner Anderson/New York Daily News
A police officer has red paint thrown on him outside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Friday, May 29, 2020 during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
![Demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd at Bedford Avenue...]()
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd at Bedford Avenue and Church Avenue, on Saturday, May 30, 2020.
![The protesters take a knee in front of Pace University...]()
Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News
The protesters take a knee in front of Pace University on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.
![Medical professionals join a rally in honor of George Floyd...]()
John Minchillo/AP
Medical professionals join a rally in honor of George Floyd in Union Square on June 5, 2020.
![Protesters gather during a Black Lives Matter rally at Brooklyn's...]()
Kathy Willens/AP
Protesters gather during a Black Lives Matter rally at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza on Sunday, June 14, 2020, in New York. Protests and rallies have grown in number and size since the May 25th death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minnesota after a white police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.
![Protesters are arrested at 50th Street and Third Avenue on...]()
Marco Poggio/for the New York Daily News
Protesters are arrested at 50th Street and Third Avenue on June 3, 2020.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City.
![Protesters with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement hold a...]()
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Protesters with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement hold a demonstration on Sept. 3, 2020 in Manhattan.
![Black Lives Matter protesters march into Brooklyn over the Brooklyn...]()
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News
Black Lives Matter protesters march into Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge on Aug. 24, 2020.
![Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the...]()
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Protesters gather at Times Square to march uptown via the Henry Hudson Parkway on Aug. 9, 2020, in New York City, to demand justice for the police killing of Breonna Taylor.
![Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives...]()
Byron Smith/Getty Images
Children, joined by their parents, participate in a Black Lives Matter march around McGolrick Park on July 3, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Do you believe them now? Black New Yorkers have been telling us for a very long time, for decades, but we didn’t listen. We’ve excused police misconduct as “not knowing the whole story” or the work of a few “bad apples.” But now we’ve all watched, or at least read about, the excruciating, slow-motion street execution of George Floyd in Minneapolis. What those officers did is not new, just new to us. It seems that this one has finally broken the dam.
If we have another few weeks of these protests, all of those bad apples will get shaken out of the tree. We’ve already seen police pepper spray a young man in Kansas City for talking, shove an old man down in Salt Lake City, another in Buffalo and a gang of them terrorize two college students in Atlanta. And then they lie. There was no gun in Atlanta, the young man in Kansas City was not engaging in “protest-related” crimes, and the man in Buffalo was not someone who “tripped and fell.”
Here in the city, we’ve heard someone express a desire over police radio to “shoot those” maternal fornicators. We’ve seen several officers drive into a crowd, another yank off a young man’s facemask and pepper-spray him, another appear to make a white power hand sign, some take protesters’ bicycles, a large group of them repeatedly shove compliant people already walking away, and many covering their badge numbers.
It’s not enough for good cops, who are the majority, to do no wrong; we need them to stand up to those who do wrong, and for the rest of us.
So yes, we need to stop the police murdering, brutalizing, humiliating, disrespecting, degrading and ignoring black people. But that’s a low bar, and it turns out that policing just produces, over and over again, the most vulgar manifestations of racial inequality. There is a lot of quiet bias that we don’t see dramatized on video: segregated schools, economic inequality, segregated neighborhoods and poorer health outcomes.
Black New Yorkers told us the reality we didn’t want to hear in July 1964, when a white police officer shot and killed a slight, 15-year-old black boy outside of his school. Young James Powell, 5-foot-6 and 122 pounds, supposedly had a knife, and even though Lieutenant Thomas Gilligan, 6-foot and 200 pounds, had four commendations for disarming men armed with guns, Gilligan said he had no recourse but to shoot the boy twice.
A mostly white (21 out of 23) grand jury agreed, the white police chief agreed, the white PBA president agreed and the white mayor agreed. Many black New Yorkers did not. Demands to arrest, or at least suspend, Gilligan were rebuffed, and police met demonstrations in Harlem with heavy force, including beatings from the Tactical Patrol Force, the since-disbanded combat squad. These confrontations quickly degenerated into six nights of fighting and looting across Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, deemed the “Harlem Riot.” Similar situations followed over the next month and a half in Rochester, Chicago, Jersey City, Paterson and Philadelphia.
Government and police officials blamed Communists. Really. Civil rights leaders blamed poverty, discrimination and intransigent political leadership. The rage in America’s urban cities continued to explode every summer for the rest of the decade.
Ultimately, the federal government’s Kerner Commission report in 1968 agreed with them. But we had no use for it, here in the land of opportunity and individual responsibility, where we sink or swim on our own merits.
A lot must have changed since then, since things just get better over time, while we weren’t paying attention, right?
In 1964, the city’s schools were highly segregated. Today, the city operates one of, if not the most, segregated public school systems in the country.
In 1964, the city’s neighborhoods were highly segregated. Central Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant were 95% and 70% black, respectively. Today, New York City remains one of the most residentially segregated cities in the country.
In the early 1960s, black New Yorkers earned about 60% of what white New York families did. As of 2016, black men earned 60% of what their white counterparts did. Black women did a little better, bringing in 70% of what white women did. And that was before the economy fell off a cliff.
So yes, we need to clean up policing. But we also need to destroy the structural inequities that keep black people lesser than. Black Americans have done all the work. It’s up to us. Will we actually do it this time?
Hayes is an urban historian in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers. He is the author of the forthcoming book, “We Are Home: New York City, Racial Inequality and the Long, Hot Summers.”
![In a narrow vote this week, the Federal Trade Commission approved a rule that will ban the vast majority of noncompete clauses by U.S. employers, which have long prevented workers from switching jobs or setting out on their own. In doing so, the agency did its duty to protect American economic dynamism and opportunity, nothing less, nothing more. We hope that’s the clear conclusion of the courts that will now rule on a lawsuit being brought by the Chamber of Commerce, which has strenuously supported this anticompetitive practice. Of the arguments that the business group and other opponents have rolled […]](https://www.nydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GettyImages-1820955015.jpg?w=490 "In a narrow vote this week, the Federal Trade Commission approved a rule that will ban the vast majority of noncompete clauses by U.S. employers, which have long prevented workers from switching jobs or setting out on their own. In doing so, the agency did its duty to protect American economic dynamism and opportunity, nothing less, nothing more. We hope that’s the clear conclusion of the courts that will now rule on a lawsuit being brought by the Chamber of Commerce, which has strenuously supported this anticompetitive practice. Of the arguments that the business group and other opponents have rolled […]")
