Hi there,

If you think Democracy Now!’s reporting is a critical line of defense against war, climate catastrophe and fascism, please make your donation of $10 or more right now. Today a generous donor will DOUBLE your donation, which means it’ll go twice as far to support our independent journalism. When Democracy Now! covers war or gun violence, we’re not brought to you by the weapons manufacturers. When we cover the climate emergency, our reporting isn’t sponsored by the oil, gas, coal or nuclear companies. Democracy Now! is funded by you, and that’s why we’re counting on your donation to keep us going. Please give today. Every dollar makes a difference—in fact, gets doubled! Thank you so much.
-Amy Goodman

Non-commercial news needs your support.

We rely on contributions from you, our viewers and listeners to do our work. If you visit us daily or weekly or even just once a month, now is a great time to make your monthly contribution.

Please do your part today.

Donate

NYC Activists Demand End to NYPD’s Strategic Response Group 3 Years After BLM Uprising

HeadlineMay 26, 2023

In New York City, protesters, activists and dozens of groups are calling on the City Council to disband the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, which has engaged in brutal attacks on demonstrators. Scores of New Yorkers testified this week, including organizer Isabelle Leyva.

Isabelle Leyva: “During the more than 200 protests that I have documented at since 2020 myself with my two eyes, I have seen the SRG use barricades to break limbs. I have seen the SRG kettle protesters and pummel trapped people with batons and fists. I have seen the SRG hold a Taser to the head of an unhoused man while clearing Washington Square Park after curfew. I have seen the SRG use their bicycles like baseball bats, swinging them at people’s heads. I have seen the SRG stand on top of cars and swing their batons at the crowd below. I have seen the SRG pile on top of protesters as they scream, 'I can't breathe.’”

The original content of this program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Please attribute legal copies of this work to democracynow.org. Some of the work(s) that this program incorporates, however, may be separately licensed. For further information or additional permissions, contact us.

Non-commercial news needs your support

We rely on contributions from our viewers and listeners to do our work.
Please do your part today.
Make a donation
Top