September 14, 2020

PRESS STATEMENT

Maintain the ban on chokeholds by New York police

Radical Women's Betty Maloney reads statement to maintain police chokehold ban, Sept. 14, New York, NY.

My name is Betty Maloney, and I’m here today on behalf of Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women to denounce the attempt to roll back the chokehold ban by New York City Council members who are succumbing to intimidation by the NYPD.

The Police Benevolent Association, which has aligned with Trump and the far right, has violated the rights of every New Yorker by hijacking this small demand for accountability in the face of their rampant violence, harassment, and murder against the Black community.

This rollback is a direct attack on African Americans, protestors, and all other police targets who so often find their necks against a police baton. We demand that the Democrats defend working people against an abusive and ballistic NYPD that is high on its own power and refuses even the smallest calls for accountability.

Here in NYC and across the country a Black-led multi-racial movement has marched across the country in historic numbers. Despite this undeniable demand for justice, the system is proving it will so easily sell out what small reforms it delivers.

The people in the streets, however, will not be so easily betrayed. We demand a stop to the effort by Councilmember Richards to gut the chokehold ban. And we demand much more. We demand the council pass the legislation to establish an elected and empowered civilian review board to hold police accountable, along with the establishment of an independent prosecutor to bring charges against the cops who commit crimes. We must slash police budgets and demilitarize them. And we must not allow this amendment to pass.

No rollback of the chokehold ban!