Showing posts with label death penalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death penalty. Show all posts

Friday, September 21, 2012

Troy Davis Execution - One Year Later

Revisiting the New York City Protest and March in Honour of Troy Davis

One year has passed since the execution of Troy Davis, who was widely regarded as having been an innocent man. One day after the execution, citizens and activists from the brand new Occupy Wall Street movement gathered in Union Square and commenced a march to Zuccotti Park (aka Liberty Square).

Video by Ayman El-Sayed of Existence is Resistance. New Yorkers gathered in Union Square on September 22, 2011, to protest the killing of Mr. Davis by the state of Georgia. Protestors were peaceful, but the NYPD began harassing the demonstrators as they marched to Wall Street. Police were driving their motorcycles extremely close to protestors and honking their horns. This was before they decided to attack and arrest those remembering Mr. Davis.

Following is a video of the passionate protest and march, from the point at which the march reached Houston Street onward. The march grew by picking up passers-by, one day after the execution of Troy Davis, a man believed to be innocent of the crimes charged against him. Protesters were harassed by NYPD, pushed and shoved, and at least one protester was peeled away from the crowd, shoved the floor, and arrested. Note the brash display by NYPD of what appears to be pepper spray guns, and, in at least once instance, NYPD were caught video recording the lawful peaceful activities of activists -- in direct violation of the Handschu Agreement.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Troy Davis Protest NYC

Video of the flashmob protest one day after the execution of Troy Davis, a man believed to be innocent of the crimes charged against him. Protesters were harassed by NYPD, pushed and shoved, and one protester was peeled away from the crowd, shoved the floor, and arrested.

Is Mayor Michael Bloomberg sanctioning this kind of behaviour by the NYPD ? What is City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's opinion about the NYPD's use of weapons and vehicles against passionate citizen assembly in protest of the death penalty ? Activists worry that Mayor Bloomberg will again resort to mass arrests, the same way he wholesale violated due process and civil liberties during the 2004 Republican National Convention.

During Troy Davis Protest, NYPD Use of Excessive Force

NEW YORK CITY (22 Sept 2011) -- At a passionate, yet peaceful flashmob protest and march, activists against the death penalty demonstrated yesterday in New York City one day after the execution of Troy Davis, a man believed to be innocent of the charges that lead to his execution. In this exclusive video, watch as how officers from the New York City Police Department carried weapons, used excessive force, and made at least one violent arrest during yesterday's demonstration.