Unity March in Harlem:
Together Against Police Assault on Black and Latino People
June 30, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
From a reader:
New York City, June 22—People from three neighborhoods in west Harlem that were assaulted by a massive, military-style police raid earlier this month marched in a show of unity and a call for unity among the people in fighting against these attacks. On June 4 a NYPD army of 400 decked out in body armor and supported by helicopters tore through two public housing projects, Grant and Manhattanville Houses, and the Manhattan Avenue neighborhood. (See"“NYPD Raids in Harlem: ‘They want to stop this whole generation’")
New York City, June 22—People from three neighborhoods in west Harlem that were assaulted by a massive, military-style police raid earlier this month marched in a show of unity and a call for unity among the people in fighting against these attacks.
Photo: Special to Revolution
The young men swept up in the raids are being held at Rikers Island, a massive prison complex in the middle of the East River. Some of the youths from the neighborhoods targeted in the raids have been fighting each other, with the encouragement of authorities.
There is a tremendous desire among many, especially among some of the family members, for this fighting among to stop and for people to come together to fight these attacks.
Young women from one of the neighborhoods called for the unity march, and it was taken up by people in all three areas. The day before the march, a man whose stepsons had been arrested during the raids went to the “rival” projects with a team selling Revolution newspaper. He talked to people there about “coming together to support the kids.” The march was announced over the loudspeaker at a basketball tournament. Three former prisoners talked about why things are the way they are, if a revolution could actually happen, and what role the youth would have to play.
On June 22, the march stepped off with 15 people, nearly all women, led by the Revolution Club. Two young women from the neighborhood carried a bright green banner that said “Manhattan Avenue, Grant and Manhattanville Houses—TOGETHER Against Police Assault on Black and Latino People, Especially Our Youth! No More!” The women took up a chant—”What’s the commotion? What’s the noise? Drop the charges! Free our boys!” They carried signs that compared the NYPD with slave catchers and also carried the Stop Mass Incarceration Network target poster popularized in the protests on the anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s murder. The group marched to an area just outside the projects 10 blocks away. There the march was joined by people from the two housing projects, by Stop Mass Incarceration Network activists, a student from Columbia University, and revolutionaries.
The group, now with nearly 30 people, set off on a spirited march through the two huge high-rise “rival” housing complexes. Some people joined in along the way. One woman who joined the march said that she had heard about the march from her son, imprisoned at Rikers Island. People took posters and bought Revolution newspaper.
The march stopped to rally on a basketball court where young men and boys were playing ball. Four teenage boys stood shoulder to shoulder on the outskirts of the gathering and listened intently as women spoke about how the police had broken down doors, pointed guns at their children, tore up furniture, dragged people from their beds. They listened along with many others on the court as the Revolution Club called on them to get with the revolution. For two blocks, a group of 10- and 11-year-olds from two neighborhoods took up leading the chants over the microphone at the head of the march.
Volunteers Needed... for revcom.us and Revolution
If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.