shut it down! Newsletter No 2
NYPD - IDF: Occupiers bringing death!
Israel’s Massacre in gaza unites resistence to the occupation
In uniting across occupied Palestine to assert their right to defend their territory in East Jerusalem and to protect the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, Palestinians not only secured a victory for the Palestinian people but for the rights of muslims across the world. Howeverer, it is a victory that came at a devestating price for the people of Gaza.
For attempting to defend Palestinian territory, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) made Gaza a “hell on earth” for ten days, killing at least 222 people including 63 children, destroying six hospitals, nine clinics, water infrastructure, and leaving 74,000 of Gaza’s two million residents homeless and another 250,000 without water, in an assault which U.N. officials say on its face appears to be war crimes. In addition to targeting civilian infrastructure, the IDF destroyed the headquarters of major news agencies in Gaza, leading the Assosciated Press to call for an investigation into the assault.
Israeli police, settlers, and other armed fighters continued to assault worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque after the ceasfire agreement, with police firing rubber bullets and incendiary devices at worshippers as they prayed. Though Hamas held true to its side of the ceasefire, the greatest weapon of Palestinian resistance had already been unleashed as thousands marched across occupied Palestine and in countries across the world.
Ending the Occupation in Palestine and Black America
While the IDF assaulted worshippers in East Jerusalem, the NYPD beat and arrested Palestinians in Manhattan. Since the blowback attacks of 9/11/2001, the NYPD has trained with the IDF in applying its colonial tactics to muslims and Black people throughout the tri-state area. Through this partnership the NYPD developed its “demographics unit” which infiltrated mosques in and around NYC, violating the religious and privacy rights of countless muslims, and later applied the same techniques to Black Lives Matter groups across the city.
Through these training programs with police forces across the U.S. Israel spreads its tactics of occupation from Gaza and East Jerusalem to Harlem and East New York making ending the occupation of Palestine a key part of ending the police occupation of Black America.
Eric Garner’s Legacy
On June 3rd Jewel Miller, the mother of Eric Garner’s youngest child, held an event calling for Thomkinsville Park to be renamed “Eric’s Legacy Park” in honor of Eric Garner. The call follows the succeful campaign to rename part of Linden Bulevaurde to Akai Guerly Way, in honor of Akai, who was murdered by NYPD Officer Peter Liang. Even though Officer Liang was convicted of homicide, just like Officer Panteleo who murdered Eric Garner, he recieved no jail time. [continued below]
As Israeli forces assault Palestinian worshippers at the Al Aqsa Mosque, IDF trained NYPD officers assault Palestinian protestors in Manhattan.
NYC Shut It Down recognizes our enemies are united to oppress us and so we must stand in solidarity with Palestinian liberation in our fight to liberate Black and Brown communities from NYPD occupation.
Photo: John Wha for The New York Times
[continued from “Eric Garner’s Legacy”]
The planned renovation includes a “rock of justice” to serve as a memorial and call to action, a playground and baskeball court to serve local youth, and a community garden, in adition to the renaming. Though these symbolic gestures can not begin to repair the injustice of racist police murder, they will serve as a monument to our martyrs and remind us to fight everyday to live up to Eric’s last words: this stops today!
You can help in this effort by signing the petition here: Honor #EricGarnersLegacy
Shut It down actions in May
Noise Demo Outside of the South Bronx Prison Ship:
On May 7th NYC Shut It Down was out in solidarity with Take Back The Bronx (TBBX), who organized a noise demo outside of Vernon C. Bain Center jail. “The boat” docked off the shore of the South Bronx imprisons over 600 people. According to monitored radio transmissions in the jail by investigative journalist and documentarian, Laura Poitras, chemical agents, straight jackets, and leg, arm, or chest shackels are used on a daily basis. It was also determined that five of the units were on COVID-19 lockdown as of April.
TBBX and NYC Shut It Down were there to let those imprisoned on the boat know that people in the world are fighting for them and to demand that PPE and other much need supplies be made available to the people incorcerated there. Ultimately, to end such cruel and inhumane treatment as that reported by Poitras and others we must abolish the boat and every jail in NYC.
Listen to the recordings here:
FTP food serves:
Our Feed The People program continued across three boroughs in May, seving around 150 people each in Harlem, The Bronx, and Brooklyn. On the menue in the Bronx was cornbread, black beans, mashed potatoes, curried brocoli and coliflower, cheesey pasta salad, and baked lemon pepper chicken. In addition to food we had children’s books, and clothing on offer for those who stopped by. We will continue with FTP in three bouroughs this month on the dates below.
We can always use extra hands for cooking and serving! If you would like to help please hit us up at any of the social media links below. Strong communities make the police obsolete!
Upcoming actions in June
Queer Liberation March: June 27th, 2:30pm (step off at 3pm) @ Bryant Park
Feed The People
Brooklyn: Friday the 18th 5pm @ Jackie Robinson Park (BK)
The Bronx: Saturday the 19th 3pm @ Hunts Point Plaza and Bruckner Blvd
Harlem: Monday the 28th 3pm @ 116th St. and Lexington Ave
Further Actions To Be Announced Join Us On:
-In Solidarity, NYC Shut It Down