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Washington Square Park Protest Inspired by Minneapolis, Chicago Shootings

By Danielle Tcholakian | November 26, 2015 2:53pm
 One of the first arrests occurred early in the night in Greenwich Village.
One of the first arrests occurred early in the night in Greenwich Village.
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DNAinfo/Danielle Tcholakian

GREENWICH VILLAGE — More than a dozen people were arrested in New York City Wednesday night in a rally and march prompted by the shooting of five activists in Minneapolis and the revelation that Chicago authorities covered up the killing of a teenager by a police officer for more than a year.

The protest, planned by NYC Shut it Down and Millions March NYC, kicked off in Washington Square Park with speeches by local activists urging unity and greater community engagement in the outer boroughs and calling for the firing of Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.

"We should be in the Bronx, we should be in Brownsville," said Kerbie Joseph of the ANSWER Coalition. "Can you imagine how it would feel to see a crowd like this in those communities?"

Josmar Trujillo of New Yorkers Against Bratton chided protesters to "get off Twitter" and "get to know the people in your community."

Activists were upset that Bratton, at a promotions ceremony Tuesday morning, blamed non-violent protests for the deaths of two NYPD officers last year.

Bratton said "the demonstrations in last November and December, the street demonstrations... led to the murder of two of our police officers," POLITICO New York reported.

The two NYPD officers that Bratton referenced were shot by a mentally ill man who made his way to Brooklyn from Baltimore after shooting his ex-girlfriend.

A Justice League activist slammed Bratton's "irresponsible" remarks that "continue to shift the blame from the people with the guns to the people with the signs."

"Last time we checked, Commissioner Bratton is the one who keeps a killer on the payroll," she said, referring to Officer Daniel Pantaleo, whose chokehold killed Eric Garner in Staten Island in 2014.

Voices from the crowd shouted, "Bill Bratton must be fired."

Early in the evening, white protesters formed a "barrier" around the rest of the crowd. Some of them said they were asked by Sophie Ellman-Golan, 23, to come to the protest and protect the other protesters.

"I think that it's really important, as white allies, to literally put our bodies on the line," said Ellman-Golan, who is part of an organization called Jews 4 Racial and Economic Justice. "Their bodies are on the line everyday without their consent."

The march took off from Washington Square Park, as protesters weaved through the streets of Greenwich Village, where some of the first arrests were made.

The NYPD said a total of 13 people — 10 men and three women — were arrested and issued summonses, with no one kept in custody overnight.

Activists said that 15 people were arrested, including Akeem Browder, the brother of Kalief Browder.

The march ended four hours later in Times Square, activists said.

Another protest is planned for Dec. 3, as well as a sit-in at Grand Central Nov. 30 in the name of Sandra Bland, the woman who died in Texas in police custody.