No Police State Girl's blog is about everything No Police State and other random thoughts; music, art, fashion, lifestyle, technology, politics, the environment, saving the world and whatever else comes to mind.
And so there was a CLOSErikers March, Rally & Vigil yesterday in that neighborhood of Queens, New York. And this march to close Rikers Island day seemed to belong to the students and JustLeadershipUSA. And there have been other marches to shut down Rikers Island, that slave plantation, concentration camp torture chamber of a prison named after a slave catcher and bounty hunter that has been compared to Abu Ghraib prison. And even those these marches have come to pass, as far as I know, Rikers Island is still open for business. And so that CLOSErikers March, Rally & Vigil Facebook event for this event read something like: For decades, the notorious Rikers Island Jail Complex has been marked by violence and corruption and impervious to substantive reform. The#CLOSErikers campaign was formed in 2016 to break the political gridlock and achieve real solutions that are guided by directly impacted communities.
Led by JustLeadershipUSA, in partnership with the Katal Center for Health, Equity, and Justice, the #CLOSErikers campaign includes 90 diverse organizations across New York City that have joined the call for Mayor Bill de Blasio to close Rikers. The campaign to #CLOSErikers is calling for New Yorkers to boldly reimagine the city’s failed criminal justice system and become a national leader in ending mass incarceration.
Join us in sending Mayor de Blasio the message that the City is united.
On September 24th at 1:00pm we will be meeting at 30th Ave. & Steinway St. and marching to the Rikers Island bridge. We will then hold a rally and vigil at 19th Avenue and Hazen at 4:00pm. Do not miss this historic event!
For more information, or to get involved, please contact:
Hey again bloggers or whoever could be reading this blagh. And so along with what seems like the remnants of hurricane Joaquin the other day, in the midst of Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter and beyond, there was another March to Shut Down Rikers Island that was held rain, hurricane or shine in that city of New York on that Island of Queens, at the foot of the bridge leading to Rikers Island. And I guess those photos and videos from that event that day that find themselves posted above can speak for themselves. And that March to Shut Down Rikers Island Facebook event invite for this event read something like:
3pm meet-up in front of the Rikers Island sign, followed by a speak out, march, and more! Bring your voice, banners, friends, and family. All are invited to speak about their experiences.
Directions: Q100 bus to the Rikers Island sign (right before the bridge) at the intersection of 19 Ave. & Hazen St. in Queens, from one of the following subway stations: (N/Q) Astoria-Ditmars Blvd, (F) 21 St- Queensbridge, (E/M/R) Queens Plaza, or (G) Court Square.
Contact us to get involved with planning and outreach.
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WE DEMAND AN END TO TORTURE IN NYC!
Rikers Island is NYC’s Abu Ghraib, where individuals in need of care are instead caged, languishing both mentally and physically; a place where those suffering illnesses are tortured not treated, denying them the most basic of human rights.
WE DEMAND AN END TO CRIMINALIZING POVERTY!
Most people incarcerated on Rikers Island have not been convicted of a crime. They are unable to afford bail and awaiting their next court appearance and/or trial. NYC’s Tale of Two Cities forces the poor and innocent to endure a culture of violence, rape, and overall barbarism that no human should be subject to.
WE DEMAND AN END TO DECEPTIVE REFORMS!
Mayor de Blasio shows up for photo shoots in newly renovated portions of the jail complex, while most of it remains in a state of serious disrepair and deterioration. There are frequent sewage backups and water main breaks. The floors and ceilings are crumbling. The heating and ventilation systems don’t function properly. There are rotting showers, toilets, and sinks.
WE DEMAND AN END TO OPPRESSION!
NYC Department of Correction and the Correction Officers Benevolent Association have reaped the benefits of inequality and bloodshed for far too long. Too many lives, homes, and hearts have been destroyed so that a morally bankrupt system may flourish.
It’s been called “New York’s Abu Ghraib,” a combination torture chamber & concentration camp. After years of exposure, after lawsuits and decrees, horrors that shock the conscience continue unabated. In the country’s largest jail, lives are irreparably damaged every day.
As part of #RiseUpOctober, join in a non-violent direct action and protest to Shut Down Rikers Island. Sign up to be part of the action, or to provide support. Write: addmyvoice@riseupoctober.org
Also, take part in the national October 22 National Day of Protest to STOP Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation across the country: https://www.facebook.com/events/767581106685589/
And according to that NAACP photo posted above, “Welcome to America, home to 5% of the world’s people and 25% of the world’s prisoners. And Rikers Island is one of the ten worst prisons in America. And New York City is what a police state looks like. And Rikers Island is what a police state looks like. No one is free when others are oppressed. Is another world possible. And what does this have to do with a No Police State.
No Police State Girl's blog is about everything No Police State and other random thoughts; music, art, fashion, lifestyle, technology, politics, the environment, saving the world and whatever else comes to mind.
No Police State Girl's blog is about everything No Police State and other random thoughts; music, art, fashion, lifestyle, technology, politics, the environment, saving the world and whatever else comes to mind.
No Police State 