Has the us population been taken hostage and subjugated by the police yet? The police and their unions have threated any elected official that dares indicate any oversite of police brutality or even make police officers liable for their actions just like any other person. The police in large cities are gangs, infiltrated by white supremacists, and right-wing political operatives that enforce a repressive conservative fascist ideology against the public who want to move to a more accepting progressive society. Hugs.
New York City has agreed to pay more than $20,000 each to hundreds of individuals who were trapped by police and attacked with batons and pepper spray during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.
According to documents filed in federal court on Tuesday evening, the city and the NYPD reached a proposed settlement to compensate anyone who was corralled by police during the infamous June 4 crackdown, which took place at the height of the protests against the police killing of George Floyd.
The settlement, which still must be approved by a judge, is believed to be the largest-ever per-person payout for a class action lawsuit arising from a mass arrest, according to Alison Frick, an attorney for the named plaintiffs who brought the class action lawsuit.
“It’s highly unusual,” said Martin Stolar, a civil rights attorney who is not involved in the case. “It shows me that the city is making an admission that there was substantial wrongdoing on the part of the department, and rather than going to trial where they risk judgment of a higher amount, they agreed to a settlement.”
Roughly 300 protesters were marching along 136th Street and Brook Avenue when they were blocked on both sides by walls of heavily-armored NYPD officers, a tactic known as kettling. Officers proceeded to attack the group with batons and pepper spray, before arresting an estimated 278 people. Among those trapped were medics, legal observers and journalists, including those reporting for Gothamist and WNYC who may be eligible for compensation.
A subsequent report from Human Rights Watch found cops acted “unprovoked and without warning, whaling their batons, beating people from car tops, shoving them down to the ground, and firing pepper spray in their faces.” The group accused the NYPD of “serious violations of international human rights law.” They described the police response, which was overseen by high-ranking department officials and primarily carried out by the NYPD’s controversial Strategic Response Group, as a “serious violation of international human rights law.”
Under the terms of the settlement, anyone who was present for the kettling will be eligible to receive $21,500. An additional $2,500 will be awarded to each person who was arrested. The city is expected to pay an estimated $6 million to participants in the Mott Haven protest, in addition to attorney’s fees arising from the case.
Frick said the settlement is expected to be finalized by a judge in October, with victims likely receiving compensation before the end of the year.
“It was a pre-planned and premeditated assault,” Frick told Gothamist. “This is a historic settlement and we feel very confident the court will approve it.”
Emily Janakiram, a protester arrested in Mott Haven, described her reaction to the settlement as “shock and awe.” She recalled spending hours in a jail cell, surrounded by other protesters who were bloodied and bruised, wondering why they had been arrested for a peaceful demonstration..
“I’m glad to see there’s some kind of accountability being handed out,” she said. “But it’s bothersome that it’s being paid for by the taxpayer and it’s not coming out of the NYPD’s budget, which is what we were trying to draw attention to at the time.”
In an unattributed statement on Wednesday, the NYPD said the protest came during a “challenging moment for the department,” as officers attempted to balance demonstrators’ first amendment rights with what the agency referred to as “wide-scale rioting” and destruction.
The settlement does not include an admission of wrongdoing by the NYPD, whose leadership under former Mayor Bill de Blasio vigorously defended police actions on the night of the protest. On the day after the protest, former NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said the police response was “executed nearly flawlessly,” describing the protest leaders – including well-known Bronx community organizers – as “outside agitators.”
On Wednesday, though, the agency said it had “re-envisioned” its policies and training procedures around large-scale demonstrations after receiving recommendations from several outside agencies.
De Blasio and Shea did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Samantha Max contributed reporting.
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
What is woke, and the woke ideology. It is the new term for what the right use to call PC or politically correct. What is that? It is being nice, being tolerant of those that are different from them, being civil in discussions and in public. One definition from dictionary.com is;
adjective : having or marked by an active awareness of systemic injustices and prejudices, especially those involving the treatment of ethnic, racial, or sexual minorities.
What is wrong with that? Being aware that there are people being treated unfairly. Unless you are a racist bigot who wants to be rude, hurtful / harmful, and demeaning to others in public without suffering the consequences of those actions. It is a small group of people demanding the country allow them to target people they hate and dislike. They want the society of the 1950s where white people were the controlling authority in society always assumed to be in charge and above people of color. They want a society that allowed men to demean and boss women around because men were unquestioningly in charge and women have no authority. They want a time when there was little or no public recognition of any LGBTQ+ people and those in that community were openly targeted for harm / abuse. That is what these maga want. This is the goal of the anti-gay, anti-trans, and anti-social progress.
I was once called a snowflake on Ark’s blog because I championed fixing social injustice. I did not know what the term meant, and I said I was happy to be a snowflake as I thought it meant an individual. Guess what I wear the title of social justice warrior proudly. Helping those that are being unfairly attacked or targeted for abuse just for being a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ+ community is something to be proud of. As I once mentioned safe spaces started in cities to let kids who were being abused at home or on their way to or from school by bullies / drug dealers / gang members know where they could go for help, where they could go to be safe. I remember the advertisements on TV showing kids running from danger seeing the sign on fire stations or other businesses and dashing inside in relief. I thought conservatives wanted to protect kids, but they mocked and derided safe spaces as a horrible thing. Hugs
Critics of “woke” policies are usually pretty skeptical about snowflakes calling for safe spaces—but Marjorie Taylor Greene is suddenly all for the idea. The Georgia lawmaker even went so far as to claim that MAGA Republicans “deserve” one of their own. “We’re fed up with Democrat policies, we’re fed up with the woke ideology being shoved down our throat, and we’re tired of our children being brainwashed into these same ideas,” Greene told Sean Hannity on Fox News on Tuesday. “We want our own safe space and we deserve it,” Greene added while discussing her recent advocacy for a “national divorce” between red and blue states. Commenting on Greene’s remarks, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted: “Republicans ridiculed ‘safe spaces’ and called people ‘snowflakes’, this coming from one of their leaders is literally hilarious.”
Hannity defends Marjorie Taylor Greene's "national divorce" proposal, saying it is merely "a plan to decentralize the federal government"
Marjorie Taylor Greene claims a man yelled "F you!" at her in a restaurant
"We want our own safe space, and we deserve it" — Marjorie Taylor Greene
The woman who has openly committed adultery, switched religious lifestyle from mainstream Christianity to a fringe sect and tried to overthrow the government is complaining about another ideology being crammed down her throat. Irony RIP.
It’s never about the surface argument with conservatives. It’s always about them maintaining authority, all for fun, fame, and profit. It’s never really about anything else.
What MTG wants for her personal safe space– a large portion of the United States free of large women, small men, hijabs, lesbians, Blacks, drag queens, liberals, Mexicans, Jews, Catholics, and everybody who doesn’t think exactly like her.
“We’re fed up with Democratic policies that help average Americans, we’re fed up with enlightened ideology being shoved down our throat, and we’re tired of our children being educated”
You already have a “safe space”. Go to Truth Social, which is explicitly intended to be a space where MAGA bigots like you can hang out with like minded morons. That was built from the ground up to be your safe space.
Oh, I’m sorry. Is Truth Social a toxic shit-stain that nobody really wants to be on?
We’re tired of MAGA being shoved down our throats, tired of Republicans taking away our freedom to make choices about our bodies, freedom to express ourselves, to teach our children what we want to, tired of their racism and bigotry. It’s a two-way street, honey, get a grip.
Ms. Greene, may I introduce you to News Corp.? The universe of lies created by Rupert Murdoch sure seems to fit the bill, Marge. You have your own media empire that amplifies every treasonous brainfart you produce, bitch.
Come back tomorrow with more self-pitying bullshit. We’ll be waiting.
“We’re tired of our children being brainwashed into these same ideas”
Those would be her three adult children, all in their 20s, who might have opinions about her finalized divorce, the divorce she failed to carry through on a dozen years ago, and the tensions within her marriage that led to them.
I have not been well. I have heart rates in the high 140’s. Twice I have gone into serious atrial fibrillation territory. Yes heart attack or heart shut down. The doctors are changing my medications to get my heart rate, my pain, my other issues under control. I get very few hours right now on the computer to read what I think is worth reading and even less to share it. Now I am hearing that because I have not been able to get to comments due to my health and thinking the people who come here would be science based reasonable people who would understand the majority of the medical community agrees with trans affirmative care I could rest while my doctors find ways to help me.
Turns out I was wrong. Decent people would have understood the situation I am under, how some days I struggle to breathe with my heart rate so high, how sitting in my desk chair causes me to feel ever building pain and yet I don’t have the money to buy / build the things I need to keep doing what I did.
Turns out the anti- trans trolls who I already fully debunked moved in in my absence and tried to full spread their lies, their myths. In the process they have sucked in normally reasonable people. All because I was not feeling up to getting to the comments something I have been struggling with for the last year.
I thank those that contacted me with the situation. I do my blog to counter the misinformation and hate put out by the regressive religious right. My side is backed up by science and peer reviewed studies, something the other side cannot claim. They want to hold on to tradition, to the way it always was in their lifetime, not realizing before that it was different also. I am done and angry.
Let me say that again. I am pissed off and angry. For now until I can go back threw all the comments and correct the misinformation and hate I am shutting comment off on things I post, if I manage to find time to post anything at all.
Last night I went to bed about 7 PM, my pulse was racing, my pain high and due to my medications and my supper I was very tired. I had a good blood sugar before supper of only 104, but I knew to cover more than that with my insulin. I had more tabs open and things I wanted to get to on both computers than I can describe. I would love to share that news with everyone, but the regressive haters seem not to want that. OK then if it is a constant fight on FACTS you want to have I guess I have to divert what energy I have to that.
The truth is on the progressive accepting side! The regressive traditional side is wrong. Just as it has always been for all of history! The earth is not flat, the sun doesn’t rotate around the earth! Black people are not less than whites, Jews are not evil as a group. Grow the fuck up all you people who say that it was not that way before. Yes I am angry. I don’t feel well and I must now deal with people that think the Florida administration that claims vaccines are bad and dangerous to your health has the right take on teaching. Dogs that love gravy do you people ever get out of your bubbles and look around the world. The rest of the world is leaving the US behind on how to treat people, education, healthcare including child / mother death during childhood. The last bastion of resistance in a capitalist society is centered in the US while the rest of the developed nations soar above us in how they treat their people. But you in the US just keep worrying about who uses the bathroom and be suspicious if they don’t look how you think they should. Oh crap those undeserving people might get enough government assistance to eat a full meal today. Keep watching so the corporations can steal everything you have with the government supporting them!
So to those that sent me messages of the mess my comment sections have become I thank you. To those assholes who wanted to abuse my faith in humanity I am going to deal with you. And I am angry! Hugs
“In God We Trust” is a motto, not a part of America’s origin story. Mondale Robinson breaks down the historical basis for the separation of church and state on Rebel HQ.
“A Florida school district voted this week to ban a book on penguins—yes, penguins—from its libraries, claiming the book’s “sexual innuendo” was inappropriate for elementary students.
In a 3-2 vote on Monday, the Escambia County School Board, near Pensacola, deemed And Tango Makes Three unsuitable for students, overriding the recommendation of a district-mandated review committee made up of administrators, teachers, parents, and community members.
“The fascination is still on that it’s two male penguins raising a chick,” board member David Williams said ahead of the vote. “So, I’ll be voting to remove the book from our libraries.”
Orlando folks should tweet this at their local news. Where's the coverage? People have the right to know Orlando has nazis harassing its Jewish community with terrible hate speech & harassment ON THE SABBATH
Public dress codes separated due to gender assigned at birth. Soon don’t you women dare wear pants, men make sure you have your beard and regulation hat when you leave the house. This is the US Taliban. No miniskirts you women, be respectful with skirts at knee length and dresses covering your ankles. Plus as JMG says let’s protect kids by making dress up illegal but allow teenagers to carry guns. The republicans are a minority party that has to gerrymander and suppress the right to vote to insure they stay in power, but they rule like they have a landslide majority. I really think this comes down to a religious motive. Men shall not dress as women, women shall not dress as men or men might start sleeping sexy with men dressed as women. Oh no! Hugs
Tennessee House Republicans on Thursday moved to prohibit “adult-oriented” entertainment from public property and restrict it to age-restricted venues in legislation filed after a flurry of controversies over drag shows across the state.
The bill classifies “male and female impersonators” as adult cabaret performers and bans “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors,” as defined in Tennessee’s obscenity law.
Bill sponsor Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, filed the legislation after he fought a public Pride drag show in Jackson, Tennessee. Todd at the time called the drag show “child abuse,” though he said he wasn’t aware of the actual content the show would contain.
House Bill 9 and Senate Bill 3 would ban those performances from public property or in a location where they could be viewed by minors. The bill addresses performances like “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest.”
The bill passed as amended with 74 in favor and 19 against. News Channel 11 reached out to the office of Governor Bill Lee regarding the bill. A spokesperson for Lee said he intended to sign it when it came to his desk.
The bill now returns to the state senate for a procedural concurrence vote before heading to the governor’s desk, possibly as soon as tomorrow.
Rep. Chris Todd first appeared on JMG in April 2022 when he authored a successful bill allowing 18 year-olds to carry handguns. Because he so wants to protect young people. Last year he forced a local Pride organization to cancel drag performances in a public park.
The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill prohibiting the hosting of drag shows in public venues or anywhere minors might be present. | @ariblaffhttps://t.co/ngOlJgyK2R
This is step one. Once they get away with this they will go to the next steps. Eventually, being publicly or openly gay will be a reason for being arrested.
I still frequently see comments that try to hit back at these things using logic or accusations of hypocrisy. And I’ll keep saying: These bigots don’t give a shit that their laws make no sense or are hypocritical. They just want to lock us up and kill us.
Thank you! I’m 67 years old at went to school at a time when we learned about how this encroachment begins. We’re in for some hard times. And I’m not being Chicken Little about this. Trump’s Supreme Court has already been unleashing their terror on women.
The only solution is civil disobedience and acts of malicious compliance. Defy the law, stage your performance and let the cops pull you out in handcuffs. This isn’t 1962, there’s camera everywhere. Let America see.
And maliciously comply. Put together your drag bunch, market it as a drag brunches but have a group of of cis women do the performance in modern drag style costumes and makeup. Confuse the shit out law enforcement when they come to make the arrest.
It’s also not 1962 in that there’s an entire media industry created by the right that exists just to deny sympathy when the police start cracking skulls.
Also most evangelical christmas and Easter shows feature men in dresses. Report that shit to the cops, organize call trees and place hundreds of calls for each performance.
Also add Jesus, a man clearly in drag, to each drag show…doesn’t have to be reverent, just have Jesus. He could serve wine.
Yes, I have been saying that for a while. Get some straight ally women to dress up in drag-style and host a drag brunch. Confuse and frustrate the police.
Also, the law says “…male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest”. I can’t think of anything less prurient than someone dressed in a full-length gown reading to kids.
Unfortunately, it’s going to take some arrests and lawsuits to get this shit over with. But we know that drag queens have some of the biggest balls out there to do it.
Please, these bills have nothing to do with “protecting minors.” Just like anti-abortion bills have nothing to do with “protecting the unborn.” These bills are all rooted in the desire to suppress female sexuality.
To the MAGAts, drag queens are a form of “female liberation.” The right to express, the joy of expressing, “female-ness.”
To those same morons, abortion rights threaten the right of men to control female bodies. The right to suppress female bodily autonomy.
Interesting that “Mrs. Doubtfire” the musical is coming to TPAC (Tennessee Performing Arts Center) in Nashville this coming season. I hope that the whole season gets pulled.
The coup d’ etat continues unabated. Get ready because if you live in a red state this and so much more is coming to you. Soon the bills to not recognize same sex marriage will start coming out. Pride marches will be banned. Then people will see why cops had no business being in those parades because now those same cops gonna be splitting your skull if you get out of line
