On Father’s Day, June 17th , Peace and Global Justice groups walk together with New Yorkers in a Silent March to End Stop & Frisk
We are a diverse gathering of groups working for global justice and peace around the world. Our focus is usually on the actions of global economic powers and governments as they foster inequality, suppress human and civil rights and use military force. As US-based organizations, we struggle to end U.S.-led wars and militarism and to confront economic and political policies that deprive people of their freedom and justice.
At the same time, we are keenly aware of the US government’s policies at home. Police brutality and repressive policies are nothing new to communities of color, especially to Black and Latino communities in the U.S. We are alarmed by recent developments in institutionalized racial profiling, increased surveillance, the continued chipping away of constitutional rights, and the expansion of police presence in many communities. These are the domestic expressions of the foreign policies we rigorously oppose. As the police at protests look more and more like soldiers and as the NYPD continues to pull people of color off the streets at random and throw them into prisons and detention centers, we see that the militarization of the state has been crucial for the maintenance of both U.S. foreign and domestic policies. The militarized state tries to keep us from organizing against these policies by forcibly dispersing protests and locking people up so they can’t lead movements for local and global change in their neighborhoods and communities.
On Sunday, June 17th, a broad coalition of civil rights, labor, religious, youth and student, and diverse community groups led by the communities most targeted by policing will silently march down Fifth Avenue to demand an end the stop and frisk policy of the New York Police Department. Grounded in racial profiling, this policy has unjustly targeted young Black and Latino men in communities across New York City. Last year some 685,000 stops were made, and the numbers are growing this year.
We know the struggle for peace and justice abroad is and must be linked to the struggle for racial and economic justice at home. On June 17th we will march to strengthen that link. And we call on all peace and global justice organizations and activists to join us.
Brooklyn for Peace
Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Code Pink
DRUM – Desis Rising Up and Moving
Fellowship of Reconciliation
The Global Justice Working Group of Occupy Wall Street
Havaar: Iranian Initiative Against War, Sanctions and State Repression
Jews Say No
Northern Manhattan Neighbors for Peace and Justice
Peace Action – NY State
Progressive Democrats of America
Raha: Iranian Feminist Collective
South Asia Solidarity Initiative
United for Peace and Justice
Veterans for Peace – Chapter 34
War Resisters League
Image: The New York Times
The War Resisters League Blog 