NEWARK, NJ — Newark activists plan to join a national day of protest against police brutality on Thursday, Oct. 22.
The People's Organization For Progress (POP) said it plans to hold a local rally at 5 p.m. outside of Fraternal Order Of Police Lodge #12 at 51 Rector Street. After the rally, protestors will march to the federal building at 970 Broad Street.
"The purpose of the demonstration is to demand an end to police brutality and to demand police accountability," said the group's chair, Lawrence Hamm.
Hamm said the location of this week's rally was chosen because of the ongoing fight for civilian police oversight in Newark.
"Police brutality is worse today than it was six years ago when George Floyd was killed and people were clamoring for police reform," Hamm said.
"The clamor has died down, and there has been hardly any meaningful reform," he added.
The longtime activist said that the group is demanding justice on a state level for Wali Bey, Jean Wilson Brutus, Deborah Terrell, Carl Dorsey, Najee Seabrooks, Bernard Placide, Andrew Washington, Major Gulia Dale III, Victoria Lee, Jujuan Henderson, the Rodwell-Spivey brothers and others.
The POP noted that the protest is taking place in the wake of a controversial decision in the Kohen Wiley shooting case. The 1-year-old was killed when a Mississippi police officer fired at a vehicle while responding to a shoplifting call.
On Monday, the shooting was ruled a "justified" use of force, with authorities alleging that the driver of the car almost hit an officer.
The ruling has sparked a wave of outrage from advocates like Hamm.
"Words are inadequate to express our outrage regarding the failure of a grand jury to indict the officers involved in the killing of Kohen Wiley, a 1-year-old child," he said.
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