BY ZACHARY GEWELB AND JACOB KAYE
Demonstrators took to the streets in Fresh Meadows to rally for policing reforms proposed by the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after after Derek Chauvin, a white policeman, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, reigniting the issue of police brutality against African Americans and Black people in the United States.
Please join me in this march and rally. Six years ago in NY Eric Garner was choked to death on video for the world to see. If we had held those officers accountable then, would George Floyd have been killed with such depravity? We New Yorkers cannot let this happen again! pic.twitter.com/COfOKDiU5n
— John C. Liu (@LiuNewYork) June 3, 2020
In Queens, protests have remained relatively peaceful, but not without incident.
Peaceful protests calling for justice for George Floyd in Whitestone were met with racist and menacing attacks from anti-protesters earlier this week.
However, protests in Hollis, Jackson Heights and Astoria, as well as a vigil held at Queensbridge Park have gone off without escalation from police and demonstrators, compared to the rest of the city.
Protesters started to gather around 12:45 p.m. Thursday at Cunningham Park — located at 196th Street and Union Turnpike — to make signs in the parking lot before the official 1 p.m. start time.
#Protesters begin to gather at #CunninghamPark for their #march to #BoroughHall pic.twitter.com/DjNRF4Xgv9
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
@LiuNewYork addresses the group of #protesters at #CunninghamPark pic.twitter.com/4PbhA8E2iB
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
#Protestors take to the #streets and #chant: “Hey, hey, ho, ho, racist cops have got to go!” pic.twitter.com/I8zYKi14UU
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
#Demonstrators briefly paused outside of #Assemblywoman @nily office pic.twitter.com/0jwC1YRNaD
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
The rally made its way to Borough Hall by 3 p.m., right on schedule. Several city and state legislators, including state Senator John Liu, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman, City Councilman Donovan Richards, Congresswoman Grace Meng, state Senator Jessica Ramos and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — among others — joined the rally.
@LiuNewYork arrives at Queens Borough Hall. @AliciaHyndman just said this was coordinated with state legislators reresenting the entire state of NY. pic.twitter.com/k6EiZaCdJZ
— Angélica M. Acevedo (@angacevedo15) June 4, 2020
“We are tired and we are not going to take it anymore! America must change!” #protest at #BoroughHall pic.twitter.com/xomXpEFDZc
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
#nyc Public Advocoate @JumaaneWilliams urges #protestors to fill out their #census online. Hospital beds and other necessities are based on the census information. #elmhursthospital pic.twitter.com/VyiPvMYYEf
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
@LiuNewYork (jokingly) introduced Public Advocate @JumaaneWilliams as “Acting Mayor.” Williams spoke about paying attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and the demand for police accountability — not property damage. pic.twitter.com/kw4pW5VM2b
— Angélica M. Acevedo (@angacevedo15) June 4, 2020
they are now marching toward Jamaica Avenue and Sean Bell Way, down Queens Blvd pic.twitter.com/cJlUzyb7dP
— Angélica M. Acevedo (@angacevedo15) June 4, 2020
some cars and buses passing by honking in support of the march, as they chant “whose streets? our streets!”
— Angélica M. Acevedo (@angacevedo15) June 4, 2020
#Protestors and #legislators march through the streets chanting: “No Justice, No Peace.” pic.twitter.com/f5NBpXfwXw
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 4, 2020
walking down Jamaica Ave pic.twitter.com/BNSaEQ30EB
— Angélica M. Acevedo (@angacevedo15) June 4, 2020
made it to Sean Bell Way pic.twitter.com/VPXBcdQKPr
— Angélica M. Acevedo (@angacevedo15) June 4, 2020
A separate rally, organized by high school students, according to City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, began in Sunnyside early Thursday afternoon.
Out in Sunnyside marching for justice.
This march was organized by a fierce, local high school students. pic.twitter.com/BxbgDmGpP9
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) June 4, 2020
sunnyside queens, NY ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻 #BlackLivesMatter
yes I’m aware this is from my apartment, as I’ve been fortunate enough to be working remotely right now, but I stand in solidarity to all the protesters pic.twitter.com/kaepSopa8q
— nicholas blair (@nnicholasblairr) June 4, 2020
from Sunnyside #BLM #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeforBreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/ckkJe25tWk
— Kathleen Lubey (@kathylubey) June 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/RafGarNYC/status/1268616046925066240
#Sunnyside was out in force today, marching for justice for #GeorgeFloyd & making sure everyone near & far chanted #blacklivesmatter. It was powerful & inspiring to be there. It was organized by young women of color, led by Tuli Hannan, who is a student at Info Tech HS in #LIC. pic.twitter.com/J8DNSw3BLj
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) June 4, 2020
With reporting from Dean Moses and Angélica Acevedo.
