Law enforcement officers around the nation are mourning the loss of two New York police officers who were gunned down by a crazed man on Saturday in Brooklyn.
By H. Nelson Goodson
December 21, 2014
New York, New York - On Saturday, both New York City Police Officers Wenjian Liu, 32, and Rafael Ramos, 40, were executed by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, while they sat on their police squad. Brinsley fatally shot both officers and later committed suicide. He body was found by the subway with a self-inflicted wound to the head. Brinsley also had attempted to kill his girlfriend, according to police.
Reports that Brinsley had posted his disgust of developing events from the Michael Brown homicide in Ferguson, Missouri and the Eric Garner's homicide in New York City had led to the killings of officer Liu and Ramos. Brown was killed by former Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson and Eric Garner was killed by NYC Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo, which both were found justified and sparked protests around the nation seeking justice for the victims.
During a press conference in NYC, police officers turned their backs to Mayor Bill de Blasio for blaming "centuries of racism" that has led to Brown's homicide in Ferguson and Garner's homicide in NYC. De Blasio vowed to hold police officers accountable, if they "don't live up to the values of the uniform." By the NYC police officers turning their back on Mayor De Blasio while he walked into a press conference has sent a strong message nationally that the officers seemed to condone racism and profiling and are defiant to change their attitudes. If the officers actually feel that their racism should be used to judge people who they stop or question, then they shouldn't be officers and should be replaced. They were hired to protect and serve and have taken an oath to abide by the U.S. Constitution and state Constitution.
A press release by the Ferguson Action Coalition states, "We are shocked and saddened by the news of two NYPD officers killed today in Brooklyn. We mourned with the families of Eric Garner and Mike Brown who experienced unspeakable loss, and similarly our hearts go out to the families of these officers who are now experiencing that same grief. They deserve all of our prayers.
"Unfortunately, there have been attempts to draw misleading connections between this movement and today's tragic events. Millions have stood together in acts of non-violent civil disobedience, one of the cornerstones of our democracy. It is irresponsible to draw connections between this movement and the actions of a troubled man who took the lives of these officers and attempted to take the life of his ex-partner, before ultimately taking his own. Today's events are a tragedy in their own right. To conflate them with the brave activism of millions of people across the country is nothing short of cheap political punditry.
"Elected officials and law enforcement leaders must not allow this narrative to continue, as it only serves to heighten tensions at a time when the families of those killed are in mourning.
"We stand with the families in mourning, we stand united against senseless killings, and we stand for a justice system that works for all."
"We stand with the families in mourning, we stand united against senseless killings, and we stand for a justice system that works for all."
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm has not rendered a decision whether to charge former Milwaukee Police Officer Christopher Manney for the April homicide of Dontre Hamilton, a homeless man whose only mistake was to sleep in Red Arrow Park. Hamilton was shot 14 times. Protests seeking justice for Hamilton have been ongoing prompting at least 74 arrests on Friday night for blocking the I-43 freeway. The Coalition for Justice, which organized the protests in Milwaukee released the following statement, that they "do not condone senseless acts of violence against anyone...We know that some of the country's officers will take the events of yesterday's as permission to even further profile, harass, brutalize our people."
Melissa Bollow Tempel on Sunday posted on Facebook, that she was one of multitude of people who managed to block the I-43 freeway and none of them were arrested on Friday. She says, two groups were involved, her group with 16 vehicles and carloads of protesters drove into the freeway, the second group marched from Red Arrow Park to the McKinley and I-43 on-ramp. The first group of 8 vehicles entered from Highland and the other 8 vehicles entered from North Ave. driving on opposite directions around 4:30 p.m. They managed to stop the North bound and South bound traffic during rush hour.
The Red Arrow group walked to the median, but some protesters broke their plan to stay on the median at McKinley and led the group entered to the on-ramp freeway prompting them to stop at the top of the ramp where at 73 and a minor were arrested by police and deputies. They never got into the freeway and all those protesters arrested were from the on-ramp.
The first group with vehicles were expected to get arrested, but when the cops arrived, they drove away and none were arrested or cited, according to Temple who accompanied the freeway group that stopped traffic.
President Barack H. Obama stated, "I unconditionally condemn today's murder of two police officers in New York City. Two brave men won't be going home to their loved ones tonight, and for that, there is no justification. The officers who serve and protect our communities risk their own safety for ours every single day—and they deserve our respect and gratitude every single day. Tonight, I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal—prayer, patient dialogue, and sympathy for the friends and family of the fallen."
Melissa Bollow Tempel on Sunday posted on Facebook, that she was one of multitude of people who managed to block the I-43 freeway and none of them were arrested on Friday. She says, two groups were involved, her group with 16 vehicles and carloads of protesters drove into the freeway, the second group marched from Red Arrow Park to the McKinley and I-43 on-ramp. The first group of 8 vehicles entered from Highland and the other 8 vehicles entered from North Ave. driving on opposite directions around 4:30 p.m. They managed to stop the North bound and South bound traffic during rush hour.
The Red Arrow group walked to the median, but some protesters broke their plan to stay on the median at McKinley and led the group entered to the on-ramp freeway prompting them to stop at the top of the ramp where at 73 and a minor were arrested by police and deputies. They never got into the freeway and all those protesters arrested were from the on-ramp.
The first group with vehicles were expected to get arrested, but when the cops arrived, they drove away and none were arrested or cited, according to Temple who accompanied the freeway group that stopped traffic.
President Barack H. Obama stated, "I unconditionally condemn today's murder of two police officers in New York City. Two brave men won't be going home to their loved ones tonight, and for that, there is no justification. The officers who serve and protect our communities risk their own safety for ours every single day—and they deserve our respect and gratitude every single day. Tonight, I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal—prayer, patient dialogue, and sympathy for the friends and family of the fallen."
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