New York, NY—Today, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) released a blistering ad laying out Mayor de Blasio’s multiple failures to reform the New York Police Department (NYPD). The video features footage of the Mayor juxtaposed with victims of police violence, like Eric Garner and others. The ad comes amid City Budget negotiations and follows weeks of peaceful protests led by thousands of New Yorkers outraged by the murder of George Floyd. The NYIC has joined its allies in the criminal justice movement to demand at least $1 billion be cut from the NYPD’s $6 billion budget for FY 2021.
After the launch of the ad, Steve Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement.
"The time is up for the City's budget, and New Yorkers deserve better than a budget focused on bullets over bread. After weeks-long protests marked by mass arrests, beatings, and tear-gassing of peaceful protesters, the Mayor must relent and cut at least $1 billion from the NYPD’s funding. For New York's immigrant communities, it is mystifying that the Mayor continues to protect the NYPD's budget, even as he pushes for sharp slashes to vital services that offer a lifeline to New York families struggling with job losses and the pandemic. We call on City Hall and the City Council to listen to the thousands of New Yorkers demanding justice and investment in the communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and police violence.”