New York holds emergency rally for police victim in Bed-Stuy
New York, NY – On April 17, around 30 people came out for an emergency rally led by the New York Community Action Project (NYCAP) at Herbert Von King Park in Brooklyn, to demand justice for Caesar Robinson, a 78-year-old Black man, murdered by New York Police Department officers in his Bedford-Stuyvesant home.
On April 13, officers from the 81st Precinct responded to a call from Caesar Robinson’s nephew claiming that someone was attempting to break into his uncle’s apartment. Robinson opened the door when they arrived, and NYPD claims that he had a gun and pointed it at the officers, who shot him six times. There was no report of any de-escalation, and NYPD has yet to release the name of the officers involved or the body cam footage.
The rally began with Jessica Schwartz, a member of NYCAP, leading the crowd with a chant, “Justice for Caesar Robinson!” Other members of NYCAP held up graphics that read, “Fire killer cops.” They passed out fliers to people within the crowd and people passing by.
NYCAP member Briony Smith kicked off the speeches and fired the crowd up, stating, “We are furious that yet again, a man is dead, in another senseless, brutal tragedy,” and ended chanting, “No justice, no peace!” Next, Michela Martinazzi spoke about specific police officers from the 79th Precinct who had several complaints filed against them. Yet, taxes are contributing to their six-figure salaries.
The same day that Caesar Robinson was murdered, NYPD also shot a man in the Bronx and the Queens. Daniel Espo of NYCAP spoke about these shootings and other NYPD murders, such as Sofia Gomez and Ronald Anthony Smith, who were both struck by NYPD vehicles.
A speaker from the December 12 Movement, a long-standing Black organization in Bed-Stuy, also came to speak and demanded that Black people have control over their community.
The final speech by a NYCAP member ended with demanding police accountability and chanting, “Fire all killer cops!”
NYCAP will be continuing to demand justice for Caesar Robinson, the release of the body cam footage, and names of the police officers that murdered him as they begin to launch their new campaign to fire killer cops in Brooklyn.