Hundreds of Protesters Demand Police Budget Cut outside Manhattan City Hall (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Hundreds of protesters set up camp inside City Hall Park in Manhattan, New Yotk, to demand at least $1 billion be cut from the New York Police Department and shifted toward community resources before the city's July 1 budget deadline.
In rallying cries to defund the police, protesters have gathered to pressure the city into shifting money designated to the police department toward community resources including education and social services, the Insider reported.
Grassroots organizations kickstarted the movement last Tuesday, following the latest in a series of protests after the killing of George Floyd, a Black man whose death at the hands of police has sparked outrage across the world.
Protesters have been sleeping in the park day and night, and have set up an organized system with resources, food, and sanitation — reminiscent of Occupy Wall Street and Seattle's most recent autonomous zone.
On Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed to cut the city's police budget by $1 billion by canceling the hire of 1,163 new police officers and reallocating funds from school safety officers into the Department of Education.
Protesters say it's not enough.
On Tuesday morning, videos on social media showed protesters clashing with police, and many have said they will keep occupying the park after the budget vote takes place.
