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Protesters and victims' families rally against police violence in New York Protesters and victims' families rally against police violence in New York
(35 minutes later)
Activists and family members of those killed by police recited names and talked about their loved ones at a rally on Thursday in Times Square, the start of three days of protests and marches speaking out against violence at the hands of law enforcement officers.Activists and family members of those killed by police recited names and talked about their loved ones at a rally on Thursday in Times Square, the start of three days of protests and marches speaking out against violence at the hands of law enforcement officers.
Related: Obama praises Black Lives Matter movement for raising policing issuesRelated: Obama praises Black Lives Matter movement for raising policing issues
“We need to put an end to police brutality and police murder,” said Nicholas Heyward Sr, whose 13-year-old son, Nicholas Heyward Jr, was killed by a police officer in 1994 while the boy was playing with a toy gun at a Brooklyn housing project.“We need to put an end to police brutality and police murder,” said Nicholas Heyward Sr, whose 13-year-old son, Nicholas Heyward Jr, was killed by a police officer in 1994 while the boy was playing with a toy gun at a Brooklyn housing project.
He told the small crowd: “We are talking about innocent lives that are being taken constantly and they never, never are being held accountable for the crimes they are committing.”He told the small crowd: “We are talking about innocent lives that are being taken constantly and they never, never are being held accountable for the crimes they are committing.”
While Thursday’s protest and other events been in the works for some time, they’re coinciding with a tragic event – the killing of a New York City police officer, Randolph Holder, in the line of duty on Tuesday night. Holder, a decorated five-year veteran of the department, was shot in the head after a chase. A 30-year-old man with a history of arrests has been charged with murder. While Thursday’s protest and other events been in the works for some time, they are coinciding with a tragic event – the killing of a New York City police officer, Randolph Holder, in the line of duty on Tuesday night. Holder, a decorated five-year veteran of the department, was shot in the head after a chase. A 30-year-old man with a history of arrests has been charged with murder.
Related: The Counted: people killed by police in the United States in 2015 – interactiveRelated: The Counted: people killed by police in the United States in 2015 – interactive
Playwright and activist Eve Ensler, who spoke at the rally, told the Associated Press afterward that the officer’s death was terrible. But “that murder does not discount the hundreds of deaths that we are seeing and continuing to see and the lack of any indictments and the lack of any justice and that’s why I’m here today,” she said.Playwright and activist Eve Ensler, who spoke at the rally, told the Associated Press afterward that the officer’s death was terrible. But “that murder does not discount the hundreds of deaths that we are seeing and continuing to see and the lack of any indictments and the lack of any justice and that’s why I’m here today,” she said.
Those who spoke at the rally included family members of people killed in interactions with police all over the country, both recent deaths like that of Akai Gurley in November 2014 and others going back years, like Heyward Jr’s. The RiseUpOctober events were the brainchild of activist Carl Dix and academic Cornel West, and are scheduled to culminate on Saturday with a march in Manhattan. Those who spoke at the rally included family members of people killed in interactions with police all over the country, both recent deaths like that of Akai Gurley in November 2014 and others going back years, like Heyward’s. The RiseUpOctober events were the brainchild of activist Carl Dix and academic Cornel West, and are scheduled to culminate on Saturday with a march in Manhattan.
Recent deaths at police hands have spurred protests nationwide over police use of force.Recent deaths at police hands have spurred protests nationwide over police use of force.
“We are talking about something that is widespread and intense when we talk about losing their lives at the hands of law enforcement,” Dix said on Thursday.“We are talking about something that is widespread and intense when we talk about losing their lives at the hands of law enforcement,” Dix said on Thursday.