New York
Gay-bashing must end, marchers say
By
Leslie Feinberg
New York
Angry and loud, gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people and
their supporters took to the streets here on March 15 to demand
an end to right-wing violence and police brutality. Organizers
estimated that 1,000 to 1,500 people took part in the
demonstration.
The administration of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has tried to
prevent any progressive protests in this city by denying police
permits to march, picket or rally. Organizers of the Sept. 5
Million Youth March and the Oct. 22 rally against police
brutality, for example, had to fight in court until the 11th
hour to wrest permits from the city.
When lesbian, gay, bi and trans organizers tried to hold a
political funeral Oct. 19 for Matthew Shepard without a permit,
the New York Police Department unleashed a riot against them.
Cops beat marchers and passersby, and commandeered city buses
to facilitate their mass arrests.
Despite these efforts to intimidate the movement, organizers
of the March 15 protest called for a political funeral for
Billy Jack Gaither, the gay man who was murdered Klan-style on
Feb. 19 in Sylacauga, Ala.
They announced they would not apply for a permit.
Ongoing protests against the Feb. 4 NYPD execution of
African immigrant Amadou Diallo have put the Police Department
and the Giuliani administration on the defensive. The national
and international spotlight on the role of the New York cops
made it risky for Giuliani to order the police to crack heads
on March 15. On the other hand, a march without a permit would
set a significant precedent.
So, caught in this catch-22 bind, the NYPD reportedly
offered organizers a permit for the route of march they had
been publicizing--right through the heart of midtown Manhattan
during the evening rush hour.
`Whose streets? Our streets!'
When marchers first began assembling at Columbus Circle,
police outnumbered them 10 to one.
Phalanxes of cops stood ready on every corner. Twenty-eight
police wagons were parked across the street. Many more lined
the route of march.
As the gathering for the march grew larger, cops blocked off
a lane of traffic on Broadway.
Protesters poured into the street behind a lead banner that
read: "Fight back against queer-bashers in blue."
"Stop the hate, stop the killing, fight back now!" they
chanted. Although rows of cops separated marchers from
thousands of working people on their way home, the din of
outrage reached passersby.
The demonstration bristled with printed and hand-made signs
that condemned racist as well as anti-gay and anti-trans
violence. Placards bore photos of victims of bashing and police
attacks.
"Homophobia's got to go! Racism has got to go! Police
brutality has got to go!" protesters roared.
As they arrived at Bryant Park for the sched uled rally, the
police made a key arrest.
Jay W. Walker--an African American activist and an organizer
of the event--called for demonstrators to lie down in the
streets. "Let your voices be heard," he said.
Cops immediately arrested Walker on a felony charge of
"inciting to riot." He was whisked into a police wagon.
Demonstrators found the wagon he was in and surrounded it.
"Racist, sexist, anti-gay, NYPD give us Jay!" they chanted.
Encircled by an intransigent crowd and media floodlights,
the cops reduced the charge on the spot to "disorderly
conduct." Moments later, to the cheers of those who had
demanded his freedom, Walker was released.
"I'll tell you, at first I was afraid," Walker told Workers
World. "Until I heard the sounds of my people outside screaming
for my release. Then I felt warm and loved and I knew I was
going to be free."
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
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