NYC gov’t tries to divert trans march

Following are excerpts from an action alert by TransJustice, organizers of the Trans Day of Action. For more information, email [email protected].

The New York City Police Department and the City of New York are attempting to deny TransJustice’s applications to march and rally on 8th Avenue. During a June 6 meeting, NYPD Assistant Chief Bruce Smolka made an anti-LGBT remark, telling TransJustice members “to go back to the Village” and that a rally at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue would not be allowed.

TransJustice called the rally to address the growing violence and murders of trans people. The rally will also commemorate sixth anniversary of [the murder of] Amanda Milan, a 25 year-old African-American transgender woman, who was brutally murdered on June 20, 2000.

Historically, 8th Avenue has been regarded as the place that several LGBT and HIV organizations, as well as LGBT nightclubs, have called home. Trans Justice selected this route to call attention to [the] innumerable members of our communities that work, reside, play, and access supportive services, right in the heart of Midtown.

On June 23, trans and gender non-conforming people of color and their allies will rally and march against police brutality, to oppose the racist and xenophobic immigration policies of the Bush administration, to show our outrage at the lack of access to living-wage employment, adequate affordable housing, quality education, basic healthcare for our communities, and to demand an end to the devastating impacts of U.S. imperialism being waged against people at home and abroad.

TransJustice sees this attempt to deny the march route and permits as part of the ongoing plan of the Bloomberg administration to repress the progressive political movements of NYC. Now more than ever, TransJustice calls on all social justice activists from communities of color, lesbian, gay, bi, two-spirit and trans movements, immigrant-rights organizations, youth and student groups, trade unions and workers organizations, religious communities and HIV/AIDS and social service agencies to endorse, build contingents and to help fight for the right to march on 8th Avenue on June 23.