By C. Zawadi Morris – Patch.com
“Drop the charges now! Drop the charges now!” chanted a crowd of about 200 Crown Heights community members Friday afternoon outside of the 71st Precinct on Empire Boulevard.
The group of protesters included lawyers, business owners, rabbis, women and children, all of whom marched from the Jewish Children’s Museum on Eastern Parkway to the 71st Precinct, demanding the charges are dropped against 21-year-old Ehud Halevi, a community member who was beaten and arrested last Monday after he refused to leave a Jewish community center that housed troubled youth.
The demonstration, “Justice for Ehud,” was in response to an incident caught on video showing two 71st Precinct officers battering Halevi about his head and body. The police officers were responding to a call by a center volunteer worker who believed Halevi was homeless and loitering inside of the center, although in fact Halevi had permission to be at the center.
Halevi was arrested and charged with a felony count of assault on police officers and three misdemeanors: resisting arrest, obstruction and criminal trespass. NYPD has launched an investigation into the incident, while one of the officers, Luis A. Vega, who is seen on the video repeatedly punching Halevi, has been placed on modified duty.
But the charges against Halevi have not been dropped.
“It’s important for people to know that we cannot tolerate this kind of brutality and the overwhelming vicious response that was used in this case is something that nobody should tolerate,” said one of the protesters. “Now we want our generation and our children to know that this is just something that absolutely cannot and will not be tolerated by any one in any community at any time.”
The crowd of protesters was orderly but resolute in its demand, which was two-fold: They wanted both of the officers who were involved in the incident removed from their posts; and they demanded the charges against Halevi were dropped.
Noted civil rights attorney Norman Siegel, who is representing Halevi, helped to organize the rally and emphasized the importance of bringing in full community support to broker real change within the police department:
“There is a lot of outrage in this community in regards to what happened, and you need to have a safety valve in effect for the community to express its outrage in regards to what they saw on the tape,” he said. “If we’re dealing with systemic issues within the police department, then we need more than anything to have a unified voice.”
In this case I can’t help but see the glass is 99% empty! Where was the community?? While it’s understandable that women weren’t there since it was on a Friday afternoon (terrible planning), but all the men? Boys? High school kids girls and boys?? They are th ones ho should be scaredvfor their futures in such a ‘hood, and parents equally if not more concerned for their kids! Another mass demonstration is needed! Both the blacks, and black hatted of this community need to unite on this in an ANGRY – albeit peaceful- demonstration.
This is not just a question of police brutality, it’s a general prejudice and perception that law abiding Jews can be treated as second class citizens which led to this terrible incident. This resulted in over ticketing at best and taking the sides of the blacks at crime scenes at worst. Standing alongside black activists and acting as though it is a shared issue and that police aggression issues are equally serious for serious criminals as for law abiding Jews is a joke.
It drives around telling us about the next chinese auction, why no publicity here? and why Friday afternoon? Some of us work and don’t get home till an hour or 2 before shabbos. If the charges don’t get dropped immediately, and there is another rally, please do it
(1). with better publicity
(2). on a Sunday afternoon, Motzoie Shabbos or in the evening when more people will be able to attend.
me too wouldve been there if i could!
i wish i knew about it, where was this advertised??
didnt get a single note, no signs??
making a shidur chai for us all???
We all must send letters to Ray Kelly police and demand these 2 cops get fired. We must demonstrate in front of Hynes office and demand he drops the charges .
Otherwise its complete useless
How come they kept it so secret? I know of at least a few hundred more who would have come out,
Whoever u r! Most of the ppl I know never heard of this protest
I’m sure like myself
Many would have attended if we were given more advance notice so as to make arrangements on such a short friday
guys it was 2 pm on a shortish friday- ALL the kids were home- mothers were finishing up their shabbas preparations. many of us would have liked to be there but we couldn’t. It actually looked like a respectable amount of people came.
All those barriers, do they really think Jews are going to storm the precinct & set it on fire? Are they nuts? We don’t do that. Actually, we hardly do anything, as you can see from the pathetically few people who cared enough to show up. Yes, I was one of them.
Always ready with a pair of tefillin to help a yid do a mitzvah coz that’s what it’s all about!
Making the Rebbe proud.
Why was the police called and not Shomrim? We should protest in front of the house of the young man who called the police!!!! We must teach our youth a lesson not to call the authorities when a Jewish way of solving things ids available.
at least there were no misspellings on the ONE protest sign!
B”H it was a great success. Remember this was put together by a small group of mostly under 25 year old friends of the victim.
Had we waited for an officially sanctioned protest. 1) Almost 100% it would never happen. 2) The point would never get across to the Police.
Why couldn’t it have been advertised better the answer to that is MONEY.
I don’t believe that someone didn’t go b/c it wasn’t endorsed by a mashpia I mean last I checked we have a REBBE who said. “When it hurts scream”.
can you imagine the message our pathetic message our community is sending through this disgraceful turnout. I’m ashamed of my/our selves.
was this called, or at least endorsed, by ANY rov or mashpia?
thats why i didnt go.
Many did not know about this. Schools need to hand out papers to the children to bring home. It needed to be advertised much better. Not everyone goes online or even has a computer.
it looks like a bunch off prisoners going to a resterant being patrolled by police…………where was everyone?????????????????
what a dumb and arrogant comment.
That’s why your ‘anonymous.’
There are ‘bad apples’ everywhere in society…no matter what profession.
Doctors murder doctors, etc., etc.
When YOU need police or fire assistance you’ll be there calling 911, etc.
1) i think its great that everyone did this
2) are u kidding me? nobody did! i am ashamed that only … maybe 100 people were here.
3) how come police are their? that’s so funny actually
4) what the black guy with green shirt said is completely right
5) what exactly happened can someone please tell em all the details? like why the police beat him…
6) thank you all for listening have a great day!
Dear whoever questioned the numbers of Crown Heights Residents…I would have gone…tried to get info…did our ‘Vaad’ approve this?
We don’t want to irritate or embarrass the police inspector (Commander of the 71st Pct) if he’s good-hearted and cares about America…. trying to make an honest evaluation. No one wants the media ‘breathing down your neck.’
b. hoffinger
ow wow 2 pictures of shem tov saying yechi
Remember what the Boro Park community did at the 66 police precinct. Why was there not Ten Thousand of us marching. Lets do another march on a weeknight with candles and call all tne media.
wish i knew about it
I AM SO PROUD! NEVER THOUGHT CH WOULD SUCH A THING!!
well done GYM.
We”re all very proud of you.
Moishe Feiglin, taking every opportunity to put on tellin with.those around. Keep up the gr8 work.
i spot mendel mish and yossi stern!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice how forceful yet dignified this protest went
Kol hakavod to all participants!! I’m sure the Leftest-Media was disappointed that it was so peaceful & unsteriotypical of “extreemests-hassids”
Better publicity pls!
Only 1% of the CH “community” showed up. Where were the 99%? This is why no one takes us seriously; this is why the cops will check for cameras before they beat the…out of the next Jew they find.