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QUEENS WEEKLY, JUNE 7, 2020
BY DEAN MOSES
A group of about 300
d e m o n s t r a t o r s
gathered in Hollis
Wednesday afternoon
as Queens continues
to host protests sparked by
the death of George Floyd,
a Minneapolis man who
died last week after an officer
pressed his knee in the
back of his neck to pin him
to the ground.
Protests have been
generally peaceful during
the daylight hours in
Queens and around the
city, but some have taken
violent turns at night resulting
in arrests, fires,
looting, pepper spray and
scuffles with the NYPD.
Police arrived at Hollis
Deli, the scene of the protest,
at 3:30 p.m., ahead
of the scheduled 4 p.m.
start time. The protesters
started to gather shortly
after.
After the streets were
blocked off by police officers,
protestors formed
a circle where speakers
such as Congresswoman
Grace Meng, state Senator
Leroy Comrie, Congressman
Gregory Meeks, and
several others addressed
the crowd. Some attendees
waved signs demanding
justice, others wore
masks condemning police
brutality.
The continuous protests
have forced lawmakers
to reevaluate legislation,
such as the 50-A bill,
which allows the review
of personal records pertaining
to police officers,
firefighters, paramedics,
correction officers, or
peace officers within the
department of correction
and community supervision
or probation department.
“What I want you to
know is that in the state
Photos by Dean Moses
Legislature, where I am,
we are going to pass 50-A,
and it’s getting passed because
of what is happening
in the streets right
now. So don’t devalue
what you are doing,”
Comrie said. “Don’t devalue
the fact that you are
making this happen. You
have turned the governor,
who has been sitting on
GEORGE FLOYD
PROTESTERS
GATHER IN
HOLLIS