Working people and youth have mobilized in their thousands to protest this brutality over recent months. Their chant refers to the justifications that the city administration and police organizations give each time another person is killed by the police.

The march to City Hall was preceded by a rally of about 500 people, mostly high school and college students, at Union Square Park. Many of the high school students there had walked out of their schools in protest and marched to the rally. Signs included, "NYPD: Oldest Gang Around" and "No More Stolen Lives." Many also held placards listing names of people killed by the police.

Jezel Mathews of East Side Community High School marched with a banner students from her school had made during class with the names of many young victims of police brutality. About 25 students came from her school. "This is the first time our school has done something like this," she said.

High school students came from Washington Irving, Bronx Satellite, and Brooklyn Tech. Contingents of students were also visible from Hunter High School, LaGuardia High School, El Puente Academy, Baruch College, Hunter College, and Columbia University.

A group of about 30 construction workers joined the mostly student rally. Anthony Ramirez, 26, has been a construction worker with Positive Workforce, an organization that aims to get Blacks and Latinos into construction jobs. "People need to get together to fight police brutality," he said. "It felt good to march in 30 strong. This is my first demonstration. I've seen them on television, and I decided I had to come for myself. I never thought it would be this much fun."

Mike, 20, who preferred that his last name not be used, has been a construction worker for one year. He said that he was protesting the unsealing of Patrick Dorismond's juvenile police record. Dorismond was shot and killed by undercover police officers who tried to buy drugs from him, after he said no.

In the wake of the murder, New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani released Dorismond's sealed juvenile record to the press as part of his smear campaign of this victim of the police. Mike said that it is very important for those records to remain sealed because "they can be used against you by employers throughout your whole life."

Jonah, who came with about 20 other students from Hunter High School, had been a part of a previous rally that he and his classmates had organized. "This is the biggest march I've ever been to. It was great to just be here chanting, Hey hey, Ho ho, Police brutality's got to go!" he said.

The action was organized by a coalition of groups, including People's Justice 2000, Youth Force, and others.

Elena Tate is a member of the YS. Barry Fatland contributed to this article.  
 
 
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