POLICE BRUTALITY AT 5TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT

On Wednesday, September 26, 2007, officers from the New York Police Department’s 9th precinct made an unprovoked attack, employing excessive use of force against members of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project and other community members. While pepper-spraying a group of people who were gathered outside of a celebration and benefit for the organization’s five year anniversary, the police also violently arrested two people from the crowd, Ileana Mendez-Penate and Reina Gossett. These two people were released the following night, and all charges were dropped.

A press conference will be held on Monday, October 1st @ 2pm on the front steps of New York City Hall in Lower Manhattan. We at The Sylvia Rivera Law Project would like to thank all the local elected officials and their staffers, especially Rosie Mendez and her staff, who had a hand in the eventual release of the two detainees.