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- SERVING RED HOOK, SOUTH PARK SLOPE AND SUNSET PARK -

Community Views
Your Forum for Ideas, Comments, Information, and General Gripes.

ANOTHER PAYOFF AND MORE RESIDENTS GET SCREWED
How many people opposing a development (in this case a Swedish tumor) matters not. Politicians get paid off, they vote yes, residents get screwed. Poetic justice would be a boycott of this crappy store. Let em go belly up. Turn the property into something useful. IKEA SUCKS
Posted by:
ED Koch
Sunset Park Family Finally Cleared by Jury
After two physically and emotionally exhaustive years spent attending court dates and dealing with insurmountable surveillance, harassment and intimidation, Jose Acosta has finally been found Not Guilty by a Brooklyn jury. On July 4th, 2003, Jose Acosta was brutality handcuffed and beaten while coming to the assistance of his 62-year-old mother, Margarita Acosta, who was also beaten by 72nd Pct police officers. The Acosta family was merely having a barbecue in front of their home when the former captain of the 72nd Precinct stopped in front of their home and turned off their radio. When asked why, he and other officers became abuse and violent. As a result, five members of the family were beaten and arrested including Margarita’s 12-year-old grandson. They were charged with assaulting the police officers, obstructing justice and resisting arrest. Luckily, one of Margarita’s granddaughters was able take pictures from a window and was able to document some of the graphic scenes from that night.
The weakness of the case, combined with the usual attempt to cover-up police brutality, resulted in the dismissal of charges on all the victims except Jose Acosta. On January 31st, after waiting nearly 20 months for justice, he was acquitted of all charges.
The Justice Committee submits that there is pattern emerging from the continuous abuse and excessive use of force in communities of color during holidays and cultural activities. For example, last year following the Puerto Rican Day parade, 19 young Latinos who were pepper sprayed, manhandled and arrested in Sunset Park. During and after the Puerto Rican Day Parade snipers amassed on rooftops and riot police, command stations and other specialized units created a virtual police state in the heavily Latino areas of Sunset Park, Bushwick, the Lower East Side and East Tremont. One can only assume: Were the residents of these neighborhoods being terrorized for expressing pride and joy over their heritage?
More recently, this past Thanksgiving, a family in the Bronx experienced the same brutality that the Acosta family experienced. Police officers came into their home and unplugged their radio then proceeded to beat and arrest a young college student.
The struggle for justice will continue after this victory for the Acosta family and our community. Following the acquittal, the Acosta family complained that police have resumed their surveillance. In addition to the safety of the family we are concerned with the safety of our community. We will continue to stand by the Acosta’s in their struggle and will continue to demand an end to the corruption at the 72nd Precinct and the unwillingness of D.A. Charles Hynes to indict, prosecute and convict corrupt cops.
Posted by:
Justice Committee
Ikea store in Red Hook
I think the store and the plans for the community as they stand today are a great idea and will lift Red Hook out of it's reputation as a waterfront community known mainly for "On The Waterfront" type of problems and the more recent killing of innocent children along with that principal by the ever present drug dealers in the projects in that area. The traffic that store will bring to the area will mean police will have to be present in larger numbers and drug dealers will have to disappear.
The added plus; the sales tax will go to NYC instead of Jersey and it will cost less to travel to/from the store - we won't have to travel to Elizabeth NJ anymore. AMEN!
Posted by:
barbara paolucci
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ANOTHER PAYOFF AND MORE RESIDENTS GET SCREWED
(Nov 28, 2005)
Sunset Park Family Finally Cleared by Jury
(Feb 04, 2005)
Ikea store in Red Hook
(Nov 15, 2004)
Why this bike lane ?
(May 26, 2004)
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