NAACP: Stop-and-frisk Ruling a ‘Groundbreaking Victory’

By Lily Workneh, TheGrio.com

Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled Mondy morning that New York City’s Police Department’s stop-and-frisk practice violated constitutional rights – and the NAACP is pleased with her decision. (…) “This is a groundbreaking victory,” said NAACP President Ben Jealous.

“Judge Scheindlin recognized what the NAACP has been saying for years: the racial profiling tactic of stop-and-frisk has no place in our enlightened society. We hope that Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly will heed this decision and end their crude and abusive policy. We will continue to stand up with the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who marched with us last June and fight for the protections of the Community Safety Act.” (…)

Over 532,000 people were stopped and questioned by the NYPD in 2012 alone, which is more than a 440 percent increase in the number of stops made since 2002. Eighty-seven percent of those who were stopped were either African-American or Latino, according to the NYCLU. (…)

“This decision sadly confirms what was profoundly obvious. When the police stop tens of thousands of citizens who have done nothing wrong – the overwhelming number being young men of color – basic civil rights are being violated,” Weiner said. “The policy of using stop and frisk as a deterrent rather than a tool for the pursuit of actual criminals has to change.”

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