Press Room

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement after Governor Cuomo signed legislation repealing Section 50-a of the New York Civil Rights Law, among other measures including banning chokeholds, enhancing civil penalties for false or hate-based 911 calls, and granting the state Attorney General further investigatory power over cases when an individual dies in officer custody.

"Today is a victory for transparency, for accountability, and for the continued pursuit of justice in policing. 50-A has shielded officers from accountability for years, and hindered individual justice and systemic progress. I thank the Legislature for passing this repeal and the Governor for signing it. Together with finally banning chokeholds, enhancing oversight and investigations of officer interaction, and helping prevent false emergency calls that initiate them, the progress made today shows the power of protest to effect change.

"Primarily, though, I want to lift up and offer gratitude to the directly affected families and the activists who have gotten us here through years of dedicated advocacy, and the officials like Senator Bailey and Assembly Member O'Donnell who championed the 50-a repeal long before it was politically popular, much less imperative. Similarly the chokehold ban is a measure that we have pushed since Eric Garner's death in 2014, and I commend Senator Benjamin and Assembly Member Mosley for their legislative leadership.  "We have been demanding change not for weeks but for years, and it's vital to remember that while these actions come after 13 days of disruption, these same actions could and should have been taken years earlier in this ongoing movement for justice.  "Repealing 50-a is not a singular solution to the issues that have spurred these protests, no act taken today is. There is much more work to be done, and as the state has now shown a willingness to start the much-needed process of enacting transformative, systemic change, we will continue that work in the streets and halls of government."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an additional $10 million in funding would be allocated to Cure Violence groups under the Crisis Management System. The Public Advocate has long called for expansion of the program.

"The investment announced today should be applauded. Of course more is needed, but today is an acknowledgement that what many have been saying for many years - what we continue to say today, even more emphatically, is true - public safety does not equate to policing. Investing in community groups doing the work of interrupting violence on the ground through engagement with credible messengers works. The additional funds and expansion of the Cure Violence program in the Mayor's Office to Prevent Gun Violence to more of our city will save lives. 

"When we first pushed for these new strategies- these grassroots alternatives to over-policing-  we were shouted down by those who said we were inviting violence on the streets. Now, with even more data on our side, they stand corrected. I'm incredibly proud of the work that's been done since the first pilot program was funded eight years ago, with just under $5 million. Still, as the budget for this initiative is around $40 million, the NYPD's remains close $6 billion.

"If the administration is truly committed to community-driven solutions to gun violence, it can demonstrate that by increasing and baselining funding to make Cure Violence a permanent part of our city's approach to public safety. It can also commit to shifting resources away from a police response in other areas - such as mental health crises - and toward a public health response. In this time of fiscal constraint many if us have identified $1 billion dollars can be repurposed. But right now, this Mayor is not a credible messenger on true, transformational policing reform. With more and even bolder announcements like this my hope is that changes."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement after the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau recommended that Officer Francisco Garcia face internal charges following a May 2 social distancing enforcement incident in which he was seen on video making a violent arrest.

"The recommendation of internal charges for NYPD Officer Francisco Garcia was announced just as Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged in the killing of George Floyd. These are of course different cases, with different consequences for the victims, but they share striking similarities. They each are rooted in the same systemic injustices and permissive structure for violence in policing, and perpetuate the pervasive racism that infects our institutions. In each case, the positive developments of today are just beginnings, not endings, in the fight for justice.

"The fact that Officer Garcia may quickly be facing internal charges does represent progress, especially compared to the handling of the Pantaleo case and too many others. Still, it does not ultimately ensure consequences. And as the use of 50-a shields information about the NYPD officers, we are denied full transparency and accountability for all involved.

"There is a reason people are marching- in New York City, in Minneapolis, and across the country. These announcements will not placate us or quiet the voices of outrage and pain, will not repair the damage of the past weeks, months, and years. We raise our voices in protest, and we will continue to do so, because our voices need to be heard to spur action, to spur change, to push back against the longstanding injustices that bring us to this place again and again. We will push against the status quo and those fighting to maintain their privilege at all costs.

"These incidents highlight injustices, but the system ingrains them. Until there is a system of true transparency and accountability in policing, until there is an end to this unjust harming of black and brown bodies, the march for justice continues."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement regarding the recent incident captured on viral video in which Amy Cooper, a white woman, called 911 and made false statements about Christian Cooper, a black man, in Central Park.

The Public Advocate further discussed the incident in a press conference today.

"I'm not okay. "It's jarring, it's traumatizing, to see on camera what we know people of more color frequently experience, unseen on video. We know that far too often, looking 'dangerous' or 'threatening' is synonymous with being black, and what we saw on that video was someone taking that coded language and making it plain, comfortable in her own privilege that she could assert over someone with less. This woman's conduct is egregious, and lays bare a longstanding pattern of the criminalization of black men in our so-called progressive City. We can't brush off or minimize this incident as an isolated occurrence when there are 'bigger fish to fry.' When the NYPD is dismissive of both aggressive overpolicing in black and brown communities, and the valid complaints and fears of those same communities, they prop up the privilege that enables these incidents, exacerbating the disparity in enforcement while denying accountability and consequences that should come as a result." "I am glad the Commission on Human Rights is investigating the incident, an investigation which should be carried out to the fullest extent. Like others who have filed false police reports or misused New York City's resources, she should be fined at minimum for her actions, which were plainly racist and potentially dangerous. Before anyone dismisses the risks of calling law enforcement on a black man, they should look to Minneapolis on Monday, to Staten Island six years ago, to the many incidents we've seen on video and the countless that we don't. "I'm not okay, and many systems and powers in place seem to be okay with that- even prefer it that way."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement in observance of Memorial Day, during the 3:00PM National Moment of Remembrance.

"Today, we pause to honor the Americans in uniform who have made immense sacrifices on behalf of our country, and remember those who were killed in that service. We owe them our deep gratitude and respect- not just through our words of thanks, but by upholding the promises made to military members and their families. We must be able to separate out specific military actions, which I and many often oppose, from the people who answered the call to service. Like many Americans, I have family members who have served in the United States military, and I am proud of them for their dedication and resolve.

"This year, we will be unable to show our gratitude or pay tribute to fallen members of our military with grand parades or large ceremonies. It is all the more critical, then, that we each take this time to offer remembrance and respect to those who have dedicated, and lost, their lives in service of this nation."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement in observance of Eid al-Fitr, which begins Saturday evening in the Muslim community.

"I would like to wish my Muslim brothers and sisters Eid Mubarak, as the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end. This year, though the breaking of the fast may look different as we remain in our own homes, the spirit of celebration remains. In this time, it is critical to support one another through hardship, and Eid al-Fitr is a reminder, regardless of  personal creed, to serve and uplift our neighbors. Throughout this pandemic, I have seen community supporting community, New Yorkers helping New Yorkers, and have been proud to stand with the Muslim community in service of those in need throughout our city. We should endeavor to extend the lessons and principles of Ramadan, of charity, self-reformation, community service, beyond the month itself.

I hope Ramadan was a meaningful, spiritual experience for all who practice Islam, and that Eid al-Fitr is a time of joy."