A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
NEW YORK – Alongside dozens of New York’s leading civil rights advocates, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today that his office stands ready to protect and defend the constitutional and civil rights of all New Yorkers amid a surge of bias attacks nationwide and in New York. As his first action, the Attorney General’s office today issued an urgent bulletin to law enforcement offices statewide that provides guidance and support to identify, investigate, and prosecute hate crimes against immigrants, religious minorities, ethnic and racial minorities, women, LGBTQ New Yorkers, and other vulnerable communities.
Earlier Thursday, Attorney General Schneiderman held a roundtable discussion in New York City with immigrant community leaders and advocates to discuss concerns about the rise in hate crimes, harassment, and rhetoric targeting immigrant communities.
The bulletin, sent to local law enforcement agencies and district attorney’s offices, identifies available hate crimes statutes and stresses the need for law enforcement to properly identify incidents as possible hate crimes in the first instance.
“In the last week we’ve seen over 200 incidents of Hate Crimes across the country,” said Imam Khalid Latif, executive director of the Islamic Center at New York University. “Now, more so than ever it is important for all of us from diverse backgrounds to unite – and in this unity it is not just about speaking out, but also supporting the creation of institutionalized mechanisms and policy such as those that Attorney General Schneiderman is advocating for.”
“I applaud Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for leading the effort and coordinating this useful document,” said Thomas Zugibe, President, District Attorneys Association of New York. “This will be an important tool for law enforcement and district attorney offices across the state and will aid in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes and bias crimes. New York’s District Attorneys are committed to keeping all communities in New York safe and I look forward to sharing this with my fellow district attorneys.”
“LGBTQ immigrants are too often targets for violence and persecution. We are grateful to Attorney General Schneiderman for his leadership in ensuring that New York remains a safe haven for the queer immigrant community,” said Aaron C. Morris, Executive Director of Immigration Equality.
“Catholic Charities renews its commitment to support, assist and be in solidarity with immigrants and others who are feeling fearful and anxious in the aftermath of campaign rhetoric and proposed policies,” said Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, executive director, The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. “We cannot allow a ‘new normal’ of hate, anger, and derision to be considered an acceptable means of dealing with disagreement and difference. We will continue our efforts to better the lives of our neighbors in need and we will continue to partner with many, including government. When our perspectives diverge, we will seek to engage, build bridges and raise awareness in a way that is civil and strong.”
Hate crimes – also known as bias-related crimes – are offenses that target particular individuals, groups of individuals, and property because of a bias or prejudice regarding race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or identity, disability, religion, or some other protected characteristic as defined by law. These criminal acts include violence, threats and intimidation directed at individuals and groups as well as the destruction of public and private property.
Article 1, Section 11 of the New York State Constitution provides that no person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or its localities, and that no person shall, because of race, color, creed or religion, be subjected to any discrimination in his or her civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, institution, or government agency.
Reader Comments(0)