THE PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS

MARCH 4, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUSTICE FOR Z’KYE HUSAIN MARCH

The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) will have a Justice for Z’Kye Husain March on Saturday, March 5, 2022, 11:00 A.M., starting at Bridgewater Township Municipal Building, 100 Commons Way, Bridgewater, New Jersey.

“We are calling upon all people, groups and organizations who want justice for Z’Kye and an end to racial profiling and police brutality to march with us on Saturday,” stated Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress.

“We are marching to demand that the officers who racially profiled and brutalized Z’Kye should be fired, and they should be suspended immediately pending the outcome of the Attorney General’s investigation,” Hamm said.

“The names of the officers should be released publicly, their disciplinary records released, and the body cam videos of the assault on Z’Kye should be released to the public,” he said.

In addition, he said the town of Bridgewater should do a racial bias audit of all aspects of its policing and present a plan as to how it is going to root out racially biased and discriminatory practices and policies in the police department.

Also, POP demands that Bridgewater establish a police review board with subpoena powers, require racial bias testing and training, require de-escalation training, and that the mayor should issue an apology to Z’Kye, his family, and the black community.

“We are also calling upon the Bridgewater Commons mall to lift the ban against Z’Kye and the other boy involved in the fight, and that the mall withdraw its demand that his family pay for broken furniture,” Hamm said.

“Z’Kye was the victim of racially disparate treatment by the police. He was the victim of racial profiling and police brutality. We demand an end to racial profiling and police brutality,” he said.

The incident has drawn national attention because of the way they police handled the incident and their disparate treatment of the boys.

The younger black teen was immediately tackled, forced face down, and handcuffed with both police officers putting their knees on his back. The light skinned older teen was placed on a couch and not handcuffed.

POP believes this to be a clear case of racial profiling and police brutality. The group called a press conference on Saturday, February 19, 2022 to denounce the actions of the police.

Representatives of more than twenty other organizations made statements in support of Z’Kye and condemning the police assault on him.

Those who plan to attend the march are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing. For more information, call 973-801-0001.

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